Basically, by the fact that Pandaren were first mentioned in World of Warcraft in 2002; originally as an April Fools joke about them being a 5th playable race, then later they had a (somewhat jokey) single Pandaren Hero in the game. There's been a reference to that Pandaren hero in WoW since its release.
I don't know the specifics, but the main reason they've not been in it so far has been (as I understand it) something to do with Chinese laws meaning you can't show people beating up pandas. Indeed, they were previously (and I think in other previous references to Pandarens) more Japanese than Chinese in their cultural references, but given that China is where the Pandas come from, that didn't go down well with their Chinese audience, so they've pushed them back towards China.
However, looking at the Mists of Pandaria video - it's INCREDIBLY close to Kung Fu Panda in theme and visual style. Obviously, KFP was in turn influenced by kung fu movies and Chinese culture, but MoP is SO close to KFP in visual style that I still think they're taking a non-trivial risk. And you can't claim prior art as a defence in copyright.
I guess they might be planning to, if the makers of KFP sue, counter-sue on the basis that KFP was copying the Pandaren. Might work.
I was tacitly accusing both WoW and Kung Fu Panda (without having seen it, I admit) or the same treatment of certain Chinese values and ideologies to be honest.
Regardless of originality, it has mystic pandas, ha ha ha ha ha ha.
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andrewducker) wrote2011-10-21 09:05 pm
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I don't know the specifics, but the main reason they've not been in it so far has been (as I understand it) something to do with Chinese laws meaning you can't show people beating up pandas. Indeed, they were previously (and I think in other previous references to Pandarens) more Japanese than Chinese in their cultural references, but given that China is where the Pandas come from, that didn't go down well with their Chinese audience, so they've pushed them back towards China.
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However, looking at the Mists of Pandaria video - it's INCREDIBLY close to Kung Fu Panda in theme and visual style. Obviously, KFP was in turn influenced by kung fu movies and Chinese culture, but MoP is SO close to KFP in visual style that I still think they're taking a non-trivial risk. And you can't claim prior art as a defence in copyright.
I guess they might be planning to, if the makers of KFP sue, counter-sue on the basis that KFP was copying the Pandaren. Might work.
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Of course, they may both be using the same sources. But I'm sceptical...
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Regardless of originality, it has mystic pandas, ha ha ha ha ha ha.
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