Every New Animal-inspired Character in Kung Fu Panda 4

As the fourth installment in one of Dreamworks' highest-grossing franchise, Kung Fu Panda 4 introduced a whole new cast of characters and animal species that we have not yet seen in the story. While based in China, Kung Fu Panda mostly uses regional fauna as anthropomorphic animal characters in its storyline. As such, the films are populated with pandas, geese, cats, monkeys, pigs, sheep and rabbits.

However, each new installment often introduces one or more new animal species. While Kung Fu Panda 2 introduced the peacocks through Lord Shen and his family, Kung Fu Panda 3 had the infamous chi-stealing yak Kai.

The antagonist of the fourth film is a new animal too, and she is joined by many other colourful characters including the future dragon warrior Zhen.

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All New Animal-inspired Characters in Kung Fu Panda 4

Zhen

Zhen is a corsac fox or a Tibetan fox, who is initially introduced to Po as a thief in Kung Fu Panda 4.

From there, her role evolves into that of a grudging ally who leads Po to the Chameleon, seemingly to help him defeat him, before betraying him. However, Po's good nature wins her over finally, she she turns against her boss.

Voice by Awkwafina, Zhen is poised to be the successor of Po as the dragon warrior while the panda himself becomes the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.

While Zhen's character has elicited criticism from fans, many of whom are not willing to let their beloved panda go, her presence in the film actually helps develop Po's character too.

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The Chameleon

The shapeshifting antagonist of the film, The Chameleon has no other names and aliases beyond her species.

That makes sense, considering her entire gimmick as a villain centres around copying the physical appearance and later the powers of other characters. This symbolically mimics the colour-changing skin of the reptile she's based on, aka a veiled chameleon.

Voice by Viola Davis as a part of Kung Fu Panda 4, the Chameleon proves to be Po's most difficult antagonist yet, who not only uses her guile but also uses the stolen powers of the villains from all three previous films.

Thankfully, Po bests her with his own kung fu panda and a little help from Zhen, which brings us to the next point.

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Han the Sunda pangolin

Han the Sunda pangolin was the leader of a group of thieves to which Zhen belonged.

It's revealed that Zhen had been brought up among these thieves, but decided to leave them and join the Chameleon, under whom she had been serving all this while. While initially reluctant to help them, Han begrudgingly forgives Zhen for betraying them and joins the fight against the Chameleon in the final battle of Kung Fu Panda 4.

Voiced by Key Huy Quan in Kung Fu Panda 4, Han plays an ambivalent role in the story and attacks enemies by rolling into ball and launching from a distance. His species in the real world is highly endangered, having been killed for their meat and medicinal value.

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Captain Fish the arowana

Captain Fish does not have a major role in the film, but he soon emerges as one of the quirky characters which the protagonists of Kung Fu Panda 4.

The characters meet him in a bar that is balanced on the edge of a cliff, and it is revealed that he spends his waking hours inside the mouth of a pelican who had become his adoptive mother.

Captain Fish in Kung Fu Panda 4 is based on an arowana, one of the few species that are not native to Asia. Instead, they are one of the largest freshwater fish in the world and hail from Brazil.

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While bringing in lots of new faces, Kung Fu Panda 4 does not disappoint us with the older, recurring characters.

While the Furious Five have remained notably absent from most of the film due to plot-oriented reasons, Mr. Ping the goose, Shifu the red panda and Po's father all have prominent speaking roles in the story.