There is no doubt that this topic has already been brought up before, but I'd thought I'd bring it up again.

I've seen many reviwers of WQ say that the makers ripped off Steele, made him a wolf and called him Niju. Sure they are comparable, but I think they are completely different characters, and Niju is not so much a ripoff as he is a homage to Steele.

Similarities:

* They are both the villain. They have three underdogs (or wolves) who ditch them in the end.

* They both have a prejudice against Balto because he is part wolf/husky.

Differences:

* Their personalities are very different. Steele is vain, sly and always gets what he wants. He thinks himself as a real 'ladies dog.' Niju, however is bad-tempered, and fiercely loyal. He's not really 'evil' because he is just afraid of change. I think he is a good guy at heart.

* Steele is top dog, whilst Niju remains a wannabe leader.

* Steele doesn't have a chin abscess! LOL

* Niju is a more understandable character than Steele. What Steele did was just mean, whilst Niju had a reason.

I can see why so many people find these two comparable (I certainly can!) but I think it's going to far to say that Niju was a ripoff. He, and his three underlings are tributes to the original, and made WQ a great sequel (In my opinion).

Similar articles :

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• Why do they seem the same?
• Nava's Magic Powers
• Niju looks like a cat!
• Niju's fear of change
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• Steele isn't named randomly...
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64 visitors have seen this article (6 this week)

Sierra, March 12, 2007 at 21: 09 Member

You forgot their eyes! They both have dark spots around their eyes!

Aleu45, March 12, 2007 at 21: 35 Member

Hmmmm, that's interesting. I always thought they were somewhat the same like that. But, when i read the differences I now see the difference in both of them. Good article. I learned something interesting today

Dr.Pepper199*LP4ever*, March 13, 2007 at 00: 07 Member

I can cut Niju slack but Steel?....

nintendog/warriorcat, March 13, 2007 at 14: 39 Member

not only all of that they look alot alike

Drawolf, March 13, 2007 at 14: 53 Member

yeah. I agree that Niju is a good guy at heart. he just want to stay in his homeland!

Alue26, March 13, 2007 at 18: 16 Member

You now, when I saw WQ for the first time I though that Niju was Steele but when one of the characters ( I don't now how they called.) said the name Niju I now that he named Niju but the only thing is that when I saw WQ for the first time it was in Dutch. I have the two sequels on VHS, WQ in Dutch and English and WoC only in Dutch.

Fifi, March 14, 2007 at 19: 15 Member

You are right! I looked at them in your pictures and they do look like eachother!

Saphira, March 15, 2007 at 02: 10 Member

Your right all the way Canus Lupus. I agree with you.

Balto_Kodi_Fan, March 15, 2007 at 02: 15 Member

Yha..... I'm stupid..... I speak english but like when I whatched WQ i thought at first that Steel had come back. Then I Thought it was his son..... then i got it after the fith time so yha..... IDK if i'm stupid..... my friends think so to! YAY ME!!!! See.... that PROVES IT! I called myself STUPID!

highland wolf, March 15, 2007 at 15: 30 Member

Yes, they are similar in some ways, but Steele is a better villian than Niju (but you could argue the Niju isn't much of a villian). Nice article!

Canis Lupus, March 15, 2007 at 17: 52 Member

Yeah, Steele is nastier. Niju only get really grouchy towards the end...

DORCIA, March 16, 2007 at 15: 44 Member

And they looks really simillar! Eyepaches or face expressions...

Cobalt, March 18, 2007 at 06: 14 Member

Indeed they do look a bit alike, they'd be the same height, nearly the same fur colors and patterns, but Steele is a jock-like dog, while Niju ideep in his heart is good, but driven to aggression by fear. Animals act aggressive sometimes out of fear, and Steele had nothing to be scared of, while Niju had reason - he was scared of leaving and would rather of stayed in his homeland than go to some unknown place (the land the pack travelled to was Russia).

aniuhorse, April 15, 2007 at 03: 44 Member

cool nice artical

wolfcall, June 08, 2007 at 22: 41 Member

you know i never thought about them being even similar but i guess they are. Well, very interesting and well written. i see your point and agree that Steele was cruel and Niju was afraid.

Silverstatewolf, July 09, 2007 at 21: 00 Member

I kinda noticed that as well. My friend said Niju was like Steele that had gone wild! They are alike in many ways but different too.

WingsofReason, August 19, 2007 at 18: 18 Member

While the two are definitely similar in appearance, I agree with you. We must go deeper than skin, or in their case, fur deep. They may appear to have the same dislike for half breeds, it is completely different. Steele does not like Balto for being part wolf, while Niju dislikes Balto for being part dog. Also, Niju is brave, unlike Steele, as said by Nava . Plus, Niju had a reason for not wanting Balto's help because of fear, and fear is very hard to beat, while Steele's only reason for denying Balto's help was his own ego, pride, and vanity.

Baltopup16, July 31, 2008 at 01: 08 Member

i don't think that is what the animators were going for. but i do see some steele traits but... he is a wolf

Dakota The Black Wolf, August 20, 2008 at 20: 31 Member

Steele is more of a villian than Niju. Niju was just afraid of leaving his home land that he was raised and born in. It was just his fear that made him have a bad temper and being a bad leader. But Steele is vain and I agree he is the "ladies dog" if you want to put it that way. Nice article!

Henara, September 22, 2008 at 23: 24 Member

heheheh yeah he trys to impress the ladies XD

emily123, September 23, 2008 at 23: 16 Webranker

They did NOT used Steele's design. Look closer at the animations. Steele: Has the body of a Siberian Husky, has more uplift and a flat chest, circles around eyes are round. Niju: Has the body of a Wolf, has a lower down body type and circles around eyes are not round, they are parcially shaped. There are many more reasons why they are different, many more personality trates that differ as well, but I'll just point out these. If I were to go on I'd be typing a whole artical myself. Lol.

Conception