History YMMV / KungFuPanda

* MemeticPsychopath: For some reason, the internet seems to enjoy replacing search results for infamous leaders of brutal regimes such as Holocaust and Communist China with pictures of Mr. Ping. Depictions of him as a physically abusive father are also popular.

** The Furious Five (minus [[BreakoutCharacter Tigress]]) had also become infamous for being constant victims of TheWorfEffect or getting PutOnABus every time a new character is introduced, like with Tai Lung, a lot of fans tend to joke about how their reputation as the greatest masters of Kung Fu is pure talk and that they [[TheLoad wouldn't last five minutes without Po]]. It probably doesn't help that they were beaten by Tai Lung (who as pointed out above is also mocked) in what was basically a CurbStompBattle once he got on solid ground.

** The Furious Five (minus [[BreakoutCharacter Tigress]]) had also become infamous for being constant victims of TheWorfEffect or getting PutOnABus every time a new character is introduced, like with Tai Lung, a lot of fans tend to joke about how their reputation as the greatest masters of Kung Fu is pure talk and that they [[TheLoad wouldn't last five minutes without Po]].

* MagnificentBastard: [[OldMaster Master Oogway]] is a [[WiseOldTurtle wise old tortoise]] who founded the Jade Palace and current Furious Five for the purpose of protecting the Valley of Peace. Having turned from his conquering ways of the past following kindness he was shown, Oogway has trained Shifu and assembled the Furious Five from all corners of China, putting them through rigorous tests of physicality and character both to prove their worth. In the events of the [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1 first film]], Oogway chooses the seemingly useless, untrainable [[Characters/KungFuPandaMasterPoPing Po]] to be the new Dragon Warrior, seeing a spark of potential in the panda that proves correct when Po defeats the powerful Tai Lung and becomes the new protector of the Valley of Peace. Oogway's choosing of Po is shown to be even more brilliant in the [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda3 third film]], in which it is revealed Oogway orchestrated Po reuniting with his supposedly dead panda tribe so he could learn Chi and stop Oogway's old rival Kai when he inevitably returned.

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness Ke-Pa]]; [[YMMV/KungFuPandaThePawsOfDestiny Jindiao & The Voice in the Shadows, aka Baigujing, aka the White Bone Demon]]; [[YMMV/KungFuPandaTheDragonKnight High Priestess]]. See those pages for details.

** The Five Furious (minus [[BreakoutCharacter Tigress]]) had also become infamous for being constant victims of TheWorfEffect or getting PutOnABus every time a new character is introduced, like with Tai Lung, a lot of fans tend to joke about how their reputation as the greatest masters of Kung Fu is pure talk and that they [[TheLoad wouldn't last five minutes without Po]].

* MemeticLoser: Tai Lung started to gain this reputation following the release of the teaser of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda4'', given it was the second movie in a row where he was given TheWorfEffect despite being long gone by then. This mixed with how easily Oogway defeated him and how [[BreakTheHaughty poorly he handled his fight with Po]] in the first movie despite Po just starting learning Kung Fu, many fans have started to mock him as the most useless fighter ever that could even be defeated by Mr. Ping despite his reputation as TheDreaded.

* FriendlyFandoms: With ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' potentially, due to the shared theme of anthropomorphic animals with prodigious strength, agility and mystical abilities. Both stories also have protagonists who pursue their dreams against all doubts.

* MemeticPsychopath: For some reason, the internet seems to enjoy replacing search results for infamous leaders of brutal regimes such as Holocaust and Communist China with pictures of Mr. Ping. Depictions of him as a physically abusive father are also popular.

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness Ke-Pa]] & [[YMMV/KungFuPandaThePawsOfDestiny The Voice in the Shadows, aka Baigujing, aka the White Bone Demon]]; [[YMMV/KungFuPandaTheDragonKnight High Priestess]]. See those pages for details.

* GrowingTheBeard: Depending who you ask, either ''Kung Fu Panda'' or ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' is this for [=DreamWorks=], when they started producing either original [=IPs=] or adaptations of other works that were much better received than their earlier movies.

* MagnificentBastard: [[OldMaster Master Oogway]] is a [[WiseOldTurtle wise old tortoise]] who founded the Jade Palace and current Furious Five for the purpose of protecting the Valley of Peace. Having turned from his conquering ways of the past following kindness he was shown, Oogway has trained Shifu and assembled the Furious Five from all corners of China, putting them through rigorous tests of physicality and character both to prove their worth. In the events of the [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda first film]], Oogway chooses the seemingly useless, untrainable [[Characters/KungFuPandaMasterPoPing Po]] to be the new Dragon Warrior, seeing a spark of potential in the panda that proves correct when Po defeats the powerful Tai Lung and becomes the new protector of the Valley of Peace. Oogway's choosing of Po is shown to be even more brilliant in the [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda3 third film]], in which it is revealed Oogway orchestrated Po reuniting with his supposedly dead panda tribe so he could learn Chi and stop Oogway's old rival Kai when he inevitably returned.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Main Franchise]]

* MemeticPsychopath: For some reason, the internet seems to enjoy replacing search results for infamous leaders of brutal regimes such as Holocaust and Communist China with pictures of Mr. Ping. Depictions of him as a physically abusive father are also popular.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:First Movie]]
* {{Adorkable}}: Po. Look no further than when he first entered the Jade Palace and spent the next minute or two just gawking to himself over the cool kung fu artifacts. PandaingToTheAudience, indeed.
* AluminumChristmasTrees: Po's signature girth-based fighting style has been used by at least one real life kung fu master, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Shujin Wang Shu Jin]], who, very much like Po, had an immense waist and could use it to push and deflect attacks.
* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: An animated 3D movie with colourful talking kung-fu fighting animals and the main character being a big fat panda voiced by Creator/JackBlack who has to learn kung-fu to beat the BigBad? By that description alone, you'd think this would have been a flop at the time, but it became one of Creator/{{Dreamworks}}' most successful movie franchises along with its sequels.
* AngstWhatAngst: Compared to Shifu bearing [[TearJerker tearjerking]] witness to the whole thing, the Furious Five's reaction to Oogway's death is one quick gasp before reverting instantly to arguing over the Dragon Warrior and Tai Lung.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
** Perhaps one of the most cunning scores of Music/HansZimmer. There's "''Hero''", "''Sacred Pool Of Tears''", "''Panda Po''", "''Oogway Ascends''", "''The Bridge''", "''Tai Lung Escapes''"... One can almost say that the entire score is awesome.
** Special recognition must go to Tai Lung's Theme (or more accurately the theme for Shifu and Tai Lung). First heard played by Shifu on his flute, it gets continual and awesome renderings throughout "''Tai Lung Escapes''" and "''Shifu Faces Tai Lung''", and has a presence in a variety of modes in the final confrontation. Even so, it's highly underused, and deserves a suite of its own.
* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** Shifu. Some dislike him for being a cold, uncaring SadistTeacher to Po and his other students, while others believe his rougher edges make him a deeper and more complex character. This mostly applies to the first film, however, as Shifu is [[TookALevelInKindness significantly nicer and more supportive]] in the future installments, which [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap caused most of his detractors to think better of him]].
** Tigress for similar reasons. Her cool design, charisma and ActionGirl characterisation definitely earned her some fans from the get-go, but few could deny she was an utter swine to Po for most of the first movie, with a very understated amending. Like Shifu however, this mostly applies to only the first film (and parts of the first TV series), and when later works developed her into a ''much'' more sympathetic character, very few complained about her becoming the franchise's BreakoutCharacter.
* CatharsisFactor: While it could [[AlasPoorVillain almost be seen as pitiable]] for some, seeing Tai Lung suffer a brutal beatdown and HumiliationConga at the hands of Po is extremely satisfying after he spent the whole movie as a seemingly [[TheJuggernaut unstoppable]] OneManArmy who absolutely demolished his enemies in battle, and had just [[MoralEventHorizon attempted to kill his foster father]].
* CryForTheDevil: Tai Lung, once we learn his backstory. He was originally a RidiculouslyCuteCritter who desperately wanted to [[WellDoneSonGuy please his foster father Shifu]], who built up his pride and made him think he was destined to be the Dragon Warrior. However, when he was told that he was unworthy by Oogway and Shifu did nothing to support him, he became driven to mass destruction and slaughter to take the Dragon Scroll by force, [[IJustWantToBeSpecial just because he wanted to be special]]. The fact that he spent ''twenty years'' in a HellholePrison without Shifu ever visiting him just pushes this further. Shifu even realizes his fault in turning Tai Lung into what he is and gives him a sincere, heartfelt apology. Unfortunately for him, [[RedemptionRejection Tai Lung is in no mood for forgiveness at this point.]]
* DracoInLeatherPants: Hoo boy, ''Tai Lung''. To say that there are a lot of FanFics dedicated to redeeming him is an understatement. While he is [[FreudianExcuse sympathetic to a degree]], many fans ignore that he's an [[EntitledBastard entitled]], [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centered]] [[SpoiledBrat brat]] who was willing to [[MoralEventHorizon take his frustration out on a valley of innocent people]] just because he didn't get his way. Fans often [[RonTheDeathEater try to pin blame on Shifu]] for making Tai Lung want the Dragon Scroll so bad, despite the fact that Shifu ''never'' said Tai Lung was destined to be the Dragon Warrior. All Shifu said was that he was destined for greatness. To a lesser extent, some may also chose to vilify Oogway as well, despite the fact that Tai Lung's reaction to being told no indicates that Oogway's belief that there was darkness in his heart was ''completely right''.
** In the director's commentary, it was even pointed out that, in trying to make sure Tai Lung would not be a [[FlatCharacter flat, one-note villain]], they went too far in humanizing him and making him sympathetic, to the point [[UnintentionallySympathetic many viewers felt so sorry for him that they forgot he was the villain]]. End result: the flashback sequence of his rampage was added in expressly to remind people why he was in prison in the first place. Unfortunately, some still glossed over the fact that Tai Lung has long since stopped being the WellDoneSonGuy who won't take "no" for an answer and is now entirely willing to, at the very least, beat up the rest of China, including his foster parent, if they stand between him and his goal.
* EvilIsCool: From busting out of Chorh Gom Prison single-handedly to putting up an epic fight against the Furious Five, there's no denying Tai Lung's badassery.
* EvilIsSexy: Tai Lung is this to many due to his [[TragicVillain sympathetic backstory]] and being voiced by Creator/IanMcShane. He's obviously quite PopularWithFurries as well.
* FanPreferredCouple:
** The second it looked like Po and Tigress were on the way to becoming an item, the fandom joyfully embraced the idea.
** While not really having anything going for it in canon, Crane and Viper appear to be the secondary item to Po and Tigress.
* FoeYayShipping: Believe it or not, but there are people who ship Tai Lung/Tigress (Taigress). Compared to other pairings, this one sort of makes sense, genetically speaking.
* GenreTurningPoint: Before this film, WesternAnimation feature films were often starkly afraid to show heroes getting into fights in which the actual trading of blows that actually connect regularly happens. Now, bruising hand to hand, [[BloodlessCarnage albeit bloodless]], combat is considered perfectly acceptable material for family films.
* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct:
** Thanks to Creator/DustinHoffman's tutoring, Creator/JackBlack surprised a lot of people with how good he was as Po. In particular, he gets to show his acting chops during the emotionally moving scene where Po argues with Shifu on the stairs over treating him like crap, perfectly expressing the panda's frustration, self-doubt, and deep-seated sadness.
** Florentino Fernández, Po's Spanish voice actor, was known by his rather vulgar humor style (and his rather excellent imitations, on the other hand) and was thought to be a bad choice for a character with the emotional depth of Po. However, his performance turned out astoundingly good.
* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Mr. Ping explaining the secret behind his Secret Noodle Soup becomes this when you realize he's looking at Po with an adoring expression, and the second movie reveals he adopted Po the same day he decided not to make a soup with radishes (because a baby Po ate them all in the crate where he was hiding). Mr. Ping in hindsight was talking about how he believes his son is special, and Po has to know it.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** In 2012, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' would release the ''Mists of Pandaria'' ExpansionPack featuring the Pandaren, an entire civilization of Martial Artist pandas.
** Creator/SethRogen and [[Film/TheGreenHornet green insects]] are inseparable now.
** The Chinese were so impressed by the series, that they held conferences about why they couldn't make animated movies like this. The third movie was even produced by the new [=DreamWorks=] Orient studio in China.
** Think this is the last time Creator/JackieChan will voice a Chinese {{monkey|KingLite}}? Well [[Animation/MonkeyKingHeroIsBack think again]]!
* MemeticMutation:
** "I see you like to X. Maybe you should X...ON ''MY'' '''FIST!!!'''" [[labelnote:Explanation]]During Po's dream sequence at the beginning of the film, a thug exclaims this to Po, with the word ''chew'' being used in place of X.[[/labelnote]]
** "There are no accidents"[[labelnote:Explanation]]Said by Oogway and later Shifu for Po "accidentally" being TheChosenOne. Has become a catchphrase for ContrivedCoincidence and/or AccidentalPervert moments in pop culture[[/labelnote]]
** "My time has come."[[labelnote:Explanation]]Oogway preparing to AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence. Appropriated and used in place of "ThisIsGonnaSuck".[[/labelnote]]
** "Finally, a worthy opponent. Our battle will be ''LEGENDARY!''"[[labelnote:Explanation]]Tai Lung's response to learning the Dragon Warrior's name, often used for scenarios of people starting conflicts for no good reason or [[MundaneMadeAwesome making light of trivial struggles]].[[/labelnote]]
** Content Aware Po [[labelnote:Explanation]] Originating from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIed10uj784 this video]], Po's expression seen in the thumbnail makes for a good reaction image. Used to express a faux-pas or intense confusion, it is used interchangeably with the "bruh" and "Unsettled Tom" memes.[[/labelnote]]
** "Mmm. Monkey." [[labelnote:Explanation]] Fans latched onto the way Master Oogway reacted when asked why he'd saved Monkey's life. (Oogway could tell Monkey was only a prankster to be acknowledged, for the curious). [[/labelnote]]
* MoralEventHorizon: When Tai Lung [[spoiler:confesses to Shifu that all he ever wanted was to make him proud, only to find out that he had Shifu's pride and love all along, he only spends one moment looking genuinely affected before he's right back to demanding the scroll, saying he doesn't care about apologies]]. Since he's basically thrown away any sort of redemption that might have been offered to him, that moment signals that he deserves everything that happens to him afterward.
** Another strong contender for Tai Lung's MEH crossing is the villain attempting to attack Po after he becomes confused and angered by the contents of the Dragon Scroll (a blank reflection which Tai Lung calls "nothing"). This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Tai Lung never really cared about the true meaning of being the Dragon Warrior: what he truly wanted with the Dragon Scroll was to be physically the most powerful kung fu warrior in all of China, "secret to limitless power" be damned.
* {{Narm}}: More than a few people have compared [[spoiler: the after-effects of The Wuxi Finger Hold]] to a gigantic fart cloud. The fact that it's produced by pulling someone's finger just adds to this.
* SugarWiki/NoProblemWithLicensedGames: ''Kung Fu Panda'' the game is actually a well-made, fun ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''-style game, even though it departs from the film's story quite a bit. The same couldn't be said about the [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2 sequel's]] game.
* RootingForTheEmpire: A sizeable portion of fans found Tai Lung to be so damn cool that they were hoping for him to stick around and maybe even have a HeelFaceTurn.
* SignatureLine: "Skadoosh!"
* SignatureScene: [[spoiler: Oogway's death]] until Po admitting his deep self-loathing to Shifu that the latter feels absolutely helpless to help with proved [=DreamWorks=] ''can'' make something as deep as their main rival Pixar.
* UnintentionallySympathetic: Because he UsedToBeASweetKid, Tai Lung receives more sympathy from audiences than was intended. In the original script, his only crimes were trying to take the Dragon Scroll and then attacking Shifu, who had arguably failed to teach him properly, so the filmmakers saw this coming. They added his later rampage specifically to make him less sympathetic, but we only see fragments of it, so it still doesn't hit very hard.
* ValuesResonance: Despite not being actually made by the Chinese, if one actually were to look at things from a traditionalist UsefulNotes/{{Confucian|ism}} perspective, Tai Lung becomes an even more fitting villain. He's guilty of filial impiety, a very, VERY severe sin in Confucianism. The one thing that really seems to anger Shifu is Tai Lung suggesting that he ignore Oogway's decision for the Dragon Scroll, in effect asking Shifu to commit his own filial impiety.
* ViewerSpeciesConfusion:
** It is common to assume that Mr. Ping is a duck when he is actually a goose.
** Some viewers unfamiliar with red pandas aren't sure what kind of animal Shifu is, asking if he's a raccoon, rabbit, fox, or rat. Even his voice actor Creator/DustinHoffman thought he was a raccoon at first.
* TheWoobie: Po, particularly when he reveals himself to be a StepfordSmiler and SadClown with self-loathing issues. [[IJustWantToBeSpecial He wants to be special]], because he doesn't like who he is. Thankfully, he gets over these issues by the end of the first film.
[[/folder]]
----

*** In the director's commentary, it was even pointed out that, in trying to make sure Tai Lung would not be a [[FlatCharacter flat, one-note villain]], they went too far in humanizing him and making him sympathetic, to the point [[UnintentionallySympathetic many viewers felt so sorry for him that they forgot he was the villain]]. End result: the flashback sequence of his rampage was added in expressly to remind people why he was in prison in the first place. Unfortunately, some still glossed over the fact that Tai Lung has long since stopped being the WellDoneSonGuy who won't take "no" for an answer and is now entirely willing to, at the very least, beat up the rest of China, including his foster parent, if they stand between him and his goal.

* CryForTheDevil: Tai Lung, once we learn his backstory. He was originally a RidiculouslyCuteCritter who desperately wanted to [[WellDoneSonGuy please his foster father Shifu]], who built up his pride and made him think he was destined to be the Dragon Warrior. However, when he was told that he was unworthy by Oogway and Shifu did nothing to support him, he became driven to mass destruction and slaughter to take the Dragon Scroll by force, [[IJustWantToBeSpecial just because he wanted to be special]]. The fact that he spent ''twenty years'' in a HellholePrison without Shifu ever visiting him just pushes this further. Shifu even realizes his fault in turning Tai Lung into what he is and gives him a sincere, heartfelt apology. Unfortunately for him, [[RedemptionRejection Tai Lung is in no mood for forgiveness.]]

* MemeticPsychopath: For some reason, the internet seems to enjoy replacing search results for infamous leaders of brutal regimes such as Holocaust and Communist China with pictures of Mr. Ping. Depictions of him as a physically abusive father are also popular.

* MemeticPsychopath: For some reason, the internet seems to enjoy replacing search results for infamous leaders of brutal regimes such as Holocaust and Communist China with pictures of Mr. Ping. Depictions of him as a physically abusive father are also popular.

* {{Adorkable}}:
** Po. Look no further than when he first entered the Jade Palace and spent the next minute or two just gawking to himself over the cool kung fu artifacts. PandaingToTheAudience, indeed.
** Tigress usually hides it well, [[TheComicallySerious but when caught off guard]], she can be endearingly flustered or sweet. She was this in spades in her cub years.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Shifu at times borders on RonTheDeathEater. Was he, personally, responsible for Tai Lung becoming evil? Does he see any of his students as anything more than a chance for personal glory by training a great warrior? Were his issues really resolved at the end of the first movie, or is he still basically the same uncaring jerk, just with less stress in his life?
* AluminumChristmasTrees: Po's signature girth-based fighting style has been used by at least one real life kung fu master, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Shujin Wang Shu Jin]], who, very much like Po, had an immense waist and could use it to push and deflect attacks.
* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** Shifu. Some dislike him for being a cold, uncaring SadistTeacher to Po and his other students, while others believe his rougher edges make him a deeper and more complex character. This mostly applies to the first film, however, as Shifu is [[TookALevelInKindness significantly nicer and more supportive]] in the future installments, which [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap caused most of his detractors to think better of him]].
** Tigress for similar reasons. Her cool design, charisma and ActionGirl characterisation definitely earned her some fans from the get-go, but few could deny she was an utter swine to Po for most of the first movie, with a very understated amending. Like Shifu however, this mostly applies to only the first film (and parts of the first TV series), and when later works developed her into a ''much'' more sympathetic character, very few complained about her becoming the franchise's BreakoutCharacter.

* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The members of the Furious Five who don't get that much screen time or development (Monkey, Viper, Mantis, and Crane) are popular, beloved characters in their own right.
** Master Oogway only appears in the first half of the movie, but he's gone on to become one of the most beloved mentor characters in fiction thanks to his status as an OldMaster, his wisdom, good sense of humor, genuine compassion for his students, and Randall Duk Kim's sincere, warm performance. [[spoiler: His death scene is also one of the most visually and emotionally gorgeous of the entire film, accompanied by a truly astounding piece by Hans Zimmer.]] Many people have called him one of the best characters in animated film history, and [[spoiler: the fanbase was delighted by his surprise return in the third movie.]]
** Mr. Ping is beloved for being a genuinely loving father to Po despite his many insecurities and flaws, showing surprising HiddenDepths by knowing the message of the film already, and also being quite funny in his various attempts to promote his noodle shop. He ended up becoming a BreakoutCharacter to the point of becoming the {{Tritagonist}} of the third film.
* FanPreferredCouple:
** The second it looked like Po and Tigress were on the way to becoming an item, the fandom joyfully embraced the idea.
** While not really having anything going for it in canon, Crane and Viper appear to be the secondary item to Po and Tigress.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** In 2012, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' would release the ''Mists of Pandaria'' ExpansionPack featuring the Pandaren, an entire civilization of Martial Artist pandas.
** Creator/SethRogen and [[Film/TheGreenHornet green insects]] are inseparable now.
** The Chinese were so impressed by the series, that they held conferences about why they couldn't make animated movies like this. The third movie was even produced by the new [=DreamWorks=] Orient studio in China.
** Think this is the last time Creator/JackieChan will voice a Chinese {{monkey|KingLite}}? Well [[Animation/MonkeyKingHeroIsBack think again]]!

* ViewerSpeciesConfusion:
** It is common to assume that Mr. Ping is a duck when he is actually a goose.
** Some viewers unfamiliar with red pandas aren't sure what kind of animal Shifu is, asking if he's a raccoon, rabbit, fox, or rat. Even his voice actor Creator/DustinHoffman thought he was a raccoon at first.
* TheWoobie: Po, particularly when he reveals himself to be a StepfordSmiler and SadClown with self-loathing issues. [[IJustWantToBeSpecial He wants to be special]], because he doesn't like who he is. He gets over these issues by the end of the first film, just in time for the second film to reveal a really depressing backstory.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Hoo boy, ''Tai Lung''. To say that there are a lot of FanFics dedicated to redeeming him is an understatement. While he is [[FreudianExcuse sympathetic to a degree]], many fans ignore that he's an [[EntitledBastard entitled]], [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centered]] [[SpoiledBrat brat]] who was willing to [[MoralEventHorizon take his frustration out on a valley of innocent people]] just because he didn't get his way. Fans often [[RonTheDeathEater try to pin blame on Shifu]] for making Tai Lung want the Dragon Scroll so bad, despite the fact that Shifu ''never'' said Tai Lung was destined to be the Dragon Warrior. All Shifu said was that he was destined for greatness. To a lesser extent, some may also chose to vilify Oogway as well, despite the fact that Tai Lung's reaction to it indicates that Oogway's belief there was darkness in his heart was ''completely right''.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: An animated 3D movie with colourful talking kung-fu fighting animals and the main character being a big fat panda voiced by Creator/JackBlack who has to learn kung-fu to beat the BigBad? By that description alone, you'd think this would have been a flop at the time, but it became one of Creator/{{Dreamworks}}' most successful movie franchises along with its sequels.

* FoeYayShipping: Believe it or not, but there are people who ship Tai Lung/Tigress (Taigress). Compared to other pairings, this one sort of makes sense, genetically speaking.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct:
** Thanks to Creator/DustinHoffman's tutoring, Creator/JackBlack surprised a lot of people with how good he was as Po. In particular, he gets to show his acting chops during the emotionally moving scene where Po argues with Shifu on the stairs over treating him like crap, perfectly expressing the panda's frustration, self-doubt, and deep-seated sadness.
** Florentino Fernández, Po's Spanish voice actor, was known by his rather vulgar humor style (and his rather excellent imitations, on the other hand) and was thought to be a bad choice for a character with the emotional depth of Po. However, his performance turned out astoundingly good.

%%* JerkassWoobie:%%** Tigress and Tai Lung's back stories make them this. %%** Shifu could count as well.

* AngstWhatAngst: Compared to Shifu bearing tearjerking witness to the whole thing, the Furious Five's reaction to Oogway's death is one quick gasp before reverting instantly to arguing over the Dragon Warrior and Tai Lung.

* CatharsisFactor: While it could [[AlasPoorVillain almost be seen as pitiable]] for some, seeing Tai Lung suffer a HumiliationConga and a brutal beatdown at the hands of Po is extremely satisfying after he spent the whole movie as a seemingly [[TheJuggernaut unstoppable]] OneManArmy delivering brutal CurbStompBattles to his enemies.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Because he UsedToBeASweetKid, Tai Lung receives more sympathy from audiences than was intended. In the original script, his only crimes were trying to take the Dragon Scroll and then attacking Sifu, who had arguably failed to teach him properly, so the filmmakers saw this coming. They added his later rampage specifically to make him less sympathetic, but we only see fragments of it, so it still doesn't hit very hard.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Stated almost word for word in [[WordOfGod the directors' commentary]] about Tai Lung. Although, considering his writeup in ''Art of Kung Fu Panda'', maybe not. To elaborate: He is raised up for most of his life believing that he is destined to receive the legendary Dragon Scroll, a belief that his master Shifu actively fed and encouraged. When he is denied that right and Shifu says nothing in his defense, he unsurprisingly goes completely ballistic, rampaging through the village and attacking Shifu. Interestingly, in the original script Tai Lung's only crimes were a) trying to take the Dragon Scroll and b) attacking his master and father. While this latter crime, filial impiety, was extremely serious in ancient China (and to some extent still is), ValuesDissonance caused test audiences to sympathize greatly with Tai Lung since he hadn't hurt anyone else and was only taking out his anger on the one who, arguably, had failed him by not teaching him proper humility while at the same time raising his hopes too high. So the rampage was added in precisely to make him less sympathetic, though due to the fact that the viewers aren't shown much of the actual rampage (what little is shown is done in a series of near-still frames, probably due to being rendered and added in late as much as for stylistic purposes) he still ended up more sympathetic than he was supposed to.