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Bambi (character)

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Bambi is the protagonist of Disney's 1942 animated feature film of the same name. A deer living in a forest, he's best friends with Thumper (a rabbit) and Flower (a skunk). However, he was closest to his mother, who was shot on his first winter. Raised into a buck by his father, he strongly falls in love with his childhood sweetheart and love interest, Faline, and they end up, later on, having twin fawns, a son and daughter named Geno and Gurri, respectively.

Bambi originated as the main character in Felix Salten's Bambi, A Life in the Woods. He has made cameos in several Disney cartoons. In the Disney films, his species was changed from the roe deer to the white-tailed deer, which would be more familiar to American audiences. His image is a Disney icon comparable in recognition factors to Mickey Mouse, and he is even shown on Disney stock certificates.


History[]

Bambi[]

In the first film, the chronology of Bambi's life from birth to young adulthood is showcased. At his birth, all the inhabitants of the forest gather to greet the new prince with open arms. Among them are Friend Owl (who acts as an adviser to Bambi's father, the Great Prince of the Forest) and Thumper.

As the months go by, Bambi creates bonds with Thumper and a bashful skunk by the name of Flower, forming a strong trio. He also builds a weak friendship with Faline, a fawn who he fell in love with, despite being disgusted by her at first glance because of her overly bubbly personality. Aside from friendships and romance, Bambi's primary concern is his mother, who he loves deeply, often learning life lessons that stick with the young prince. One of those lessons involves being conscious of "Man"; the forest's most feared enemy. Man is known for being a ruthless hunter, killing animals for the sake of sport, having no regards for anything else. One day, while out during the winter, Bambi's mother is killed by Man; though the young deer manages to escape before he falls victim, as well. Without his mother to care for him, the Great Prince of the Forest arrives and raises Bambi himself, tragically confessing the loss of his mother and taking him from his old home.

Years later, Bambi grows into a strong young adult buck, dashing, but still as shy and somewhat clumsy as ever. He retains his friendship with Thumper and Flower and, as predicted, falls in love with Faline; or as Friend Owl likes to put it; becomes "Twitterpated". Now experiencing true love for the first time, Bambi began his life with Faline as his mate, exploring the forest together, proclaiming their love, and battling the vicious Ronno for her affections, eventually coming out victorious. This also signifies dominance and maturity on Bambi's part, which comes in use, as he's slated to take the role as Great Prince of the Forest, following his father's footsteps.

With life seeming as peaceful as ever, Man returns to the forest with more men and with a pack of bloodthirsty dogs. Several forest dwellers are killed by the invasion and Faline is attacked, but was rescued by Bambi before it was too late. Even so, back at Man's camp, a fire accidentally breaks loose, setting the forest ablaze. Bambi and his father rush through the woodlands to escape the devastation as the other creatures do the same, finding a small island off shore of the forest where they're sheltered until things settle down. And although they barely survive, Bambi and the Great Prince manage to escape the catastrophe, as well.

Some time after the forest's restoration, Bambi, now ruling the lands alongside his father, watches in the light of the sun as Faline gives birth to two young fawns, causing a celebration echoing Bambi's birth and ushering in a new chapter for the prince and his forest.

Miss Bunny (1972 film)[]

Thumper the Rabbit (1977 film)[]

Oliver Gets Lost[]

House of Don Bluth[]

House of Mouse (2000 2003 2001 2002 2005 2006 film)[]

Bambi II (2003 2000 1997 2001 Film)[]

In Bambi II 2003, Bambi is much more distinctly personalized. In this film, which fills in the gap between the death of his mother and when he was next shown as a young adult, Bambi finds himself faced with a number of challenges. First, there is the death of his mother and his consequential move to live with his father, the Great Prince of the Forest. Connecting with that, there is the fact that his father has no knowledge of raising children and is reluctant and slow to learn. In addition, Bambi begins to develop romantic feelings for Faline and comes into conflict with his present and future rival, Ronno.

Throughout all of this, he shows much more personality than he did in the first film. Whereas before he essentially followed life where it led him, now he grabs life by the horns in one attempt after another to bond with and impress his father. In the first film, Bambi's status as the young prince had little impact on the flow of the story. But now his rank becomes a key part of the situation as he sets out to prove to himself and others, most of all his dad, that he deserves to be prince and can live up to his father's name.

Close to the end of the film, Bambi has lost his spots and starts to grow antlers. He then gets prickled by the porcupine and kisses Faline. He then leaves with the Great Prince who takes him to the meadow where he and Bambi's mother first met as children.

Cameos[]

Bambi and his mother make a brief cameo in the Donald Duck short No Hunting. In the live-action True-Life Fantasy film Perri, an adaptation of another Felix Salten's books, a live deer is identified by the narrator as being Bambi.

In The Rescuers during the song "Someone's Waiting For You", Bambi is seen eating the grass in Devil's Bayou with his mother.

In Who Framed Roger Rabbit Bambi has a cameo appearance during the final scene with the other Disney and non-Disney characters.

Bambi received numerous cameos in the series often seen with Thumper and Flower in House of Mouse. In the episode "Dining Goofy", he showed to be unamused with the fact that he was seated with Big Bad Wolf. His only speaking role in the series was the episode "Mickey vs. Shelby". In the film Mickey's Magical Christmas, Bambi was seen singing during the ending song, and in Mickey's House of Villains, Bambi was seen walking, next to Piglet, with the Disney Villains in the opening only.

In The Reluctant Dragon, Doris presents a completed cel of the titular character at the ink-and-paint department during a Technicolor-showcasing montage of the paint-making process.

In Zootopia, a fawn statue resembling Bambi can be seen in the pit exhibit at the climax of the film.

Bambi makes an appearance in the Mickey Mouse episode "Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special", where he and Thumper are seen on an ice-skating rink.

Voices[]

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