Miyazaki fans can jump for joy! GKIDS has acquired the North American distribution rights for another one of his classics. 1972’s Panda! Go Panda! will be joining the rest of the Ghibli library for fans to enjoy! The trailer can be viewed below, as well as the synopsis from GKIDS.
Panda! Go, Panda! Was written by Hayao Miyazaki at the height of the panda craze, when the Japanese government announced the loan of a pair of giant pandas from China to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. The short film was directed by Isao Takahata, who Ghibli fans will recognize as the director of other Ghibli classics such as Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
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Panda Go Panda
GKIDS release of Panda! Go Panda! will include an English dub and a restored HD print of the film. Joining the original short will also be the sequel, Panda! Go Panda!: Rainy Day Circus. The sequel centers around Mimiko and the pandas finding a lost tiger cub and getting tangled up with a runaway circus train. Both movies will be released collectively under the title of Panda! Go Panda!
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Panda! Go Panda! Played an important step in the history of Studio Ghibli. Miyazaki, Takahata, and Yoichi Kotabe had left Toei Animation in 1971 in order to begin production on adapting Pippi Longstocking to film. But author Astrid Lindgren flat out refused when the pitch was brought to her. What became of the Pippi Longstocking project soon evolved into Panda. Kotabe would serve as animation director while Miyazaki wrote and Takahata directed. The films would premiere in front of Toho’s Godzilla movies, and audiences fell in love with the little panda family.
For many fans, the panda characters of Panda! Go Panda! Would stand as precursors to the iconic Totoro characters. With their round bodies, large smiles, and larger-than-life personalities, the resemblance is uncanny. Mimiko herself is also seen as a prototype of My Neighbor Totoro’s Mei and Satsuki. Miyazaki and Takahata would later on reference Panda! Go Panda! In their later movies, which makes for a particularly fun watch for hardcore Ghibli fans!
Whether you’re a newcomer to all things Ghibli, or have a collection with an empty space – Panda! Go Panda! is a charming addition to the library that is certain to charm audiences of all ages. The film is available now on Bluray/DVD, as well as various streaming services such as AppleTV+, Google Play, Vudu, and Youtube Movies.
