Young Simba never met Rafiki?

Yeah, that was one big contrivance in the film. Rafiki serves a shaman and close friend to Mufasa and his pride, and it would seem natural that he hang around with Mufasa a lot. However, I assume Simba played around Nala or did other fun activities around the Pride Lands most of the time when he wasn't hanging around with his dad.

As for Lion King II, Kiara was at least familiar with Rafiki calling him "a friend of the family".



What we do in life, echoes in eternity.

Assuming he never had met Rafiki when he was a cub, and I assuming that when Mufasa as a cub never met him either. It has been a long time since I watched The Lion King 2, but I would say the same thing. Rakiki must hold them up as newborn babies, and then again has nothing to do with them again until they are adults.

Now that you mention it, I'm surprised Simba, like you said, never met Rafiki as a cub. After all, he doesn't recognize him when he's an adult and it is rather odd since according to various novelizations of the film, Rafiki had known Simba's family and had presented cub Mufasa to Africa.

Avenged Sevenfold and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fan

Personally I've always found it odd, too. Rafiki knows about Simba and even grieves over him, yet never actually meets him before being an adult? At least Kiara met Rafiki in "The Lion King II", citing to Kovu that he was a "friend of the family".

I think Kiara did. She referred to him as "a friend of the family" when Kovu asked.

As for Simba, I agree. Quite strange for Mufasa to not introduce one of his closest friends to his son.