GKIDS Releases Panda! Go Panda! On Disc And Digital
We’ve written about the Studio Ghibli movies many, many times on this site, and for good reason, but there’s one that you might know nothing about, and that’s because it technically predates the studio itself. Panda! Go Panda! was an anime movie created by two of the founders of Ghibli, before there was a Ghibli.
Hayao Miyazaki came up with the story, and Isao Takahata directed the feature. In Panda! Go Panda!, a young girl named Mimiko is in charge of her grandmother’s house while she’s away. You could ask why a young child was left completely alone for such an extended period of time, but it all worked out, because a family of pandas showed up and walked into her home. While the pandas provide security and company, they require care of their own, and Mimiko learns all about responsibility.
The Panda! Go Panda! Blu-Ray and DVD come with the same bonus features on each:
- “From Mimi to Heidi, From Papanda to Totoro” Interview with Isao Takahata
- Panda! Go Panda! Exhibit ~ The Impact of Hayao Miyazaki’s Image Boards ~
- Conversation with Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki in 1994
Trailers and Previews
Panda! Go Panda! is available now on Blu-Ray, DVD and digital, courtesy of GKIDS.
Mimiko is a cheerful young girl who is left on her own while her grandmother is away. When little Panny Panda and his father Papanda stumble into her home, Mimiko welcomes them in as her new family. Adventures ensue as Mimiko discovers the challenges of taking care of her new cuddly friends. Directed by Isao Takahata and based on a concept by Hayao Miyazaki, Panda! Go Panda! is a charming early-career classic from two animation legends before they co-founded the award-winning Studio Ghibli.
RedditBannedMe
June 25, 2022 @ 2:08 pm
I appreciate that this is where all of the pre-Ghibli Miyazaki and Takahata material is being released. Both featurettes should be refurbished and restored for the golden anniversary of Mimiko and her panda family. First it was future kid Conan, and now this. We do not, however, know the exact date of the theatrical reissue. Do you know the date of the theatrical debut? The Blu-Ray release date was nonetheless revealed as June 21st. Anyone else intending to watch the 50th Anniversary restoration at the theater? Ideally, I would.
Younghee
June 25, 2022 @ 2:13 pm
I used to watch it in my father’s car, which had a TV into which a DVD could be inserted. When I go home from kindergarten, I always watch it. If the primary female character served as an early model or influence for Mei in My Neighbor Totoro and Panda was a Totoro prototype, I wouldn’t be shocked.
fcbetting
June 27, 2022 @ 2:01 am
Sorry but this big panda looks somehow creepy for me. Espcially on second image in article. Did not author could draw it less creepy? All other animals are much better.