Panda and the Magic Serpent 白蛇伝

Directed by Taiji Yabushita and Kazuhiko Okabe

Produced by Hiroshi Okawa, Written by Taiji Yabushita, Shin Uehara

Released in Japan 1958, by Toei, Released in North America 1961 by Global Pictures
78 minutes, English dubbed.

Two screening times: 12:00PM and 2:00 PM please RSVP below

In celebration of 100 years of Japanese animation, we will be screening Panda and the Magic Serpent, which is the first feature animation film in colour produced in Japan.

The feature follows the story adaptation of the Song Dynasty folktale, Legend of the White Snake.

A young boy, Xu-Xian, once owned a pet snake, but his parents forced him to give it up. Years later, during a storm, the snake magically transforms into a beautiful princess named Bai-Niang. The princess finds the young boy, and they fall in love. But soon after, the two are separated by a local monk, who believes the princess is an evil spirit with magical powers.  Meanwhile, Xu-Xian’s pet Panda’s search for him.

Join us this afternoon to see what happens next!

This film marked Toei’s first attempt to follow the example of American feature animation studios and received honours at the Venice Children’s Film Festival in Italy in 1959.