Before Studio Ghibli, 1972’s Panda! Go Panda! brought together anime legends Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki. Starting today, you can pick up a new fan book all about the history, making and influence of the legendary children’s film.
The Panda! Go Panda! Fanbook is 128 pages of stills and story summaries, plus behind-the-scenes materials including image boards, character designs, lobby cards and ads:
The book also includes a new illustration gallery featuring art by a variety of well-known artists and animators, including:
Masashi Ando (Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away character designer)
Toshiyuki Inoue (Magnetic Rose character designer)
Takayuki Goto (Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex character designer/chief animation director)
Yoshiharu Sato (My Neighbor Totoro character designer/animation director)
Hiroshi Shimizu (MEGALOBOX character designer/chief animation director)
Kazuhide Tomonaga (Lupin the 3rd Part IV chief director)
And many others.
The Panda! Go Panda! Fan Book is now on sale from the Genkosha website.
GKIDS licenses the film in North America, describing it thus:
First known as Panda Kopanda (translation: Panda, Baby Panda), it initially premiered in Japan at the height of the panda craze in September 1972. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Panda! Go Panda! is a charming early-career classic from animation legends Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki before they went on to co-found the legendary Studio Ghibli.
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.
Source: Comic Natalie
