Therapist Reacts to KUNG FU PANDA

[@Kimtroverted]

The moment Shifu says "I don't know!" is such a powerful moment to see. It's him finally relinquishing control. He's no longer the man with all the answers. He cannot control this situation. But in admitting he doesn't know, he frees himself from the illusion that his way is the best way.

[@JaneXemylixa]

Echoing Oogway, too. Oogway was fine with admitting he doesn't know something or was wrong about something, but for Shifu saying he doesn't know the right answer was probably the scariest thing for him to do.

[@machinaowl910]

I'm kinda that way too tbh. I'm usually fine with not knowing the right answer, but what makes me hesitate in saying that is what other people would say. I guess I always thought being viewed as the guy with the wrong answer as shameful and embarrassing. No one WANTS to be wrong, and when you're wrong people usually admonish you for it. I used to be viewed as dumb when I was in school, and those feelings never really left me. Sometimes it feels like I HAVE to have the right answer, otherwise it means something bad about me.

[@JaneXemylixa]

@@machinaowl910 Yeah that sucks about standardized education. Mistakes are a stain on your person somehow, instead of an opportunity to learn

[@trybunt]

@@machinaowl910 school makes people associate being wrong with being stupid, which makes people avoid finding out if they are wrong, unfortunately. But finding out we are wrong is a good thing, it's an important part of the learning process, just like acknowledging that we don't know the answer to something

[@johnnicoleaguilar3404]

It's so true and so sad at the same time. It's human nature to relinquish control everything, but its not always the case.

[@skyhideaway]

In that part where Shifu starts training Po properly, he's not only accepting Po as he is, he is also accepting the present as it is. He is actually having fun while training Po, he's smiling for one of the first times in the movie, even though Tai Lung is on his way. Po was unconsciously teaching Shifu to be at peace and to do things at his own pace. I love this movie so much.

[@TacComControl]

I'd argue that this is Shifu's movie, not Poe's. We focus on Poe, but this is really a movie about the past Shifu blames himself for, and a dissection of his rigidity in the face of needing to learn to let go, a strongly daoist principle that he never quite grasped, and a core tenet of Kung Fu at its core.

[@jenc9532]

He’s not just training po he’s changing how he trains people to suit po and it’s always great

[@skyhideaway]

@@TacComControl it's about both of them. That's what a good movie does - it focuses on the stories of multiple characters and explains it well.

[@chibigirl8545]

He's teaching Shifu how to enjoy teaching again. It's cute.

[@jamesmalpas]

Absolutely- lying to someone will never really make them feel better but there’s always a better way to look at the truth

[@lightningstrike9876]

One thing to point out: Oogway mentions that Po's eating habit is a stress response, that he eats when he's upset. And then we get to the end of the "You are free to eat" fight and he says he's not hungry.

[@jamesjabagat2]

This can really apply to us that accepting yourself really defeats bad habits, No matter when those bad habits developed and how long you had it. The show is just so f*cking good.

[@jemmagauci8620]

Yesss and it shows that once you start changing your habits and go on this journey you don’t even realise that you have healed and don’t want the bad habits anymore until after and the journey changed you but you only realise AFTER and that’s so beautiful

[@sirnicholas5542]

Or maybe it was because the dumpling was kicked around so much

[@HungryGuy3]

I am hungry thi

[@Oodlesxofxnoodles]

And also the idea that he wasn't fighting that well to get the food! He was able to harness it whenever he needed it.

[@jollyquinn430]

When Po said "I'm not hungry" in the chopstick scene at the end, I think that says a lot. His coping mechanism was to eat. Because he was surprising his emotions. He said it himself. That he eats when he's sad or stressed. And even though he was in that stressful situation of having to be the dragon warrior, he still said "I'm not hungry" and learned to cope better with his emotions than he used to before. Sry for my bad English. It's not my first language.

[@CrazyGamebino]

No big deal you only misused surprising instead of the word suppressing

[@Cha0sRising90]

You know more languages than I do! You're doing amazingly well. Keep up your hard work. ^_^

[@Taygon45]

Your English is great! Said what I wanted to say too. Your only mistake is saying his emotions were "surprised" instead of "suppressed"

[@steampunkfox4932]

I was going to say the same thing

[@Tracy-xe9zu]

Your English is quite good!

[@americaroleplayer]

One of the reasons I love Oogway is that he's brutally honest. I lot of people would lie to make Po feel better. "They hate me." "They don't hate you! They just don't know you!" But Oogways like "Yeah, they hate you. . .but that won't last forever-" And that's a lot more powerful.

[@capt_iron2797]

Man I never thought of approaching a conversation like that, I've always done the pretty lie rather than the harmful truth, never thought of the softened truth option. Thank You

[@rubyjulivre1136]

Wow. Yeah i would like to be comforted with ugly truth but assuring, than with sugar-coated lies

[@SusanaCanales1]

Eh. I wouldn’t call that brutal. Brutal is more when people are an asshole about “honesty”. Straightforward honesty is never brutal.

[@tcrpgfan]

And even then he's only dismissively agreeing with Po

[@Demi_Purple]

@@SusanaCanales1 If we call downplaying or lying a bit when telling the truth _sugarcoating,_ brutal honesty is like adding vinegar, and plain honesty is just that: Plain. No seasoning. 🧂

[@joshpark5200]

Remember guys: What makes Po strong is his acceptance of himself. What makes Tigress dangerous is her self-control. What makes monkey a hero is the pain he channels into compassion for others. What makes mantis formidable is his infinite patience. What makes viper ferocious is her unmatchable courage. What makes crane special is his tremendous confidence

[@lennybuenrostro1351]

OMG I love this dude 😭

[@masonjenks7636]

OMG, I love the secrets of the furious five stories 😆😆😆

[@iantaakalla8180]

And what makes Tai Lung a villain is his dependence on Master Shifu’s praise for some reason

[@puppergump4117]

@@iantaakalla8180 What makes him a villain is Shifu training him for all of his life telling him that his goal is to become the dragon warrior. Tai Lung tried to accomplish this, resulting in him being stopped and sent to prison for 20 years while his master did nothing to help. I'd be pretty pissed if I were him.

[@whyplaypiano2844]

@@puppergump4117 Not exactly. Tai Lung is a villain because he was raised being told he was "destined for greatness." Tai Lung got sent to prison because he was exactly what Master Oogway thought he was. Someone with a heart full of pride, envy, and darkness. When Tai Lung was told, "You aren't worthy of the scroll," for the first time, he lashed out and went on a rampage which resulted in the destruction of multiple villages. Shi-Fu didn't help because he went along with what his Master said. Something he never came to terms with. It's why he apologized to Tai Lung during the Shi-Fu vs. Tai Lung fight.

[@sofiamansour-tehrani4727]

The “I’m not hungry” line is so cathartic and awesome because Po eats excessively when he’s upset (going all the way back to when he ate an entire crate of radishes after his mother abandoned him to save his life as a baby). Considering his amount of fat relative to his fitness at the beginning, this further illustrates his poor mental health. But by finding friends, a mentor who earnestly believes in him, a deeper connection to his greatest passion and love for himself, he outgrows that emotional crutch.

[@debdras]

It wasn't until someone else pointed it to me years ago, but the whole convo: "You are free to eat." "Am I?" "Are you?!" Is Shifu literally asking him, "Are you FREE as in, FREE to choose to eat, or not?" Because before that Po is not free; he has essentially a food addiction, and an addiction is a shackle. I once thought Shifu was trolling him lol But no. It's a genuine question.

[@ALittleToTheLeft42]

The line has a double meaning, first and foremost it's Po finally becoming "not upset" but at the same time Shifu told him that "when you have been trained, you may eat" so by Po saying "I'm not hungry" he's acknowledging that he still has more to learn.

[@iantaakalla8180]

When Po has simultaneously curbed his stress eating and learned a koan.

[@leonakalionking]

These new character revelations are making me cry again goddamn it

[@sarahcoleman5269]

I think it's so appropriate that they got Jack Black to voice Po, he isn't classically what Hollywood looks for in a star, but his dedication to being his unique self is what catches the audience's attention.

[@graygreysangui]

Amen. I was almost angry with all these remakes coming out but once I saw he was going to be a part of Jumanji, I did a one-eighty. And I can't tell you how many times I have seen The School of Rock.

[@affsteak3530]

Someone in the Schafrillas video comments said that Jack Black got additional vocal coaching for this movie to increase his range for the more serious/dramatic lines. Mad respect for Jack Black for taking his craft seriously.

[@IQSim]

This is genuinely Jack Black's best role. Hands down. School of Rock is awesome. But this is some real, serious acting. A lot of Po's jokes are trying to hide his insecurity. Also JB is pure energy and that's just what Po needed.

[@amyaccount7935]

Funfact: in the german version, Hape Kerkeling did the voice of Po. A similar style comedian, excentric, a bit over the top, but so true to himself and his humor/style. I see the similarities with Jack Black and Hape Kerkeling so much in Po :)

[@elfteiroh]

@@graygreysangui and in the sequel, we see the CRAZY ACTING RANGE Jack Black has! Like, I couldn’t believe it. What he did there was *hard*. And he did it flawlessly. (Being vague on purpose to not spoil it)

[@rowangirdler7428]

My karate sensei loved this film, to the point that he bought a Po costume and wore it at special events for our school. He passed away a few years ago after a long journey with brain cancer, but his legacy lives on in the way we teach. We don't exclude people who aren't able to master our curriculum the way it's written, we make adjustments so that they can still achieve and find their own inner strengths. Kids with disabilities, adults with bad joints, really anyone who most people would write off as having too many barriers, we take them and teach them and make them part of our community. Obviously Oogway's death hits hard these days, but I will always be proud of how we carry out the lessons that my old sensei and Kung Fu Panda both embrace.

[@gronglus25]

wow that was fuckin beautiful

[@pdruiz2005]

I'm a trained math teacher. That is LITERALLY the heart of great teaching. Congrats! Your karate sensei understood what great teaching is all about--take what you have in your students, modify the curriculum to suit their needs, and try hard to find and then nurture their inner strengths. As a teacher that's easy to say, but extremely hard to do. Every day that is the lodestar of all teaching, and what defines great teachers with years and decades of experience.

[@pebislord]

Fun story I was actually told I was adopted through Kung fu panda when po was told he was adopted that’s when I was told and this movie means a lot to me so I'm glad y'all are covering it

[@Likelyfairy]

That’s so cute and a creative way to let a child know

[@dragoonmaster4133]

Whaaa…

[@danielyates8578]

❤️

[@joaofarias9986]

Wait. So, your dad is a goose?

[@pebislord]

@@Likelyfairy yeah It was a very good way of telling me I already loved Kung Fu panda and when I found out we were both adopted I was just happy that I could be like po

[@goldbristow7239]

When po is talking to Oogway and says he doesn't have what the other five have, and he says "No Venom" it shows how little he actually knows about the people he's anxious to be like. Viper doesn't have venom, she doesn't even have fangs. It's a foreshadowing that Po will not only get to know the five better, but understand what he can really do and defy expectations

[@heatherlee2047]

+

[@werwolfnate]

It also explains why she and Mantis are the first of the five to warm up to him.

[@aguyontheinternet8436]

@@werwolfnate Well, that kindness was there pretty much right after she was born. And idk, I think Mantis warmed up at the same pace as Crane and Monkey. They're angry, but they aren't stubborn, and they all have their own traits to make them warm up to Po quickly. And you just don't notice that Monkey warms up because I'm pretty sure Mr. Chan was charging $10,000 per word spoken

[@adventurekitty1016]

There are several scenes in the movies that show that Viper does indeed have fangs. I like to imagine she eventually grew them and either didn’t have venom, or she doesn’t use venom because she doesn’t need it. Isaac Carlson actually talks about this in his video about Viper.

[@diz9606]

@@adventurekitty1016 I think the most likely answer is that the secret of the Five minifilm wasn't even planned back then so the Five had no backstory when Kung Fu Panda 1 was made, meaning that Viper having no fangs and no venom was a soft-retcon.

[@Agusloquillo]

A little detail I love about the final fight is that Po is the only opponent that could withstand Tai Lung's attack to the nerves *because* he's such a fat panda that he's protected from such a move, whereas every other kung-fu master is vulnerable against it. It's incredibly literal, so much that we may take it for granted, but it's thematically relevant to the message of everyone having value and their own strengths. It's not something he *learned* ; he's able to pull through the final stretch of the fight simply because of _who_ he is, turning something he was mocked for into a positive. It's a comedy moment first and foremost, but it works as a wonderful microcosm of the point of the film.

[@jordirapper]

What's even better about that, they actually hint at this earlier in the movie. When Mantis and Viper try to help Po with acupuncture, they can't find his nerve spots under all this... Fat? Fur. He was gonna say fur.

[@breannawatson6281]

@jordirapper I never noticed that but that's so neat they added that!

[@Jordan_Givan]

Yes he literally won the fight his own goofy chaotic way doing stuff like throwing his weight around really using it

[@TheRhetoricGamer]

I love that everyone kept thinking that the Dragon Warrior needed to be a super duper epic kung fu master, but Tai Lung did not need a more skilled fighter to defeat him. He needed a punching bag. Someone who can endure his aggression enough to wear him down. Poe did not need to change who he was. He just needed to learn how to leverage his own strengths to win.

[@littlemoth4956]

It also might work to show that because he was insulted all his life, he's developed incredibly thick skin compared to the snobby masters he's worked with

[@severalracoons9315]

"Your Mind is like Water. When it gets agitated, it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear.." Master Oogway is the best

[@gamefreak3072]

I want to say its a take on an old Tao quote. something like “Trying to understand is like straining through muddy water. Have the patience to wait! Be still and allow the mud to settle.”

[@eduardon9299]

Master Oogway is everything I aspire to be in my life. He is awesome.

[@MrDestroys]

Isn't this from Avatar the last airbender too

[@Shindai]

@@MrDestroys It's been a while since I read it but I think it's straight out of the tao te ching, there are verses about not taking things too far and knowing when to leave things be ^_^

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

@@MrDestroys Guru Pathik has a very similar message about clearing anxiety and inner turmoil to clear your chakras

[@Hyopomora]

Oogway is exactly like my grandfather who passed when the movie released. He was always at peace, always ten steps ahead of life and the advice he gave always had you staring at the sky in contemplation. So when the character ascended it hurt on a lot of fronts for me, because it felt like losing him again. Im not ashamed to say I take Oogway’s advice with my grandfathers. I seek peace in simple things in life and am much happier because of it. I like to think he’s proud of me. Also, he loved peaches haha

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@leenanoor9571]

You made me cry 😭 Love to all the grandpas out there ❤️

[@ashgaylebanawa9072]

In my opinion, Po and Tai Lung are two sides of the same coin. They were both adopted , except one was raised with love while the other was raised with expectations. It's honestly sad that Tai Lung was never given the time to heal from his wounds, if only there was another ending where Po tries to help Tai Lung.

[@ApusApus]

Po does try to help Tai Lung, but he appears too far gone to change. That's actually a theme with Dreamworks villains: they rarely get redeemed, more common is a realization of how wrong they are together with an acceptance of fate, or straight up villain deaths.

[@mckenzie.latham91]

One thing Kung fu panda did was have the villains be unable to overcome their own issues unlike Po which is why they are defeated

[@moonstruck8245]

He did - when Tai Lung saw the scroll and was confused, Po explained very gently what it meant. I think if Tai Lung had given up then, maybe tried to turn things around and realized that he needed to work to better himself - not just physically, like he was trained his whole life, but mentally and emotionally - Po I'm sure would've been happy to help him. Tai Lung rejected that chance, and went on the attack again instead, so he had to be defeated.

[@lotsofspots]

@@moonstruck8245 Tai Lung had been left alone in the dark for twenty years. He didn't deserve to be summarily executed after he'd already been defeated.

[@moonstruck8245]

@@lotsofspots I never said he did. I would've actually preferred that he either started on the path to redemption there, or that he ran off swearing revenge or something and was slowly brought around, like a few of the villains in the TV series, particularly Jade Tusk.

[@redpeterpanda]

"I don't know" is a response that should be more accepted in society. I work as a tech artist in animation so I encounter a ton of stuff I don't know, but I have the confidence to go figure it out. So I wish people would be more excepting of that.

[@aguyontheinternet8436]

I don't know, but I would like to.

[@kinnlmk]

Masking and "fake it 'til you make it" can and does work. The caveat is: that course corrections are possible, it isn't essential, and luck is on your side. Society has made it hard to say, "I do not know," even though there are plenty of examples where things spiraled out of control because nobody had a clue and no one was brave enough to admit it. It may not even be society's fault; they did a test where they asked people to give a numerical interval for questions like what is the length of the Nile, how many people have won the Noble Prize, and so on. The best way to answer would be negative infinity to infinity, but people used small intervals even though they didn't have a clue. We want to believe we know it all so much, that we trick ourselves into actually believing we do.

[@anyadarlingg]

"I don't know, but I can learn." Or "I'll figure it out" are great alternative things to say in work settings. Or if you understand parts of the concept, you can say "I understand (this similar part) but I don't understand how (this or that part) is done"

[@redpeterpanda]

I tried to post my message short and sweet. Let me try to explain because (fun fact) with text you project your own voice/tone/interpretation to what it is written. FYI, I personally like to say "I don't know but I'll go find out". My wish for "I don't know" to be more accepted because it is viewed so poorly it prompts the fake it culture. The whole "fake to you make it" hurts production/workforce and my opinion is part of toxic culture. I'd rather people be confident in that they need to research or reach out to solve a problem. Not knowing how to do something is okay you'll figure it out and if you don't that's okay too. I wish that people don't have to fake it as much as they do, waisting time/stress on everyone. Kung Fu Panda when Shifu admits he doesn't know, he didn't give up and after admitting this he figures out how to train the Dragon Warrior. That moment we view in the movie, I wish I could see more of.

[@aguyontheinternet8436]

@@redpeterpanda

[@momochanjones7302]

As an elementary school teacher, the line that resonated with me was “I cannot train you like I trained the five” When I was in college, they HOUNDED in us that each student is different and has different needs. You have to think of five different ways to say the same thing. I do try to emphasize that with my students. Edit: I appreciate all the likes!

[@fantasticbirdblue]

You are a GOOD TEACHER

[@momochanjones7302]

@@fantasticbirdblue 🥹🥹🥹 Thank you!

[@JustineAprilJ]

Teaching in one way is already hard enough - I admire you!

[@momochanjones7302]

@@JustineAprilJ 🥲🥲🥲 Thank you!

[@Tazinatorism]

So very true! In high school I remember two different teachers telling me that I might make a good teacher or even just tutor, because of my natural knack for, or even habit of, saying the same thing multiple ways. And the more I noticed myself doing it, the more I noticed sometimes people didn't get things until the second or third way I tried to tell them, but I was usually able to connect and make that understanding. Both in teaching, formally and informally, and in life generally, that flexibility of communication is an absolutely invaluable skill, and one always worthy of improvement!

[@MordredStarfall]

You can see the guilt on Shifu's face when Po told him he believed in him even though Shifu gave him no reason to believe in him. He probably thought Po didn't realize he was trying to get rid of him and kept trying to break his will and humiliate him, but being called out for his actions and the fact that Po didn't have a grudge and still had faith in him must have hit him like a truck in that moment.

[@crystalgemgirl731]

Po's too sweet to hold a grudge.

[@evanembury5958]

This drives home the message from Thor: "Everyone fails at being who they're supposed to be. The true heroes are the ones who succeed at being who they are. "

[@iantaakalla8180]

On a vaguely related tangent, Tony Stark’s immortal line “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you don’t deserve to have the suit” is basically Tai Lung’s character arc

[@chimpwimp9407]

“Are you Thor, god of hammers?” “No. You are Thor, god of thunder.”

[@joshuagarza7884]

Fkin a I love that.

[@gretaeder5996]

Another cool deeper analysis on Oogway’s quote “One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it” -it’s not just a wise theoretical saying in the movie for “panicking won’t stop the threat and will only make it worse”, it’s genuinely literal for Shifu. His panicking made him send that bird to warn the guards to have extra security, but that bird’s one loose feather is the singular thing that led to Tai Lung’s escape. Without the feather, no escape. So Shifu is the one to blame for the escape. His desperation to avoid it became the direct cause. I never truly thought about that whole quote and connection until another analysis channel pointed that out in a video from a month ago. Idk maybe that’s obvious, just as kids you don’t pick up on things like that, but as adults going back it’s like WOAH the attention to detail there is great

[@abigails4088]

Precisely, Tai Lung's escape was triggered by Shifu's attempt to ensure it couldn't happen... and likewise, Shen's attempt to thwart the prophecy that a panda would bring about his downfall... ONLY ENSURED THAT IT WOULD BE AT THE HANDS OF A PANDA. "you can run from your fate...but you can never HIDE from it"

[@missfortune8832]

A self-fulfilling prophecy.

[@hugomendoza5665]

I think Oedipus Rex is another great example, possibly the most famous example, of "one often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it."

[@chamachell0]

The same thing happens to Lord Shen in the second film. When he hears that a Panda will defeat him in the future, he attempts to kill them all to avoid it but only sets Po on his path to become the Dragon warrior by doing so.

[@druid_zephyrus]

I agree with everything except one concept. I do not think it is fair to blame Shifu for the escape. And I do not think Oogway would see it that way, either. There are times when our actions can be blamed, but a completely unknowable future event based on our own actions in the present that causes another to make a choice should not be put upon our own shoulders. Shifu cannot see the future. They would not know that their messenger would lose a feather in that precise location at that precise time. Following the same logic of blaming the events that led to a choice, we can blame Oogway for making Shifu a Master. We could blame Shifu's parents for having a child. No, Tai Lun Made their own choice to escape and wreak havoc with Vengeance as their only motivator. There should be acknowledgment of our actions and their effects but not blame. Blame is guilt. And guilt denies one inner peace. -Your Friendly Neighborhood Druid

[@matthewtomaneng8061]

I love how Oogway’s revelation and the secret he put in the dragon scroll was so hyped up. He was so respected, that this wisdom was thought to be much grander than it actually was. Because, Po’s father has long since knew the same knowledge being a humble noodle chef and I think that’s so powerful. That the answers to life can be found by anyone and everyone from any source of background, profession, or anything.

[@MrSinsational905]

When Tai Lung looks at the scroll and that shot where we see his face in the scroll and he says "It's nothing!", it gives the vibe that his whole story is about being obsessed with getting the Dragon Scroll and when he gets it, he's confused by all the work he put in up until that moment. He's not just commenting on the scroll being blank, it's a comment on himself.

[@somuchtocook9159]

And to reign it in to the theme here, most people will do anything to achieve the secret to inner peace and when confronted with the very simple solution, they look confused and baffled by it, like they did everything and what works is not even dealing with it, that makes no sense, but it makes all the sense when you realize that being yourself is ok and accepting it is ok to be you

[@PolyChromium]

It’s made even clearer when you compare it to what Po said when he saw the Dragon Scroll (and his reflection)

[@popojelly1895]

Yes, some lines were so subtle and clever, with an "it's nothing?" from Tai Lung as opposed to an "it's blank" from Po.

[@lordgenerias]

@@popojelly1895 A blank page could be anything if you take the time and put in effort. But if you see nothing in that page, that's all it will be, to you at least.

[@hopejaworski9097]

@@lordgenerias This actually makes me think of a detail from Fullmetal Alchemist. Each person who practices Alchemy has something in their soul called the Gate of Truth. The few times we see one, each person's Gate has different alchemical formulae carved into it, representative of their specialties and philosophies. The villain's Gate is blank; he was just stealing from others the whole time and contributed nothing of himself.

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

As a parent of a teenager with severe depression, the exchange "it could never hurt more than it did every day in my life just being me" and "how are you going to change this..." - "I don't know!" hits me in the feels every time. I want to help my child; but I don't know how.

[@emmaskidmorebiggerthanme7194]

Love to you 💖💖💖

[@biggestastiest]

@I love you!! this!!! your kid will always appreciate your love and acceptance. they'll remember it. just like an abusive parent is always remembered by their children, you choose what influence you'll be on your child's life, and if you be a loving and accepting one, they will carry those memories throughout their life.

[@8unnylover]

@I love you!! I think they meant the original commenter's child haha. Your comment was very insightful, I can't think of much to add as a fellow depressed youth

[@8unnylover]

Just being there and being considerate means a lot. My parents haven't figured out that they actually make it worse rather than better lol, they don't really have the "considerate" thing down.

[@Anthony-sg2in]

You can’t have an answer for everything, but sometimes doing nothing is the right thing. You just need to help hen you know you can. Your lives are different and the same help is not needed. But as a parent you know when you should act vs when you want to. You can always want but you can’t always help or want help because you are not living your own life. Hope that helped

[@melb5665]

It always gives me shivers when Tai Lung looks at the scroll, sees his own reflection and says “It’s nothing!” He couldn’t and can’t see the value in just himself, beyond the learned kung fu skill and quest for limitless power, so all he sees is this empty image of a failed man. Contrast that with Po’s round, sweet smiling face reflecting back at him in the mirrored scroll, which he has learned to love and accept… This movie has my heart in a Wuxi hold. *skadoosh* 💓

[@rickydiscord7671]

he really doesn't see he's already strong. what more power can a scroll do? what's funny that there's no dragon warrior. but the only thing you need to do is master yourself. but most "masters" today wont tell you that. they would say "there's a bigger level" of what? XD but I learned from Looney Tunes and Dragon Ball is. there's always someone out there better than you. so you need to catch up or you fall behind or trip in a pit.

[@vihakingwhimsicalflame]

The end of this comment is absolutely adorable

[@fleeingmoment479]

Tai Lung and Shifu's father-son relationship is also so well written and told, how Shifu comes to accept his mistakes that led Tai Lung to the path of darkness then also how they animated Tai Lung got affected by Shifu's apology is the cherry on top and hits so different (especially how some kids or parents may relate to this)

[@EvieRawlings]

Okay I have met TOO MANY people who say that Tai Lung is a boring and bad villain and every time I hear that I can only think, "How...?"

[@dan7564]

Yeah, I was really hoping they'd talk about this. Perhaps they will revisit it at some point.

[@pxnk_n_disorderly]

I disagree that the apology is the cherry on top. I think the look on Tai Lung’s face is. The pause he takes when he hears Shifu’s apology to the look that says “No. Too late to say sorry now.”

[@fleeingmoment479]

@@pxnk_n_disorderly I have said that “How Tai Lung got affected by the apology” hinting at how they portrayed his reaction to it- his face which is definitely the cherry on top. How he seems to falter for a split second before his anger returns because he's gone too far to stop by then

[@pxnk_n_disorderly]

@@fleeingmoment479 yes exactly. I agree.

[@poppyfrancis7338]

My favorite thing about this movie is that Po is just as confused as everyone else is when the dragon scroll is blank. He internalized that he is able to be strong and be a kung fu master through Shifu, but it only became a conscious thought because his dad loves and trusts him to tell him that there is nothing special in the soup.

[@abigails4088]

"the soup becomes special just because they BELIEVE it is special" harkening back to Oogway's parting wisdom to Shifu... "you just need to BELIEVE"

[@bluedere135]

One of my favorite little details in the film is when Po first looks at the dragon scroll and sees it, he says "It's blank" but when Tai Lung sees it, he says that "It's nothing." and because it's showing their reflections, it's also them commenting on themselves. Po says it's blank and sees something with infinite potential, a blank canvas that could become anything. Tai Lung instead sees nothing because he thought it would give him ultimate power, but the way he sought power was self destructive and focused on the physicality rather than the equally important spirituality.

[@jordirapper]

In the video, you can see they very clearly show Tai Lungs reflection in the scroll when he says it is nothing. Indeed a very nice detail I didn't notice.

[@lotsofspots]

@@jordirapper Tai Lung had been taught his entire life that his only sense of worth would come from becoming the Dragon Warrior. Without that, he really is nothing, to himself, at least. Shifu got off lightly.

[@JoelErhart]

Hi! I'm an animator! To answer Alan's question on how to give weight to the action. It's a lot of careful study of where and how long to hold poses before and after the hit. A big wind up helps, but a heavy hit is mainly sold on the overshoot and it's effect on the target. The momentum pulls the punch past where the character settles for a brief moment. Getting it just right takes a lot of frame by frame reference of live action and other cartoons. Then a lot of careful study of the many versions of the shot by multiple people in a studio like Dreamworks to make sure it looks and feels so sooo good. Also! I love everything you do. I'm addicted to your channel, and I'm always looking forward to whatever you do next!

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks so much for adding your insight as an animator!

[@sparksshepherd3313]

I'm finishing a Bachelor's in Digital Animation, and I agree on everything you said. Although, if I'm to add anything, sound also heavily influences the feel for it. For example: an intensely animated punch will not feel half as intense as it should if you put a door knock as the sound, you know what I mean?

[@maxsalmon4980]

I feel like the camera shake helps too. Those big hits and impacts are accompanied by the POV shaking a little, as if via transmitted concussion, or even the 'cameraman' flinching. It gives a subliminal feel for the forces in play.

[@annienunyabiz6627]

@@maxsalmon4980 Guessing structural damage helps as well. If you want it to appear to be a big hit, it needs to have an equally big impact on the surrounding environment.

[@JoelErhart]

@Cinema Therapy My pleasure! @@sparksshepherd3313 & Max & Annie Absolutely! I love talking about this stuff. There's also a few different neat tricks I'd like to bring up. Bringing in some slow motion also helps as we saw with the ripples on Po. Jackie Chan movies will do a cut on the punch, showing the contact at the end of one scene and the start of the next for a few frames. There's also impact flashes where the screen will go white for one frame, or a spikey bubble that lasts a few frames which I use very often in my work. LoL Arcane has some amazing 2d FX that can also plus up the action in amazing ways.

[@angrynoodletwentyfive6463]

Ping (po's adoptive father) is treated as the comic relief but is probably the wisest character in the series. He is always the one to realize the lesson before anybody else, and is able to explain it to others in a way that isn't needlessly vague *cough cough* oogway...

[@RobBob6197]

I love the conversation he has with Po's biological father in the third film about making the wrong choice for the right reason.

[@Hamantha]

Not to mention he’s the best dad.

[@Cabamacadaf]

He's also voiced by James Hong, one of the best voice actors ever.

[@hana_flower875]

I kinda remember when I studied Chinese literature that there are plenty of stories where Confucian or other kind of intellectual people get so caught up with their studies, seeking for a reason or a complicated answer for everything they come across, that their mind becomes clouded and doubtful, but then they encounter some old, poor farmer who just gives them the simplest answer and is calm and happy to share, because he took experience from his own life and he is okay with who he is and the nature around is. I like to think about Mr. Ping as one of those old men from the tales, the chill character who knows life is that simple and he accepted it a long time ago.

[@SteinarrBattlefist]

@@Cabamacadaf one of the best actors ever, PERIOD!!! Dude can play any type of character and sell it perfectly.

[@siniquezu]

One of my favorite scenes is when Po says that whenever shifu threw a rock or said he smelled it hurt but not as bad as Po being himself everyday. That is a great example of how internal and external pain from an outside source doesn't hit as hard as the negativity you feel about yourself.

[@rileychan5380]

As a person that heavily suffers under gender and body dysphoria this scene always hits so hard home and makes me cry almost every time.

[@Thestuntedman]

The thing that always stood out for me, what separated Po from Tai Lung and what made 1 capable of becoming the "dragon warrior" where the other couldn't, was their interpretation of the dragon scroll when they opened it and see nothing but their reflection. For Po: "It's blank." For Tai Lung: "It's nothing." For Po, he sees a blank cavass, something waiting to be filled in and made complete, full of potential, but for Tai Lung, when he sees an empty scroll, just his reflection, he simply calls it "nothing", as though seeing himself as he is, simply isn't enough, he needs something more to feel complete. In Po's case, calling it blank when he sees his reflection feels like a subconscious admission of his own potential that he doesn't have the confidence to acknowledge, while for Tai Lung, he looks at himself and recognizes that he as he is, isn't enough, but refuses to admit it, he *needs* that extra something to make him special.

[@shadenox8164]

This also represents Shifu's failure when training him, he focused on Tai Lung's reaching of physical perfection instead of recognising the great warrior that was already there. It makes you wonder how he would have turned out if he had the Shifu that exists now instead of the one he had then. Would he still see nothing?

[@wesleywallace4426]

@@shadenox8164 Shifu trying to reach physical perfection was a lie from the beginning. Tai Lung was always good enough even without any training, the training just helped him shine so even a blind person can see it.

[@raptorcrasherinc.9823]

This is an excellent point, thank you for mentioning it.

[@lunarialoonatic]

It’s weird tho bc it implied Shifu did try eventually but it was too late, hence Oogway’s warning

[@Amandasbarros]

This is so clever

[@djwolfenstein]

I feel like during the dumpling scene Shifu looked like he was genuinely having fun with it and came to realize that there are different ways to train a student once he understood what motivated Po

[@actually_nalani]

exactlyyyyyy 😭

[@shivigupta7025]

One of my favorite moments is when Tai Lung sees the scroll and he says, "It's nothing." And what I like is after that, Po says "It’s okay. I didn't get it at first either." Po had a chance to taunt and belittle Tai Lung. He didn't have to explain what the scroll actually meant nor did he have to comfort Tai Lung by telling him it's okay that he didn't understand. It's such a powerful scene because the way Po says it, you can tell he means it and has empathy. You can tell he doesn't see Tai Lung as a villain and I think it's so beautiful to show the contrast between Po and Tai Lung and to show how Po's words affect Tai Lung because after Po says that, you can see how shocked Tai Lung looks and I think part of it, other than the shock of learning what the scroll meant, is shock that Po tells him its okay and what the scroll really means. This is the first time Tai Lung has been told by another person that his failure is okay and it's by someone he considers his enemy and the look on his face when he processes that is so powerful and really shows him in a different light for a minute. Sorry it's so long. I just had to share it because this is a really underrated scene.

[@WisenedMan]

Oh no this is quite an apt explanation for the scene. 😊

[@crystalgemgirl731]

Beautiful explanation. That's why I love Po, he's just an all around sweet guy.

[@LittleMezzoBird]

17:01 You know what I really love about this angle? Everyone spent the entire movie talking about "turning Po into the Dragon Warrior" or "Po must become the Dragon Warrior". Even Po talked like that. There is exactly one character in the entire movie who consistently said "Po *is* the Dragon Warrior". Oogway.

[@majimagoro383]

I put the quote " Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That's why they call it present." On my calendar and even drew a little Oogway to represent the lad. I am so incredibly happy for today. It's really a gift (get it?). This is the happiest I've ever been since the Megamind episode. Love from Missouri

[@thesoutherncowgirlpoet]

Hi 👋 I'm from Missouri, too!

[@CarolinaNaiade]

My favorite quote too 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@Darkloid21]

It’s a gift depending on where and when you are and your life circumstances

[@subifyouhatetiktokandreddit234]

"Its not gay if he's a girl" - Master Oogway

[@julesschultz2910]

Beautiful indeed.

[@SalonNomad]

The part when Po sympathies with Tai Lung when he says “It’s okay, I didn’t get it at first either” it really felt so compassionate, that all those years that Tai Lung felt less than perfect and even then felt unworthy when the scroll even in his possession was seemingly impossible to decipher. It was so wonderful to have the protagonist relate to his opposite because other than being situational enemies, both of them are Dragon Warriors in their own merit.

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

I love that Shifu is also treated like a main protagonist with his own arc. In traditional storytelling, the protagonist loses his mentor and learns to overcome his obstacles himself. Think Obi-Wan, Gandalf, Dumbledore, etc. But here, Po needed to gain a mentor to move his arc forward. Shifu is the one who needed to lose his mentor to grow as a character. The story is absolutely about Po but I think he shares the protagonist spotlight with Shifu.

[@superfanmusicmaker]

The added brilliance is that Shifu himself is a Red Panda, so the title _Kung Fu Panda_ can refer to him just as it can Po.

[@iantaakalla8180]

The also funny thing is that Master Shifu learns that he did need to be a master for Po, but that Po has great potential and later on Shifu needs to learn from Po. It’s great parallelism.

[@msk-qp6fn]

Master Shifu is Master Master fyi

[@RPGLover87]

I love Shifu's expression when he tosses the chopsticks and grabs his cane - that Dumpling fight is the most fun he's had in YEARS. Also Po's food-based kung fu is pretty much taken to it's logical conclusion in the third movie where he EATS the villain's weapon when fighting him in the Chi World.

[@clunkyinc.5156]

And even for a kid, where that doesn’t occur to them, just hearing Shifu’s maniacal laughter is just golden.

[@msk-qp6fn]

I really like how Shifu turns more playful and funny from the moment he is able to accept Po for Po. He has some nice comedic moments throughout the franchise lol

[@lachillea]

21:55 THANK YOU! As someone with autism, ADHD, anxiety and depression, the school system was not catered to me AT ALL. especially tests. My grades dropped from A’s to B’s and C’s in high school because the learning environment was too stressful, loud and fast paced. I wish the school system was better at helping students who learn differently.

[@orangutantapioca1530]

@Lachillea I hope you saw the comment from @Sirith915 as it shows at least some teachers are aware of the need for individualized teaching methods.

[@lachillea]

@@orangutantapioca1530 most of the teachers ive had have been amazing. My issues stems from how schools are run. No matter how amazing a teacher is (and ive had a lot of phenomenal ones), they are always limited by the cirriculum. For example, to get any special exceptions you need mountains of paperwork, phycologist notes and a formal diagnosis, which isnt always available to those who need it. and even then i have personally found these exceptions to be more like bandaid fixes rather than solving the root problem. TLDR; Teachers are incredible, the school system itself sucks. hope that explains it a bit better

[@animalia5554]

@@lachillea I can relate

[@littlemoth4956]

Having anxiety and depression is a meaningless phrase. Everyone on Earth has anxiety. Many people struggle with episodes of depression. If you have anxiety and depressive DISORDERS then that's when you mention it. Otherwise, stop tallying this bullshit as extra conditions like they're gear bonuses in an MMO.

[@lachillea]

@@littlemoth4956 what? when i say i have anxiety and depression, im obviously referring to diagnosable disorders. btw, depression spefically refers to the disorder; what u mentioned is being depressed, which is different to having depression.

[@dietotaku]

i hoped alan would touch on the filmmaking choice of showing ty lung's reflection in the scroll when he says "it's NOTHING!" kind of obvious, after seeing po's reflection and his revelation, but still important to realize that ty lung's insecurities, his maliciousness, his drive to dominate, all comes from a place deep down inside where he believes HE is "nothing."

[@dew__drops7844]

Oh wow I never thought of that

[@comicbooknerdisme]

Also noting how when they first got the scroll, shi fu and po didn’t say nothing, they said blank. I think the word choice interesting because at the time, po was a somewhat empty vessel, waiting to be filled with knowledge, which shi fu does. While Ty lung says nothing.

[@menthalightfoot4948]

YES! follow-up episode with Tai Lung & Tigress! It's like when they made a 34-minute Encanto episode and then didn't talk about Bruno 😂

[@emuscreeches6092]

Yesterday I got bored and watched the entire trilogy. It honestly surprised just how good the story AND humor is, even as an adult. It would've been so easy to go down the "fat panda fart joke" route, but they didn't. Po's relentless optimism for every challenge he faces isn't shown as stupidity, but a gift. Be like Po

[@abigails4088]

"Today is a gift...that is why it is called the present" I dunno why, but that speech Oogway gave to him was the first thing I thought of in response to your comment about his optimism in facing challenges.

[@chadfalardeau5396]

My whole family adults included love these movies

[@jordirapper]

In the chopstick scene, Po actually plays fair and guesses where shifu hides the dumpling when he flips the bowls around. When Po does this to Tai Lung, he just flips them all around. I like the details in this movie so much.

[@minty-draws-cartoons4754]

The 'weighty' feeling in the action scenes have a lot to do with character design and how those designs move. Po's a very heavy character with fat and he fights with that weight. The fat moves with him and his fighting style is influenced by it. He's the only one who could pull off slam moves because of his very round design. The best comparison would be tigress and tai lung, both have the same teachers and fighting styles. Except tigress's design is slimmer and the weight she has is evenly dispersed. Her hits have a very clear sense of control to them. In my opinon for a lot of the movie it looked like she was pulling punches except for the tai lung fight. While Tai Lung has extra bulk on him, his hits look harder because of how his extra weight on his design moves. It also adds to his overall character of being uncontrolled and a bit unhinged with power compared to Tigress who was strictly taught to control herself. Because unlike her his weight is not evenly distributed giving a subtle cue that his mind isn’t balenced. Idk i love the character designs in this film, theyre legendary.

[@warriormaiden9829]

This. Was going to point them to some basic animation videos; namely the ball and the cape exercises. Those basic principles form the basis of bringing life to any sort of animation.

[@popojelly1895]

oh god I love everything about this film

[@khadijahruslan7335]

There's also basic animation principles being applied such as anticipation and overlapping motion, squash and stretch, and more. You could look up vids on the 12 animation principles to understand it better :)

[@isabellebernard5292]

@@khadijahruslan7335 I was about to say, design does a lot, but it is the timing, spacing, overlap and squash and stretch that does it in the end. Apply the same animation style to tigress and she would be bouncy as well ;)

[@teacup2775]

Also no tiddies on the anthropomorphic female characters 🎉🎉🎉

[@oliverwilhelm6171]

Mr. Ping, Po's dad, is probably one of my favorite fathers in animation. I love that his advice and guidance grants Po a path to success in each movie, even accidentally, and putting his son first is just so... wonderful, to see.

[@JustineAprilJ]

True! Even when he got jealous when Po met his real father, he rose above it and said it was great for Po to have two dads. So excited to watch Cinema Therapy videos on the sequels.

[@crystalgemgirl731]

I always loved the message in this movie, there is no secret ingredient, it's just you. For something to be special, you just have to believe that it's special.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

We love it too!

[@crystalgemgirl731]

@@CinemaTherapyShow I can't wait for the day I get to say that.

[@CattleTheCat]

Everyone is special in their own unique way, you don’t need a secret ingredient to be special. This message is a very important one, especially for people doubting theirselves. Always believe in yourself! ❤️

[@crystalgemgirl731]

@@CattleTheCat Exactly.

[@nachocabrera9538]

The "I'm not hungry" also carries so much weight because of what Oogway had said earlier in the movie. He mentioned Po has a habit of eating his stress away. When Po says the line to Shifu, in a way it's him saying "I'm more confident now, I'm in control"

[@arieldahl]

I went looking for this comment

[@machinaowl910]

Po lowkey had an eating disorder tbh, it's just that this is a kid's movie and they didn't want to tackle something that mature. People who can't cope with stressful things sometimes turn to thinks like drugs, food, or sex to relieve themselves of that stress.

[@nachocabrera9538]

@@machinaowl910 You're right! I can't believe I never realized that!!

[@arieldahl]

@@machinaowl910 or it’s just comfort food. There is still a gap between overweight and addiction…

[@msk-qp6fn]

@@machinaowl910 I definitely tend to eat when I am stressed....

[@hedvigkhaugen]

As someone who's been a longtime Kung fu panda fan (and it LITERALLY being one of my favorite movies of all time lol), I HAVE to mention a scene that wasn't mentioned in this video. PREPARE FOR AN ESSAY. The relationship between Shifu and Tai Lung has always been incredibly fascinating to me. Even as a kid, I was never able to look at Tai Lung as a villain. He was a kid when Shifu took him in, and was told his entire life he would be something great, that he was above everyone, and that he would have talent enough to literally get what no other warrior could ever get: The key to limitless power. Of course, when you're told that throughout your entire life by the person you basically consider your father, it messes you up in a way. So when Shifu turned his back on him, Tai Lung was, in my opinion, understandably angry. Does that justify rampaging the city? No. BUT, does it justify Tai Lung's obvious resentment towards Shifu at the end of the movie? Yes it does. Shifu always told him “you will be '', and never “even if you don't, i'll be proud of you”. It's basically telling Tai Lung that if he doesn't become the dragon warrior, he will have failed him. In their big fight scene, Tai Lung tells Shifu “All I ever did, I did to make you proud! Tell me how proud you are Shifu!” And you can tell that Tai Lung almost softens up when Shifu apologizes and actually says those words he had been longing to hear, but that it's gone in a split second, because Tai Lung feels he is owed something that Shifu PROMISED HIM. So then again, when Po reveals that the “secret ingredient is you”, everything Tai Lung has worked for crumbles. Because in his opinion, just being himself was never enough for Shifu. It's so tragic, and it makes him the best villain in the trilogy imo.

[@sadianaheen7270]

This was also my biggest take from the movie. When you encounter people who were brought up this way (I'm from south Asia, this is very common here), and you see the face to face with this realization, that "just being themselves" will never be enough for the parents, it's heart breaking.

[@KingNedya]

It's been so long since I've seen Kung Fu Panda that I didn't realize how much I relate to Tai Lung. All my life I've been told I am destined to change the world, told that I am a genius and a prodigy. This resulted in me developing a massive ego, so large that even when I had my psychological evaluation at the age of 14, complete with an IQ test and me being diagnosed as an egotist (not the same thing as a narcissist, but they share common themes), I literally _gaslit myself into believing my IQ was higher than it actually was,_ because I couldn't accept the idea that I'm _not_ a genius, that I'm _not_ a prodigy, because it completely went against everything I've ever known. It wasn't until I was 15 and experienced a horribly traumatic event that I finally realized I had a problem, and for the 3 years since then I've been whittling down at my egotism. Maybe I can still change the world like everyone said, but I don't need to be the genius prodigy everyone told me I was in order to do that, I just need to be the me that I actually am. And even if I can't change the world, hopefully I can at least make it a little better.

[@sebastiansebastian5270]

Hello, I liked reading your essay, lol! I also love the Kung Fu Panda movies, and personally my favorite has to be Kfp 2. I think Lord Shen is just such an interesting and deep character. My favorite scene overall has to be when Po finally comes to terms with his past and the goat lady tells him what matters most is what he chooses to be, and then the theme HITS and it starts showing scenes from the first movie. I LITERALLY go so emotional. I would like to hear your thoughts on the second movie, if you wanna share! 🙂

[@alesmonggo2112]

Yooo tag me when the essay is here.i like this thread

[@KingNedya]

@@alesmonggo2112 That was the essay, "prepare for an essay" was their way of clarifying that it's a long comment. So you don't need to wait on any essays.

[@hawkticus_history_corner]

I love how Master Shifu and Master Oogway are just these wonderful examples of Confucian and Taoist thought. Shifu wants to exert control and keep everything in its proper place and Oogway is content to just let life happen and react as it does. This is such a good movie.

[@kellysunserenity4068]

I like to think of Oogway as the Master Qui-Gon of the Kung Fu Panda franchise. Shifu strikes me as a Master Windu perhaps? Or a younger Master Obi-Wan Kenobi?...

[@homiesenatep]

Oogway was more of the fatalist figure in the movie while Shifu was more of the one that believed more in free will in the movie. It’s a very nice movie

[@ribottostudio]

One of my favorite moments is "I stayed because I thought, if anyone could change me, could make me not me, it was you." Po basically admitting outright that he kind of hated himself and wanted to change, only to realize later he didn't need to is just good stuff. It's something a lot of people might not realize they need to hear. Movie 2 expands on this and grows his abilities rather than regresses, he has to learn how to overcome a traumatic event to find inner peace, vs being okay with who he is to find inner peace. And then it comes full circle in the third movie where HE has to learn how to kind of chill, and BE A PANDA cause he's been a fighter most of his adult life. Po actually changes and grows over the course of the trilogy and that's why it's so good. And Jack Black's performance is gut wrenching at times. He really delivers in all three movies.

[@magdalenehagey4079]

I love the part of Po and Shifu's fight, when Shifu realizes that he's also having fun, and enjoying the exercise for its own sake. Considering that he never invested himself fully in a student after Tai Lung, seeing that switch in the character is the best. And it's done completely without words.

[@GAMEBEATER6000]

To me, the part with the tree when Oogway talks about belief before he leaves, shows life (tree in full bloom), death (blossoms blow off of the tree, during winter trees lose their leaves, not really a death but a slumber), and birth at the same time (the peach seed being buried in the ground, representing the start of life). It also reminds me of the fact that Oogway has made his impression on his pupils, when he buried the seed it especially gave me a symbolism of “planting the seed” or teaching others his experience in Kung Fu and Inner Peace - then the blossoms blowing away from the tree as Oogway travels to the spirit realm, or “dies” was just incredible. This movie is just so spectacular and rich in symbolism, quality, quantity, and relatability.

[@andreamorgan5945]

My son is almost seven and is special needs. Every night he sleeps to “Oogway Ascends,” and it wasn’t until I watched this did I realize that listening to that song, at the end of his day of struggling, growing, and learning, might be his way of achieving inner peace when the day is done and he’s done all he can. It also brings me some inner peace knowing that this movie is such a comfort to him and encourages him to believe in himself, even when he struggles or when his classmates call him a “weirdo.” Thank you Jonathan and Alan for doing this. I have a little more inner peace now❤️

[@jeremylackey6587]

Someday, someone's gonna call him a weirdo. And he'll smile and say, yeah, I am. Isn't it great?

[@andreamorgan5945]

@@jeremylackey6587 it’s already happened. He was so upset. Now I know to remember to say “Yep and so was Po. And he’s the Dragon Warrior:).”

[@Darkloid21]

I’m have mixed feelings on this. Because in a sense he is protected from the world by living with you. But when people get older sometimes doing all they can isn’t enough and it leads to despair.

[@sean_mccadden]

@@Darkloid21 "No matter what you do that seed will become a peach tree. You may wish for apple or orange but you will get a peach." This quote works for what you're saying also. There will always be things out of your control. A huge part of growing up is learning how to accept these things. We can dwell on these things and stress ourselves out or we can learn to let it go and work with it

[@Darkloid21]

@@sean_mccadden and if you can’t? Some people literally cannot function on their own and that’s usually people on the spectrum

[@maxsalmon4980]

The debate between Daoism and Confucianism in that scene with Oogway and Shifu never fails to get my brain ticking. I love it.

[@keltai83]

Xiran Jay Zhao has a really good video on here going into detail on the way the two schools of philosophy are presented and contrasted in the films.

[@lewistac6108]

21:46 this smile ... When you see the disheartened adoptive feather feeling he caused the lost of his son finally able to have fun. I love Shifu.

[@sirius4evr]

Another thing with Shifu’s journey to finding inner peace is that he finds joy in teaching again. We see in Tigress’s flashback that he became distant after Tai Lung. During the chop stick fight with Po he is smiling through out it. This movie is so great ❤️❤️❤️

[@MossyMozart]

@sirius4evr - When I studied architecture in college, I had a nasty instructor who took it upon himself to treat every student like dirt, watch the light in their eyes go out, and take nasty pleasure in getting them to dropout. (He was keeping the profession "pure".) Then it was my opportunity to teach some years later; I cannot tell you the joy I feel in watching the light in my students eyes come on! It is a thrilling experience every time it happens.

[@QuikVidGuy]

Shame he didn't get to have that kind of moment with his daughter, but Shifu's kind of always a work in progress

[@rudrodeepchatterjee]

When Tai Lung held the scroll in his hand, he stared right back at him and said "It's nothing!", symbolising that he, although being a master of Kung Fu, always believed he was nothing unless he got the dragon scroll. He even lost faith in his Master, and only considered the scroll to be what would give him the power he wanted. This is a contrast to Po, who also believed he was nothing, but trusted in his master more than his prophecy, as someone who would make him the person he wanted to be. This is a neat detail of the last Fight. And the fact that even after hearing Po, Tai looked back at the scroll, and still did not get it

[@SilverFaeIllustrates]

I just said this in my comment and I am so sorry I didn't know you had already written this 😥 But your analysis is great!

[@Scrofar]

THIS IS HOW TO WRITE A CHARACTER FOIL 👏👏👏👏👏

[@alexanderguerrero347]

To be fair it was partly shifus fault. Shifu raised him to be the dragon warrior. Shifu does a better job with po because he failed with tai lung

[@rudrodeepchatterjee]

@@alexanderguerrero347 "because Shifu learns from his mistakes"

[@rudrodeepchatterjee]

@@alexanderguerrero347 I agree. But then there is also a layer that Shifu taught Tai Lung and encouraged him to the point he became over ambitious, but then Tai's fault was that he even degraded Shifu,(the one to give him the dreams, the one to give him enough knowledge to be worthy of the title of Dragon warrior) in his eyes. "Yeah, he taught me. Yeah he made me one of the best at Kung Fu. Yeah he told me I was always worthy. But man, what he taught me is nothing without the scroll. If I don't have the scroll, all this knowledge means nothing. All the effort means nothing. Whatever my master did for me, means nothing." It was definitely Shifu's actions that encouraged ambition, but it's Tai himself who cut the last string.

[@speedracer2008]

What makes the scene where Po talks to Oogway so great is that, when Po says that the Furious Five hate him and he sucked on his first day, he doesn't deny those things. He validates Po's feelings, instead of telling him that he's overreacting or that it's not that bad. This enables him to impart onto Po the message that, while things might be bad right now, there is a chance to make them better.

[@lucasbroome1048]

One sad thing is with Tai Lung, he always trained to be the best of the best of the best ever since he could walk. He's broken his body countless of times to become better and was encouraged by Shifu that he could become the Dragon Warrior. It gave him false hope, so he became overconfident and egotistical which was why Oogway didn't let him become the Dragon Warrior. When he was told this, he lost his mind because he basically threw away his entire life to make Shifu proud. He thought he wasn't good enough for Shifu or Oogway's approval. But when Shifu says that he was always proud of him Tai Lung attacks him. When Po says there is no secret ingredient, Tai Lung hears that he always had the potential to earn the Dragon Scroll, despite thinking he let his father down. That's why he freaks out and attacks Po when he learns the truth

[@QuiteMerryIAm]

I think it might be the opposite, he thought he needed the scroll to earn his father’s love. In the end, it was just him. “From the first moment, [Shifu] was proud”. And this conflicts so strongly with everything he thought he should be.

[@lucasbroome1048]

@@QuiteMerryIAm That's a better way of explaining it. That's basically what I was trying to say but there were too many variables I focused on to get my point across

[@SilverFaeIllustrates]

Honestly, I can't help but feel that when Tai lung opens the scroll and says "It's Nothing"- he's saying that while not only referring to the lack of words or secrets, but to himself as well. He stares directly into his reflection as he says it, it's only for a second before his gaze shifts, but he looks directly into his own eyes (time stamp 25:49). I think that the scene reflects his own inner thoughts about himself. His self talk. That he believed that he wasn't enough. That he was "nothing". I don't know if I'm right or not, but that scene felt so sad too me and I couldn't quite put my finger on it until now. Aslo, if someone has already said this I'm sorry, I haven't gone through and read the other comments, yet. I love the review by the way! It was so entertaining and heartwarming to watch.

[@ShadowclawFC]

That bit of visual storytelling was absolutely on purpose! The movie even basically tells us that's what it meant; when Tai Lung drops the scroll and Po delivers his return line, "It's just you," the reflection was Po's. Showing how they mirror/contrast one another, how Po had learned the secret but Tai Lung never could. (Honestly, I was surprised Alan didn't mention it, but maybe he did or wanted to but it wouldn't fit the time constraints. shrug)

[@jonathansendker7871]

Yesss that was definitely deliberate

[@DogOnAKeyboard]

That makes so much sense and is a really great catch! Ahhhhh I LOVE these subtleties and movies like this...

[@msk-qp6fn]

It's actually sad if you think about it. He considers himself nothing if not a dragon warrior. Yet, he does not have the insight and humility that allows him to properly understand the meaning of the scroll and become a dragon warrior.

[@ThatRaccoonStaringAtYa]

I had a thought that said people look way too much into things, but everything you said makes a lot of sense. Totally missed that detail but bravo honestly. Would love to have your attention to detail someday lol

[@nickioleary8577]

14:45 I think one of the most painful parts of this scene, which I don’t see brought up often, is the role reversal. Before, Shifu had no belief in Po as the Dragon Warrior, but Po believed Shifu could turn him into it, or at least make him more than he was. And now, when Shifu finally has some faith in Po (or at least faith in Oogway’s faith in Po) he realizes Po’s faith in him, and that it’s now gone, or at least diminished, as he questions how he’ll turn him into the dragon warrior. I dunno, I just think that realization that someone you never believed in always believed in you, only for that belief to vanish after you finally decide to give them a chance, to be a pretty devastating feeling

[@rayn0577]

I like the character comparison with the guessing game: Po actually followed the dumpling and guessed the right bowl, while Tai Lung got impatient and just brushed all the pans aside. Tai Lung is one of the best fighters, but Po pays more attention and isn’t just focused on his own wants.

[@mitchellfarinasdeleon3543]

The only thing I wish they discussed more was Tai Lung and Shifu’s relationship. I feel like that is the most underrated element of the movie to discuss, especially when Shifu apologizes. I’d love to see their take on the scene where Tai Lung says “All I ever did I did to make you proud!” Great video nonetheless!

[@k49821]

Oh my gosh yes!

[@MortMe0430]

Same! And when Tigress said "Shifu had to destroy what he had created... but how could he?" That shows a hint of how dark and complicated parent-child relations can get when one makes really bad choices.

[@mitchellfarinasdeleon3543]

@@MortMe0430 That whole Tai Lung backstory scene with Tigress has a lot to get into. Tai Lung is such a complicated character and I really think he warrants a deeper discussion

[@VastDivide]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind it if they revisited this movie for that.

[@adienbal6391]

I would love for them to include it in an episode following this one

[@la_gobba_di_aigor]

The training resonated with me so much... It gave very much "Neuroduvergent/physically handicapped student finally finds a teacher who understand they aren't incapable, they're just equipped with a different set of tools, so the teacher finds the best approach to transform those tools into skills. And they become the best student ever".

[@alexandriahunt6058]

Omg, yes ✨ My 4th grade teacher decided to teach us multiplication by telling us to memorize the tables. When I asked for extra help, she was like: "Do you know how to count by 2's? 5's? 10's?... Then you can do this." When I asked if she could explain it a little more, I was told that I was "too spoiled," and that I can't expect everything to be easy. Then I watched Schoolhouse Rock multiplication videos, and it finally CLICKED in my mind. By 6th grade, I was taking advanced math classes. I wasn't inherently bad at math. She just sucked at explaining things.

[@ShootingStar6406]

As a teacher and a black belt (not in kung fu though) this is one of my favorite animated movies and it means so much to me on so many levels. One of my favorite scenes occurs after the credits where Shifu and Po are sitting under the tree eating dumplings and in the foreground you can see the tree that Shifu planted during his last conversation with Oogway starting to sprout. It’s a simple scene, but I get tears in my eyes every time I see that.

[@kuronaialtani]

Something really interesting about Po mentioning the Five under the tree is that, Viper doesn’t actually have venom! She was born without fangs, and learned to fight entirely independently from how a snake is “expected” to fight

[@GrabaCuppaPodcast]

The line I relate to the most is when Po says "nothing could hurt more than every day of my life spent just being me". There's nothing else to that I'm just really self loathing.

[@djsaintmusic7819]

Same, I hope things get better for you

[@riotto1802]

The beauty of it all is that Kung Fu Panda really taught me that "You aren't created with greatness, You create your own greatness." Po being able to find belief in himself is what created his greatness. Anyone could've been the Dragon Warrior, but not everyone could have been able to believe they can be.

[@FedericoVetencourt]

I love how in the dumpling fight you can actually see Chifu enjoying and playing, not because he is toying with him but because he loves what he does and reconnecting with what you love is such an ecstatic sensation!

[@SaltyCatling]

This line "I am not hungry" after the training is refering to previous scene when he was cought by Oogway eating peaches. He said then "I eat when I am nervous/when I am worried". It was really good showing that Po is now confident and at peace, he trained, got better at kung fu, got recognised by his master and finally accepted himself.

[@suebob16]

Another moment I love is during the Tai Lung fight when the Dragon Scroll lands near the top of a building. Po shows that he learned how to motivate himself further by imagining the scroll was food. It gave him the energy to scramble up the building to retrieve it. Tai Lung thinks the scroll gave Po added power, but he was wrong. Po did it all himself.

[@experiment0789]

One lesson I like to make clear with the "control is an illusion" discussion between Master Oogway and Shifu, they're not both talking about the same thing. Shifu's "control" is him putting his own effort on trying to influence the world, so eventually just a short term cause and effect, as in (outside of other factors) yes you can control your own body and therefore things you do with your body can effect things you interact with. When Master Oogway is saying when he is talking about "control"is that Outside of your direct or indirect involvement you can't 100% control what will happen, and even if you do get involve there will be no guarantee things will go 100% your way.

[@hannahpense9973]

This part of his character comes full circle when he’s forced to be confronted by Tai Lung and how his parenting style made him into the monster he was. After he admits he was wrong for raising Tai Lung to have unrealistic expectations of himself, Shifu can’t do anything else but let Po take action from there. He is physically incapable of doing anything else at that moment, but he also has to believe that his pupil will follow his training and trust his judgment without his interference.

[@86fifty]

Ohhhh, that IS a really good way to describe it. Short term vs long term. I appreciate your clarification. That helps me understand their talk better, that Shifu is not wrong, it's just a matter of perspective. The wider of a view one takes, the less there is in that vision that can be changed in the short term. Like zooming out from earth to the stars. We can't control the universe, it moves on and on like it's supposed to, so we don't have to feel responsible for it, we don't have to do anything about it. Just admire it and let it be. :)

[@mikkeljeppesen5550]

This is most likely the best opening on their channel. The emotion behind their line delivery and the soundtrack makes it truly exceptional

[@SLX__13]

I love the fact that the design for the old, patient sage who doesn't worry about the past or future (Oogway) is a _turtle_ . It shows that your size, speed, and really anything about your physical characteristics don't matter as long as you *believe* , which is right in line with the theme of this movie. Brilliant character design! I also love that even after Po becomes the dragon warrior and even after he defeats Tai Lung, he's still a friendly, humble Kung Fu nerd (as shown in the entire franchise). He truly is the best embodiment of the "be yourself" message in modern films. Edit: Just rewatched the movie and realized something. Oogway and Po aren't the only powerful characters despite their physical appearance. Mantis tells Po in the first movie: "Who am I to judge people based on appearance? Look at me!" He never saw his tiny size as a disadvantage, instead using it to make enemies underestimate him before taking them down.

[@msk-qp6fn]

Oogway and Po are both pretty similar. They both are a "go with the flow" type of person, pretty playful and quirky despite their powers. Furthermore, pandas are also a bit of a slowpoke like turtles. I think it's fitting that it's Po the Panda eventually becomes the successor to Oogway the Turtle and also achieved what is essentially "enlightenment" or "divine spirit"-fied (you can tell by the peach blossom petals and tree surrounding those two).

[@SLX__13]

@@msk-qp6fn Exactly! Oogway and Po are two sides of the same coin, though what *really* solidified this statement was the third movie. Oogway learning the way of using Chi through the pandas and then choosing Po, a panda, because he saw the future and the past in Po is just really well-written. I love this franchise so much

[@heatherlee2047]

+

[@SLX__13]

@I love you!! Yeah, I love that about the Furious Five background episode

[@msk-qp6fn]

@@SLX__13 Oh yeah it's coming full circle!

[@gaclips1841]

As an animator I'd like to say a few things. One of the many ways you can get impact in a scene is actually a decrease of frames. Video in and of itself is simply flashing images, right? To make something seem faster, decrease the number of frames. I've seen it done in normal film as well, a frame will be removed when someone is punched so it seems like the punch itself was much harder or faster than it was. Animation has the exact same principle. To get impact, you need to make it look like something that went from Point A to Point B (such as fist) much faster than it did and having less frames to process does that. So why do you have problems in animation when it has no impact? That's due to a little mistake some animators make of trying to make animation too smooth. Sure, let's make the film 4k Ultra 120 fps legendary quality animation. While this can make something look smoother, it can also make hits and impacts look and feel soft because you're seeing more frames between point a and point b. If somebody moves so fast that you "couldn't even see them" then that should be literal unless you're going for a slow motion scene. That's all I have to say about that. I hope it made sense. Love the videos, keep the great work.

[@jonathansendker7871]

So cool! Kingsman is a classic example I believe

[@SryBut]

22:12 Many people forget another strong aspect fo this scene. Oogway told Po "You eat when you're distressed."

[@alexanderb5726]

I remember seeing a rather profound statement on Tai Lung seeing the scroll which I agree with; that he says "it's nothing" when he opens it contrary to Po who realizes that it's all him without a secret ingredience. Tai Lung only believes in inherent power and ability, if he does not see that he sees nothing, which says a lot of about his mental state. Almost implicates a fragile self image behind his ferocity and prodigous skill.

[@EvieRawlings]

Okay I have met TOO MANY people who say that Tai Lung is a boring and bad villain and every time I hear that I can only think, "How...?"

[@alexanderb5726]

@@EvieRawlings Ridiculous. He's one of the best tragic characters I know. I never even blamed him for being angry. What Shifu did to him was BS. I do blame him for taking it out on the town though so his imprisonment was justified. But he was still my favorite, so badass.

[@bambisbluebell]

"it's nothing" as opposed to "it's what it already was" kind of thing?

[@Darkloid21]

That’s actually not the significance of it being blank.

[@thecoton6152]

Tai Lung, due to Shifu's influence, never truly worked to become a Kung Fu master for himself. He seeks external validation which can greatly damage his integrity and self love when he doesn't find it (especially in a prison). In a sense, the Dragon Scroll would have pushed him into Nihilism. If there is nothing special about him then there is nothing to love in him and again since the concept of Inner Peace is too alien for him he would eventually have followed a mental state of rage and destruction. Oogway knew that and that's why he stopped him.

[@mateoramirez4248]

Did anyone else notice when Oogway hits the tree the peach perfectly lands in Po's hand but when Shifu hits the tree the peaches are all random

[@andym9115]

24:35 "Inner peace then comes from Im enough and I always have been" Jono saying this inmediatly reminded me of Oogway talking about the peach seed and peach tree. The peach seed already contains all of what it will be, all it needs is time and care

[@tyrant-den884]

I love _love_ *love* Xiran Jay Zhao's video on this movie. She tires to answer why China fell so hard in love with this western movie and the tldr answer is that the two core conflicts are: a series of super cool martial arts fights, and a structured debate of Confucius and Taoist philosophy. Basically this silly American panda story is the most Chinese movie ever made.

[@grawxxor2820]

They* Xiran is non binary :)) but it is easy to miss that since they don't bring it up in every video

[@laurenb.8889]

@@grawxxor2820 sorry, meant to reply to the user further down asking for a link ;-)

[@islasullivan3463]

Their pronouns are they/them, and I agree, their videos are amazing.

[@auricstorm]

I love it too

[@PrimRooks]

I loved that video too!

[@tntori5079]

I'd be interested in seeing John talk about the sequel in terms of family. He is a family therapist, and going from here to where Po is in the second one. Also would love to hear Alan's take on the film quality of the sequels amd what makes a sequel good or bad, and key reasons people reapond well or poorly too them. As much as I LOVED this film, to me the sequel (2) is even stronger and I adore the moment on the water.

[@TheQuietTyper]

I think the second one would be great for touching on a victim mentality. Po is carrying major trauma and has been lied to all his life, meanwhile Lord Shen justifies his actions because he sees himself as a victim, and is confused when Po refused to be overcome with self pity. The third one would be great to analyze from a family therapist perspective because Po is dealing with the conflict of his biological family and the person who raised him.

[@violetjade64]

SO TRUE. while i of course adore all of the movies in the series, i’ve always liked the 2nd one the most.

[@thejaded]

IMO, all the Kung Fu Panda movies are really good. Even 3.

[@OscarGomez-hg8cb]

I would love to see them discuss 2. Lord Shen is not only my favorite villain in these series, he’s one of my favorite villains of all time, for various reasons that could honestly fill an essay by themselves. But I would really like to see Alan’s opinion on the ending, because I actually think it’s… really weak. Not because the narrative is bad, it felt like they ran out of time and had to compress the ending.

[@tntori5079]

@Oscar Gómez Indeed. Shen is easily one of my fav villains of all time! Hmm. I really enjoyed the ending but I forgot most of it outsode of that moment when he learns to use the move to return the canon balls. Also I wonder if they would touch on the relationship between Po and Tirgress. I thought it was really well done as it shows that even though she's accepted him from the first film, but there's still work to do. I think all 3 films do angreat job of showing that we can have multiple layers to our issues and relationships. It can take time thru therapy to tackle these things and one might tackle one issue at a time

[@hippothehippo]

15:48 is such an important part of the film for Shifu because it's a reiteration of Ooogway's original "I don't know." Whereas Oogway was comfortable just going with the flow, Shifu is, despite promising to believe still finding it hard to do the same thing, and the next portion is him learning.

[@tommybruneel9573]

I highly recommend watching xiran jay zhao's video on this movie's cultural accuracy. It really gives you an idea about both shifu and oogway their belief systems and how it thematically ties to the story

[@bambisbluebell]

Link?

[@ppleeatpple]

@@bambisbluebell kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmLIeXycit6MnNU They have a lot of great content about Asian culture, especially Chinese culture, in how it's used in movies. She started the whole channel because of the live-action Mulan film. Highly recommend their video about it.

[@bambisbluebell]

@@ppleeatpple thanks! I'll check it out

[@katthunter6561]

I love this movie, hell all the trilogy. The action and designs are amazing, but the messages are so strong. I think one of my favourite parts is at the end where Tai Lung is looking at the scroll- he sees his own face and says 'its nothing!' Whereas Po sees his own face and smiles, saying 'its just you'. Both Po and Tai Lung have a form of Imposter Syndrome - Po because he never thought he would be good enough to be a master of Kung Fu, Tai Lung because even though he WAS a master, he never was allowed to attain Dragon Warrior status and so never thought he was good enough either. It's a nice parallel between two characters who are very different, but went through a similar journey.

[@Sure0Foot]

At 21:47...the joy on Shifu's face says it all. As a martial arts instructor myself, there is not greater gratification than seeing your training pay dividends with a student. Combine that with the simple exhiliration of practicing the art, and that 1.5 second look of sheer happiness packs a great deal of punch!

[@PyroPotPie]

The more that this show goes on the more Alan and Johnathin seem to be just two big kids making movies to put on the internet, and I'm here for it. Thanks for making these videos and thank you for for helping me when I was going through a very troubling time. I'm so excited to see you guys hit the big 1 million subscriber milestone, you guys deserve it.

[@Creature_of_Knight]

This movie is a massive part of my initial interest in martial arts. Now I've been in taekwondo for about 17 years and I'm an instructor. I love this whole trilogy!

[@olivianosworthy4637]

A lil connection between this movie and the 3rd that I noticed, is that in the 3rd movie Po says he can't hit Shifu and he refuses to fight him. Here in the first, during that final training scene with the dumpling, Po never hits him. He stalls, blocks and parries, but he never *hits* him.

[@StickyTSF]

Possibly unrelated, but as a fat guy who has constant struggles about his appearance, this franchise helps me feel a lot better who I am as a whole, even the roundest, biggest people can do great things

[@Wendygram]

Thinking about the concept of Inner Peace when battling ADHD for years, and then seeing it at the end of the tunnel when finally getting medicated at 30... that is WILD

[@Ivypool123]

i have ADHD too but i dont like my medication i feel better when i dont have to take them

[@Wendygram]

@@Ivypool123 I'm sure you've heard the old "find the one that's right for you" thing. Won't go on about that. I hope you find something that gives you the peace ^^

[@DFAnton]

And here I am, successfully medicated for years, only to move to Texas where they make you piss into a cup every time you want to refill your prescription. Now I'm unmedicated and thoroughly less effective at everything I do! :D

[@potitus8751]

15:53 this is perfectly timed lol. As Alan just finished saying they should add commentary Po said "That's what I thought"

[@micahthemod308]

I love this franchise so much! The 2nd and 3rd film definitely gets a bit darker with their themes. But they give a good message to the audience along with a bit of comedy.

[@lauramarschmallow2922]

I remember going to the cinema with my cousin and we decided as two 17 year olds on a girl's date to go to the silly kids movie. We've never seen Kung Fu Panda 1 and I was completely caught off guard, when KFP2 suddenly was so heartbreaking. xD

[@MinecraftWorld1954]

The first is the most emotional The second is the darkest The third is the funniest

[@bluejacket4429]

I'm hoping Jono talks about imposter syndrome. That's what I thought this reaction would've been about, especially with Po's breakdown at the stairs. But I loved that you guys talked about Oogways philosophies instead! Very original and very cool. Also, that ad was awesome. So unique and well made :) As per usual, another awesome video.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thank you so much! We did a video about Star Trek: First Contact and imposter syndrome.

[@bluejacket4429]

@@CinemaTherapyShow Oh awesome! I had read through some other comments and seen someone ask you to do Imposter syndrome for Po before so that sort of overwrote my brain for a possibility of it being anything but, lol. Let me check it it later!

[@warriormaiden9829]

@@CinemaTherapyShow I'd like to point you to some how-to's for animation; namely the ball and the cape exercises. The basics for these are what we use to apply motion to a series of otherwise static images to create animation. It doesn't matter if it's 2D or 3D, the principles are the same. :)

[@deejayf69]

I just noticed that when Po says "I'm not hungry" he previously mentioned that when he's angry/upset, he eats. He used to drown out his feelings by eating. As if to say "I'm content". I've watched this movie 4 or times already and it keeps showing me ways how it's even better than I previously believed.

[@K.night_]

I love that you guys include animated movies. Just because something is animated, doesn't mean it's automatically only for children and there's nothing to take away from them. So often they have deep messages and lessons, for all ages. And as an artist I'm always inspired watching animation. Anyway no matter the medium, thank you for what you guys do ♡

[@ZombiBunni_]

I think there’s also something to be said about Po being adopted in all of this - especially given how the sequels go. There are literally *no other pandas* where Po lives, and a lot of his “Panda Nature” is shamed because of that lack of understanding for what pandas do. All the stuff he does is completely and utterly natural for him, and fine for Pandas specifically.... but in this non-panda place it’s very strange to the non-pandas, and I think Po internalizes this feeling of being intrinsically Bad and Weird. I think this could be analogous to a *lot* of situations, namely adopted cultural diaspora. However, I also personally relate to it as an Autistic ADHDer in a house of non-autistics (although my mom also has ADHD).. in a world where my nature is odd & shamed, I feel a lot of intrinsic worthlessness. But most of what I can’t do is actually just stuff that I do wonderfully when I am allowed to do so differently. (Disclaimer though that Autism & ADHD are STILL disabilities, there are still things I 100% cannot do, such as just putting up with overstimulation. That’s just the nature of it, but that is inherently a part of me too, it’s just how my brain works. As much as I’d like to turn off overstimulation, I can’t control my surroundings nor my neural wiring. Instead, I can control what I do before I get to my meltdown limit - which is to leave the situation in order to regulate, or to put on headphones, or any number of stimulation regulation techniques. It’s odd, it’s different, and frowned upon by a lot of people, but just like “being able to do stuff when allowed to do it differently”, having to cope with the disabling factors of my disability are just another thing that I do differently. Like using an inhaler for an asthma attack or insulin for blood sugar, I regulate my health and it just looks different from others)

[@somuchtocook9159]

As a person with autism and adhd, I had issues back then and these issues were resolved by my parents ability to act with reason, my mother is currently working at a school with a child with similar issues to me being that there was a lot of fits, my mother could recognize that this child’s mother was taking the bait for attention when my mom would work with her to get this child Out of the comfort zone, the simple solution is to break them out of the cycle by not trying to give the tantrum any merit for it’s existence but the simple truth was that they were pushing the boundaries in ways it needed to be pushed

[@MatthewTaylor-zp7ph]

Hey guys, I just found this and I really like what you guys are doing. I'm a therapist as well and have been doing a version of cinema therapy in group settings in treatment centers for several years. This is actually one of the movies I have used and I developed a worksheet to go with the work we do. My focus is pitting the stories of Po against Shifu against Tai Lung. I feel like you could do a "villain therapy" video on him alone as the counter to Po's story. Po had someone who believed in him but never pushed him towards growth, Tai Lung had someone who pushed him towards growth but in doing so also filled him with dreams of "more than self." Tai Lung refuses to accept the truth about himself and is what drives the split between him and Shifu. Shifu who is doubly scarred from his relationship with Tai Lung (emotionally cold with Tigress and literally walks with a limp from his injury). All of these characters suffered at the hands of a "must". Tai Lung "must" have the scroll to be enough even though he is literally the most skilled. Po "must" be the dragon warrior and learn Kung Fu in order to be enough and satisfied with self. Shifu "must" train THE dragon warrior (who "must" present a certain way) in order to redeem himself for failing Tai Lung. These fatal musts lead to a breakdown at some point, but Tai Lung refuses to recover due to his adherence to rigidity/expectations. Finally, something else to flesh out, is the difference between influence and control. Shifu believes he has "control" when he talks about the "influence" he has over the peach tree. Oogway tries to teach him that he has a choice over the type of influence he exerts or exemplifies but will not understand it until he lets go of his illusion of control. Thus, we have the cliché: "we gain control when we surrender it." P.S. let me know if you ever want a fellow therapist/movie nerd to phone in an episode from Florida!

[@AnimatorZeeVIDEO]

A fun fact about this movie: the team themselves struggled to figure out how to deliver the message to Po that there "is no secret ingredient", and they pondered things like a mirror in a box. At the end of the day, the answer (the dragon scroll) was right in front of them the whole time; effectively mirroring the movie's message. Another fun fact is about the rope bridge battle. It was done *specifically* because they wanted to do something that would be completely impossible in live-action. It was also one of the most difficult scenes for them to pull off. There are so many amazing touches and methods that were used in the making of this movie; I highly recommend looking up some behind the scenes stuff for it. The way they used colors is perhaps my favorite.

[@AkronymCLT]

I gotta say, I always appreciate when Alan takes the time to appreciate animation, and he's right there's a lot that goes into making it feel weighty and impactful. Seeing the physical effect the action has on the characters and the world around them goes a long way, and the sound effects really help to sell it too (the scene of Tai Lung hitting Po, and Po redirecting the energy back it him is a great example!)

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

It deserves appreciation. It's not just for kids. It's a beautiful way to tell stories for everyone!

[@SinHurr]

Animation done well tends to make you forget you're watching animation. But boy when it's bad does it stick out like a cactus in a church pew

[@Hauk-mv2lo]

I remember that in my first year of high school, I quoted Oogway in panic during a debate. Instead of studding and practicing for what I was going to say, I instead watched Kung Fu Panda. (quote: 7:11)

[@bloominninja]

I love the double meaning of "You must Believe". Not only does he have to 'believe' in his student, but also believe in himself! That he can train Po! (And typically, Sifu misunderstood the lesson)