Kung Fu Panda

Magellans at the Movies by Nathan Magalhaes

Episode notes

Pandas. If you’re somehow not aware of them (which, like, how, they’re basically the poster-animal for endangered species), they’re not exactly what you’d call limber. While the great felines of the world regularly perform feats of stunning acrobatics and athleticism, those of the ursine persuasion, especially panda bears, are stuck lumbering around with all the speed and agility of a wheelchair made out of bricks. This is fine for Youtube compilations of pandas failing to exhibit a strong grasp of even basic motor skills, but if you’re an enterprising young film studio aiming to center a martial arts series around ailuropoda melanoleuca then I’m afraid animation is your first, last, and only port of call, and you’ll have to do more than a little bit of anthropomorphizing even then. When that’s done what you’re left with is something cal ... 

 ...  Read more