///// PLOT SPOILERS FOR "BE PREPARED: A TWISTED TALE" BELOW /////
The Hatari is a coalition of brothers introduced in the book Be Prepared: A Twisted Tale (an older-audience novel series of classic Disney tales with a dark twist). The Hatari is said to live around the area called Garamba, which is what the Pridelanders call the oasis that Simba was raised in by Timon and Pumbaa. The brothers that lead the Hatari pride have deemed Scar a sworn enemy after the young lion tried to take over their land. He was pulled to safety by Mufasa the first time, but when he encountered them again by accident while begrudgingly escorting Nala to search for Simba, he didn't have his big brother to protect him. The twist is that Scar instead dies at the paws of the Hatari brothers once he was found critically injured in Garamba, rather than just the hyenas finishing him off at Pride Rock.
Headcanons:
In my additional headcanon, the Hatari is where my OC Sakin comes from, due to how one brother in the book was unnamed and how easily an Arabic name like his could fit right in with the others.
(Also... I'm aware that what they did to Scar is part of the twist in this book's AU, but I still feel the Hatari Pride can very much exist in the canon TLKverse.)
But yeah because I made Sakin their brother, this means that they, too, are Barbary lions. Barbary lions who migrated from the Atlas region in North Africa down to East Africa. They settled in Garamba, a prosperous oasis that they just had to claim for themselves.
Hakim is the eldest brother. He was once the sole leader of the coalition. Once Scar challenged him for his land, he entrusted his brothers to co-lead as a means to strengthen the pride. He is intimidating, aggressive, and bullheaded.
(Voicecanon: Something like Nathan Explosion from Dethklok or Corey Taylor from Slipknot)
Akeem is the middle brother. He was Hakim's second-in-command and has since been promoted to co-leader. He is an unstable, over-protective, grudge-holding lion who tends to run his mouth, eager to attack intruders.
(Voicecanon: Maybe something like Axl Rose? idk if anyone else has suggestions I'll take them)
Sakin is the youngest brother. He was the Hatari's scout, but was never promoted to co-leader due to being viewed as the black sheep who weighed the brothers down often. He differed from their aggressive, occasionally cannibalistic ways, by being a calm, emotional rock and taking up a vegetarian lifestyle. He left the Hatari to attempt to claim the Pridelands as he believed there were no sitting rulers, wishing his brothers would be impressed. He instead stumbled across Zira on his way, leading to Vitani's existence (looks like she's got some uncles now).
(Voicecanon: Something raspy like Trent Lane from Daria or Moto Moto from Madagascar 2)
Designs:
Due to already basing Sakin's mane on a generic metal hairstyle, I decided to make the entire Hatari Pride based on various rock/metal influences. As a whole, they mostly take after the likes of Motley Crue and Van Halen.
Hakim Design Inspirations:
Nikki Sixx (mane fringes)
Alice Cooper (eye markings and nose shape)
Gene Simmons (tongue, mane/pelt contrast)
Various shock rock aesthetics
Mastiff dogs (overall shape)
Akeem Design Inspirations:
Vince Neil (mane fringes, band-like forehead marking)
Twisted Sister (eye markings)
Axl Rose (partial inspiration for mane)
Various glam rock and hard rock aesthetics
Sheep dogs (overall shape)
Sakin Design Inspirations:
Tommy Lee (mane fringes)
Eddie Van Halen (mane fringes and smile)
Various thrash metal band aesthetics
Beast from Beauty and the Beast (eyes, teeth, and mane)
Nazar amulets (eyes and role in the pride)
I plan to make much more art of the Hatari. I have headcanons for them that I'd planned ahead months in advance (just gotta draw them eventually).
(On kind of a serious note, while I already thought up designs for these guys a long time ago, some recent real-world news that affected the music scene on a global/cultural scale really made it so I had metal themes on my mind and it ultimately motivated me to show off these sketches.)
Ok, I know I've been lagging on these, especially in the second half of 2025. Expect that general laginess to continue into 2026, as we move on into gifsets for Season 4 episodes.
But I will get there! Things are just... busy. You know. Expect S4 gifs to show up mid-January 2026. Until then, happy holidays and whatnot.
On Nov1, here we remember those who are gone, and try to connect with them.
I felt that it was proper moment for me to pay tribute to Lance; I wasn't able to do it earlier, when things were fresh and raw.
So here's Zavala, meeting his closest ones once again.
Part of D2ArtEvents event.
