Soft toy panda, Po character from the film Kung Fu Panda 3 made in China by Whitehouse Leisure International Ltd in 2016

An unjointed soft toy panda in a stiff kung fu pose. The left leg is extended and the right leg bent. The right arm is extended and the left bent. The arms and upper body are black and the main body white. The face is white with black surrounding white eyes which have sewn thread green pupils. The nose and mouth are stitched with black thread. There is a tiny black tail. The lower body is nylon covered denoting trousers with a black, brown and beige geometric pattern and a striped belt, and also slippers on the feet.
The name Po is stitched in black on the lower left front of the body. There is a green double label sewn into the seam on the back left of the body. The left hand paw has a gold paw print and a circular card label attached which details the manufacturers' information and also has care instructions printed in English and nine other languages. There is also an image of Po from the Kung Fu Panda 3 film.

Po is the main character in a series of three films created by DreamWorks Animation featuring a panda who becomes an expert in kung fu. Po is chosen to be the Dragon Warrior and in each film has to overcome a powerful adversary. The films are comic but serious with multi-layered references to Chinese culture and the kung fu martial arts discipline.
The Po soft toy is an example of the prevalent character merchandising that is now associated with most animated films aimed at children. This toy was acquired by the Museum at the request of the Learning Department who needed a modern bear for its educational trail that would be recognisable to its young audience.

B.24-2016