Among the similarities between his creation and the DreamWorks character that Gordon cites in his complaint: both giant pandas hang out with red panda sidekicks who use chopsticks in connection with kung fu fighting.This on top of the 2010 lawsuit filed by another man whith the same Zen-Bear idea:
Gordon also claims that the similarites extend to other plot elements and settings. Portions of both the movie and Gordon’s illustrated literary works take place in "The Valley of Peace," a fictional land in ancient China. Gordon also notes that while his panda is supported by a group of five fighting animals known as the "Five Fists of Fury," Kung Fu Panda protagonist Po is accompanied by a group called "Furious Five" that is composed of the same five animals: a tiger, a monkey, a crane, a mantis, and a snake.
Self-described "writer-producer-teacher-philosopher" Terence Dunn ... claims that he originally pitched the idea of a "spiritual kung-fu fighting panda bear" to DreamWorks studio execs back in November 2001. Dunn's kung-fu bear was "adopted by five animal friends in the forest (a tiger, a leopard, a dragon, a snake and a crane), whose destiny is foretold by an old and wise sage, Turquoise Tortoise, and who comes of age and fulfills his destiny as a martial arts hero and spiritual avatar."I guess this just goes to show that there really are no original ideas - I mean, what are the chances? Two guys, on opposites sides of the country, both come up with this idea? (Hmmm, you know, the guy in LA went to Harvard, and the other guy lives in Boston. I wonder if they ever crossed paths?) Either way, DreamWorks certainly has its hands full.
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