Panda! Go Panda! is an early work of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, which predates Studio Ghibli and the pairs more famous works by many years. However, the early signs of the pair’s creativity and artistic style is very dominant throughout the film itself.

Calling this production a film is a bit of a stretch though, it’s more like a collection of extended episodes from an anime sewn together with a common theme – pandas. Not that this is a bad thing though. In the original release there were a few follow up episodes; these have all been threaded into one extended DVD with three episodes.

From the off it’s clear to see that this is not only early anime, but is also early Miyazaki work. The character designs, while distinct, lack the finesse of more recent films; however, his style has clearly been developed from this early work. This is clear to see from the resemblance between Ponyo and Mimiko for example. The pair’s work has also become famous for paying an incredible amount of attention to the scenery and being surrounded by nature, this style and theme is apparent throughout all of Panda! Go, Panda! as one is able to tell simply from the name of the feature.

The basic premise of the story is that a little girl- Mimiko has been left on her own to tend to a home whilst her Grandma goes away in Tokyo. Mimiko is a very young girl, so immediately the thought of someone of that age being left alone does strike a chord of disbelief; however, Mimiko is a very capable young girl who manages to see her Grandma off and goes home to find she’s got intruders in the house. Before she can really comprehend what’s happened, there’s a baby Panda in her home who she decides to care for with the passion of a Mother.

Mimiko is still of school age and decides to take Panpan to school with her, which understandably causes a riot as they don’t believe Panpan to be a Panda but another creature that needs attacking. Mimiko manages to secure Panpan and takes him back home only to be met by a giant Panda, Papa Panda. Mimiko takes this all in her stride and decides that they will become a larger-than-life family with a human “mother” and two Panda’s for relatives. The rest of the stories continue in a similar vein, and it’s clear that this story is a precursor to the more internationally famous Pippi Longstockings and Totoro.

Panda, Go Panda! is available in both English and Japanese. The English dub is well done, considering it’s got no Disney backing unlike the majority of Ghibli works, although Papa Panda does have a very strange, almost Jamaican imitation style voice. The subtitles are well placed and the overall quality of Panda, Go Panda! is top-notch. Considering this title is older than the majority of the people who will be watching it and as it’s clearly a “cash-cow” to try and grab some cash from a passing fad the actual animation quality and transfer to DVD is brilliant.

8

Panda, Go Panda is an amazing piece of work, for fans of Ghibli who want to see what the lead directors were up to before the creation of the Studio this DVD is a must and as it’s been out for a while now it’s going to be cheap to pick up. For people looking to try and emulate the “Spirited Away” experience, it’d be best to look elsewhere.

Their film line-up with be held in the Cineworld cinema in Bexley Heath and all films are free for anyone aged between 11-19, although they do require pre-booking. The films are:

Spirited Away

Supernatural Fantasy. Join Chihiro on a strange and mesmerising journey into a world of Japanese spirits. This magical movie stands out as one of the best loved animated fi lms of all time. From acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki. Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature.

Date: 1st February 2010
Time: 1800

Howl’s Moving Castle

Fantasy Adventure. Travel to a breathtakingly beautiful world and discover the adventure, romance and fantasy of this highly rated film. From acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki. Oscar nominated for Best Animated Feature.

Date: 4th February
Time: 1800

Tokyo Godfathers

Comedy-Drama. An anime masterpiece, this beautiful film vividly portrays a cold winter in Tokyo as three homeless friends find an abandoned baby in a dumpster and set out on a journey of discovery as they seek to find the parents of the child. Moving, funny and exciting.

Date: 8th February
Time: 1800

The Cat Returns

Fantasy. From Studio Ghibli, this acclaimed and entertaining film will charm viewers of all ages. After she saves a cat from an oncoming truck, 17 year old Haru discovers she’s actually saved Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom. A whimsical, fun adventure.

Date: 18th February
Time: 1800

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Sci-Fi Action. This cult classic is a thrill ride of epic proportions. Action packed with a nail-biting finale, this film is not to be missed at this rare cinema screening. A perfect introduction to anime for new fans and awesome fun for those already devoted.

Date: 11th February
Time: 1800

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Sci-Fi Romance. What would you do if you could leap back in time? When Makoto stumbles upon this very power she seizes the chance to get better exam scores and put right certain personal mishaps from her past! A journey of self discovery and romance follows. Acclaimed as one of the greatest anime movies of recent years, this outstanding movie is a festival highlight.

Date: 22nd February
Time: 1800

Our review of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is available here.

Sky Crawlers

Sci-Fi. An intense new movie from Ghost in the Shell director, Mamoru Oshii. Stunning state of the art animation and an intelligent story make this a modern anime masterpiece. In a peaceful world a never ending war is fought in the skies by kildren – young people who never grow old. Discover the secrets of this strange yet familiar world in this important new movie. Presented by Manga Entertainment.

Date: 25th February
Time: 1800

5cm Per Second

Romance. From Makato Shinkai, this trio of interconnected short stories explores the excitement and melancholy of young love. The title refers to the speed it takes a cherry blossom to fall from the trees to the ground. Visually stunning, absolutely mesmerising and distinctly Japanese. Presented by Manga Entertainment.

AND

K20: Legend of the Mask

Action. A live action Japanese superhero movie with international star Takeshi Kaneshiro. Fight scenes, stunts and a lighthearted plot – the perfect night out at the cinema and an exclusive presentation at the BAM Festival! A superb example of Japan taking on Hollywood and winning. Presented by Manga Entertainment.

Date: 1st March
Time: 1800 for Sky Crawlers followed directly by 5cm Per Second

How to book
Advance booking is recommended for all festival events.

To book your place at any event either:

• Visit any Bexley library to book tickets in person.
• Call 020 8303 7777 (option 4) to reserve tickets for all events.
• Text event title/date with your name and age to 07837 269967.
• Email bam@bexley.gov.uk stating the event title/date and your name and age.

Their full programme is available in PDF format here. Their Facebook page is available, here.

Grave of the Fireflies

“Animated drama set in Japan toward the end of WWII. Two children fall on hard times as a result of the war, and try to go it alone
Hailing from Studio Ghibli, home of Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), Grave Of The Fireflies is a sophisticated, deeply moving film, adapted from Akiyuki Nosaka’s 1967 semi-autobiographical novel by Isao Takahata.

It concerns the fate of two children, struggling to survive in Japan toward the end of the Second World War. Using the device of the protagonist narrating the story after his death, it’s unequivocally tragic – but it’s also potentially one of the most powerful war movies ever made, showing suffering not just from the perspective of the Japanese (unusual for Western audiences reared on US WWII fare), but also from that of non-combatant children. They’re explicitly lambs to the slaughter, young lives cut off before their time. In fact, visually, the fireflies of the title are comparable with falling firebombs, but in symbolic terms they’re analogous with the children – they shine brightly and die all too soon. ”

Airing:
2nd December 2009 – 2340

This harrowing film is a must watch for those who haven’t seen it just yet. So get your recorders going or stay up late and watch this show tonight.

Manga Entertainment are becoming known for securing the rights to some older anime and selling it in the UK, this has been especially noted with the old Miyazaki classic: Panda Go Panda!. Today it has been announced that they have secured the rights to another pre-Ghibli Miyazaki work – Sherlock Hound.

Sherlock Hound

“Written and Directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) during his time at Japan’s largest animation studio, TMS. Before he went on to create Totoro and Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki captured a whole generation of childrens’ imaginations with his retelling of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries using a loveable cast of canines. For the first time ever in the UK, all 26 episodes of the cult toon classic are collected into one deluxe box set.

“Sherlock Hound”, released as either Famous Detective Holmes or Detective Holmes in Japan, is an anime based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series where all the characters are depicted as anthropomorphic animals, the majority dogs, though Holmes is a fox and his enemy Professor Moriarty is a wolf. The show featured regular appearances of Jules Verne-steampunk style technology, adding a 19th-century science-fiction atmosphere to the series. It consists of 26 episodes aired between 1984 and 1985.” – hmv

Available:
1st February 2010 – 5 Disc Complete Set

This classic Miyazaki series retells the famous Sherlock Holmes story as friendly dogs and is an easily accessable and adorable series. You can pre-order this now from hmv here.

Source: Manga Entertainment’s Twitter Feed

Luther to this, Barbican announced on Thursday that the Studio Ghibli feature film, Ponyo will be getting additional viewings due to public demand and very happily they are also planning and confirming a few events for early 2010 as well.

Ponyo

“The greatest living film animator and storyteller, Hayao Miyazaki transforms The Little Mermaid fairytale into Ponyo, a magical and universal cinema experience that shines so bright all else seems grey. Ponyo is a little goldfish with a girl’s face who escapes the underwater home of her sorcerer father to explore the surface. She is discovered by Sosuke, a 5-year-old boy living on the top of a cliff by the sea. As Ponyo grows closer to Sosuke, her desire to become fully human strengthens. Screening in the original Japanese language version with English subtitles.”

Screening:
21st November – 1100
29th November – 1730

Two additional screenings are being held on the below dates that are subtitle only screenings.

Screening:
26th November – 1800
28th November – 1730

Mai Mai Miracle
“Adapted from Nobuko Takagi’s autobiographical novel, Mai Mai Miracle is a magical time-travelling adventure. Set in a town in the southwest of Japan in 1955 where nine-year-old Shinko and her new school friend Kiiko share a love of history. When they discover Shinko has an ancient family link to a legendary Japanese province, their imaginations take over and they explore a world which existed a thousand years before. Is it possible for daydreams to become reality?”

Screening:
26th November – before 1800

Mai Mai Miracle will be shown before Ponyo on the 26th November and will be introduced by the co-author of the legendary Anime Encyclopaedia – Helen McCarthy.

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
“Shinji Ikari is sent for by his estranged father, Gendo at the beginning of the film. As he wanders around the town, which has been shut down over an emergency announcement, he is caught in the crossfire between the U.N. army and the fourth Angel. Rescued by Lt. Colonel Misato Katsuragi, Shinji is brought to Tokyo-3 and NERV headquarters, where he is pressured by Gendo, NERV’s Supreme Commander, into piloting the Evangelion Unit-01 against the Angel because the other Evangelion pilot, the mysterious Rei Ayanami, is too injured to do so. After the initial fight, Shinji is taken in by Misato as her new housemate and enrolled in middle school. The film portrays Shinji’s attempts to “settle in” with his newfound life alongside Misato, Rei, and the other characters while continuing to defend Tokyo-3 and the world from the coming Angels.” – Thanks Wikipedia

Screening:
26th January – 2030

On top of the above confirmed dates, we should also expect to see  Astro Boy and The Sky Crawlers in the early months of 2010.

Ponyo
“The greatest living film animator and storyteller, Hayao Miyazaki transforms The Little Mermaid fairytale into Ponyo, a magical and universal cinema experience that shines so bright all else seems grey. Ponyo is a little goldfish with a girl’s face who escapes the underwater home of her sorcerer father to explore the surface. She is discovered by Sosuke, a 5-year-old boy living on the top of a cliff by the sea. As Ponyo grows closer to Sosuke, her desire to become fully human strengthens. Screening in the original Japanese language version with English subtitles.”

Screening:
22nd November – 1100
22nd November – 1600

Angel’s Egg

“Unseen in Europe for over 20 years, Angel’s Egg is a hauntingly beautiful animation with a heartbreaking story, a forgotten masterpiece from Japanese anime legend Mamoru Oshii. Mystical, minimal, and musically mesmerising, Angel’s Egg is like nothing else in animation, with the stunning video game ICO its closest relation. In the shadows of a vast abandoned city a mysterious girl protects a giant precious egg. She meets a lone soldier and they share occult secrets. Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D artist Yoshitaka Amano designed the characters.”

Screening:
19th November – 1800
20th November – 1400

Summer Wars

“Astounding anime… dazzlingly imaginative… the future king of Japanese animation may be with us’ – The Japan Times. Summer Wars is the captivating and spectacular new animated feature from Mamoru Hosoda, director of The Girl who Leapt through Time. Millions are addicted to the vast online world of Oz. Maths genius Kenji tears himself away from Oz to escort his crush Natsuki to her formidable Great Grandma’s 90th. The family gathering is not what Kenji expected and soon he is the brains of a kindred force out to defeat the Oz-invading, Earth-ending Love Machine virus.”

Screening:
18th November – 2030
20th November – 1600
22nd November – 1330

Angel’s Egg is an incredibly rare film that’s not been seen in the UK for more than two decades, which is more than the lifetime of the average Naurto fan.

The Leeds International Film Festival is a well known event and it can be found at:

Leeds Film
Town Hall
The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AD
UK

You can purchase tickets from the above or online here.

These films are as follows:

Ponyo“The greatest living film animator and storyteller, Hayao Miyazaki transforms The Little Mermaid fairytale into Ponyo, a magical and universal cinema experience that shines so bright all else seems grey. Ponyo is a little goldfish with a girl’s face who escapes the underwater home of her sorcerer father to explore the surface. She is discovered by Sosuke, a 5-year-old boy living on the top of a cliff by the sea. As Ponyo grows closer to Sosuke, her desire to become fully human strengthens. Screening in the original Japanese language version with English subtitles.”

Screening:
22nd November – 1100
22nd November – 1600

Angel’s Egg

“Unseen in Europe for over 20 years, Angel’s Egg is a hauntingly beautiful animation with a heartbreaking story, a forgotten masterpiece from Japanese anime legend Mamoru Oshii. Mystical, minimal, and musically mesmerising, Angel’s Egg is like nothing else in animation, with the stunning video game ICO its closest relation. In the shadows of a vast abandoned city a mysterious girl protects a giant precious egg. She meets a lone soldier and they share occult secrets. Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D artist Yoshitaka Amano designed the characters.”

Screening:
19th November – 1800
20th November – 1400

Summer Wars

“Astounding anime… dazzlingly imaginative… the future king of Japanese animation may be with us’ – The Japan Times. Summer Wars is the captivating and spectacular new animated feature from Mamoru Hosoda, director of The Girl who Leapt through Time. Millions are addicted to the vast online world of Oz. Maths genius Kenji tears himself away from Oz to escort his crush Natsuki to her formidable Great Grandma’s 90th. The family gathering is not what Kenji expected and soon he is the brains of a kindred force out to defeat the Oz-invading, Earth-ending Love Machine virus.”

Screening:
18th November – 2030
20th November – 1600
22nd November – 1330

Angel’s Egg is an incredibly rare film that’s not been seen in the UK for more than two decades, which is more than the lifetime of the average Naurto fan.

The Leeds International Film Festival is a well known event and it can be found at:

Leeds Film
Town Hall
The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AD
UK

You can purchase tickets from the above or online here.

Bamboo Cutter is a classic 10th century tale from Japanese folklore and is considered one of the oldest in existence. A mysterious girl called Kagaura-hime discovered a baby inside of a stalk of glowing bamboo, this baby is said to be from the Capital of the Moon and has unusual hair that shines like gold. She then rebuffs a number of suitors, including Mikado, the Emperor of Japan (who gives up immortality for her), and eventually returns to the Moon.

This tale has huge relevance in Japanese culture and is said to be one of the reasons behind the loved Fuji-san’s name.

Along with this, it’s also being noted that there are three more Miyazaki films in the pipeline at the moment as well.

Source: Empire Online

The latest Ghibli film made by Miyazaki, Ponyo By The Sea, On the Cliff (or just Ponyo in all English markets) is being released nationwide in cinemas on the 5th February, 2010, it’s also been confirmed that the DVD will not be released until the middle of June 2010.

This was confirmed on e-mail as:

Ponyo will be released in cinemas nationwide on February 5th 2010. The DVD will be released in mid June 2010. Whether or not it will be released on Blu-ray is yet to be confirmed.

To Tim at TimMaughanBooks.com.

It’s being predicted that the DVD in the USA will be out by the end of the year, leaving a six month window between the US and the UK release of the DVDs.

Source: timmaughanbooks.com