Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness

[GeneChing]

Nickelodeon Unveils "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness" (http://www.toonzone.net/news/articles/38209/sdcc2011--nickelodeon-unveils-kung-fu-panda-legends-of-awesomeness)
By Jeffrey Harris
07-23-2011, 12:41 AM

Nickelodeon held a panel featuring their new animated series, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, at this week's San Diego Comic-Con. The series is based on the hit CG animated movies produced by DreamWorks Animation and features the further adventures of the cuddly, panda dragon warrior, Po (Mick Wingert), and his comrades, the Furious Five. Together the group defends the Valley of Peace from evildoers and get into other various mischief. The show will finally be appearing on Nickelodeon later this fall and is set for fifty two episodes. In attendance for the panel were Po's new voice actor, Mick Wingert, who does a nigh-perfect imitation of Jack Black as Po; James Hong, who returns as Mr. Ping, Po's adoptive goose father; and John DiMaggio, who portrays a crocodile bandit that seeks Po's help in the series.

Nickelodeon previewed a brand-new episode of the series, currently set for fifty two episodes, in addition to select footage that still wasn't completely finished. Great that they at least got Hong to play.

[Lokhopkuen]

We had a premier party recently where they aired the first 3 or 4 episodes and it turned out pretty cute.

Official Synopsis
"Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness tells the continuing adventures of Po as he trains, protects, fights, teaches, learns, stumbles, talks too much, and geeks out as the newest hero in the Valley of Peace. Now living in the barracks with the Furious Five, Po will have to take on his many new responsibilities, his many new adversaries, and his many old pounds in the continuing adventures of the Dragon Warrior. And kick some serious boo-tay. Yeah, that goes without saying. For being the Dragon Warrior is not a destination, it's a journey. Unfortunately for Po, most of that journey is uphill."

Nickelodeon has stated that they have "big plans for the show", giving the series an additional twenty-six episodes, bringing the total to fifty-two. These will be made at Dreamworks Animation SKG using the same computer-generated process as the original film, featuring Po in the lead role. Currently, not many official episode titles and plots have been announced. However, an intern at Nickelodeon Animation Studios visited the show's recording studio and later blogged that it seemed like the episodes are not written solely for comedic value, but instead have a story-based plot similar to the films.


Part of an episode plot was also revealed during a recorded voiceover session with James Hong, the voice of Mr. Ping, and Peter Hastings (the show's producer and writer). Hastings goes over with Hong one scene where "Mr. Ping has fooled Po . . . with an 'emergency' to come down to the noodle shop. But when he gets there, he sees that . . . they just need a fourth for majhong." In context with Hong's spoken lines, Mr. Ping then uses emotional appeal to persuade Po to stay; one line has Mr. Ping explaining how he "worked triple shifts to put Po through school". But Po reminds him that he never went to school, and Mr. Ping calls it "another disappointment.
There is also a soundtrack in development for the series. The score is being done by The Track Team, who are known for composing the score for Avatar: The Last Airbender.
In addition, Sifu Kisu will be the martial arts consultant for the show as he was on the Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

Some of the show's progress previewed at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, featuring fully voiced-over scenes from animated storyboards and finished animation (2D "dream sequence" animation and 3D CGI animation); in addition, the preview displayed the show's completed main title sequence, including the show's new theme song, with Po as the lead singer. In one of the CGI-animated scenes, Po must do five pull-ups before he and the Furious Five can have lunch; Masters Tigress, Crane, and Monkey help Po as he struggles to accomplish this task. In another scene, Po finds something that looks like a pair of tiny nunchucks and destroys the kitchen with them; Tigress then appears shortly after and says that she is looking for a small metal chain that's normally attached to her vest, but then stops when she sees the destruction Po has made with the "nunchucks".

The show will also be taking part in Nickelodeon's revamp to their cartoon season on television. As an early promotion, Po was featured in a Nickelodeon bumper with all the characters of the shows set to premiere (or were renewed) in 2011. On July 23rd, an exclusive sneak peek of the series is planned to be shown at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, with producers and members of the voice cast present at the panel. A sneak peek episode is also planned to be on the DVD/Blu-ray release for Kung Fu Panda 2.


Most of the new cast in the series have been revealed:

Mick Wingert will voice Po
Fred Tatasciore will voice Shifu
Kari Wahlgren will voice Tigress
James Sie will voice Monkey
Amir Talai will voice Crane
Kate Higgins will voice Viper
Max Koch will reprise his role as Mantis
James Hong will continue his role as Mr. Ping
Wallace Shawn will voice Taotie
Simon Helberg will voice Bian Zao
John DiMaggio will voice Fung
Stephen Root will voice Junjie
Wayne Knight will voice Jong
Lauren Tom will voice Bai Li
Diedrich Bader will voice Hundun
Kevin Michael Richardson will voice Temutai
John Kassir will voice Sai So
Toby Huss will voice Mr. Yeung
Maria Bamford will voice Chen
Jim Ward will voice Kwan
Amy Hill will voice Mrs. Gow
Peter Hastings will voice Apple Cart Duck
Lynn Milgrim will voice Scorpion
Episode ListEdit

[GeneChing]

Plus a big fat plug for Sifu Kisu. :cool:

“Kung Fu Panda: Legends Of Awesomeness” – Videos, News (http://www.nickutopia.com/2011/09/17/kung-fu-panda-legends-of-awesomeness-videos-news/)
September 17, 2011 | by Nickutopia Staff | Share

Fall of 2011 is quickly approaching, which can only mean one thing… “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness” will soon make its premiere on Nickelodeon! To celebrate the highly-anticipated arrival, Nickelodeon and DreamWorks have been releasing clips from the first season, posters, and exciting news.

While the show has yet to begin its first season, it has already been approved for a second season. The series will follow Po on his quest to becoming the Dragon Warrior.

Here are the casting details:

Mick Wingert – Po
Fred Tatasciore – Shifu
Kari Wahlgren – Tigress
James Sie – Monkey
Amir Talai – Crane
Kate Higgins – Viper
Max Koch – Mantis
James Hong – Mr. Ping
John DiMaggio – Fung
Wallace Shawn – Taotie
Simon Helberg – Bian Zao
Stephen Root – Junjie
Wayne Knight – Jong
Lauren Tom – Bai Li
Diedrich Bader – Hundun
Kevin Michael Richardson – Temutai
John Kassir – Sai So
Toby Huss – Mr. Yeung
Maria Bamford – Chen
Jim Ward – Kwan
Amy Hill – Mrs. Gow
Peter Hastings – Apple Cart Duck
Lynn Milgrim – Scorpion
Tim Dadabo – Shengqi

Sifu Kisu, who was the martial arts consultant on “Avatar: The Last Airbender” will continue his role on “Kung Fu Panda.”

Check out the sneak peeks below from the first episode: “Scorpion’s Sting” and let us know your thoughts.

How excited are you for “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness?” We can’t wait!

[Lokhopkuen]

From infamous to name drop (((roll Jefferson's theme song!))) :D

[GeneChing]

(HQ) "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness" Sneak Peek Promo (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheUkeUkeable#p/u/4/g86EC7iZYh4)

Fish don't fry in the kitchen;
Beans don't burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin',
Just to get up that hill.
Now we're up in the big leagues,
Gettin' our turn at bat.
As long as we live, it's you and me baby,
There ain't nothin wrong with that.

So, Kisu, how does it feel to be the king of cartoon kung fu? :p Keep bringin' it, BSL cousin!

[SPJ]

watched the first episode. good.

sneezing trick is helarious.

there was a panda pup sneezed loudly and scared the mama panda chewing on bamboo.

it was on youtube a while back.

so the first episode sneezing on the same idea.

you cover your nose, but you hide white carrot or nin ja star in your hand covered

when you sneeze, you throw out the mantis or the nin ja star

--

get it and got it.

--

tigress had a cold and needed the orchid that took by scorpion.

---

good about the sneezing joke

Jack Black is sort of a comedian in a different way

--

:)

[MightyB]

My son and I caught the preview. It was funny and we both enjoyed it.

---

Kisu found a way to create the best job in the world - MA Choreographer for toons - that's pretty awesome!

[Lokhopkuen]

Strange how things happen.

[Lokhopkuen]

(HQ) "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness" Sneak Peek Promo (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheUkeUkeable#p/u/4/g86EC7iZYh4)

Fish don't fry in the kitchen;
Beans don't burn on the grill.
Took a whole lotta tryin',
Just to get up that hill.
Now we're up in the big leagues,
Gettin' our turn at bat.
As long as we live, it's you and me baby,
There ain't nothin wrong with that.

So, Kisu, how does it feel to be the king of cartoon kung fu? :p Keep bringin' it, BSL cousin!

Wow look a crown!! Wait till you see what we did for the new Avatar series:D

[MightyB]

Wow look a crown!! Wait till you see what we did for the new Avatar series:D

Very much looking forward to it!

[Zenshiite]

I missed this thing and I can't find it online.... when does this show actually start?

[GeneChing]

“Kung Fu Panda: Legends Of Awesomeness” – 4 Episodes Premiere November 7 To 10, 2011 (http://www.nickutopia.com/2011/10/26/kung-fu-panda-legends-of-awesomeness-4-episodes-premiere-november-7-to-10-2011/)
October 26, 2011 | by Nickutopia Staff

Nickelodeon’s newest Nicktoon “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness” has premiered 2 episodes this year with “Scorpion’s Sting” and “The Princess and the Po.” Each day from Monday, November 7, to Thursday, November 10, a brand new episode will premiere.

The new adventures are:

Sticky Situation – Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. – “Po accidentally breaks the training equipment in the Jade Palace and invites a mechanical genius named Taotie to fix it. Unbeknownst to Po, Taotie is an old enemy of Shifu’s and this invitation was all he needed to seek his revenge.”

Chain Reaction – Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m. – “Po is driving Tigress nuts with his fanboy ways while they are on a mission together. Things get worse when they are attacked by Croc Bandits and wind up handcuffed together. The two have to learn how to work together to evade the bandits and save their skins.”

Fluttering Finger Mindslip – Nov. 9 – Po discovers “a rare secret move which causes temporary memory loss, but things get out of hand when he uses it on the Furious Five.”

Hometown Hero – Nov. 10 – “Po visits Mantis’ hometown and discovers that Mantis hasn’t been entirely honest with the villagers.”

Are you a fan of “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness?” What do you think of the new show so far?
If Po trains under a swordmaster like Sokka did, I'm gonna spit out my beer. ;)

[Zenshiite]

Psyched!

My son is apparently jonesing so hard for new Kung Fu Panda that he's willing to watch this cheap knockoff "Chop Kick Panda" that we keep seeing on Netflix. I refuse to subject him to that crap. KFP2 isn't out on DVD until December, but we'll find a way to watch this show with or without cable. I hope Nickolodeon is kind enough to put the episodes on their website as they did with the Scorpion's Sting episode.

[GeneChing]

The buzz factory is in full force.

Nickelodeon's new 'Kung Fu Panda' series: Wallace Shawn plays the villianous Taotie! (http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/11/03/kung-fu-panda-wallace-shawn-toatie-exclusive-video/)-- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
by Tanner Stransky
Categories: EW Exclusive, Television

Who doesn’t love Wallace Shawn? Well, now there’s another reason to heart the cute little guy who you loved in Clueless, My Dinner With Andre, and The Princess Bride: Shawn is one of the voice actors in Nickelodeon’s new animated series Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness — a continuation of the successful DreamWorks features — which launches this Monday, Nov. 7, at 5:30 p.m. Below, EW has an exclusive sneak peek video of Shawn’s role as the villainous Taotie in the show.

“In this very clever, very wittily written series, I had the opportunity to provide the voice for the character of Taotie, a confused and power-mad inventor, trapped in an eternal love-hate relationship with his constant companion, his teenage son, who is sadly unimpressed by his father’s mighty gifts,” Shawn told EW about his character. “Taotie’s obsession with dominating the universe and destroying his enemies never leads to success, because his vanity and self-involvement keep getting in the way. I hope I have been more successful in realizing my part than my character has been in grinding the show’s heroes into the dust.”

New episodes of the Kung Fu Panda series air weekdays at 5:30, right after SpongeBob SquarePants.


Posted: Thu., Nov. 3, 2011, 7:21pm PT
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117946515)
(Series -- Nickelodeon, Mon. Nov. 7, 5:30 p.m.)
By Brian Lowry

Po and his martial-arts friends take on the smallscreen in “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.”

Produced by DreamWorks Animation in partnership with Nickelodeon Prods. Executive producers, Peter Hastings, Cheryl Holliday; supervising producers, Randy Dormans, Gabe Swarr; producers, Andrew Huebner, Dean Hoff; director, Swarr; writers, Scott Kreamer, Doug Langdale, Kevin Seccia, Hastings; theme composed by Hastings; casting, Sarah Noonan, Meredith Layne. 30 MIN.
Voices: Mick Wingert, Kari Wahlgren, Amir Talai, Max Koch, Fred Tatasciore, James Sie, James Hong, Lucy Liu.

After its short-lived "Father of the Pride," DreamWorks has largely confined its TV efforts to adaptations of successful features, with reasonably impressive results. So following on "Penguins of Madagascar" comes another Nickelodeon series, "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness," which comes credibly close to the visual quality of the movies in action-filled half-hours. Premiering with a weeklong run behind "SpongeBob Squarepants" before moving to Fridays in December, it's a formidable addition to Nick's arsenal in kid TV's frenetic battle to win the allegiance of boys.

Coming on the heels of two "Panda" features, the series doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it follows the chubby, forever-hungry unlikely hero Po (voiced with an uncanny resemblance to Jack Black by Mick Wingert) and the rest of his martial-arts menagerie on various adventures.

In the two previewed episodes, that includes Po inadvertently destroying the group's training facility -- and triggering another crisis in his efforts to quietly fix it -- and Po and Tigress (Kari Wahlgren) having to fend off crocodile bandits while handcuffed to each other, "The Defiant Ones"-style.

As for the differences between the series and the movies, younger tykes probably won't even notice. OK, so the fur doesn't ripple and the scale isn't quite so spectacular; there's still plenty of kung fu to keep moppets on the couch building up their own little panda paunches -- and even a jaunty theme song.

In addition to Wingert, the voice cast does a fine job of seamlessly replicating the characters, with only Lucy Liu and James Hong reprising their film roles.

For DreamWorks, there's obvious value in keeping franchises alive and maintaining contact with kids in the long stretches between movies, and the studio's product (including the less-appealing "Penguins") provides Nickelodeon a visually stimulating alternative to much of TV's limited animation -- one that ought to hold its own against fare courting the same pint-sized crowd on Cartoon Network, Disney XD and the Hub.

So as his grouchy master has a way of saying at the end of his various adventures: Well done, "Panda.

[GeneChing]

He was once a Tiger Claw (https://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php) gear model. Seriously.

James Hong rides Nickelodeon’s ‘Kung Fu Panda’ to a whole new generation of fans (http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/television/james-hong-rides-nickelodeon-s-kung-fu-panda-a-generation-fans-article-1.972407?localLinksEnabled=false)
At 83, a familiar film performer is back as the voice of Ping in TV version of animation hit
BY Richard Huff
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Originally Published: Monday, November 7 2011, 6:00 AM

James Hong has gone from working alongside Groucho Marx to superstardom among viewers more likely to say, “Groucho who?”

Hong, a film and television veteran, is the voice of Mr. Ping, an animated character in the big-screen “Kung Fu Panda” movies. He also does the voice on Nickelodeon’s series “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness,” launching Monday at 5:30.

“I’ve been a living actor through four eras,” says Hong, now in Boston working on “R.I.P.D.,” a film starring Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Bacon.

Only Hong and Lucy Liu are carryovers from the theatrical version of the animated tales of Po the Panda, who grows into a dragon warrior and is surrounded by friends and mentors.

Hong, 83, has hundreds of film and TV credits to his name. He attributes his wide vocal range, perfect for animated roles, to growing up as Chinese boy in Minnesota.

“Being a lonely child — I probably was the only Chinese guy in about 3,000 kids in high school — I talk to myself in the mirror a lot,” he says. “My talent for voiceovers started very, very early.”

Hong headed to Los Angeles in 1953 and landed on Marx’s “You Bet Your Life.” He later worked with Clark Gable and appeared in “Blade Runner,” “Chinatown” and the classic “Big Trouble in Little China.”

Doing the voice of Ping for the theatrical version is a process that takes more than three years, with various recording sessions along the way. For the TV show, he says, it’s much faster.

The process of acting only with voice is much different than using voice and body together, Hong notes.

“In Hollywood, they have special classes for voiceovers,” he says. “It’s almost a different craft from stage acting. You don’t have a person to react to when you’re saying your lines.”

Likewise, he must envision what other actors might be saying or doing, without seeing them.

“For me, it’s relatively easy,” he says. “But it is a little bit harder, and maybe that’s why I get a lot of work doing voiceovers. I can express with my voice probably as well as I can with my voice and my body.”

He says there are a couple of episodes coming up that give Mr. Ping some fun story lines. The series, no doubt, will make Hong’s voice popular with a new generation of fans.

Indeed, most kids don’t recognize him in public, but their parents do.

“They say, ‘He does the voice of Mr. Ping,’ ” he says. “Then I have to do the voice.”

[doug maverick]

she needs the work. her profile has dropped hard core. i hate her as a voice actor to be honest, she is so out of sync, makes you aware that there is a voice actor....she ruined afro samurai resurrection for me.

[GeneChing]

He'll always be Alex or Caligula to me. ;)

Malcolm McDowell Is Master Shifu’s Dad In “Kung Fu Panda: Father Crime” (http://www.nickutopia.com/2012/01/06/malcolm-mcdowell-is-master-shifus-dad-in-kung-fu-panda-father-crime-january-16-2012/) – January 16, 2012
January 6, 2012 | by Nickutopia Staff

http://www.nickutopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Malcolm-McDowell-Kung-Fu-Panda.jpg
On Monday, January 16, film legend Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Bolt) will guest star on “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness” as Master Shifu’s father. The episode premieres at 10:30 am ET/PT.

When Shifu’s father returns to the Jade Palace, Po thinks the family reunion will be so sweet. He soon learns that Shifu and his father don’t get along.

[GeneChing]

Wizarding World and Kung Fu Panda land coming to Universal’s future Beijing theme park (https://www.polygon.com/2019/10/14/20914385/universal-unveils-beijing-resort-wizarding-world-transformers-minions)
Kung-Fu Panda Land of Awesomess > Wizarding World
By Petrana Radulovic@Pet_rana Oct 14, 2019, 4:30pm EDT

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4SXVB3c7ovtnpECoz4KProaRkqk=/0x0:1900x1097/920x613/filters:focal(798x397:1102x701):format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65465414/Universal_Beijing_Resort_Unveils_Vision_to_Bring_I ncredible_Experiences_to_China.0.jpg
Universal Studios

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will soon be coming to China. On Monday, Universal revealed that its planned Beijing resort will include seven themed lands from across all Universal properties. In addition to the popular Harry Potter land, Beijing will also be the home of Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, Transformers: Metrobase, Minion Land, Jurassic World Isla Nublar, Hollywood Boulevard, and WaterWorld.

The Kung Fu Panda land will be the first Kung Fu Panda-themed land. The entirely indoor experience is designed to transport visitors to “legendary China.” Also unique to Universal Beijing Resort will be the Transformers: Metrobase land, which will expand upon the character of Metrobase and turn visitors into “guest agents.”

The Jurassic World area, however, is new to Universal parks, though three existing Universal Studios locations have Jurassic Park-themed areas.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter will get the Hogsmeade area for its the Beijing location. Meanwhile, WaterWorld continues to get a lot of love in Universal Studios’ Asia locations, as does Minion Land. Both appear in Universal Studios Japan and Singapore, with WaterWorld also in Universal Studios Hollywood.

These attractions will make up the Universal Studios component of the Universal Beijing Resort. Another park is in development, though no details have been revealed. In addition to the park areas, Universal Beijing Resort will boast a City Walk entertainment, dining, and retail complex, six different hotels, and eventually a water park. The first phase of the Universal Beijing Resort is set to open in spring 2021.

THREADS
Chinese Theme Parks (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?62642-Chinese-Theme-Parks)
Harry Potter (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?37539-Harry-Potter)
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?61308-Kung-Fu-Panda-Legends-of-Awesomeness)