Five Animals Style

Lore & Background

Po's training under Master Shifu involves rough physical activities intended to discourage him, which he endures without complaint. Shifu eventually utilizes Po's love of food in a custom training regimen to demonstrate his combat skill. The Furious Five are a quintet of skilled warriors trained by Shifu, consisting of Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Mantis, and Viper. Po idolizes them as his heroes. Jack Black described Po as a 'nerdy kid' who has a childlike obsession with kung fu, keeping action figures of the masters and having knowledge of the mythology. Po's enthusiasm clashes with his personal laziness and slovenliness; he is so unfit that he struggles to climb the steps leading to the temple in the mountains.

Reader's Guide

Specific turning points: Po climbing the temple steps (which he struggles with), learning the value of belief from Mr. Ping, and defeating Tai Lung using an improvised style rather than a formalized animal form. In Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Po finds inner peace to defeat Lord Shen's fleet by grabbing fired projectiles and returning them to destroy their launchers. In Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), Po attempts to teach the Furious Five but fails until learning about chi from his biological father, Li Shan, and the panda village. He later generates a dragon-shaped chi avatar to defeat General Kai. In Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), Po is set to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, stepping down as Dragon Warrior and appointing Zhen as his successor.

Did You Know?

• Po's adoptive father, Mr. Ping, is a Chinese goose, not a panda.
• Po's biological father, Li Shan, is introduced in Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and is voiced by Bryan Cranston.

Origins and Casting

Master Ping Xiao Po, born Li Lotus, is the fictional protagonist of the Kung Fu Panda franchise produced by DreamWorks Animation. He is voiced by Jack Black in feature films and Mick Wingert in television shows and video games. Before this role, Black voiced Zeke in Ice Age (2002) and Lenny in Shark Tale (2004). Jeffrey Katzenberg drew Black to the part by advising him to be himself rather than create a character. Black was convinced after viewing a short animation created for audio from one of his earlier films. In the recording studio, Black was very physical while voicing the character, often performing kung fu moves and using extreme facial movements to help his performance. Po appears in Kung Fu Panda (2008), Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), and Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024).

Character Traits and Aspirations

Po is a rotund giant panda whose dream is to become a martial artist, contrasting with his reality of serving noodles in his father's restaurant. He idolizes the Furious Five: Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Mantis, and Viper. Jack Black describes Po as a 'nerdy kid' with a childlike obsession for kung fu, owning action figures of the masters and knowing their mythology. His enthusiasm clashes with laziness; he is so unfit that climbing temple steps is difficult. Despite this, his dedication leads him to become the unlikely student of Master Shifu and leader of the Furious Five.

The Dragon Warrior Journey

In Kung Fu Panda (2008), Po is dubbed the Dragon Warrior by Master Oogway. Shifu and the Five disdain him initially, assigning rough tasks to discourage him. Po endures this abuse, impressing the group. Shifu uses food in a custom regimen to reveal Po's combat skill. When given the blank Dragon Scroll, Po learns from Mr. Ping that the secret ingredient is belief. This epiphany helps him defeat Tai Lung using his body fat as a shield. The Furious Five then acknowledge him as a true master.

Legacy and Continued Evolution

Po appears in three subsequent films: Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), where he defeats Lord Shen after finding inner peace; Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), where he learns chi from his biological father Li Shan and the panda village to defeat General Kai; and Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), where he steps down as Dragon Warrior to become Spiritual Leader, appointing Zhen as his successor. He also appears in short films like Secrets of the Furious Five (2008) and television series such as Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011).