Kung Fu Panda = Offensive Panda?
By Lisa Fary
Chinese artist Zhao Bandi is suing DreamWorks for it’s “insulting” portrayal of the panda, and therefore, the Chinese people, in Kung Fu Panda.
Zhao is quoted in Variety as saying:
“Designing the panda with green eyes is a conspiracy. A panda with green eyes has the feeling of evil. I have studied oil painting, and we would never use green eyes to describe a kind-hearted figure. So I ask them to open their creative meeting records of this film and explain why the green eyes?
“Next, why is the panda’s father is a duck? Many foreigners think the giant panda is not just China’s symbol, but also the Chinese people’s symbol. Drawing the father of the giant panda as a duck is an insult to the Chinese people. In a few years time, I’m worried some young Chinese people will think their ancestor is Donald Duck.”Â
Interesting. . . particularly since Zhao’s own panda artwork is considered an abuse of the panda’s image. Â
Last year at China’s Fashion Week, Zhao showed a line of panda inspired couture, which, while super cute, moved China’s censors to draft legislation against “demeaning and uncomplimentary” images of pandas.
This isn’t the first time Zhao has raised a stink over Kung Fu Panda. About a month ago, the artist was at the forefront of a petition to block to movie’s release in China, citing Sharon Stone’s statement that the recent earthquake was karma and Steven Spielberg’s boycott of the Olympics in Beijing as reasons for the petitioned action. Â
Kung Fu Panda set a box office record in China. I suppose that means the petition wasn’t successful. Â
Incidentally, Zhao is opening his flagship Bandi Panda shop in Beijing tomorrow. The shop will sell Zhao’s panda fashions, accessories, and toys. Â
Yeah, this lawsuit is totally not a publicity stunt.Â
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Lisa Fary’s early exposure to classic Battlestar Galactica in 1979 is largely responsible for her lifelong interest in science fiction and her childhood ambition of being an intergalactic space cowgirl. She thinks diagramming sentences is a fun alternative to Sudoku.Â
July 21st, 2008 at 2:30 am
[...] Kung Fu Panda = Offensive Panda? Chinese artist Zhao Bandi is suing DreamWorks for it’s “insulting” portrayal of the panda, and therefore, the Chinese people, in Kung Fu Panda. (tags: china animation) [...]