Panda's Big Adventure: A thorough review of the touching story and characters

Panda's Great Adventure - Panda no Daibouken

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

March 17, 1973 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■Frequencies

50 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

Yugo Serigawa (director name)

■ Production

Toei Animation

■Works

©Toei Animation

■ Story

Lon Lon, a panda born to the Queen of Bears. The Queen had high hopes that Lon Lon would become a great king, but he failed a test of courage and was banished from the kingdom. Demon, a brown bear who secretly had his sights set on the throne, targets Lon Lon on a journey and has his minion Ponta follow him. Meanwhile, when Lon Lon arrives in the city, he falls into a trap set by humans, is put into a circus, and is severely trained in tricks.

■Explanation

An original theatrical animation with pandas as the main characters, which caused a huge boom when it was released. It was shown again at the 1979 Toei Manga Festival. Selected by the Ministry of Education. Special Sound Technology Award at the Asian Film Festival. Wide-color version.

■Cast

・Ronron/Yoshiko Ota・Fifi/Michiko Hirai・Queen/Keiko Yamamoto・Elder/Joji Yanami・Pinch/Michiko Nomura・Tonchi/Eiko Masuyama・Demon/Kosei Tomita・Ponta/Hiroshi Otake

■ Main staff

・Producer / Junichi Tobishi・Planning / Kenji Yokoyama・Production manager / Seiichi Moro・Production assistants / Shoichiro Ide, Motoman Shirane, Takeshi Torimoto・Screenplay / Hiroyasu Yamaura・Direction / Yugo Serigawa・Chief animation director / Shinya Takahashi・Art director / Tomoo Fukumoto・Background / Fumihiro Uchikawa, Iwamitsu Ito, Shoji Suyama, Ryuichi Sugimoto・Finishing inspection / Masatoyo Ogura・Coloring / Hiroaki Shimoda, Shizuko Kozue・Special effects / Shoji Sato・Cinematography / Studio Sangosho, Yosuke Moriguchi・Editing / Yutaka Senkura・Sound recording / Hiromi Kanbara・Sound effects / E&M Planning Center・Development / Toei Chemical・Music / Taichiro Kosugi・Theme song
OP
"Panda March"
Lyrics by Hiroyasu Yamaura Music by Taichiro Kosugi Vocals by Columbia Yurikago-kai and Sunny Singers

Insert song "Panda Lullaby"
Lyrics by Hiroyasu Yamaura Music by Taichiro Kosugi Vocals by Masako Kawada and the Sunny Singers

■ Main Characters

The protagonist of the story of Lon Lon. A prince born to the Queen of Bears, he is a spoiled and cowardly panda.

・A female panda that Fifironron met at the circus.

・Koguma goes on a journey with Pinch Ronron.

・Higuma is aiming to become the next king of the Demon Bear Kingdom. He subjects the prince, Ronron, to severe trials and banishes him from the kingdom.

・Ponta Demon's confidant raccoon.

■ Related works

・Simultaneous screening (1973 "Toei Manga Festival")
"Babel II"
"The Secret of Akko-chan"
"Mazinger Z"
Live-action "Kikaider the Pop-up Android"
Live-action "Kamen Rider V3"

・Simultaneous screening (1979 "Toei Manga Festival")
"Battle Fever J"
"SF Journey to the West Starzinger: Devil's Barabari Zone"
"Lunlun, the Flower Child"
"The Mouse's Wedding"

Panda Adventure - Detailed Review and Recommendation

■ Background and history of the work

The 1970s was the golden age of Japanese animation, and "Panda's Great Adventure" holds a special place in it. Released in 1973, this film was made to coincide with the time when the panda boom was taking place. Pandas captured the hearts of many people due to their adorable appearance and rarity. This film was produced by Toei Animation (now Toei Animation), and after its theatrical release, it was revived for a revival screening at the 1979 "Toei Manga Matsuri", which helped it become a beloved work by an even larger audience.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "Panda's Great Adventure" depicts the adventures of Long Long, the panda prince born to the Queen of Bears. Long Long fails a test of courage and is banished from the kingdom. However, he continues to face various difficulties and grow as a person. This story teaches us the importance of getting back up after failure and reexamining ourselves. Additionally, Long Long's interactions with characters such as Fifi, whom he meets at the circus, and Pinch, whom he meets during his journey, are also fascinating and leave a lasting impression on the audience.

■Charm of the characters

Long Long is a spoiled and cowardly panda, but his growth process resonates with the audience. Fifi is a strong female character who supports Long Long, and her presence underpins Long Long's adventure. Pinch is a bear cub who travels with Long Long, and his purity and courage add depth to the story. Demon is a villain who is aiming to become the next king of the Bear Kingdom, and his presence adds tension to the story. Ponta is Demon's confidant raccoon dog, and his cunning adds thrills to the story. Each of these characters plays their own role and adds excitement to the story.

■Production technique and beauty

"Panda's Great Adventure" was produced using the animation techniques of the 1970s. The techniques of animation director Shinya Takahashi and art director Tomoo Fukumoto shine, and the beautiful backgrounds and character movements captivate the audience. The special effects and filming techniques were also advanced for the time, enhancing the quality of the work. The music, "Panda March" and "Panda Lullaby," composed by Taichiro Kosugi, add color to the story and touch the hearts of the audience.

■ Evaluations and Awards

"Panda's Great Adventure" was highly praised when it was released, and was selected as a work of the Ministry of Education. It also won a special sound recording award at the Asian Film Festival, in recognition of its technical capabilities. It was also screened in a color widescreen version, and its visual beauty was highly praised. These accolades and awards are proof of the high quality of the film.

■ Comparison with related works

"Panda's Great Adventure" was shown at the 1973 Toei Manga Festival along with "Babel II," "Himitsu no Akko-chan," and "Mazinger Z." Although these works were in different genres, they were popular among children. At the 1979 Toei Manga Festival, it was shown along with "Battle Fever J" and "SF Journey to the West: Starzinger," and appealed to a wider audience. Comparing it with these related works, we can understand how "Panda's Great Adventure" was evaluated and received.

■ Recommendations and how to watch

"Panda's Great Adventure" is a film that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It is especially recommended for those who like stories with themes of growth, friendship, and courage. It is also a film that should be watched by anyone who likes pandas. It is now available to watch on DVD and online, so please give it a watch. The story of Long Long's adventure and growth will surely touch your heart.

■ Summary

"Panda's Big Adventure" is a story of love and courage, created against the backdrop of the panda boom of the 1970s. Filled with the growth and adventures of Long Long, as well as the charm of the characters who support him, this work continues to be loved by many audiences. It has received high praise for its technical quality and has won many awards, so it is definitely worth watching. This work can be enjoyed by both children and adults, so be sure to add it to your library.