| Character | Japanese Voice Actor | Notes | |-----------|---------------------|-------| | Po (Panda) | Fumiyo Kohinata (小日向文世) | Reprised from first film; known for Hero (TV drama), The Dark Knight dub | | Master Shifu | Masaaki Yajima (矢島正明) | Veteran actor; also dubs Alfred in Batman films | | Tigress | Suzuka Ohgo (大後寿々花) | Child actress known for Memoirs of a Geisha | | Viper | Yuki Kajiura (梶浦由記) | Reprising – composer/singer, not typical VA | | Mantis | Kazuhiro Yamaji (山路和弘) | Reprising – known for Yakuza games dubs | | Monkey | Naoto Takenaka (竹中直人) | Reprising – famous comedian/actor | | Crane | Takashi Matsuyama (松山鷹志) | Reprising | | Master Rhino | Tetsuo Kanao (金尾哲夫) | | | Master Croc (Crocolisk) | Kazuhiko Inoue (井上和彦) | | | Lord Shen (Peacock) | Hiroshi Tsuchida (土田大) | Main antagonist; known for Gintama, Naruto | | Soothsayer (Goat) | Tomie Kataoka (片岡富枝) | | | Po’s Dad (Mr. Ping – Goose) | Tetsuya Iwanaga (岩永哲哉) | Reprising | | Po’s Birth Mother | Yuko Minaguchi (皆口裕子) | Brief flashback role | | Wolf Boss (Commander) | Masuo Amada (天田益男) | | | Master Storming Ox | Kenji Nomura (乃村健次) | |
Note: Jack Black’s role as Po was originally voiced in Japanese by Fumiyo Kohinata, who received high praise for matching Black’s energetic yet emotional tone.
You cannot find this dub on the standard US Netflix or Amazon Prime. You specifically need the Japanese region release. kung fu panda 2 japanese dub
| Aspect | English Dub (Original) | Japanese Dub | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Po’s Energy | Hyperactive, improvisational | Earnest, heartfelt, comically deliberate | | Lord Shen | Gary Oldman’s silken, aristocratic villain | Kōichi Yamadera’s theatrical, almost tragic madman | | Humor Style | Pop-culture puns & Jack Black ad-libs | Manzai rhythms & food puns (dajare) | | Emotional Tone | Action-comedy with heart | Samurai-drama with slapstick | | Best Scene | Po’s “I’m your son” revelation | Shen’s “How did you find peace?!” breakdown |
Giving a voice to the ancient master, Mugihito (Balsa in Moribito, Genryusai in Bleach) replaces Hoffman’s grumpy Jewish-mother energy with a weary, Zen-like sorrow. When Shifu tells Po he must find inner peace, Mugihito delivers it like a Koan. It is profoundly moving. | Character | Japanese Voice Actor | Notes
| English Actor | Japanese Seiyuu (Role) | Key Difference in Approach | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Jack Black | Hiroshi Tsuchida | More Shonen energy; less improv | | Angelina Jolie | Yūko Kaida | More emotionally accessible | | Gary Oldman | Hideaki Itō | Aristocratic coldness vs. manic genius | | Dustin Hoffman | Mugihito | Zen wisdom vs. frustrated mentorship | | James Hong | Hiroshi Masuoka | Even more exaggerated, comical squeaks |
No dub lives or dies on a single scene, but the Kung Fu Panda 2 Japanese dub achieves immortality in the third act. Note: Jack Black’s role as Po was originally
When Po is struck by Shen’s cannon and forced to relive his mother’s sacrifice, the English version is tragic. The Japanese version is devastating.
Streaming services like Netflix Japan report that viewers frequently rewind that specific 45-second clip.
Many purists argue that you should watch Kung Fu Panda 2 in English with subtitles. But for the Japanese dub, there is a compelling counter-argument: