We’ve all heard of Miyazaki. He’s famous for such films as “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Laputa”, and the more recent “Princess Mononoke, but what came before all these? Before Miyazaki started working on the big movies, he was involved in many TV series and Short TV movies. Unfortunately, very few of these are known in the West. One of the titles that has slipped through though is “Panda! Go Panda!”

     

Along with Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”, “My Neighbors the Yamadas”) Miyazaki made 2 short TV movies about a little girl called Mimiko, who lives with her Grandmother. At the beginning of the first movie, Mimiko’s Grandmother has to leave for a while to Grandad’s Memorial. She’s reluctant to leave little Mimiko alone but Mimiko assures her that everything’ll be fine and pushes her Gran onto the train and kisses her goodbye. You know when Mimiko’s feelin’ great because she does a little hop and lands standing on her hands.

 

     

 

When Mimiko arrives back at her little cottage in the middle of a bamboo patch she notices that someone’s been there while she was away . She goes around to the back of the cottage to find the cutest stuffed panda you ever saw sitting on a bench by the wall. Mimiko is thrilled with her discovery and gives the panda a big hug, only to realise it’s not a stuffed panda, it’s a real one!! Panny (that’s his name) was just snoozing after getting lost in all the bamboo. Mimiko wants to be friends with Panny, and when Panny agrees, Mimiko does her little handstand, which Panny then tries to copy, but falls on his head and bounces along the ground.

Soon, Panny’s Papa turns up on the doorstep looking for him. Papa panda (or Papanda for short) wants to introduce himself to Mimiko’s parents, and isn’t happy when Mimiko tells him that she doesn’t have any. Papanda then volunteers to be Mimiko’s Papa if she’ll look after Panny like a Mom. Then the adventures begin………

 

The first film is about how Papanda and Panny have escaped from the zoo and there’s a big hunt on to find them and get them back. Papanda is only too willing to return, but not until he finds Panny (who’s gone missing yet again). When it turns out that Panny is in great danger, both Mimiko and Papanda save the day and win the respect of everyone in town, and as a result Papanda gets a “job” at the zoo, being on display for the guests at the zoo until it’s closing time, then he signs out and takes the train home to Mimiko, who’s waiting for him at the station every day.

 

Even though I’m a teenager, I couldn’t help but be encaptured by the sheer charm of this show. I definitely recommend this to all parents with young children as I’m sure both will enjoy it thoroughly.

 

The second Movie, “Rainy Day Circus”, is about when the circus comes to town, and a baby Tiger gets lost and finds himself at Mimiko’s cottage. That night, a huge storm floods the whole town and the Train carrying all the circus animals is trapped. Yet again Mimiko, Papanda, and this time Panny and the baby Tiger, all save the day and get the animals to safety.

 

Available now on VHS and DVD from Pioneer, the DVD boasts the original Japanese Language and music with subtitles and an all-new English dub and musical score. Kids will probably prefer the dub, which is pretty good, although Papanda’s Jamaican accent can either be regarded as quite funny or really annoying, but anime fans will want to go for the original Track. Unfortunately the original Japanese opening sequence has been taken out from the film, but it can be seen in the special features section of the disc. I recommend everyone take a look at least once. It contains little drawings of Panny and Papanda that are both hilarious and really cute at the same time.

   

Pioneer DVD cover

 

Written by Steve Biggins