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GKIDS Acquires Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata's Panda! Go, Panda! Anime Film
posted on by Alex Mateo
GKIDS announced on Wednesday that it has acquired the North American distribution rights to Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata's Panda! Go, Panda! (Panda Kopanda) and Panda! Go, Panda!: Rainy Day Circus anime films. The company will release both films in Japanese and with an English dub in HD with newly restored colors in theaters and on home video this year. The company streamed an English trailer:
GKIDS describes the story:
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.
Takahata directed the 1972 family film Panda! Go, Panda! and the 1973 film Panda! Go, Panda!: Rainy Day Circus at Tokyo Movie Shinsha (now TMS Entertainment) before going on to co-found Studio Ghibli with Miyazaki and direct Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, and Pom Poko. Miyazaki came up with the original concept for the first film and wrote both films.
Geneon Entertainment and Discotek Media have both released the film on DVD in North America.
Source: Press release
