GKIDS has announced that the newly restored Panda! Go Panda! will be coming to select theaters nationwide next month to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The sminal early film from Studio Ghibli co-founders Isao Takahata (The Tale of the Princess Kaguya), and Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) will open at New York's IFC Center on May 6th and at the Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles on May 13th, with additional markets to come later.
The 1972 feature was first released at the height of the "Panda Craze" of 1972, following the loan of a pair of giant pandas from China tot he Ueno Zoo in Japan. The upcoming release will include both Panda! Go Panda! and 1973's Rainy Day Circus. They will be released together collectively as Panda! Go Panda!. The features will also be released on home entertainment platforms in high definition and newly restored colors.
About Panda! Go Panda!: 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.
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