From thrilling adventure flicks to heartwarming family films, world-renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has created some of the most beloved features in animation history. To kick off 2025, Studio Ghibli‘s official online store recently unveiled a new piece of merchandise inspired by one of the director’s earliest works.

The latest addition to Donguri Sora’s product lineup is “Pan-chan’s Butt Tote Bag,” an adorable tribute to Hayao Miyazaki’s Panda! Go Panda! film. As the product’s name suggests, the design is meant to resemble Pan-chan’s backside, with the cute little bear shown peeking behind at the viewer. Like most conventional totes, the bag is slightly smaller than a standard purse. It also has a large inner pocket with a divider for phones, wallets and other essentials. Including tax, the retail price is 3,850 yen (or US$22.67). CBR readers can check out Donguri Sora’s official product photos below.

Studio Ghibli’s New Panda! Go Panda! Merchandise Is the Perfect Release for Totoro Fans

Panda! Go Panda! was released over a decade before the founding of Studio Ghibli. The film was a collaboration between Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, who served as director while Miyazaki wrote the screenplay. Panda! Go Panda! follows Mimiko, a little girl who lives in the countryside with her grandmother. One day, Mimiko wakes up to find that her grandmother has left to go on a trip. However, the little girl’s loneliness is quickly cured when she meets “Papa Panda” and “Pan-chan,” two talking pandas who live in a nearby bamboo grove. After Papa Panda kindly agrees to become Mimiko’s new “father,” the trio enjoy many fun, carefree adventures together. The film was a modest success at the time of its release, leading to a sequel film the following year titled Panda! Go Panda!: Rainy Day Circus.

While Panda! Go Panda! is often overshadowed by Miyazaki’s later productions, its story is considered by some to be a spiritual predecessor to My Neighbor Totoro (1988), whose titular star shares many similarities to Papa Panda — from the character’s large, rotund body to his wide-mouthed grin. To commemorate Panda! Go Panda!‘s 50th anniversary, North American animation distributor GKIDS released both films on DVD and Blu-ray in June 2022, allowing English-speaking audiences to experience them for the first time.

Both Hayao Miyazaki and fellow Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata have achieved icon status in the world of animation. The latter is known for critically acclaimed films such as Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Only Yesterday (1991) and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013). Miyazaki’s last major release was The Boy and the Heron (2023), which shattered box office records in Japan and took home an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2024. After (once again) putting his retirement on hold, Miyazaki is now working on another animated feature, the projected release window of which is still unknown.

Donguri Sora does not offer overseas shipping. However, the shop’s products are frequently resold through international online retailers such as Meccha Japan and Neokyo, among others. Official Studio Ghibli merchandise is also frequently available at retailers like Hot Topic and BoxLunch. Studio Ghibli’s film library is available via Max or Netflix, depending on the viewer’s geographical region.

Source: Donguri Sora