Well, they are from the Legion of Superheroes AU, partnered with a redhead, Jordana Gardner, in the 31st century, so it is either an homage, or an accident. They are both from Sector 2814. So this could be Genma's descendant--meaning he had a child after cursed--or this species is what fell into the pool of Jusenkyo and the guides just assumed it was a normal panda.