Short, Simple, Sweet....
*Dubbed Review*
Synopsis: Mimiko's grandmother goes away for awhile, leaving little Mimiko home alone. Shortly after her grandmother leaves, a baby panda appears in the garden along with his father, Papa Panda. We follow Mimiko, Papa Panda, and Pandy on their adventures.
Review: The literal translation of Panda Kopanda is "Panda, Baby Panda". The movie is actually two movies put together in one collection; Panda, Go Panda and Rainy Day Circus. For those who do not know, these two movies were one of Hayao Miyazaki's first works.
When I started this movie I knew it was Miyazaki right away. Anyone who has seen Miyazaki's work will see the resemblance in these short films. The animation is dated, the film came out in 1972 after all, but it still holds the characteristics of Miyazaki's work. The animation is more of TV quality so the backgrounds and the world are not as detailed. You can tell Miyazaki was already throwing around the idea of Totoro when he made these. Just look at Papa Panda's smile, if you don't see the resemblance go watch Totoro again.
I watched this movie dubbed (as there was no other option) and thankfully its pretty good. The voices match all the characters right, and Papa Panda's accent is hilarious. I don't know who decided on his accent but it was a good choice for entertainment value alone. So, the dub is good but the music is a little lacking. The opening music is a catchy tune and there is some music throughout, but it's not much.
The movie overall is very simple. Mimiko finds Pandy and adopts him as her son, then later adopts Papa Panda as her father. This equation doesn't quite make sense, but Miyazaki makes it work. From there we watch the three of them in their journeys and adventures. It is definitely more simple than Miyazaki's recent works, aimed more at children. Don't let the simplicity deter you though!!
There is not much more I can say. If you've seen any of Miyazaki's work and liked it, you'll like this. If you've seen Totoro, you will like this. I definitely recommend seeing it, its short, simple, and worth the fun. A great family movie and perfect for children.
Panda Kopanda -- A nothing objectionable
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