Kung Fu Panda: 9 hidden details in the Dreamworks movie
A look back at the first opus of the “Kung Fu Panda” trilogy signed by the famous Dreamworks animation studios, and on all the easter eggs that are hidden inside.
Jack Black’s companion, a future enemy of Po, a tribute to Jackie Chan or even a post-credits seed… A look back at all the winks, references, easter eggs and hidden details that you shouldn’t miss by (re)discovering the excellent Kung Fu Panda from Dreamworks studios.
bunny in love
Dreamworks Animation
In the first scene of kung fu pandawhen Po has a superheroic dream in which he battles hordes of enemies, the adorable bunny girl who glares at him and finds him “so attractive” is vocally embodied by Po’s true companion. Jack Black (which interprets the panda). In the original version of the film, it is indeed the artist Tanya Haden who lends her voice for the time of a reply.
future enemy
Dreamworks Animation
During his dream, Po finds himself confronted in particular by a colossal buffalo, which he puts back in his place in no time. When the panda wakes up in his room, we can also note that this same character finds himself drawn (and riddled with shurikens) on the wall of the room.
By discovering Kung Fu Panda 3, released 8 years later, we can not help but imagine that the sketch in question could have served as inspiration to create the formidable General Kai, the main antagonist of the last opus.
panda’s shadow
Dreamworks Animation
For a brief moment, when Po’s “father” asks him to come and help him in the kitchen, the character’s shadow can lead us to think that it is also a panda.
The surprise is therefore total when, on the next shot, we realize that Mr. Ping is actually a goose, loaded with woks and pots which had temporarily deformed his silhouette. The mystery surrounding Po’s origins will only be solved in the following two films.
“It is on the path where we believe we are avoiding it that we often meet our destiny.”
Dreamworks Animation
This warning – declaimed by Master Oogway to Shifu when the latter asks his messenger to inform the prison of Chorh-Gom – could have prevented Tai Lung’s escape!
Indeed, it is thanks to a feather, lost by this same messenger, that the tiger will finally manage to escape. If Master had listened to his master and not sent the duck, this probably never would have happened.
Shell
Dreamworks Animation
Observing the turtle shell riddled with paralyzing needles that binds Tai Lung in the prison of Chorh-Gom, one can easily guess that it was Master Oogway himself who took care of putting him out of harm’s way. and lock him up. An intuition which is verified a little later in the film.
Oogway and Shifu
Dreamworks Animation
As is also the case in many animated films, the names of certain heroes of kung fu panda (and in particular those of the two sages who teach martial arts to Po) have a very special meaning. Thus, in Mandarin, “Oogway” simply means “turtle”. As for Shifu, his name can be translated as “master”.
Insensitive to stings?
Dreamworks Animation
To recover from his exhausting training with Shifu, Po is entitled to a short acupuncture session given by Master Mantis. Faced with cries of pain from his patient, the insect justifies himself by claiming that given the body mass of the panda, “it is not easy to find the right point to prick.”
This small replica, innocuous in appearance, would it explain why, at the end of the film, Po remains insensitive to the paralyzing attacks of Tai Lung, supposed to affect the vital points?
Tribute
Dreamworks Animation
During Po’s long training, the scene in which he confronts Shifu with a pair of chopsticks to retrieve steamed dumplings from the bottom of a bowl refers to a famous sequence of The Intrepid Hyena, a martial arts film in which Jackie Chan and his master were engaged in a similar gastronomic duel.
Post-generic seed
Dreamworks Animation
During a heated discussion with Shifu (irritated by the laborious training he is trying to give Po), Master Oogway replies that he cannot fulfill his destiny as long as he keeps the illusion of deciding everything.
“Look at this tree, Master. I cannot make it bloom at my will, nor even cause its fruit to grow prematurely”, thus explains the tortoise to his student, who then hastens to angrily push a small seed into the ground to show his willingness.
On the condition of staying until the last seconds of the credits, we can see that much later, watered with the patience of which Oogway spoke, the seed in question finally became a small plant, symbolizing the progress of Po.
