
Disney confuses us with Kion's design before show release
I wish to write this article and gather all the designs of Kion that Diney is presenting us on official promo and merchandise images. Some aspects of his design varies on precticaly every new official Lion Guard image that is released an it might be confusing for many fans who would like to draw him.
1. First promo images
Here we have the first images of Kion that Diney has released in public. We see a yellow lion cub with a red mane tuft in several tones of red, brown nose, ears with black stripe and brown rim. His eyes appear orange in white backround, unlike the other lions in Lion King who have yellow eye background. His eye rounds are brighter at the bottom and darker brown at the top. He has a characteristic leg spots and shoulder mark in the shape of lion paw. The fullbody image shows that his underbelly marking is going up his neck like on female lions.
2. Disney sizle reel
A short animation of Kion shown in Disney sizzle reel. His appearance is the same as in the promo picture of pouncing Kion, except his shoulder mark was changed from paw pad to roaring lion. This is the only time the roaring lion mark appears.
3. Meet The New Guard
An image of Kion and his Lion Guard that appears in the cover of the book "Met The New Guard". Kion's eye rounds change colour to dark brown on both top and the bottom. His eyes appear darker reddish-brown. Black ear stripe is gone and so are leg spots and shoulder mark. His underbelly marking end on the chest now.
4. Bunga The Wise / Bunga's Big Adventure
The cover iamge of "Bunga's Big Adventure". Kion's appearance is close to his "original" one except the eye rounds that are now darker and more greyish. His shoulder mark has a glowing outline.
5. Hear Me Roar! / Can't Wait To Be Queen
The cover of the book "Can't Wait To Be Queen" (previously "Hear Me Roar!") shows Kion without his leg spots and shoulder mark. His underbelly marking end on chest again and his eye rounds are dark red (so far the darkest of all images).
6. Kion, Pride of the Pridelands
The book "Kion, Pride of the Pridelands" had two covers.
First cover shows Kion close to the first promo design, except his eye rounds are darker and more greyish. It also shows that Kion's shoulder mark appears on his right arm too.
New cover of the book shows Kion without his shoulder mark and leg spots again. His eye rounds are close to the first promo, being darker on the top and bright on the bottom again. Kion's eyes change colour to darker red-brown on yellow background. His fur also appears more orange, but it might be just the shading.
That's all. I hope I could clear out some confusion. I know myself how annoying it it when a character can't keep a defined design. I guess we'll have to wait for an official release to see how Kion really looks like.