Panda Mania

Shuichi Oshida reportedly created Panda-Z when he learned Adobe Illustrator on a MacIntosh. The 2004 broadcast series sets a new standard for minimalism in anime. The silent five-minute episodes offer so little movement, they can barely be called animated. Hero Pan-Taron pilots his mecha the Panda-Z against the forces of the Warunimal Empire, which consists of a little ox-like character and few other mecha. The robotic animals punch each other a couple of times, and that's it for the episode. Taron also eats and plays cards with his grandfather Dr. Pan-Ji and with Dr. Jangarly. It's all very silly, and it probably seems funny after the seventh cup of sake, but some Flash Websites offer jazzier visuals. Panda Z is an acquired taste, and with only 30 minutes of animation on a disc, a rather pricey one. (Rated 14 and older: comic violence, minor risqué humor, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon