Jujutsu Kaisen: Is Panda a real panda? His origins and anatomy, explained

Modified Mar 18, 2024 06:19 GMT

Panda as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen (image via MAPPA)

The upbeat and vibrant cast of the Jujutsu Kaisen series have captivated hearts of anime fans all over the world, who deeply treasure these characters due to their relatability and attractive personalities. At this point, it's safe to say that these characters might just be the main reason behind the overwhelming success of Gege Akutami's magnum opus.

Among this wide range of characters, Panda, a second-year student at Tokyo Jujutsu High, stands out the most due to his appearance as a literal panda. Throughout his various appearances throughout the series, Panda has emerged as a fan favorite character due to his uplifting and overly cheerful personality.

Despite being a semi-Grade 2 Jujutsu sorcerer, fans have often wondered whether Panda is, in fact, a real panda or not.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen manga. Reader's discretion is advised.

Exploring Panda's origins in the Jujutsu Kaisen series

Panda as seen in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime (image via MAPPA)

Panda made his debut in episode 5 of Jujutsu Kaisen season 1. He was an instant favorite in the fandom, majorly due to his overall goofy personality and sense of humor. Due to his appearance, however, fans, as well as some of the characters themselves wondered if he was an actual panda.

It was eventually clarified that despite his appearance, Panda is, in fact, not a real panda. He is an Abrupt-Mutation Cursed Corpse created by Masamichi Yaga, the principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High. When he was younger, Panda spoke in a rather robotic manner. As he grew up, he developed a unique personality of his own and attended Jujutsu High as a student.

Panda has been stated to be the most advanced Cursed Corpse of the Jujutsu world, due to which, he had a natural affinity for Jujutsu sorcery. He has been shown to be a capable fighter and is able to exorcise curses, relying on his strength alone.

However, Panda's main strength has also proven to be his greatest weakness - his cores, which essentially function as his heart. He can be easily defeated if an opponent destroys all three of his cores.

Panda as seen in his Gorilla form in Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 (image via MAPPA)

Panda has three cores in his body. The first one is the balanced-type Panda, a state in which he is usually seen throughout the series. The second core is the power-type Gorilla, a state which grants him a more muscular form, with enhanced strength and speed. His final core is the Triceratops, which allows him to transform into a bipedal Triceratops. However, his abilities in his Triceratops form remains unknown to this day.

Even in his base form, Panda is immensely powerful, as seen in his fight against Mechamaru and a brief scuffle against Aoi Todo. He has also displayed a level of intellect higher than what was initially assumed. Panda is highly analytical during his fights and has often impressed his opponents with his cleverness.

Panda as seen with Kusakabe in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 (image via MAPPA)

Apart from his intelligence and physical attributes, Panda's calm and upbeat personality allows him to get along with practically anyone. He rarely ever gets angry and is highly sarcastic at times, even in the middle of his fights.

Despite being uplifting and overly goofy at times, Panda is also extremely mature and reasonable. Even after witnessing the execution of Masamichi Yaga, who was practically his creator and father figure, he never held any grudge towards the higher-ups of Jujutsu High and resumed his usual cheerful demeanor after a brief moment of grief.

To conclude

All these qualities make Panda an extremely loveable character, as he is often considered to be one of the best characters in the entire Jujutsu Kaisen series by fans.

Although he is currently absent from the ongoing fight against Ryomen Sukuna in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, fans hope to see him appear sometime soon in the upcoming chapters.