Why China Cared About Kung Fu Panda | Video Essay

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Accented Cinema - Episode 62
One commonly shared trivial is that Kung Fu Panda impressed the Chinese audience so much, there were conferences held to discuss why couldn't China make this movie. With this amount of attention paid to the film, you'd think Kung Fu Panda did an incredible job at representing Chinese culture. But the reality is... different.
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[@AccentedCinema]

So I later realized the Jade Palace in this film might be based on the Temple of Confucius in Qufu. The front of the main building has 10 dragon pillars . It is such a special sight that legend has it, when a Qing Dynasty emperor came to visit, they had to cover up all the pillars with red cloths, just to "humble" it a little. Of course, it is still pale in comparison to the dozens of golden red pillars in Kung Fu Panda. So the point still stands, I guess? I'll be posting these kind of tidbits on my social media in the upcoming days. Come follow me on Twitter or Facebook! Also, check out Xiran Jay Zhao's amazing video on the cultural inspirations behind Kung Fu Panda: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmLIeXycit6MnNU I swear I didn't plan for this video to come just two weeks after their video :)

[@kiricappuchin]

awesome video as always

[@smolzeg7446]

@@kiricappuchin indeed

[@_yuri]

this video was absolutely based

[@rdourado]

It's for videos like this that this is my favorite channel ever. Thanks, dude! You're awesome!

[@MrWillypanda88]

Xiran Jay Zhao's video about the Confucius vs Taoism in Kungfu Panda are amazing, although I think even Chinese/Asian people didn't catch that under tone the first time they watch Kungfu Panda. It kinda makes sense since Confucius way of life seems to be more dominant in Modern East Asian/Chinese Culture compared to Taoism. I thoroughly enjoyed both your and her video. You two really made lots of profound contents.

[@MatthewFTabor]

"There is a Chinese proverb for this, because there is a Chinese proverb for everything." I will not be surprised if I learn that this is, in fact, a real Chinese proverb.

[@celinahatton2653]

As soon as he said "There is a Chinese proverb for this" I knew exactly how that sentence was going to end 🤣 I'm not from China, but I watch a helluva lot of Chinese dramas.

[@timothyjosephbonilla1108]

Im not surprised if this blows up

[@infernalbaka557]

Mei lang?

[@KRYMauL]

The two cultures that somehow have proverbs for everything: Greece and China.

[@QWERTY-gp8fd]

@@KRYMauL they dont have proverb for schrodinger schlong

[@TheDeadmanstrolling]

To be fair, having Shifu present Kung Fu as a violent fight-obsessed art instead of a vehicle for self-reflection and self-defense is part of the plot. His teachings drove the Furious Five to attack Tai Lung first, who similarly uses Kung Fu to assert force and dominance (and he was also taught this by Shifu!). Meanwhile, Po learns from the dragon scroll that the key to mastering Kung Fu is through self-reflection. I believe it's actually commentary on how the west DOES see Kung Fu as "might makes right" and subverts it by having the hero self-reflect and learn balance and control to prevail instead.

[@dragonairdragon6173]

Another reason why KungFu Panda 2 is a freakin masterpiece. Never before had I see American movie see and acknowledge the spiritual side of the martial art.

[@yawarapuyurak3271]

@@dragonairdragon6173 all I know is that when a "powerup" from a character comes from within (self reflection, let something go, find inner strength, etc), it makes the "powerup" more tangible. After all, growing as a person requieres change within us.

[@erickluviano981]

Kinda like cobra Kai being aggressive and miyagi do being used for discipline and self defense

[@ElChicoBush]

Yup. Usually the archetype of the "master" in movies is a character that is already developed and works as a guide for the main characters. More like Oogway, if he just didn't disappear at the start of the movie. But here they changed the formula, making Shifu a "novice master", who still needed to evolve through the three films. It's an interesting change to the usual tropes.

[@mojoready]

Exactly, Tai lung is literally the direct result of this unhealthy mentality of strength over spirituality

[@chaddcordell]

I believe the "ninja star" at the beginning of the film actually represents Po's naive/misguided view of Kung Fu more than the film not understanding Chinese culture.

[@ArthurX-eg8bc]

Fanboys import things.

[@silashurd3597]

Oh dang! That actually makes sense

[@RedStarGuyComrade]

Doesnt explain the shurikens in the jade temple

[@aldrinmilespartosa1578]

​@@RedStarGuyComrademaster of kung fu and beyond.

[@ja52ng74]

@@RedStarGuyComrade The shurikens could be a gift from the neighbouring nation?

[@jomorkenstrseth3526]

As the panda is inherently gentle, I feel that the panda sort of embodies the enlightenment and balance, only being enhanced, but not lost as the instrumnet of power. I think this is the reason the panda was chosen, already being in the right mindset

[@acestormsgaming6287]

Pandas can be very aggressive

[@DaVideo17]

I mean sure you can interpret it that way especially after 3 but I’m pretty sure they went with a Panda because they’re fat. Lol

[@ammagon4519]

Nah it's because it's a chubby animal doing a martial arts it normally wouldn't learn, also Jack Black.

[@tomasbeltran04050]

+ Yin Yang reference

[@douchopotamus3755]

I feel like people forget that pandas are bears and can rip you apart.

[@SatumitheNeet]

Kung Fu Panda being about a fat American kid simping for Chinese culture was quite an interesting insight that you can only get from this channel

[@Excalibur01]

It's called cultural appreciation

[@Alberich_Prince_of_Dwarves]

I also think it's super accurate and that observation honestly kind of improved at least the first Kung Fu Panda film for me.

[@UnlimitedGreenWorks]

Not to be mistaken for cultural appropriation

[@Mantis42]

The Forbidden Kingdom is pretty similar in that regard but not half as successful

[@Excalibur01]

@@UnlimitedGreenWorks Which is not a thing and made up for the PC twitter mobs

[@adan3956]

"Why China loved kungfu Panda?" Master oogway: "mmm monke"

[@nuffwerewolf]

It gave them monke.

[@Shagamaw-100]

Wisdom incarnate this is.

[@kacperwoch4368]

There are no Oogways - Accident

[@avioracrown6967]

There is no oogway - master accident

[@AFordFlex2377]

@@avioracrown6967 🤣😂

[@lauraescudero6922]

So, Kun Fu panda is a love letter/cultural appreciation of /one specific part/ of chinese culture. It doesnt pretend to be authentic, or to know more about China than their people unlike Mulan (2019). Instead, it works with its knowledge and tells their (incredibly western) tale, without forgeting the love for /specific part of chinese culture/ . As a writer, this is good knowledge to have. I have no way to do *authentic chinese culture* in my history. I can't pretend that i'm not western, but i don't have to. I can work with /chinese fantasy/ without being pretentious, just being authentic to my knowledge. Thanks, this is wonderfull advice for everyone who wants to tell a story with different cultural elements.

[@sillau9]

Exactly.. totally agree

[@Danobot11]

I disagree. If you put in the time, you most certainly can get a sense for what is authentically Chinese. But you don’t have to (*be exhaustive). And I’m glad you found a sense of freedom in that. Pick and choose what you find most beautiful and you get to call it a stylised fantasy. Appropriation by insiders and outsiders is the means by which culture evolves, and it can be done in either a disrespectful or respectful way. Edit: *

[@HkFinn83]

Ok but if you don’t know anything about a topic, why would you want to write it? Either learn about the topic, or write about a topic you do know about?

[@jorjamakenzie8912]

@@Danobot11I get what you mean by “getting a sense” of authenticity of cultures, but research can only give you so much information. There are nuances, things not really put down on paper but everyone follows, and subtleties that you will always get incorrect if you’re not from that culture, or haven’t lived it. For instance, there’s a nuance within the English language that isn’t even TAUGHT to English speakers, but 99% of every native English speaker will do. Adjective order. Native English speakers will order their adjectives (quantity, quality, size, age, shape, color, proper, purpose) even though they’ve never been taught to. They don’t know they do this, BUT if you say “red big car” they will know it’s wrong.

[@Danobot11]

@@jorjamakenzie8912 and the solution to this is to just say you've made your own fantasy dialect and not pretend it's authentic. Just admit your ignorance and then claim originality from there.

[@amanofnoreputation2164]

Based on my limited knowledge, there are a few concepts in Chinese philosophy that the film does actually manage to encapsulate, such as Oogway's lesson not to distort the essential nature of things by struggling to improve them into what they can never be, which is rather Taoist. Zhuang Zhou would call such efforts, "beating a drum in search of a fugitive." What this video leaves out as that the emphasis on martial prowess is a bait and switch: the movie isn't just telling you to be yourself, but that being yourself is the real purpose of Kung Fu, Kung Fu meaning "excellence of self," in direct contrast to the flashie movies that everyone else in the movie, including the supposed mentor figure, Shi Fu, thought was so important. The only person who gets it is Oogway who says, "A man often meets his fate on the path he takes to avoid it." This is not a Chinese quote, but it captures the same atmosphere as Zhuang Zhou; that self improvement is a red herring and of inferior virtue, whereas self acceptance leads to genuine growth because you become aligned to your own nature.

[@GrubKiller436]

When one is struggling in his life, can he accept himself? Or must he become more than he is? How do you know who you are? Maybe we shouldn't assume we know who we are. And maybe there is more of us to discover when we expand past our comfort bubbles.

[@GrubKiller436]

@@EggEnjoyer It all is still self improvement. Not everyone has to accept who they are to have positive emotion. Neurologists show people get positive emotion from making progress towards goals. That goal could even be self-acceptance and peace. Even if you want peace, it takes a certain amount of knowledge and effort to get there. I would say it is not "Acceptance" that gets you to peace. It is understanding oneself that gets you there. "Acceptance" only shows the finished product. It does not show the journey it took to get there. I agree self-acceptance is an invaluable base. From there, you can set your goals; these can differ from person to person. But you always have a main backup you can fall into (acceptance) if your goals don't work out.

[@angelinacamacho8575]

This movie uses slot of daoism philosophies as well specifically with the dragon scroll and what it means. Po using The Wushu finger effectively means that he has ascended to becoming a higher being by being himself and leading a life of pure peace and learning that the dragon warrior is something that isn't what you seek on the outside but inside yourself

[@randomnyss2011]

❤❤❤

[@grzegorzbrzeczyszczykiewic1139]

What's funny is that philosophy is the exact opposite to Mao's "great leap forward"

[@nicholaswalsh4462]

"This film loves China more than China loves itself." This is legitimately the funniest thing I have heard from you. And it's fucking brilliant.

[@user-ie7vo1hj3j]

It's sad tbh. Chinese culture has so many stories to tell yet China itself is more focused on appealing to western tastes and ideas, even when it comes to their own people. For fame, money or whatever. Cultural exchange is amazing thing but not when you abandon your roots. Good thing they realize it and slowly begin to promote their authentic cultural stories. If they won't do it then no one will...

[@nicholaswalsh4462]

@@user-ie7vo1hj3j they do. Journey to the West. Literally their ENTIRE historical record.

[@user-ie7vo1hj3j]

@@nicholaswalsh4462 i've seen reaction on Jorney to the West inspired game that released trailer not that long ago. People LOVED it and it made me happy even tho I'm not a gamer myself.

[@RoflcopterLamo]

@@user-ie7vo1hj3j You talk about how it has so much history and culture it doesn’t seem to care about but you do have to take into account the “cultural revolution” caused by mao must’ve done something to cause this since having your entire younger generation being brainwashed into destroying every historical or “old ways” thing even people surely had lasting effects that have rippled up until now when these people are now in their 50’s 60’s and 70’s

[@Halcon_Sierreno]

China is too busy monitoring itself with cameras and assigning social scores to everything.

[@ksdtsubfil6840]

"The film is more interested in the badassery, and not so much it's culture." That's when you know it's really American.

[@slurples149]

Well yeah its a cartoon

[@barodrinksbeer7484]

Its far more interested in culture then anything China was producing at the time, even propaganda Martial arts teachers arent as traditionally accurate as Kungfu Panda.

[@DemonicRemption]

@KSDT SubFil Yeah, because that was my inititial fascination with Kung-Fu. But then a learned about the culture behind it, and still have yet to utilize any of its influence in my work.

[@michaelqiu9722]

Well, it’s not the Americans’ fault that chinese culture isn’t more competitive. Why would anyone do the chinese’s Bidding for them?

[@Xannyphantom905]

That's still miles better than how japanese animation deals with Chinese characters. The 2 nations have been fighting since the beginning of time. It's only become less violent today.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Something to note: For Kung Fu Panda 3, they actually got Mainland Chinese animators to help! Both the China Film Group Corporation (which is owned by Chinese government themselves) and Pearl Studio (previously known as Oriental DreamWorks; which was founded as a joint venture between DreamWorks and Chinese investor companies and now fully Chinese-owned). I like to think that Kung Fu Panda's huge success in China was really due to the image of the Panda with a little help of the 'cutesy' 'kawaii' trend it was going through. Panda has really been the mascot for China (I mean they do have panda diplomacy where they loan pandas to zoos in other countries and even if cubs are born in said zoos, they're still owned by China). The filmmakers nailed the representation of the panda with its significance to Chinese culture - being both a symbolization of a strong warrior as well as a peace and loving friendship-forming animal. There has been other films that badly represented Chinese culture, yet it still gets a pass in China's cinema. It's not that China doesn't love itself... more like they don't really care much for those minor details like the Japanese shurikens as they're really just passing images and not the main focus in the film.

[@DarkKnight-db1dy]

Supreme leader you💀💀

[@austinreed6759]

If you think about it China and Japan are not too far away from each other so having shurikens in China would be like an Englishman drinking American alcohol.

[@Aaron-pv8vm]

I wish you also mentioned how Master Shifu's name is representative of Shi fu in Chinese, so his name is basically "Master Master" and it's kinda both a self-referencing joke but also a show of how warped the perspective of China you get when the only exposure you get is from Chinese Kung Fu movies.

[@blacktigershearthstoneadve6905]

师傅 = Shīfù = master. I am learning chinese and just a week ago discovered this. And I instantly recalled the "Kung Fu Panda" character. I doubt that whoever named him meant anything more than just this self-referencing, though.

[@arjix8738]

I am also learning Chinese, correct me if I'm wrong but usually characters with the same meaning are stuck together because 2 characters sound better than one single character. It's about the flow of the sentence. It is kinda awkward to say shi w/o the fu It might seem redundant, but that's how things are. For example the word chair is 椅子, the first character alone means chair, the second character is just padding added to wood related characters. Edit: the example I gave was about the flow of the sentence, not the duplicate meaning

[@blacktigershearthstoneadve6905]

@@arjix8738 It is probably better to ask someone from China. As far as I can tell in majority of cases characters that are used together for a single "word" mean different things. There are cases when characters with similar meaning are used together. For example, in 检查 (means to check/inspect) both characters kinda mean the same thing. In fact it is even possible to use them in the opposite order 查检, although it is significantly less common. But I think despite the same meaning they are not fully interchangeable when used alone and probably have their own use cases and flavor. I don't know if in such cases characters are used together because of the flow. Probably yes in some cases. In fact, repeating the same character like 谢谢 or 妹妹 is also quite common in chinese. I believe 子 character has no relation to the wood. It originally meant "child"/"offspring", but can be used for a lot of random stuff with general idea of "sub-"/"under-" and may indicate small size or insignificance, but can also show respect, if used to address a man.

[@Anna-kz7km]

@@blacktigershearthstoneadve6905 I’m Chinese and yes you are right about adding 子 for stuff that are small, but the part about insignificance is wrong. We actually add that for expensive/ important things like metals and jewellery e.g. 金子 鐲子. Also when something doesn’t have shape we don’t add 子, for example we never say 水子 for water even though 水 is monosyllable. Overall I think 子 is similar to “ness” in English where it indicates a word is a noun but there are nouns that don’t have them as exceptions.

[@arjix8738]

@@blacktigershearthstoneadve6905 oh, thx for your explanation I only said that 子 is a suffix for wood related stuff because my (non Chinese) teacher told me that it is usually used with words that have smth to do with wood. As in the case for chair, chairs are usually wooden.

[@jinngeechia9715]

I remember I was in a taxi in San Francisco driven by an immigrant Chinese driver. He told me in China nobody cared about pandas as stuffed toys until Kungfu Panda appeared. He went on to say that Hollywood has a cultural power that even the Chinese leadership envied. I think this was also voiced by Jiang Zhimin himself in one interview.

[@comradekenobi6908]

@A J ironically land of immigrants can have some interesting polices to immigrants as well 😬

[@BlackBearInvesting]

Nice lie. Pandas are like the biggest thing in China since the early 90s.

[@quach8quach907]

@@BlackBearInvesting And there's Panda Express.

[@themoocow7718]

@A J A melting pot of cultures.

[@work90]

@@comradekenobi6908 well LEGAL immigrants. You can't just accept everybody ILLEGALLY

[@krisnadexter]

"American kid growing up admiring kung-fu movies" your insight about movie is amazing.

[@xtzyshuadog]

I will quote the more important line- *"'There is no secret ingredient.' [Kung Fu Panda chose] The most cliche Hollywood trope... Which happens to be the lesson China needed [in its films from 1990s to 2010s].*

[@xtzyshuadog]

The last 4 minutes of the video are the big picture, *if you quote the little thing, you miss ALL that heavenly glory in this channel's beauty.*

[@poketopa1234]

Seriously

[@luiggitello8546]

Everything clicked when i heard it

[@Polyglot_English]

Taiwan is a country 🇹🇼 🇹🇼

[@Wyzzkyd]

But at the end of the chopstick fight, Po tosses his dumpling back at Shifu, says he's not hungry, and bows...it's a reflection that he's learnt self-control and respect, two cornerstones of kung fu. That one scene said more about kung fu than a lot of mindless HK action movies in the 90s lol.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

While yes, Shifu often focuses more on the more militarized strength-oriented aspects of kung fu, he still knows that it's ultimately about harmony and self-defense. He is a broken tutor who was backed into a corner trying to undo the damage he caused raising Tai Lung, by at least trying to make sure his students could defend themselves and the valley from him. I'm surprised you didn't talk much about Oogway. Shifu himself stated that Oogway was the true inventor of kung fu as he focused more on the spirituality of harmony and focus. While Oogway can be a formidable fighter, he was the only character who truly understood the value of harmony, peace, and contentment. He had achieved mental enlightenment through kung fu. So in a way, the movie places a contrast of the Americanized Chinese viewpoint of everyone else looking at Kung fu's butt-kicking awesomeness, versus the deeper, nuanced understanding of kung fu itself, via Oogway. That too is another aspect I believed played a major role. Throughout the entire movie, we've seen Oogway "fight" for like 5 seconds, but that was enough, because it showed that just because he could, didn't mean he ever needed to. Oogway's influence was always his wisdom and his words.

[@honk42069]

Dude how are you its been a while since I've seen you comment. We must watch the same shit bc you are literally in every comment section I see.

[@RajKapurnaka]

Same with me doesn't matter if it's geopolitics or this they're in every comment section I see

[@biocapsule7311]

There a portion somewhat *incorrect,* you are correct that the 5 and Shifu care more about fighting, but they are not representation of good martial spirit, which is why they all failed. Oogway is the true master archetype from asian cinema, not shifu. Shifu is actually the bad or disciplinarian archetype that also exist in abundance in Chinese wuxia literature and cinema. Everything Shifu taught was wrong because he was suppose to be wrong.

[@yeuogu4840]

I think this is right, Po taught Shifu to love and not hate, as to the morals that fighting is unnecessary, as Shifu only did to teach how to violently fight, and maybe hate, and why they were not chosen so. I think it's also breaks lots of american movies cause it's mostly "I defeated you because I hate you/did something against me" but it's "I defeated you because I want you to realize something/to self-reflect". Either way, Kung Fu Panda and it's sequels is definitely one of the best there is.

[@getwrecked674]

Agreed

[@RuthwikRao]

This, but I'd also like to add that the "kung fu training" section being entirely focused on the martial side of it is a good observation, but I think it's important to note that the immediate threat of the movie wasn't a philosophical one, where the hero had to face an inner battle, but it was a very real, powerful physical warrior in the form of Tai Lung who had come to lay waste to the valley again and would stop at nothing to get what he wants, and as such, this needed prioritizing physical warrior training over the meditative, spiritual side of it. You can't battle hands with words. For a moment, Shifu almost gets to Tai Lung when he confesses his regret in raising Tai Lung the way he had, but not for long as Tai Lung shrugs it away and gets back to throwing hands, nearly ending Shifu's life if not for Po's last second interruption. All of this is why Po hasn't found inner peace by the end of the story while Shifu had, why Po is still impatient and unable to rest in silence, because his Kung Fu journey was still incomplete because he still really had no idea where he'd come from, and these aspects of his inner growth are followed through in the sequels.

[@ceterumcenseocarthaginemes455]

Shifu represents the confucianism philosophy while master oogway represents daoism

[@mr.dumbum8209]

Yeah, that's what the plot wanted..

[@garaj1]

I remember seeing an Interview with Jackie Chan several years ago where he was lamenting about how poorly China represents itself to the world through film compared to Hollywood films about China and mentioned Kung Fu Panda as an example. This video really puts that into perspective.

[@mechajay3358]

I know right, considering he stars in it.

[@Moo-fb2kb]

China lacks soft power, it's a major issue for them

[@Meimoons]

@@Moo-fb2kb I think Genshin Impact, being a mobile game readily available to anyone, could be a good representation of Chinese culture with the soft power to become a good gateway to spark interest in it.

[@derederekat9051]

@@Moo-fb2kb CCP is overrepresented.

[@damedesuka77]

@@Meimoons But is Genshin known as something that represents China? I don't play the game but from what I little I've seen it feels like a game that tries to look Japanese. With anime style and gameplay similar to Zelda BOTW. It's not something that will push people to learn more about Chinese language or Chinese culture. It's just a popular product that happened to be made by a Chinese developer.

[@rp-wn5or]

Aw I love this take! Often times, we found our own cultures cringey and embarrassing and forget the beauty of it…I guess having an outsider express their love for it in the purest form without any bias might have been why Kung fu panda was so successful

[@alguno1010101]

About the focus on the badassery and the physicality instead of the philosophy behind martial arts, it's notorious thay the villain's main flaw is that he was all physical power but he didn't care about the philosophy behind it, he wanted to become the dragon warrior not for enlighenment, just for power, and felt entitled to the secret because he could take it through violence without worrying about being wise enough to understand it.

[@GiantGeekGuy]

I remember a video on why Kung fu Panda is the perfect trilogy, and I love how the video explained that each movie represents an aspect of Chinese Philosophy, 3 parts of a person that one improves upon, and what Po improves himself. The first movie represents Body, because Po had to train his body in kung fu, discover his own power, to become the Dragon Warrior and defeat an opponent who trained his body his whole life. The second movie represents Mind, because Po had to face his past and focus his mind to achieve inner peace and defeat an opponent who toyed with his mind. The third movie represents Spirit, because Po had to learn the power of Chi, to connect to the Spirit realm to defeat an opponent who manipulated chi/spirit.

[@AccentedCinema]

The later films definitely stepped up in terms of accurate Asian cultural depictions. But since the debate in China was caused by the first film, this video only addresses that. One other thing I think I failed to fully express is that, even though Kung Fu Panda isn't exactly accurate, it is way above average for a Hollywood film, and should be praised for that.

[@GiantGeekGuy]

@@AccentedCinema Indeed, I just really love Kung fu Panda, Po was such a role model for me as a chubby, ignorant young kid growing up that learning more about how it accurately depicted the culture and how it made China rethink their animation game really makes me love it more.

[@Moshiko926]

Oh I know the KZbinr who made this video... He was such a good KZbinr. Too bad he Surrendered to his dick and messed people's lives.

[@GiantGeekGuy]

@@Moshiko926 I forgot which video it was, and I have no idea who the youtuber was. I just typed "why kung fu panda best trilogy" and multiple videos just popped up.

[@GiantGeekGuy]

@@Moshiko926 I forgot which video it was, and I have no idea who the youtuber was. I just typed "why kung fu panda best trilogy" and multiple videos just popped up.

[@PenneySounds]

I like that distinction between accuracy and sincerity. You can feel the appreciation of Chinese culture in the film, but there's no actual attempt to make it authentic.

[@tuanriccy1026]

@@Elamado97 and thats good. So happy that hollywood start to not make movie for china anymore. No more kneed down for money. Go away censorship, disorted information,..

[@Santoryu90]

@@Elamado97 Yet still a better movie about Chinese culture than China has done.

[@CalmClamFam]

@@Elamado97 You’re right, because it doesn’t have enough CCP propaganda lol

[@AndrewManook]

@@CalmClamFam Plenty of american propaganda

[@AndrewManook]

@@Santoryu90 Watch more Chinese movies.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Yup, Chinatown architecture. Speaking of which, another thing that many Americans think are authentically Chinese but aren't: Fortune cookies. They were brought over to the US by JAPANESE immigrants! Originating in Edo-period Japan, cookies very similar to the modern fortune cookie have been made called the 辻占煎餅/tsujiura senbei. They're made with miso and sesame, different than the modern ones. But like the modern ones, it had fortunes inside called tsujiura or omikuji. These cookies are still sold in Japan today. So how did it become a Chinese-American staple? Well, when the Japanese brought them over, they came for the demand of cheap labor as the result of the Chinese Exclusion Act and they opened up bakeries. But...the Japanese would experience high sentiment themselves when WWII came around and they were placed in internment camps. These Japanese bakeries closing up shop gave the Chinese-Americans in California the opportunity to produce and sell them.

[@justinemot2282]

This is not only a movie essay but a life lesson - to love oneself just as one is. Try to get better but do not try to be something one is not. Because what you are is already good enough. Just accept who you are, work with what you got & improve what you can. Don't break yourself into a shape you don't fit

[@stewl6329]

Meanwhile in Chinese comics, the MC is always rich, the best, know everything, the most handsome and he never fails.

[@thepunishersequence291]

hey you know the chinese equivalent to good night pun pun or homonculus?

[@stewl6329]

@@thepunishersequence291 No!

[@thepunishersequence291]

@@stewl6329 oof

[@PerplexedPlayers]

i read a lot of comics (american, japanese, and korean mostly) but man is it a struggle to find chinese comics that aren't complete trash and suffer from the same issues...it really makes me wonder what they are doing over there its really disheartening

[@stewl6329]

@@PerplexedPlayers I don't know if it is censorship or what they like. But I can't believe that they would love the same lame shit. What happen to those who wrote journey to the west ? Every comic has the same bullshit.

[@000Mazno000]

I'm not well-watched in any kind of Chinese cinema, but it is very cool to learn that they are starting to embrace their own culture once again. Filmmakers need to understand that trying to be Hollywood doesn't make you Hollywood, it makes you a B-movie, and a Chinese perspective on Chinese culture is a market that can't exist anywhere else.

[@ErebosGR]

Have you never heard of the Wuxia genre??

[@valorzinski7423]

All the movies he referenced are from Hong Kong, they weren't legal in Mainland China at the time of their release.

[@indiciaobscure]

I just want Zhang Yimou to go back to making ‘salt of the earth’ films like he did in the 90s. They’re all fantastic.

[@davadh]

It's not that they don't embrace their own culture, kung-fu movies were so overdone in the 80s and 90s that Hong Kong filmmakers wanted to branch out more into more modern stories, but the world only see China for their kung fu flicks. It's like saying why don't Americans make cowboy western movies anymore.

[@tryhardcsnoob9764]

@@valorzinski7423 No, most of them were made after the 80s, which were very popular in mainland china.

[@doobydoba]

I can never get over how beautifully your video essays convey the essence of filmmaking and storytelling in general. Thank you for the wonderful video.

[@ravenwaves6785]

I absolutely love this channel. I really appreciate the learning experience you provide us by sharing your perspective.

[@TheElizondo88]

Great analysis. A very similar debate sparked in Mexico after the premiere of Coco (especially when Disney tried to trademark “Día de Muertos). People were on one hand in love with the movie (which unlike Kung Fu Panda got all the details right) on the other hand frustrated at Disney/Pixar beating Mexico to the punch in the good portrayal and representation of Día de Muertos on screen. But this is going to keep on happening (Moana for Polynesia, Raya for South East Asia, etc.) unless countries invest in their local cinema industries in a smart way. Mexico had good tax incentives and public funding but it was unfortunately mostly aimed for art house cinema, and what little was meant for commercial cinema was either gobbled up by large international productions (like James Bond) or the movie establishment in Mexico (like Canana Films, and Televisa) very little went to the development of new talent and production companies.

[@TwinkCookies]

Not to disagree with your point by any means, but as a Southeast Asian (Indonesian specifically) I can tell you that we don’t actually think Raya was anything near a sufficient/satisfactory portrayal and representation for us lol. Only Southeast Asians that live out in the west (thus may not be fully aware of how things are mainland) and those who have lowered their standards think so

[@isaacgray2909]

@@TwinkCookies Actually even SEA people I know in the west and including myself is mixed toward Raya. Some liked the movie for what it is, others dislike it for its mediocre story and wasted worldbuilding. Overall, it's not really a memorable movie to us in the same vein as Kung Fu Panda to China and Coco to Mexico.

[@junsengjs]

@@TwinkCookies As someone who lives in SEA, I feel SEA is a region with a lot of different cultures in it due to its history(Depending on where you go, you will see a different sight), any film that tries to represent the region and failing to show the multicultural aspect of the region has failed to comprehend the most basic trait of the SEA region. Yes the indonesian culture is most probably the culture that I would think of first if I had to point out a definitive "SEA culture", but I wouldn't dismiss filipino, vietnamese, burmese, or any other SEA culture either. As a singaporean, I feel that the "rojak" description that we used to refer to Singapore also refers to SEA in a way.

[@TwinkCookies]

​@@junsengjs What a coincidence, I'm an Indonesian living in Singapore as a student lol. But yes, I think there was no way Raya would fly in the first place considering how they were trying too hard to "mix" a region as vast as Southeast Asia, and Disney marketing it like it did so successfully was just shooting themselves on the foot. I would've been happy enough if they did a princess specific to one SEA culture, like Filipino, instead they were trying to please everyone.

[@TwinkCookies]

@@isaacgray2909 Oh, interesting. Thanks for the perspective. Yeah, I think we would've given it more leeway if the story was memorable enough

[@XiranJayZhao]

It's interesting that we had two very different interpretations of this movie! Which isn't a bad thing or even unexpected, I looked on the Chinese internet while researching for my take and the opinions were divided too. Some thought it utilized Eastern philosophies in a faithful way, while others thought that Po being a chosen one automatically made it feel too American. I gave the creators a lot of credit in my video, but ultimately, since they're not actually Chinese, it's impossible to know how much was intentional and how much was stumbled onto by accident. Talking about the authenticity of cultural representation is tricky, since we live in such an interconnected world now that cultures influence each other all the time, so we get stuff like Chinese dragons spitting fire in even mainland-Chinese-made movies, even though that would be considered "inauthentic" by traditional standards. But I really liked your interpretation of Po as a Chinaboo who ends up living out his fantasy of being a respected kung fu master. TBH, I'm not the biggest fan of characters like Po (I like the Tigress type way more), but they're so common as protagonists that I kind of just dealt with it 😂.

[@eddychou1933]

Fascinating.

[@maduinargentus5878]

Obligatory "Most ambitious crossover" mention

[@thewildcardperson]

hey uh kinda of question I feel ignorant for asking but keep coming up but isn't religion and belief outlawed in China so would anything mythology related be outlawed to

[@davidw.2791]

Dragons breathing fire is definitely more of a western influence but it’s also not incorrect that dragons are seen as controlling elements and the weather, like in the old Né Zhā legends. They do rainfall, wind, lightning... fire isn’t a weather but a fire dragon would have not been out of place. 😁

[@AccentedCinema]

I did noticed the divided opinions, too. But maybe I'm cynical. A lot of positive reviews read like backhanded compliments like "These Lao Wai actually got it right". There is always this "expectation is low" undertone. So I feel somewhat comfortable to just go out and claim most Chinese people would not confuse it with a Chinese production, even in a vacuum. But yes, at this day and age, it's not entirely practical to draw a line between cultures. Cultures mix and shift over time, there is no one definitive authentic version of it. Hence why most of the claims in this video are about the feel of it, rather than the objective accuracy. Also, Tigress is a tsundere. Who doesn't love a tsundere?

[@Rachel.DawnAmber]

As a person with China backgrounds, I didn't really have any problem with Kung Fu panda. In fact I love it!

[@adamschlinker972]

This was a really beautiful video, thank you. The conclusion/closing thoughts really moved me.

[@foxsan7316]

It took me 10 years to realize shi fu's name meant master as in 师傅 and I'm Chinese.

[@AccentedCinema]

Which is kinda weird because I thought it should be 师父...

[@fastcx]

And calling him Master Sifu is like calling him 师傅师傅 XD

[@foxsan7316]

@@fastcx ikr

[@foxsan7316]

My comments are disappearing everytime I try to reply to Accentee Cimena, sorry if I sent you two of the exact same messages

[@fastcx]

@@foxsan7316 Maybe it's just network issue, generally i don't repeat my comment if it don't show any error

[@taylorbee4010]

I would argue that him being trained as a strict warrior is actually playing into the foil of the series which is the leopard. Tai lung is the result of training this way. In learning this you can learn that something about the sifu's training was wrong.

[@5353Jumper]

And Sifu learned it in the end as well. That training action stars is not the real solution to the bigger problems of the world. That the training is part of the path, but not the goal.

[@lantal2004]

分析到位簡潔有力，喜愛你的每一條Video Essay（除了流浪地球那條），繼續努力，期待你將來更多的作品。 Fans from Hong Kong

[@cardfreak25]

Your video series is some of the most fun I've had since the pandemic started in 2020. Thanks and keep it up!

[@Sjono]

Kung Fu Panda film franchise: “You revere me so much. Why?” Chinese audience: “Mmmmm, monke.”

[@inabashigure4403]

There is a saying in China before is called: "We have kungfu, we have panda, but we don't have kungfu panda."That's a kind of self-deprecating, reflection on lack of creativity.

[@sharosecomics7793]

This video was absolutely fascinating, which I think is a testament to your skill in communication and as a youtuber, great work!!

[@elusivemayfly7534]

This might be the best video essay-on ANYTHING-I’ve ever encountered. Masterfully done

[@DongHuaReviews]

I remember reading all the interviews from Chinese animators about how much Kung Fu Panda had infuriated and inspired them. It's amazing to think that that was the tipping point that sent the government into spending so much money on animation studios and creating the huge wave were still riding now of donghua flourishing. I didn't know the wordless scroll of wisdom was a trope that already existed. Guess I need to step up my martial arts movie game, haha. Loved seeing Nezha, Legend of Hei and Fog Hill at the end of this video! Your taste continues to be amazing xD. Thanks as always for an amazing video.

[@DongHuaReviews]

@Kwok Yat Wai oh no. The incredibly well animated fight scene is from a donghua called Fog Hill of the Five Elements that was made by a small team called Samsara Studio. Feelings of Mountain and Water is beautiful too. All of Te Wei's work was, but I just focused on the modern ones xD.

[@CCPJAYLPHAN1994]

I needed the list at the end, thanks!

[@Codey323]

I think the argument about power is incorrect. The film makes the big reveal about the dragon scroll being blank as a “believe in yourself” message. I think that’s a lot closer to the self-improvement philosophy preached by Chinese Kung-fu.

[@BirdmanDeuce26]

Xiran Jay Zhao explores this (and the broader philosophical explorations) in her video and draws similar conclusions, it's worth a look!

[@momchilo4388]

I agree, to me the main point of the movie was its philosophy and po overcoming his lack of self confidence and less just about badaserry like he said in the video. The point of the scroll isn't just "embrace yourself" its that the secret to improvement lies in you, your discipline, believing in yourself, self development etc.

[@momchilo4388]

I find this video perfectly illustrates this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpPLlparpKqartU

[@ellusiv5121]

Or that blank scroll was just blank and the movie just wanted to go the cheesy "believe in yourself" route. That doesn't make sense if you think about it. How would you come to that conclusion if you yourself got hold of the scroll before the movie reveal and only saw your face? And even if it came a bit closer to real Kung Fu philosophy, Po still ended up gaining badass powers and clapped Tai Lung's cheeks. Cuz there's no way could he have beaten him before. He just lacked self confidence? No way.

[@whateveridoyouwillgetpisse9846]

@@ellusiv5121 he spent years trying to be someone else (the furious five) and when he got the chance to be like them from shifu's training, he still couldn't It was until shifu realises that teaching him in a different way would make him more comfortable, and become the best as they can be It reminds me with my friend with ADHD because they spent so long with medicine and trying to be someone other than them to fit into society But sometimes they need a break from the medicine and be their best selves, and he is one of the smartest people I know. He became a badass because he used his own powers (being fat) to his advantage, it's not that he only lacked confidence, it's that he learnt to accept who he is

[@TheFearDan]

I love all of your video delivery. I can feel so much work and passion in them.

[@siddmic]

This was really well done. I really appreciate learning about the culture and the way that people within the culture view it.

[@qtwhat]

As a Chinese, almost cried at the end and at the moments Panda shouted I love kongfu. The world peace needs kongfu and needs art.

[@afqwa423]

At the time I first watched the movie, I found the "be who you are" moral to be pretty cliched. But I don't really think that anymore. In its way, I think it's a clever subversion of the wordless scroll trope and also somehow true to the idea of Kung-Fu being about self-improvement. And that message now does resonate with me now that I practice a martial art (not Kung-Fu, but HEMA). And yeah, practicing a skill and improving yourself has no shortcuts. It's just hard work accumulated over a long period of time. Plenty of people are in love with the idea of being a writer or a musician, for example, but then only practice idly or not at all. And because you're an individual different from everybody else, your way of developing your talents really is personal journey that you've earned for yourself. The insights you obtain are uniquely yours and you'd be surprised at how much significance they lose even if you were to share them with other people in words. The movie Ratatouille is basically about the same message, except that movie is entirely about cooking. And interestingly enough, Po is himself a cook and uses that same cooking metaphor about secret ingredients. But the basic message is the same. You can elevate the common ingredients into something special. And in writing, ideas alone have no value, it is entirely in their execution and craftsmanship that they are transformed. That's why I think the Dragon Scroll is actually pretty funny in hindsight. The secrets can't be stolen nor written down because you really can't write down your experiences and no two people share exactly the same path on their journey to accomplishing whatever it is they set out to learn. As Wikipedia defines Kung-Fu: _In China, it refers to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete. In its original meaning, kung fu can refer to any discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial arts._ And when you think about it that way, you realize how cheap and how completely a wordless scroll of secrets misses the point. The sequel subtly reinforces this theme. Tigress initially resented Po for his outsider status, but by the second movie she's more confident in her strengths -- and they're genuine strengths. Even if Po is the acknowledged leader, there are things she can do that he can never imagine doing himself. (And he in turn, genuinely admires her for it.) That initial scene with Shifu berating the Furious Five to be better is really meant to show his own immaturity at the beginning of the movie. He's still comparing the Five to his favorite student, Tai Lung, rather than nurturing their talents as unique individuals. Because in his mind, they'll still never be as good as him. He was the favorite child. Po is the student where he first looks past what he wants Po to be and encourages Po to instead be the best version of himself instead. This too, in my opinion is a uniquely Asian American experience. You're often held to high standards of perfection, and in that process, something gets twisted up inside of you.

[@loligooshimai]

I also felt that the "be who you are" is made richer by the fact that Po is fat and reads strongly as having ADHD (very motivated in bursts but difficult to unlock his potential otherwise even if HE feels motivated, unconventional and somewhat impulsive problem solving, the entire way he animates). Both these things make him not fit into the world very well - he is socially awkward and from the restaurant scene his world is literally too small to accommodate him. Both these things make it tempting to label him as lazy; and certainly the 5 look down on him for that - why should he get the dragon scroll when he has not endured these YEARS of hard training? At every point it's clear that he admires the 5 but everyone can see he is out of his depth re training rigor. But at every point of the film it's clear that even if he does not believe in himself, Po works HARD. From the beginning he makes it up the stairs himself despite his fitness level; it is his ingenuity that helps him build the rocket chair that launches him into the circle, and he wakes up ahead of time to do his best even though he is given NO guidance. Ultimately his strength is in his humility and enthusiasm required to learn - even if (as revealed throughout the film) everything seems to indicate that he does not belong in this world and HE does not believe he belongs there (see his talk with ShiFu after he tries to run). I think the scene Shi-Fu catches him snacking illustrates that his internationalized of this belief actually limits his ability - when he's trying to do Kung fu he can't do it, because that is a fixed thing that he can't reach; but when it's food he does not think he is doing "Kung fu". And then when Shi-Fu embraces that Po is different, throughout Po's training montage, Po's shape does not change to become more traditionally buff or obviously bulky (heck he still struggles with stairs in the end). He never stops being a Fat panda and he never really stops being socially awkward. Importantly, I feel that saying the scroll is empty is not quite correct - it's very deliberately reflective, which I think is a really cool take on the secret message/technique thing. It shows the person who opens it their own face - it's frustratingly secure because only those who get it will get it. This gimmick is hammered in HARD during Po and Tai Lung's fight - When Tai Lung opens it we see him facing his horrified reflection as he declares in shock that it's "Nothing". Tai Lung, who is full of pride and ego and an entitlement towards the scroll, cannot absorb the secret, there must be some other secret power the scroll unlocks. It's contrasted with Po's reflection in the scroll after - his smile is kind, content, as he realizes the need to embrace himself as he is, that he has everything he needs. This could be read as lol the scroll is just a "You did it!" award, but it also sends an important message to the person who has worked so hard to get it, who has scrutinized their flaws and worked on them to improve to the point of earning the scroll - At the end of the day, remember that you are enough. Everything you needed to get here is in you.

[@bluninjadragon]

i love your commentary on these films and analysis. your point of view is very enlightening!

[@RaeCharm]

I love your takes and your sense of humor. (I choked on water when I saw Korone.) Your videos are so insightful, and it brings a lot of questions up for me.

[@user-es4tg3bb2n]

I am Chinese, I love Kung Fu Panda very much, he is my childhood。

[@Paul-vv5ql]

cute pfp

[@badsport4035]

1989 Tiananmen Square

[@user-vy4fe8nj9d]

BAD SPORT Snowden and Assange

[@badsport4035]

@@user-vy4fe8nj9dTaiwan is a country 🇹🇼

[@user-vy4fe8nj9d]

BAD SPORT California is a country

[@Mantis42]

I noticed too how much the 'Chosen One' cliche comes up in Western attempts at Eastern stories. Even Kung Pow has that plot point. I feel that sort of plot is derived more from Joseph Campbell and/or Christianity (ie a prophesied messiah) whereas traditional martial arts protagonists actually reflect Buddhist values of self development and enlightenment.

[@nataleynakata3687]

Um… so do you think that would make a character like Aang a fusion of the two concept representations?

[@isaacgray2909]

Star Wars is probably the first major media to make that trope more influential (unironically used Campbell's Journey of the Hero model).. There was sorta like that in LOTR with Frodo and the ring, but was definitely not used straight forward.

[@StudioArtFX]

I think it's just popular for escapist entertainment because being chosen means you don't have to work hard.

[@sweetenlemons8659]

@@StudioArtFX agreed. Either that, or its how you KNOW you are important/good If you are the chosen one, then you aren't non existent. You are destined to be great; it removes the fear of being forgotten when you don't have a choice but to be remembered.

[@sadmochineko]

@@nataleynakata3687 aang definitely reads like a chosen one trope

[@suryahr307]

Man the research that went into this video is overwhelming! Subbed

[@seramorn]

That was very enligthening! Thanks for the great video.

[@RealRanton]

never stop with your videos. always appreciate your perspective

[@HKLYTUNG]

Yo you stopped making video game review? Ghost of Tsushima?

[@PRhymeExample]

Here's a familar Name.

[@TheFi3nd]

@@HKLYTUNG dude theres corona virus he needs a break for now

[@OblivionKnight76]

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

[@sidharthcs2110]

Are you still editing Ghost of Tsushima review?

[@wolfochungo]

Hollywood depictions of different cultures can be pretty cool, but those cultures repping themselves is even cooler. Chinese and Irish animation have been releasing bangers lately

[@juanmanuelpenaloza9264]

Meanwhile Mexico is trying to get the hang of animation. They're getting good but most of it looks like something from newgrounds.

[@thomashenry4798]

@@juanmanuelpenaloza9264 Gotta walk before you can run. Gotta get the shitty work out of the way before you can get to the good stuff.

[@ealing456]

Those Chinese animations that were listed at the end looked great. Will need to find out what they are and where to watch them in the UK

[@BlueCoreGamming]

That's an, interesting point you brought up about the dragon overuse. Liyue from Genshin Impact has dragons everywhere placed in tons of locations, even common areas. Very strange indeed

[@andyreddit]

The production quality of your content is amazing!

[@greggapologist113]

I can't believe I'm crying at midnight about a movie with an animated fat panda... Great video as always!

[@Napoleonic_S]

Is there even a not fat panda? Lol.

[@celinahatton2653]

I took my daughter to see Kung Fu Panda 3 at the cinema, and bawled my eyes out while she sat next to me in embarrassed silence 🤣

[@andresprieto888]

fat? you mean thicc

[@Sarah-cr9cc]

we can expect chinese animation to be better in the coming years especially when they are hiring prominent and experienced animators from japan. A lot of good animators switched over to china because of the bad working environment in japanese animation studios. I just hope that the Chinese industry treats them well unlike the harsh constant stream of deadlines they have back in japan.

[@rayres1074]

Considering the overwhelming testimonies of how industrial production works in China, especially on places crowded with non-ethnic Han people, I would be a bit cynical about that.

[@astuginmalupit6531]

Censorship too

[@Sarah-cr9cc]

@@rayres1074 damn that is actually concerning

[@thisasiankidistrashfordram374]

@@rayres1074 Sure. But Japanese workers have overwhelming testimonials on corporate slavery as well. Just saying.

[@rayres1074]

@@thisasiankidistrashfordram374 Ya. Moving from bad to... probably also bad but in a foreign country.

[@kennewton9369]

I didn’t expect such an insightful analysis. It struck me as likely exactly correct. Kudos.

[@stray14417]

That last part made me tear up. Thank you for this insightful look into Kungfu panda.

[@duchi882]

The fact that Xiran Jay Zhao and now Accented Cinema made a video about the same topic... Its good that two of my favorite KZbinrs have the same interests

[@DensetsuVII]

As a Chinese American I also felt a certain inauthenticity in the aesthetics of Kung Fu Panda but could never quite elucidate it before this, because unlike so many other western films which adopt the oeuvre of China, this one still conveyed that sincerity which made it a good film. I guess even entire cultures sometimes need to practice self love sometimes! Also what was the last animation in the credits? I knew the others but that thing looks awesome!

[@conho4898]

Fog Hills of Five Elements!

[@zhwu2723]

Ne Zha (哪吒之魔童降世) The legend of Hei (罗小黑战记) Jiang Ziya (姜子牙) Monkey King: The Hero is Back (大圣归来) Fog Hill of Five Elements （雾山五行)

[@Achanceywill]

I really love your Channel. The way you speak and your storytelling really sets a soothing mood. Thank you

[@gemma7221]

excellent video essay man, not overdone and very put together while also reaching complex and interesting points

[@NebLleb]

Remember the rule of all things: _There is no secret recipe._

[@nabilaiqbal6410]

But according to SpongeBob the secret ingredient is loooove!

[@andylindsaytunes]

I think people expect one because when they see someone who is really good at something, they make it look effortless; so many people think they could get good at it once they know their secret.

[@skeletonwguitar4383]

@@nabilaiqbal6410 its MSG

[@nabilaiqbal6410]

@@skeletonwguitar4383 It can't be, it would get dissolve in the water.

[@Sawngawkuh]

Just self-improvement and being a fatass.

[@jazzhandy9479]

"dudes a simp" is the best line in the whole video

[@telesphoros]

Great video simply because you posed and question and answered it, the rest of the video is icing on the cake

[@seafood_hater]

Your interpretation makes a lot of sense to me. Great job. Keep it up!

[@GoodBloodGames]

Loved this analysis. Thanks for putting this together

[@JaimeJrUmlas]

Sup verified

[@Clrp_23]

Your video on god of war was one of the most well put together video essays I have ever seen!

[@keolaquereto3406]

^this is definitely an A+ endorsement^

[@Polyglot_English]

Taiwan is a country 🇹🇼 🇹🇼 🇹🇼

[@samuelsherriff730]

Agreed and can’t wait for your next video!!!

[@catherinehubbard1167]

Thank you for this insightful video.

[@JWMCMLXXX]

This was very interesting. Great video. Thank you.

[@daftbanna7202]

Kung Fu Panda is one of the greatest animated movies of all time

[@daftbanna7202]

@Stellvia Hoenheim what

[@thepunishersequence291]

@Stellvia Hoenheim how?

[@LittleBigBwner]

"The only way to be your best self, is to love yourself." Fucking deepest thing I've heard in a long time, thank you.

[@Chris-ki2dx]

I'm honestly not sure if you're being sarcastic or not

[@hydropage2855]

What a beautiful video. The conclusion almost made me shed a tear

[@kiratakamiyach.8294]

1:37 I really didn't expect Inugami Korone to appear😂❤❤❤

[@nimrodthewise836]

This is why this is such an amazing channel, your observations never fail to be illuminating..

[@mzgreenjeansapproves]

Agreed

[@ginsengaddict]

There's an interesting parallel here between Japanese cinema and American cinema. Akira Kurosawa grew up loving Sergio Leone's Spagetti Westerns, and many of his Jidai Geki films draw heavily on that genre. Fitting, then, that the Western (both in genre and production) film Magnificent Seven is an adaptation of Seven Samurai. And of course, it came full circle, because the influence of Kurosawa can be felt all throughout the work of George Lucas. KFP just continues that legacy of drawing on cultural influence to create something greater than the sum of it's parts.

[@pmlb7715]

"Akira Kurosawa grew up loving Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns" It was the other way around. Sergio Leone was more than inspired by Kurosawa. What Kurosawa loved was John Ford.

[@axansaga]

Great video. Thank you.

[@Abominatrix650]

I'm so glad I started watching your videos!

[@greenjoseph4]

That the antagonist’s name sounds like the name of one of the Shaw Brother’s most prolific actors further reinforces your point about this movie being a “love letter” to Kung Fu cinema.

[@HamanKarn567]

I loved him in the a better tomorrow movies.

[@eugeneng7064]

Tai Long? I'm guessing it means Great Dragon 泰龙

[@greenjoseph4]

@@HamanKarn567 and he was really good as Jackie Chan’s dad in Legend of Drunken Master…

[@Sorakorra]

"The only way to be the best self is to love yourself" that line hit hard. It hit deep.

[@eguy8387]

Amazing video! Really well crafted argument and super insightful :)

[@khaskid]

WOW THIS VIDEO IS PUT TOGETHER SO WELL

[@Foogi9000]

"Yeah I stayed, I stayed because every time you threw a brick at my head or said I smelled, it hurt! but it could never hurt more than it did everyday of my life just being me." idk why but I've always related to this line.

[@MrAsianPie]

Accented Cinema : “Beautiful Chinese setting, lovable characters, and good story” Me : Funny panda go BRRR

[@disunityholychaos7523]

kid me years ago when kung fu panda was released: Yay! got my Tai Lung Mcdonalds kids meal toy!

[@Kishimyu]

I love your analysis of film and the message they give.

[@dreamsthingsaardvarks7343]

This was such a cool video that I wasn’t expecting to find and I enjoyed it so much

[@indiciaobscure]

This is great! I was always curious about the ‘Why didn’t we make this?’ response to King Fu Panda. Very interesting that it’s more about what China had stopped doing than what Hollywood had actually done. I find the Chinese response to Hollywood in general very interesting and would love to see more videos on this topic. There is an antagonistic relationship between the two governments, many Hollywood films are filled with military and other propaganda, but also Hollywood tries to pander to a Chinese audience.

[@raviamodernepic]

Having faith in your own cultural art style is so important. Glad we are getting to see more authentic cinema coming from Asian, Latin, and African countries.

[@khanyi8512]

Exactly! We all have something to learn from each other with basic respect for each culture…

[@ammagon4519]

But then people complain about it calling it "woke" and "diversity bad"

[@MK-ok6yp]

​@Ammagon no we complain when you take certain historical events like the women king and purposely change history to fit whatever agenda you have. No one has a problem with black panther we have a problem with snowwhite being black

[@l.acosta4739]

And what would be unauthentic and why is it yours to decide if a foreign film is authentic or not?

[@simpleserpent1337]

No. Taking ALREADY existing characters and stories based for example on eastern European or Norwegian folklore, and turning those characters gay/black/asian/etc for no reason, THAT is woke. And just lazy. I personally dont see any wokenes if original stories from different cultures getting represented in cinema. But sadly, its just cheaper and better for business to turn mermaid black, than to make an actual adaptation of one of the many stories from african folklore, or any folklore really.

[@ZamanAristoOrCleon]

Top tier video and insight. 10/10 would recommend

[@Monoceros_323]

This is very good video i thoroughly enjoyed the explainations.

[@saxopi]

I think another product of this resurgence can also be found in Genshin Impact. The setting - particularly Liyue, characters and music all felt made of passion by it's chinese developers.

[@otaviodelucca3573]

I love Liyue so much. I keep walking there just to see the landscape and listen the music 🥺

[@janelle5442]

I love how much mihoyo is doing it's best to cater to different regions based on real life culture. Looking at Liyue, Monstad, and even Inazuma, they have clearly put time and effort to create beautiful landscapes and depictions of that culture along with loveable characters.

[@keicer5618]

not really, they could definitely do more with Liyue, the music is 💯 tho, I’ll give them that

[@Xannyphantom905]

Genshin impact is a love letter to weebs and Japan. Not china.

[@philipjamesaragonveloso9789]

@@Xannyphantom905 that's just recently in Inazuma. LiYue is totally Chinese no cap

[@bigheadrhino]

“This film loves China more than China loves itself.” Hahaah, did not expect that.

[@lilgabriel0517]

2:40 I don’t know why I like the way you said “dragons have to be special” so much lol 😂 also great video!

[@unaanguila]

Thanks for sharing the analysis of the movie.

[@user-ty2fm3ge9m]

I’m having my AP chem exam in 8 min so I’ll just say hi and gl to all of you who have upcoming exams

[@savishksk]

Gl man

[@savishksk]

What subject?

[@reireiisconfused]

Good luck!

[@justafloatingcoconut1368]

good luck will wait for the update

[@stevenlee5164]

GL

[@akshat_kasana]

One aspect which you missed out was the music and soundtrack of the movie. Even if it wasn't totally authentic Chinese... It *felt* Chinese and went very well with what was happening in the scene.

[@motivateddad]

Because everyone was busy ... KUNG FU FIGHTING

[@JellyDonutSquirt]

wow this analysis gave me goosebumps!

[@gautampandey3519]

Wow wow wow!! Man, you have really outdone yourself here. Way to go, sir. Way to go!!