Note: This thread documents archived material from a user blog. The title, content, and some comments of this thread were copied over from a user blog as part of a community archiving project. Some of its content may be outdated.
**ORIGINALLY POSTED JUNE 1, 2013 / UPDATED DAILY**
Welcome one and all to a special event hosted by the Kung Fu Panda Wiki! This is a special time for Kung Fu Panda fans because in June of 2008, the first film of the franchise was first released in U.S. theaters, which now means that the franchise and its large following are both officially 5 years old.
Fans all around the web are celebrating this momentous occasion, and the Kung Fu Panda Wiki wishes to recognize and celebrate alongside them, as well as help spread word to those who haven't yet been introduced to the franchise.
EVENT INFO
This event is being held in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the Kung Fu Panda franchise. For the entire month of June, we will be hosting a variety of activities that we hope helps accomplish our goals for this event. Among these activities include:
Polls
Interactive blogs
Spotlights on articles, media, the fandom and more
Updates on a televised event
Updates on upcoming releases / premieres
Birthdays
Western and oriental holidays
See as they come!
This event is designed to help reach out to the world about this successful and spectacular franchise. Whether you've just barely discovered Kung Fu Panda or if you’ve been a hardcore fan since the beginning, we're all here to unite as one in celebration of 5 years of the kung-fu-fighting panda!
OUR GOALS
Celebrate the international success and popularity of the franchise
Unite the fandom's fans and the wiki's community
Testify and share our passions with fellow fans and others (former fans, fans of animation, fans of DreamWorks Animation, people who haven't yet discovered Kung Fu Panda, etc.)
Invite others to join in the celebration
Share this event!
This event is exclusively online; therefore, we are dependent on getting word out through social networking and other technological means. Here's how you can help get the word out:
Share/like/retweet/reblog/favorite/comment/rate/etc. any posts by the wiki, official DWA pages, other fans, etc.
Post/tweet/blog/tag/upload/etc. your own stuff about KFP:
News
Pictures
Quotes
Favorite stuff
Fanon
Testimonies / "Confessions"
Tributes
Anything else that gets people thinking about Kung Fu Panda!
For tagging:
#KungFuPanda, #30DaysKFP
Make up your own (#KFP5thAnniversary, #KungFuPandaAnniversary, etc.)
Change your avatar/profile pic/cover photo/page header/etc. to a KFP picture
Start/contribute to a KFP-dedicated group/forum
Etc., etc., etc.—there's so many possibilities!
One thing to remember with sharing activities: Don't get to the point of being patronizing and/or annoying. Don't make people not want to get involved in Kung Fu Panda because its fandom is full of people that are too overwhelming. You're doing this so others can experience the same passion you feel about the franchise, so remember to always be mature and humble about it. :)
EVENT LOG
Every day for the entire month, we'll be updating this blog and recording our event activities. This will hopefully enable you to keep updated and never miss an activity during the event.
Day 1
New blog: 30 Days of Kung Fu Panda
Holiday: Children's Day in China
Article spotlight: (In honor of China's Children's Day) Bao Gu Orphanage
Discussion topic of the day: What will you do (or want to do) during this month in honor of Kung Fu Panda?
Day 2
New blog: Share Your Discovery Story
Birthday: Dennis Haysbert
Article spotlight: (In honor of Dennis Haysbert's birthday) Storming Ox
Discussion topic of the day: How did you first discover Kung Fu Panda?
Day 3
New blog: Why We Love Kung Fu Panda
Article spotlight: Kung Fu Panda (franchise)
Discussion topic of the day: What do you love about Kung Fu Panda?
Day 4
New blog: What I Learned From Kung Fu Panda
Birthday: Angelina Jolie
Article spotlight: (In honor of Angelina Jolie's birthday) Tigress
Discussion topic of the day: What did you learn or take away from Kung Fu Panda?
Day 5
New blog: Kung Fu Panda Is...
Article spotlight: Legend of the Legendary Warrior
Discussion topic of the day: Describe the Kung Fu Panda franchise in a single word or short phrase: "Kung Fu Panda is __________."
Day 6
New blog: Happy Anniversary, Kung Fu Panda!
Article spotlight: Kung Fu Panda
Discussion topic of the day: Share your favorite quote/scene from the film, and then give an explanation of why it's your favorite.
Day 7
New blog: Heroes vs. Villains
Article spotlight: Legendary Warrior (Po)
Discussion topic of the day: What do you think makes someone a hero/villain? What kind of qualities do they typically possess? Which ones do you think are most important to the role?
Day 8
New blog: Character Spotlight - Po
Article spotlight: Po
Discussion topic of the day: Discuss why Po is a key hero figure: What qualities make him this way? Is he maybe villainous in some ways? Why or why not?
Day 9
New blog: Character Spotlight - Shifu
Article spotlight: Shifu
Discussion topic of the day: Discuss why Shifu is a key hero figure: What qualities make him this way? Is he maybe villainous in some ways? Why or why not?
Day 10
New blog: Happy Birthday, Kung Fu Panda Wiki!
Birthdays: Jessica DiCicco (voice of young Viper in Secrets of the Furious Five)
Kung Fu Panda Wiki
Article spotlight: (In honor of Jessica DiCicco's birthday) Viper
Activity of the day: Make some kind of dedicated focus to the wiki: improve articles, share how you've used the wiki, give us a suggestion, etc.
Day 11
New blog: Character Spotlight - Furious Five
Article spotlight: Furious Five
Discussion topic of the day: Discuss why these characters are key hero figures: What qualities make them this way, collectively or individually? Are any of them maybe villainous in some ways? Why or why not?
Day 12
New blog: Character Spotlight - Oogway
Article spotlight: Oogway
Activity of the day: Pick your favorite saying/teaching from Oogway and explain why it's your favorite.
Day 13
New blog: Character Spotlight - Tai Lung
Birthday: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Article spotlight: Tai Lung
Discussion topic of the day: Discuss why Tai Lung is a key villain figure: What qualities make him this way? Is he maybe heroic in some ways? Why or why not?
Day 14
New blog: Character Spotlight - Shen
Article spotlight: Shen
Discussion topic of the day: Discuss why Shen is a key villain figure: What qualities make him this way? Is he maybe heroic in some ways? Why or why not?
Day 15
New blog: The Return of the Legends of Awesomeness
Article spotlight: Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness
Discussion topic of the day: Share your personal opinion on the show: What do you like about it? Dislike?
Day 16
New blog: Character Spotlight - Mr. Ping
Holiday: Father's Day
Event: 40th Daytime Emmy Awards (for Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness)
Article spotlight: Mr. Ping
Discussion topics of the day: What qualities does Mr. Ping possess and bring to the franchise's story? What makes him a hero? What significance does the father role have in the franchise's story arc?
Day 17
New blog: Kung Fu Panda Shorts
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Five is Enough"
Article spotlight: Secrets of the Furious Five
Discussion topics of the day: Why are the franchise's shorts both special to fans and important to the story arc? What do you like/dislike about the shorts? Why?
Day 18
New blog: Kung Fu Panda Video Games
New release: "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - Good Croc, Bad Croc"
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Mama Told Me not to Kung Fu"
Article spotlight: Kung Fu Panda: The Game
Discussion topics of the day: What do you like/dislike about the games? Why? What kind of games/improvements do you hope to see in the future?
Day 19
New blog: Kung Fu Panda Books
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Secret Admirer"
Article spotlight: The Art of Kung Fu Panda
Discussion topics of the day: What do you like/dislike about the books? Why? What do you hope to see (or see more of) in the future?
Day 20
New blog: Kung Fu Panda Merchandise
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Qilin Time"
Birthday: Tress MacNeille
Article spotlight: Wupo
Discussion topics of the day: What are your opinions on bootleg merchandise? Why is merchandise such a popular aspect of the franchise? Why do people like it so much? What do you like/dislike about the Kung Fu Panda merchandise? What do you want to see (or see more of) in the future?
Day 21
New blog: Ancient Chinese Culture
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Huge"
Article spotlight: Kung Fu
Discussion topics of the day: What do you think is the reason for the global fascination in oriental culture? How does the Kung Fu Panda franchise "immerse" you personally into Chinese culture? Are there any particular aspects that stand out in your mind? What kind of aspect(s) of Chinese culture do you hope to see (or see more of) in the franchise's future works?
Day 22
New blog: Chinese Landscape
Article spotlight: Valley of Peace
Discussion topics of the day: What do you like/dislike about Chinese landscapes? Which landscape is your favorite (so far)? Is there any kind of specific landscaping you're hoping to see in the future?
Day 23
New blog: Chinese Architecture
Article spotlight: Jade Palace
Discussion topics of the day: What do you like/dislike about Chinese architecture? Which building/structure is your favorite (so far)? Are there any kind of specific buildings/structures you're hoping to see in the future?
Day 24
New blog: Chinese Artifacts
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Shifu's Ex"
Birthday: Amir Talai
Article spotlight: Crane
Discussion topics of the day: Why are artifacts important to a culture? Why are they important to the Chinese culture specifically? Are there any objects in particular from the franchise that you like or is your favorite (so far)? What kind of objects do you want to see (or see more of) in the future?
Day 25
New blog: Chinese Cuisine
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "War of the Noodles"
Article spotlight: Noodle shop
Discussion topics of the day: Why is food an important aspect of a culture? How is it important to the Chinese culture in particular? Do you have any favorite Chinese foods or dishes?
Day 26
New blog: Chinese Music
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "The Break Up"
Article spotlight: Kung Fu Panda (soundtrack)
Discussion topics of the day: Why is music important to a culture? Why is it important to the Chinese culture specifically? What's your favorite track from the film soundtracks? Why? What kind of music are hoping to hear for future installments in the franchise?
Day 27
New blog: The Voices
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "Mind Over Manners"
File spotlight: Kung Fu Panda (2008) - Behind the scenes Jack Black in studio
Discussion topics of the day: What is your favorite thing about any of these voice actors? In other words, what do they do well that makes their character role stand out? Whose voice would you like to hear in future franchise installments?
Day 28
New blog: The Crew
New Legends of Awesomeness episode: "A Thousand and Twenty Questions"
File spotlight: The Making of Kung Fu Panda
Discussion topic of the day: What is your favorite behind-the-scenes aspect of anything from the franchise? What do they do well? Could anything be improved?
Day 29
New blog: The Fans
Spotlight: You the fans!
Activity of the day: Post a link to your fanon (fan art, fan fiction, fanvids, etc.), fansites, fanblogs or whatever else related to Kung Fu Panda.
Day 30 - Wrap-Up Party
Today, our "30 Days of Kung Fu Panda" celebration comes to an end. And where better to end it than where it officially began? :)
I have so many thoughts and feelings about this right now. But, let's try to keep organized so I don't end up rambling (too much). :P Our focus today is on four things: (1) reflecting back on what we talked about and celebrated this past month, (2) what's changed because of it; (3) pondering about what's in store for the future of Kung Fu Panda; and (4) my personal final thoughts on the event.
REFLECTION
Take a look at the event's log above. I'm sure you'd all agree that it's been quite an eventful month! And personally, this month has been one of the shortest months of my life—it flew by for me! Even still, we've accomplished a lot in celebrating the Kung Fu Panda franchise: how we first discovered it; why we love it; what we learn from it; anniversaries and birthdays; the franchise's themes; all of our favorite characters; all of our favorite franchise media; the franchise's portrayal of Chinese culture; and finally, all of the people who make it possible.
We also had some goals at the beginning of this event. Let's see how we did:
"Celebrate the international success and popularity of the franchise"
CHECK!
"Unite the fandom's fans and the wiki's community"
CHECK! But with the small exception of those arguing in the TixPo blog. :P
"Testify and share our passions with fellow fans and others (former fans, fans of animation, fans of DreamWorks Animation, people who haven't yet discovered Kung Fu Panda, etc.)"
CHECK + another CHECK to those who participated beyond the wiki's blogs!
"Invite others to join in the celebration"
I've seen a few people share this event, so CHECK!
I'll be leaving the blogs up so everyone can continue to participate in its discussion activities, and also hopefully bring in new people to the Kung Fu Panda fandom! :)
WHAT'S CHANGED?
The biggest change I've seen from this event is definitely the wiki's activity, particularly from our users. Before the event started, the wiki was in a "cruise control" state, with only myself and a few other users regularly checking up here. But now I'm glad to see that we got the wiki lively with activity again with returning users, new users, and a lot of anonymous contributors.
We've also accomplished with getting word out there about the wiki. As an admin, I receive various stats on this wiki's activity (mainly from Wikia Statistics and the Insights tool on the wiki's Facebook page), and activity on this wiki has doubled this past month. We're getting twice as many people viewing the wiki, and twice (close to three times) as many people viewing and participating on our Facebook page. I am speechless over this. I was really hoping this event would boost interest and activity, but I didn't think it would be this much. It's amazing, and you guys are to be thanked for it. :)
I've also noticed that the wiki's activity has massively reached out to fans from everywhere around the world. I was already aware of this (thanks to Flag Counter), but there's been some of you who've actively participated in the event and mentioned that you live in a country primarily non-English speaking. I think this is another amazing this about this wiki—no matter where on Earth we are, we're all a fan force a million+ strong for Kung Fu Panda, and I'm glad this event was able to help with that. :)
WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE?
This whole celebration was held because Kung Fu Panda has officially been around for 5 years. So what happens now? The TV series seems like it's still going strong (now being an Emmy winner and all), but it can't last forever. We'll see where it goes in the future, and we'll try to keep up-to-date on everything with that.
Another obvious big expectation for the future of the Kung Fu Panda franchise is the continuation of the films. I'm obviously excited about this too, and hopefully this wiki will still be just as active as it is right now, if not more. I'm not entirely sure what my future holds for me personally, but I plan to stick around this wiki for as long as I can so I can see it all happen. And hopefully you all will, too! :)
MY QUICK FINAL THOUGHTS
Wow. This month (like I said) just completely flew by for me, and it's been a lot of fun for me. I want to personally thank everyone for their participation, especially to those who participated in every single discussion activity. There have also been some equally active users on Facebook and Twitter who liked/commented/favorited/retweeted everything during the event, and I want to thank them as well. You all know who you are, and I know who you are (but not in a creepy stalker way). ;)
All of you guys are just so awesome, and I'm glad I was able to have the wiki host this event and bring us all together. Hopefully we can do something like this again in the future. We'll have to wait and see what's in store! :)
OUR FINAL DISCUSSION
Now with all of that said, here are today's final discussion questions—feel free to share you opinion on any or all of them in the comments below:
What was your favorite blog/topic/activity/discussion/whatever else from this event?
What do you think has changed since beginning the event? Have you personally changed in any way?
What are you most excited about for the future of the franchise?
Any other final thoughts on the event. :)