Panda Kopanda Rainy Day Circus
Dir: Isao Takahata
1973
***
The sequel to 1972's Panda! Go Panda! is much the same as its predecessor in many ways. Grandma still isn't back from her trip and the Pandas are still living with Mimiko (even though they should have gone to the Zoo). The Goldilocks and the Three Bears theme is even stronger in this second act as they encounter a young Tiger who seems to only be interested in baby Panda's food, bed, etc. The Tiger has escaped from a traveling circus and Mimiko and the Pandas decide to take him back to his Mother, who would undoubtedly be worried. After a big storm the whole town gets flooded, many townsfolk probably drowned but it's all fun and games for Mimiko and the Pandas who laugh in the face of natural disaster. I got a little a frustrated at one scene whereby a Steam Train ran underwater, totally impossible but I remembered what I was watching and felt a little stupid. Panda Kopanda Rainy Day Circus is what it is, completely nuts and often bizarre, kids will love it and adults will be split down the middle. Personally, I've seen better but I've seen much worse, I enjoyed the randomness of it and it made me laugh quite a bit.