GKIDS has announced that Panda! Go, Panda!, the seminal 1972 animated film from director Isao Takahata and writer Hayao Miyazaki, co-founders of the legendary Studio Ghibli, is set for a U.S. theatrical and home entertainment release this year, presented in high definition with newly restored colours alongside its 1973 follow-up Panda! Go, Panda and the Rainy-Day Circus.
“Besides acting as a vital landmark in animation history, Panda! Go Panda! is an exuberant, feel-good story that will have you humming the theme song for days,” said GKIDS’ President David Jesteadt. “The film has never looked better, and we are thrilled to be able to share it with audiences more widely for a huge anniversary milestone.”
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.
GKIDS will release Panda! Go, Panda! later this year.