Early Feature from Legendary Director Isao Takahata and Written by Hayao Miyazaki Opens in New York City May 6 and Los Angeles May 13
GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced today it will bring the newly restored PANDA! GO PANDA! to select theaters nationwide, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The seminal early work from Studio Ghibli co-founders Isao Takahata (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya), and Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) will open at the IFC Center in New York on May 6 and the Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles on May 13, with additional markets to come.
The 1972 feature, which was produced by TMS Entertainment, was first released at the height of the “panda craze” of 1972, following the loan of a pair of giant pandas from China to the Ueno Zoo in Japan. Included in the upcoming release are both Panda! Go Panda (1972) and Rainy Day Circus (1973), released collectively as PANDA! GO PANDA!.
SYNOPSIS:
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.
Director: Isao Takahata
Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
Country: Japan
Studio: Tokyo Movie Shinsha (Now TMS Entertainment)
Year: 1972
Run time: 75 minutes (including Panda! Go Panda! and Rainy Day Circus)