What animal is Master Shifu in the Kung Fu Panda films?

Master Shifu is a red panda in the Kung Fu Panda films.

Shifu is the strict but caring master of the Jade Palace and the mentor of Po and the Furious Five. Dustin Hoffman provides his English voice. Although Shifu is physically smaller than many of his students, he is an exceptionally skilled kung fu master and an important spiritual teacher.

The character’s species is often mistaken because real red pandas are sometimes confused with raccoons or described simply as small bears. In the film series, Shifu’s red-panda design helps distinguish him visually from the giant panda Po and from the other animal characters.

Shifu was once the student of Master Oogway and later became responsible for training the next generation of masters. His relationship with Po changes from skepticism to genuine trust, forming one of the central emotional arcs of the first film.