List of Kung Fu Panda characters
The following is a list of characters from the DreamWorks animated film media franchise "Kung Fu Panda". The franchise includes a film trilogy ("Kung Fu Panda", "Kung Fu Panda 2", and "Kung Fu Panda 3"), a series of shorts and television specials, two television shows ("" and ""), a series of digital comics, and multiple video games. Protagonists. Master Ping Xiao Po. Master Ping Xiao Po (voiced by Jack Black, Mick Wingert, and Eric Loomis) is the main protagonist of the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise. A kung fu fan and giant panda working at his adoptive  father's noodle restaurant, Po is chosen by Grand Master Oogway as the legendary Dragon Warrior, a decision that angers Shifu and the Furious Five. When Tai Lung escapes from prison, Shifu uses food to motivate Po into mastering kung fu. He defeats Tai Lung in combat and is declared a master. In "Kung Fu Panda 2", Po learns that he was adopted by Ping after Lord Shen committed genocide against the giant pandas. The end of the film reveals that Po's biological father Li Shan is still alive, and he reunites with his son in "Kung Fu Panda  3". When the undead warrior Kai steals the chi of the other kung fu masters, Po and Li create an army from the remaining giant pandas. After defeating Kai, Po has a spiritual reunion with Oogway, who informs Po that his journey as the Dragon Warrior has come full circle. He returns to the mortal world with his extended family. "", which occurs between the first and second film, shows Po's greater development as a kung fu warrior and master after defeating Tai Lung, while the follow-up series, "", takes place after the events of the third film and shows  Po in a mentor role to four young pandas. Po also appears in all short films and specials, as well as the video games. Master Shifu. Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman in the films and TV specials and Fred Tatasciore in the TV series and video games) is a red panda, the headmaster of the Jade Palace, and the trainer of the Furious Five. He joined the palace when his father, the con artist Shirong, abandoned him there. Later in life, Shifu adopted Tai Lung, and he did not acknowledge his own role in the snow leopard's turn  to evil until after Po was deemed the Dragon Warrior. After Tai Lung's defeat, Shifu becomes a more relaxed master to Po and the Five. By the time of the third film, he has retired from active teaching in order to focus on learning how to use chi, and he passes on the instructor mantle to Po. When Kai attacks the Jade Palace, Shifu is turned into a jade soldier and a member of Kai's army, but he is returned to normal when Po destroys Kai in the Spirit Realm. Grand Master Oogway. Grand Master Oogway (voiced by  Randall Duk Kim in the film and "Legends of Awesomeness", Greg Baldwin in the video games, and Piotr Michael in "The Paws of Destiny"), was an elderly Galápagos Tortoise, the senior headmaster of the Jade Palace before Shifu, and the creator of kung fu. Highly venerated for his wisdom, knowledge, and experience, Oogway was considered by many to be a sage. He was known as the greatest kung fu master in history, with no other reputation surpassing his. In the first film he is the one to choose Po as the Dragon Warrior, much to everyone's surprise, and his  warmth and acceptance of Po serve as a foil to the strict and abrasive Shifu. He ascends to the Spirit Realm in the first film, but appears in flashback cameos in the second. In the third film, while meditating in the Spirit Realm, Oogway is attacked by his former friend, Kai, who steals his chi and escapes the realm. After Po defeats Kai, he meets Oogway in the Spirit Realm, where Oogway explains to Po that on the first day they met, he saw both the future of kung fu in Po, as well as the past.  He sensed that  Po would be the one to unite them both and become his true successor. He then presents Po with his staff, to which he was hesitant to accept, before Po returns to the mortal realm. Furious Five. The Furious Five are the supporting protagonists of the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise. The most skilled warriors in China, they are homages to the Five Animals Southern styles of Chinese martial arts: crane, viper, monkey, mantis, and tiger. While the Five initially dismissed Po as the Dragon Warrior, they grow to respect his courage and tenacity. In the "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of  Awesomeness" episode "Owl Be Back," it is revealed that a previous incarnation of the Five existed, made up of Shifu, Fenghuang, Master Rooster, Master Snow Leopard, and Master Elephant. Master Tigress. Master Tigress (voiced by Angelina Jolie in the films and Kari Wahlgren in "Legends of Awesomeness") is a South China tiger and the founder of the Furious Five. She was initially the most resentful of Po when he was chosen to be the Dragon Warrior instead of her, and the most vocal in her contempt. When Tigress overheard Po telling Shifu that he would never be able to defeat  Tai Lung, Tigress took it upon herself to intercept the leopard, and managed to counter most of his attacks. When Po defeats Tai Lung, Tigress is very impressed, and the first to acknowledge him as a master of kung fu. Tigress' backstory is largely revealed in a series of television specials. In "Secrets of the Furious Five", it is revealed that she was an orphan living in the Bao Gu Orphanage, feared by the other children for her temper, and she taught herself control by learning to play dominoes. She was adopted by Shifu, and in "Secrets of the Scroll , it is revealed that Shifu disapproved of her aggression and strength, wanting her to emphasize his control and precision. Oogway, on the contrary, encouraged Tigress to grow into her own. Master Viper. Master Viper (voiced by Lucy Liu in the films and TV series) is a green tree viper with two small lotus flowers on top of her head. Although she was born with ineffective venomous fangs, she compensates with her strength and precision. Viper is the most outwardly compassionate and maternal member of the Five, and is the only one not to mock Po when he first joins the 	List of Kung Fu Panda characters
21136735	Jade Palace. In Secrets of the Furious Five", she is revealed to be the daughter of Great Master Viper, who relied on his venomous fangs to protect the village where they lived. The Great Master hoped that his daughter would carry on his legacy, and was distraught at her lack of fangs. Viper instead took up ribbon dancing at a young age, and showed a proficiency for it. When a gorilla bandit came to the Autumn Moon Festival and shattered the Great Master's fangs using venom-proof armor, Viper used her dancing to tie the bandit up in her  ribbon. Only then was her father satisfied with his daughter becoming a warrior on her own terms. Master Monkey. Master Monkey (voiced by Jackie Chan in the films) is a golden lion tamarin with a thick Chinese accent, and the most humorous of the Five. He was the first to recognize Po's determination, and the first to refer to Po by his name. Unlike the other members of the Five, Monkey prefers to use a weapon in combat, and the staff that he uses is associated with the legendary Monkey King Sun Wukong. Monkey has an older brother, Wu  Kong, who is the self-proclaimed "King of Thieves," and their mother died from the shock and grief of seeing her sons fight. Nevertheless, Monkey was an adolescent trickster, who humiliated the members of his village with pranks. Oogway put an end to Monkey's trickery, using his shell to hide from his attacks, and the tortoise encouraged Monkey to use his skills for good, putting him on the path to kung fu mastery. Master Mantis. Master Mantis (voiced by Seth Rogen in the films) is a Chinese mantis and the smallest of the Five. He is, however, the strongest  proportional to his size, and can move at superhuman speeds. When Po's girth was cited as a reason why he could not be a kung fu master, Mantis was the first to declare that size did little to define a warrior, and that it could be used to one's advantage. When he was younger, Mantis was impatient, feeling that the world was too slow for him. On a mission to reclaim wool coats from a group of crocodile bandits, he was captured due to his overconfidence, and inability to listen when one of the villagers tried to warn  him of the bandits' traps. Mantis was locked in a cage for days, and, forced to sit and wait for something to happen, he was able to develop the patience needed to devise a plan of escape. Master Crane. Master Crane (voiced by David Cross in the films) is a black-necked crane and the most patient of the Five. He serves as a scout and lookout in combat situations, as well as a means of transport for the other members of the Five. Should any of the Five fall from a great height, Crane will appear to break their  fall. Before joining the Five, Crane was the janitor at the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy, where he was looked down upon due to his slender build. However, Mei Ling, the top student, saw the skills that Crane used when cleaning the academy, and convinced him to try out for the school. While his nerve got the better of him at first, Crane soon gained the confidence to pass the obstacle course and gain admission into the academy. List of Kung Fu Masters. A series of kung fu masters appear in the franchise, many of which only appear in passing  within the TV show or comics. Masters' Council of Gongmen City. The Masters' Council are a group of renowned Kung Fu Masters who are the protectors of the metropolis of Gongmen City. They governed the city after the parents of Lord Shen had passed on. Antagonists. Film antagonists. Tai Lung. Tai Lung (voiced by Ian McShane in the films and Andre Sogliuzzo in the television series) is the main antagonist of "Kung Fu Panda". He is a muscular snow leopard with supernatural strength. Shifu's adopted son, Tai Lung was the only student to be taught the Nerve Attack, and  he believed that his destiny was to become the Dragon Warrior. When Oogway sensed the darkness in Tai Lung's heart and refused him the title, he felt betrayed and laid siege to the city and overwhelmed Shifu in combat to try to claim the scroll, only to be finally defeated at the hands of Master Oogway. After his defeat, Tai Lung was sent to Chorh-Gom Prison for twenty years as a result of his crimes. When Zeng arrives at the prison to order an increase in security, Tai Lung uses one of the goose's fallen feathers to  pick the locks on his restraints and escape. He defeats the Furious Five in battle and storms the Jade Palace in search of the Dragon Scroll. In his hunt for the scroll, he overpowers Shifu and nearly kills him, but Po lures him away with the dragon scroll, sparking a brutal confrontation between the two. After Po is momentarily stunned, he finally sees the Scroll, but does not understand the symbolism of its blank, reflective surface (there is no secret to ultimate power, it all depends in yourself). Tai Lung is ultimately decimated when Po utilizes the Wuxi Finger Hold  on him. In "Kung Fu Panda 3", it's explained that the Finger Hold sends its opponent to the Spirit Realm, indicating that Tai Lung now resides there. After his defeat, he continues to be seen in flashback sequences. He is also one of the kung fu masters in the Spirit Realm defeated by Kai and whose chi was collected by this latter. Lord Shen. Lord Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman) is a leucistic peacock warlord and the main antagonist of "Kung Fu Panda 2". He was originally a prince of Gongmen City who became interested in gunpowder, wondering if  it could be used for warfare. His parents, worried by his obsession, visited the Soothsayer, who told them that if he continued too far down this path, he would be stopped by "a warrior of black and white." Shen, eavesdropping on this conversation, deduces that the warrior in question would be a panda, and led his wolf guards into a massacre against the giant panda population to avert the prophecy. He was subsequently exiled from the family palace. Feeling resentful over his exile, Shen is obsessed with taking over China with his gunpowder based weapons. Thirty years later, Shen returns  to Gongmen City with an arsenal of cannons. He summons the Masters' Council to a duel, where he defeats Storming Ox and Croc, and kills Thundering Rhino with a cannonball shot. He initially thinks Po a simpleton and not the warrior of prophecy, but comes to fear him and attempts to kill him with a cannon blast. Po returns, having been nursed back to health by the Soothsayer and having achieved inner peace, and redirects the cannonballs fired at him, destroying Shen's fleet. In spite of Po's attempts to convince him to let go of the past and  find peace, Shen rejects this and furiously attacks Po with his cold weapons. When the resulting melee cuts the ropes keeping the cannon wreckage from falling, Shen after a moment of shock refuses to move out of the way and accepts his death, and is crushed to death by the weapon while Po narrowly escapes the resulting explosion. Kai. Kai (voiced by J. K. Simmons) is a Chinese Black Pied cattle and the main antagonist of "Kung Fu Panda 3". He was originally a friend and brother-in-arms to Grand Master Oogway, and was taught how to use chi  by the pandas of the Secret Panda Village. Kai became power-hungry with the knowledge, and learned how to take chi from other rather than give it, forcing Oogway to banish him to the Spirit Realm. Kai spent the next five hundred years collecting the chi of every kung fu master who ended up in the Spirit Realm before challenging Oogway to a duel, successfully overpowering him and absorbing his chi, allowing him to come back to the world of the living. Kai and his jade warriors begin assaulting the Mortal World upon their arrival and begins stealing the chi  of the living kung fu masters, including all members of the Furious Five but Tigress, who escapes to warn Po of his coming. When Kai and his "Jombies" reach the Secret Panda Village, Po attempts to use the Wuxi Finger Hold on him, but it does not work on a spirit. Po instead uses the move on himself to bring both of them back to the Spirit Realm. While he temporarily gains the upper hand against Po and almost absorbs him, he is soon overpowered when Po is empowered with the Chi of the inhabitants of the panda Village along  with Tigress and Mr Ping. Ultimately, Po overloads Kai with chi, triggering a spiritual explosion that obliterates Kai and freeing all the masters whose chi he had stolen. Wu Sisters. Su Wu, Wing Wu, and Wan Wu (voiced by Sumalee Montano) are a trio of snow leopard sisters appearing in "Secrets of the Masters". Once the sisters escaped prison, where they were kept for a series of crimes, they set out to unite the various crime families of China, which prompted Oogway to form an alliance with Thundering Rhino, Storming Ox, and Croc in order to defeat them. The Wu  sisters also appear as an enemy team in "Kung Fu Panda: The Game", and as minions of Tai Lung in "Legendary Warriors". Boar. Boar (voiced by Jayden Lund) is the main antagonist of "". A renowned warrior, Shifu intended to stop him, but was bedridden due to accidental food poisoning, and Tigress went in his place. When mimicking Shifu's style of combat, Tigress initially faltered, but when the rest of the Five came to her aid, Tigress abandoned Shifu's kung fu style in favor of her own, and managed to defeat him. Boar's attack and subsequent defeat inspired  the creation of the Furious Five, and the story of their triumph sparked Po's love of kung fu. List of supporting characters. Mr. Ping. Mr. Ping (voiced by James Hong) is a Chinese goose and the owner of the most popular noodle shop in the Valley of Peace. He adopted Po when he found a baby panda in one of the shop's radish crate deliveries. Ping worries about Po, especially in his continued development as a kung fu master, but is the one to tell him that things are special if someone believes them to be. Po and  Mr. Ping's relationship becomes strained when Po learns that his biological father, Li Shan, is still alive, but he comes to realize that having Li Shan in Po's life does not mean less for him, but more for Po. James Hong is the only voice actor to reprise his role as Mr. Ping in the films, television series, and video games. Li Shan. Li Shan (voiced by Fred Tatasciore in "Kung Fu Panda 2" and Bryan Cranston in "Kung Fu Panda 3") is a giant panda, and the biological father of Po. He was separated from his son  when Lord Shen's wolf army attacked their village, and was presumed dead with the other pandas. At the end of "Kung Fu Panda 2", he is revealed to be alive and hiding in a secret refuge. In the third film, Li and Po reunite, and Li convinces his son to stay with the other pandas. He lies about knowing chi in order to prevent Po from leaving, but when Kai turns most of the masters into jade warriors, Li is part of the panda army that resists. Shirong. Shirong (voiced by Malcolm McDowell) is a red panda and the  father of Master Shifu. A con artist by trade, Shirong used his son as a shill before abandoning him at the Jade Palace. In the "Legends of Awesomeness" episode "Father Crime," Shirong stages a kidnapping in order to reconnect with his son, but Shifu is captured by Tong Fo in the process. Shirong, along with Po and Tigress, helps to free his son, and the two end on good terms. Zeng. Zeng (voiced by Dan Fogler) is a swan goose and a messenger of Master Shifu. Ironically, while he is given the mission to double the amount of guards at  Chorh-Gom Prison and prevent Tai Lung's escape, Tai Lung uses one of Zeng's fallen feathers to pick the lock on his restraints and escape. Zeng is spared in the resulting prison break, but is forced to return to the valley and herald Tai Lung's escape. His role in the film is a reflection of Oogway's proverb that "one often meets destiny on the road he takes to avoid it." Vachir. Commander Vachir (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan) is a Javan rhinoceros, the chief of security at Chorh-Gom Prison, and the leader of the Anvil  of Heaven, an army of elite battle rhinos. Prior to Tai Lung's incarceration, the Anvil opposed tyranny and injustice throughout China. Vachir was tasked with the construction of the prison, and personally oversaw Tai Lung's imprisonment for twenty years. When Tai Lung made his escape, Vachir was caught in an explosion with many of his troops, and his prosthetic ruby horn-shaped cap is seen amongst the ruins. Mei Ling. Mei Ling (voiced by Stephanie Lemelin) is a Chinese mountain cat and the star student at the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy, where Crane worked as a janitor . After seeing his graceful movements, she urged him to enroll as a student. When Crane's first attempt at the induction challenge was mocked, Mei Ling felt as if she was responsible for exposing Crane to public humiliation, but he recovered with a strong obstacle course performance and was admitted to the academy. Wo Hop. Wo Hop (voiced by Jack McBrayer) is a European rabbit and a renowned chef who auditioned for the honor to cook for the Kung Fu Masters Winter Festival banquet. Po, unfamiliar with the intricate customs of the selection process, inadvertently disgraced Wo Hop while waving  to Monkey, and the chef became desperate to redeem himself through his own death. Po contained the rabbit and helped him complete a meal for the blanket. After the meal was complete, Po presented Hop with the Golden Ladle, the intended honor for the official cook of the feast, which restored Wo Hop's honor. Soothsayer. The Soothsayer (voiced by Michelle Yeoh) is an elderly cashmere goat and Shen's former nanny, who foretold the peacock's doom. She also aids Po, treating him with acupuncture and a herbal mixture after his presumed death. The Soothsayer knows what Shen did  to Po's village, and helps Po stop fighting his memories in order to achieve inner peace. Peng. Peng (voiced by Danny Cooksey) is a snow leopard and the nephew of Tai Lung. He leaves his life as an assistant potter to become a self-taught prodigy in the martial arts, which brings him to the Jade Palace. Peng shows a great aptitude for the martial arts, but needs help reining in his temper. Po reveals to Peng the kind of character Tai Lung was in order to stop the leopard from avenging his uncle. He later creates a Kung  Fu Fight Club, teaching citizens how to defend themselves. Song. Song (voiced by Lauren Tom) is a young snow leopard and a member of the Ladies of the Shade, a group of bandits who distract their marks with parasol dancing. Su, the leader of the Ladies, tasks Song with charming Po into allowing the gang to enter the Jade Palace. As she talks to him, Song begins to like Po, and is about to tell him the truth of her origin when Su arrives and asks if the ladies can spend the night in the Palace. When the Ladies abscond  with the dragon chalice, Po follows them to their campsite, and rejects Song's apology. Nevertheless, when Su and the other Ladies find Po, Song protects him, and she becomes the leader of the group after Su's defeat. Constable Hu. Constable Hu (voiced by Neil Ross) is an Indian elephant and recurring character in "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness". He is largely stoic and focused on his job. In "The Midnight Stranger," he outlaws the practice of kung fu, a decision later revealed to be forced upon him by the pig criminals. Grandma Panda. Grandma Panda (voiced by  Barbara Dirikson) is an old female panda. She loves to be happy, take a walk and spend time with her grandson. At the end of "Kung Fu Panda 3", she hugs her grandson with the others after Po destroyed Kai. Characters exclusive to the video games. Section::::"Kung Fu Panda: The Video Game". "Kung Fu Panda: The Video Game" is a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 release loosely based on the film of the same name. In it, Tai Lung recruits a series of gangs and bandits to aid him after escaping from Chor-Gom prison. Section::::"Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors . " is the sequel to the 2008 video game, and similarly includes a series of boss battles against the leaders of gangs recruited by Tai Lung in his quest for revenge.