002 4 Fans who remember Isao Takahata best for his relentless tearjerker , GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES , could very well react with surprise and shock upon viewing POM POKO . This lavishly animated tale about raccoons battling for their homeland ( which was the biggest hit of 1994 in Japan ) isn't so much a heartwrenching tragedy as it is an interesting amalgam of humor , drama , and action - - all delivered in a way that is daringly original for animation . At times , the viewer gets treated to scenes which recall the one-two-three emotional punch of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES , but even though the tone of the movie is somber , a handful of lighthearted moments elevate the overall production out of depression .
As this is a Studio Ghibli film , production values are spectacular . Backgrounds are painted with a tasteful mixture of simplicity and art , and the raccoons are as cuddlesome as you would expect - - especially when they shape-shift from ordinary animals to Saturday-morning-cartoon style critters in the style of shows such as CARE BEARS . ( If you're scratching your head while reading this , don't be alarmed - - according to Japanese folklore , raccoons have the power to transform into anything - - including human beings ! ) The actual animation is as colorful and imaginative as you might expect from a Ghibli movie - - and there is one scene where we are treated to cameo appearances by Porco Rosso , Kiki , and Totoro .
While POM POKO has a story to tell and a meaningful message for one to think about , its character and plot aspects may come across as a bit off-putting to viewers expecting a typical animated feature . Indeed , while some raccoons identify themselves with distinguishable names and / or personalities ( for example , Gonta is a burly , rough-and-ready raccoon who is always looking for a fight , while Oroku is the wise woman of the tribe ) , the story offers little in the way of character development . In fact , most of the action in the story is narrated ( by Maurice LaMarche in English , Kokondei Shinchou in Japanese ) , which elevates the overall effect of the movie to that of a semi-documentary . For the most part , this approach works to a very interesting degree and is a refreshing change of pace . However , there were some scenes in the movie where I wished the narration could have been reduced a little bit , as it sometimes gets in the way of appreciating the beauty of the visuals onscreen .
Aside from this , the biggest controversy about POM POKO seems to be centered on several scenes where the raccoons can inflate and / or transform their testicles ( ! ) for multiple purposes . One particular scene involves a raccoon flattening his testicles against a truck , causing its driver to crash . Such moments may be alarming to children , but it is important to remember that while we see the testicles at times , the movie is , after all , animated . Even still , while a Japanese audience may take such scenes naturally , squeamish viewers in America could react differently . In fact , as a solution to handling this kind of translation issue , the English language version ( produced once again by Disney ) refers to the testicles as pouches . That's a somewhat awkward decision , but it sure beats digitally removing the testicles from the scenes they're in .
POM POKO was obviously a nightmare for English dub writers Cindy and Donald Hewitt to translate ( especially since much of the movie is rooted in Japanese culture ) , but I really have to commend them for their efforts . There is some Americanizing here and there , but there was little , if any , that I could find missing in their script . In fact , I was most impressed at how they handled the songs ; while at least two of them come across as a little contrived and / or corny , others flow so naturally that you never would have sworn that these were originally Japanese folksongs .
Another interesting aspect of the dub is the voice acting . With the exception of Jonathan Taylor Thomas ( star of T。 's HOME IMPROVEMENT ) , the cast consists of veteran performers who are known for cartoon voice work ; Tress MacNeille , John DiMaggio , Russi Taylor , Andre Stojka , and Clancy Brown , to name a few . Whether this was done to cut down on costs for big-name stars or for avoiding aural distraction is unclear , but when listening to the spirit and energy that the aforementioned voice artists give their characters , it really doesn't matter . For purists , though , the original Japanese language track IS included on the DVD , as is a gorgeous visual transfer ( and a disappointingly skimpy supply of extras - - the only low point of this otherwise top-notch presentation from Disney ) .
POM POKO may be an unusual entry from Isao Takahata , and its foreign aspects may not appeal to everyone , but if given a chance , the film offers a colorful display of imagination and pathos as well as an experience unlike many that one will find from ordinary cartoons .
001 4 I just had the opportunity to finally see Pom Poko , thanks to Disney's stateside DVD release . Fortunately , the dub is fantastic - - any qualms about confusing Japanese folktales and such seem to have been taken care of with the quality translation . The voice actors ( only one name actor , a very fine / unrecognizable Jonathan Taylor Thomas ) acquit themselves quite nicely , and it might be one of the best dubs I've ever heard .
The infamous enlarged scrotums , I'm happy to report , are such a small part of the entire experience that the fact that it was so dwelled on by dozens upon dozens of people for years prior to domestic DVD release is saddening . At first , yes , when a pouch is magically ( and humorously ) transformed into a red rug , it's amusing and a bit shocking . But that feeling wears off almost instantly .
Even though they changed the references of scrotum to pouch , I'm still surprised Disney had the balls ( pun intended ) to release it , given their standards for family - esque ( safe and arguably predictable ) entertainment . There are a couple glimpses of actual nudity ( breasts ) and some humans die in rather morbid ways . I'm not inferring that I wish they hadn't released it , for if they had not I would have never seen it . I'm just happy with their decision . For once , at least in recent times , I feel the need to thank Disney whole heartedly .
The film itself is such a pleasure . It moves briskly , contains * beautiful * images and is endlessly entertaining . A large part of it's success is due to the constant narration ; as others have noted , it almost seems like an exquisite documentary at times .
The story is simple yet effective : humans are destroying a community of tanukis , and the tanukis do everything they can to help preserve their home in way of transformation . It's often funny and adorable , but what's somewhat unexpected is the amount you'll be moved by their struggle . The ending , criticized by some , almost moved me to tears . I won't explain what happens , but some wise things are said .
As you probably know , the tanukis are somewhat distractingly called raccoons in the dub . I'm willing to forgive Disney for this obvious error , though , as they resemble the latter to a pretty high degree . And I'm sure it made it easier on the translators for lip synchronization ( two syllables ) .
Not so surprising : Pom Poko was the top box office smash in Japan the year it came out ( and Japan's own submission for best foreign film Oscar ) . Regardless of the minor violence / nudity / inflated scrotums ( ahem ) , this film will appeal to anyone with a heart and a brain . It's not some minor little piece about tanukis humorously fending off humans , even if it sometimes appears to be . It's a major statement about man vs . nature , and it's often beautiful and witty and intelligent , the sort of thing most non-animated films aspire to be .
I know this might sound rash and pretentious , but I watched two films tonight : Laputa ( Japanese with subtitles ) and Pom Poko ( English dub ) . Oddly , I liked this film more . Here's hoping that master director Takahata's underrated treasure will win over more viewers , thanks to Disney's recent bare-bones DVD release and the eventual airing on Turner Classic Movies this January .
003 4 Pom poko is a classics tale of clash between man and nature . Rapid development in the modern world reaches tama hill and the racoons are forced to leave their natural habitat as finding food and shelter becomes harder with each passing day . With nothing seems to be working out for them , racoons decide to unite and scare away the advancement of the modern world by learning traditional art of transforming . Will they be successful in their mission or will they be wiped out by the modern world progress ? Will man and nature ever learn to live in harmony ? That's what forms the rest of the film in an unusual , emotional and often hilarious ways .
Pom poko is directed by another studio ghibli genious Isao takahata who happens to be hayao miyazaki's long time friend and his senior . Pom poko remains studio ghibli's most strange film till date which is in no way lesser rich and intense than any other ghibli films but few contents in the movie may put some viewers off . The movie has been given a pg rating . It does contain lots of frightening images , ghosts , scrotums and a few references of mating here and there .
Lets now move on to this 2disc dvd release by disney and buena vista . Although it is a 2disc edition but it still is a barebone release . This time there's not even a behind the microphone featurette which featured on all previous ghibli releases by disney . It is said that pom poko was the hardest dub for disney as it had lots of songs , hundreds of racoons talking and situations where dialogues were needed not just for the racoons talking and singing but the objects like tv and other stuff in the background as well . Though the english dub is nowhere near the original japanese track , yet a behind the scenes on english dubbing would have made some sense , at least this time .
Pom poko dvd shines when it comes to picture and sound quality . The digital transfer is crisp and flawless . English and japanese , both audio tracks on the disc have been rendered in dolby digital 2.0 surround sound . Only extra feature on disc one happens to be original trailers and tv spots of the movie . Disc two , as usual , contains the full movie in storyboard form which would have made more sense had it been given alongwith the film on the first disc .
Pom poko contains japanese cultural and traditional references and themes more than any other studio ghibli film . It would have been really interesting to see a feature explaining all those in detail . The least expected was the feature on tanuki ( racoons , as they call it in japanese ) which appears on the region2 dvd of pom poko released by buena vista japan .
Pom poko is a comparatively lesser known ( to the west ) film from studio ghibli which is on par with any of their own fims when it comes to richness and execution of the subject and does not disappoint in anyway . The animation is detailed and flawless and backgrounds lush and breathtaking . People at disney had a hard time just dubbing the voices for the racoons , wonder what the animators at ghibli would have gone through animating them !
Although this dvd is light on extras , yet the set is definitely worthwhile just for the movie itself . Highly recommended to all studio ghibli fans out there ( who definitely do not need my recommendation , i'm sure ! ! ! ) and to everyone else looking for good cinema with great storytelling .
004 4 Ah , now this is a wonderful little film . While I admit that I was skeptical at first , it quickly reveals itself to be a sweet , sad , and humorous story , well worth the two hours it takes to watch it .
As other reviewers have mentioned , there are any number of scenes in this movie that many would consider inappropriate for younger children - but one must bear in mind that what is appropriate for children varies widely from country to country .
The movie focuses on a clan of Tanuki , mistakenly called ' raccoons ' in the dubbed version . In actuality , tanuki , or ' raccoon DOGS , ' are a species of small-bodied wild dogs , rather like foxes , but closely resembling the raccoons of North America . These are canines , not raccoons , but as few children or even adults are aware of this , the change can be forgiven .
In Japanese folklore , cats , foxes , and tanuki are powerful shapeshifting tricksters , and Pom Poko relies heavily on these old tales . The tanuki change shape with their moods - from the realistic creatures they show themselves as when humans are around , to the cartoonish anthropomorphic caricatures they interact with one another as . In battle , their forms shift from warrior to peasant as the tide turns towards and against their favor .
The story is a familiar one - creatures driven from their homes rally together to oppose the humans - but the goings on are rather unlike anything one would see in an animated movie produced in America . Characters are killed by cars , transform themselves into demons , and use their pronounced scrotums as weapons . And yet it all flows together perfectly , and even the testicles are hardly a bother once one has become engrossed in the story .
I imagine quite a few young children may find parts of this movie upsetting , and the conclusion is hardly the fairy-tale ending seen in so many Disney movies , but any emotionally mature child should have no problem with any of the content . If the presence of the testicles seriously bothers you , the English dub conveniently calls them ' pouches . ' ( No , tanuki most definitely do NOT have pouches . . . neither do raccoons , but I doubt you'll care if you're already so afraid of anatomy , now will you ? ) It's not as if your child is going to use his own testicles as a weapon ( and if he does , I'd love to hear about it ) , and any child who has owned a male animal , or is in fact male himself , is bound NOT to be traumatized by the sight .
Have a little faith in your child , and in the makers of this film , and give it a chance . If you keep an open mind about the other cultures of this world , I'm sure you'll be surprised by this oddly endearing movie .
005 4 This is another indication of how surprisingly wonderful the Studio Ghibli films can be . This film brings ancient Japanese traditions to life in a remarkably modern story , told after the fashion of a nature documentary . I loved to see the racoons monkey-wrenching a new development in Japan that threatened their habitat . For open-minded children of all ages , this is a magical ecological fable . For children too young to understand the , um , transforming body parts , or for parents too uptight to acknowledge that an animal's sex organs are perfectly natural to show in what is effectively a nature story , the Disney-dubbed English version of this story calls them racoon pouches . The Japanese is also included though , and the subtitles for the Japanese version are much more literal .
006 4 Out of all the Ghibli films released so far in the United States , this is by far the strangest . At least to American eyes ; the tanukis are familiar to Japanese audiences , and this film is steeped in Japanese folklore and Japanese history .
Disney , releasing Ghibli's work stateside , has done its best to translate this odd film . And believe me , they had their work cut out for them ! This film is nothing like Ghibli's best-known work , Spirited Away . Because Spirited Away dealt with universal themes like family , overcoming hardship , and childhood fears of abandonment , the story remains gripping despite the odd cultural milieu of a Japanese bathhouse . But Pom Poko leans so heavily on culture that it's jarring stateside , even to diehards like me who know the culture .
Both the original Japanese version , with subtitles , and the English dub is on the same disk . The English version is heavily Americanized - which just this once , really helps . In one example out of many , in the English version , one of the animals says that he feels like Rip van Winkle , while in the original Japanese version , he mentions Urashima Taro - the Japanese equivalent .
Two other noteworthy points about the translation . These creatures are called raccoons throughout the movie . However , they're actually tanuki , an animal native to Japan that ( if you're a scientist ) is more closely related to a dog than a raccoon . But to lay people , they're more like raccoons in all other respects - appearance , behavior , diet , and the fact that they're considered pranksters ( just like raccoons in Native American myth ) . So it makes sense that the Disney release calls them raccoons - for all intents and purposes , they are .
More interestingly , in Japanese myth , tanuki are said to have giant testicles with magical properties . This is shown in Pom Poko - although the English-language version euphemistically refers to the scrotum as a raccoon pouch . If you have small children in the home , they might not notice that when the tanuki go into battle , the part of them that magically expands looks a lot like the testicles . And if they're old enough to notice , they're old enough to deal with it .
Forgive me if I haven't even got around to descibing the story yet . That's because ( at least to me ) watching the film is a lot like plowing through this review - there's a lot you have to deal with before you're ready to delve into the story itself .
Pom Poko shows how the tanuki deal with the loss of their forests as humans turn their beloved homes into concrete suburbs . They try to fight back , but despite a few victories here and there , they're overwhelmed , and many of them die in the process .
The story is a fascinating combination of wacky humor , poignant drama and even nature documentary . It's a beautiful film to watch , although it does take some getting used to . The Americanization really does help .
On another note , it would have been nice if the DVD extras had included a primer on the myths surrounding the tanuki , and the animals themselves . No such luck , though . Fortunately , information on the animals ( Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus ) is readily available on the Internet .
I would recommend this movie ONLY for anyone who is already a fan of Japanese animation and Studio Ghibli in particular . For those who are just starting out , I would recommend just about any other Ghibli film instead of this one . There are many to choose from : The Cat Returns , Kiki's Delivery Service , Porco Rosso , and Spirited Away are just a few .
007 4 I recorded Pom Poko on our DVR when Turner Classic Movies did its salute to Miyazaki . My boys , ages 8 and 5 , watch this over and over . The themes can be a bit mature , but there is nothing here to find objectionable . As for the pouches , my boys didn't realize what they were until I spilled the beans - - and then they thought it was hilarious . This isn't the best in the Ghibli canon , but it's a fine movie and still better than most of the dreck Disney , et al . , churn out for kids and families .
008 4 I just watched this wonderful anime for the first time yesterday . I am a fan of all Studio Ghibli films , plus I have a great interest in Japanese folklore , especially Tanukis and Kitsunes .
I gave the film only 4 out of 5 b / c of the English translation . . .
Tanukis are NOT raccoons - nor do they have any relation what-so-ever to raccoons ! Tanukis are a real animal in Japan , known in America as Racoon-Dogs i.e . DOGS that resemble raccoons or badgers . They are in the wild CANINE family , though like Foxes , cannot interbreed with other canines .
They should have just kept the word ' Tanuki ' in the film . Or used Raccoon-DOG if they didn't want to keep the Japanese species name .
So constantly hearing the Tanuki referred to as ' Raccooons ' took away alot of the spirit & folklore of this film .
Also , you should know that this is probably not a film you want your young children to watch unless you do not mind them seeing cartoon animal testicles .
Like the legends of the magical Tanukis , the male tanuki have large testicles that they can enlarge ( alot ) and use as weapons , parachutes , blankets , etc .
Though the English translation tries to cleverly cover up what they are by calling them Raccoon Pouches * rolls eyes *
Aside from the American translations ruining Japanese folklore , this is a great film about survival told from the viewpoint of the Tanukis . Their land , and their numbers , are drastically disappearing due to humans paving over the forests to build houses , roads , etc .
The story is told very well , and makes it seem possible that some animals can have magical , shape-shifting powers while cleverly hiding from man .
009 4 Pom Poko . I would like to save a lot of people a lot of letter paper that would otherwise be used to send complaints to Disney about this film : If you don't like the thought of your children watching a film where a raccoon can inflate his scrotum large enough to obscure the windscreen of a lorry , you really do not want to buy this film .
On the other hand , if you can accept that in Japan these creatures are thought of as having special powers to shape-shift at will ( hence numerous well-endowed Tanuki statues dotted about the Japanese landscape ) and that the whole testicle / shape-shifting thing is just treated as a matter-of-fact traditional belief over there ( unlike in the west where the population would be 50% giggling and 50% writing letters of complaint ) , there is a good two-hour film here with jokes , romance , action and an unexpected complexity and warmth . Some imagery such as in the parade may scare some small children though , and anyone who believes that those things really are ' pouches ' ( as they are referred to in the US dub ) needs a quick chat with their doctor .
Do not think however that everything will make sense - as mentioned , the film draws heavily on eastern folklore and has bhuddist / shinto symbolism everywhere . The English dub is pretty good given the subject matter but there are a couple of bits that probably will confuse people simply because of the culture clash . Overall though its pretty coherent , and the subtitles do include a literal Japanese translation option this time .
Extras-wise the DVD is let down - I dont know if anyone looks for more than a few seconds at the second storyboard disks rendering them pretty obsolete , but also unlike the other Ghibli releases , this one has no ' Behind the Microphone ' either , or any featurettes translated from the Japanese like Nausicaa and Spirited Away had . You get a couple of the original trailers and thats about it - which is why this review dropped a star .
010 4 I am frankly astonished ( and pleased ) that Disney is actually bringing this strange , complex , wonderful film out in the US . It's a very sophisticated look at how societies balance ( or not ) urban development and the natural world while touching on issues of ecology , displacement of aboriginal populations , and even terrorism . It's also a very entertaining parody of historical documentaries on TV ( the pompous Japanese title is : Heisei-era Raccoon War Pom Poko ) . I can't wait to see what Disney does about the male Tanukis ' magically transforming , er . . . , parts , since I believe their deal with Ghibli doesn't allow edits .
011 4 Pom Poko , aka The Raccoon War , is the story of various clans of raccoons in a region of Japan who , pressed for space and food as their world continues to disappear under the wheels of human ' progress ' , take to fighting each other for survival and later teaming up to resist the human encroachment . These raccoons morph back and forth from realistic-looking quadrupeds to stubby , Ewok-like bipeds with clothes and primitive weapons as the story demands , and it never seems the least contrived . More advanced shapeshifting is a more difficult skill to acquire , one known to foxes and a select few raccoons .
The raccoons are often cute and playful , their efforts to disrupt human demolition and construction often falls into what can best be descibed as ' hi-jinks ' . And though the movie is , thus , tender and funny a lot of the times , most of the time that's a veneer masking a much grimmer story , one that sometimes takes center stage . Pom Poko is anime , and one of the things that means is that no amount of lovability or animated cuteness on the part of the film's protagonists guarantees a happy ending . The raccoons aren't just ' miffed ' in a cartoonish way - they , and the other woodland creatures are starving and in danger of dying out . There are both whimsical and darker fantastic elements in their campaign of resistance against the humans : their ' poltergeist ' hauntings on the construction sites , the ' parade of phantasms ' in a major Japanese city , etc . But the story of envirornmental devastation being told is very real , and there are real consequences in the movie : both raccoons and humans sometimes meet with unfortunate fates . Eventually a breed of foxes who have given up their ' fox status ' and shapeshifted to survive by permanently living as humans enters the fray , along with some very old , very powerful , magical raccoons . The array of choices available to the protagonist ' main ' racoons increases , but each one has its drawbacks . The animation is , as usual for Studio Ghibli , a triumph of imagination .
In an interesting twist , at one point one of the main raccoons actually addresses the viewers of Pom Poko directly , apparantly seeking in particular to grab the attention of young tots . It may be a wise move on the raccoon's part to seek the attention of the generations that will one day have power ; the generations that have power now and have had for the last decades have , despite some encouraging signs of late , not really amassed the best track records .
Pom Poko is many things - hilarious , lovable , fierce , globally relevant , tragic , triumphant and more . Parts may be too intense for very young viewers ( the also-excellent Once Upon A Forest raises some of the same issues but does it in a way less likely to really frighten , say , a three year-old . And like Pom Poko , Once Upon A Forest is great for older ages too ) who will likely be attracted by the comedic charm of the box art - you should watch it with your young children when they see it the first time . Other than that - which really isn't a minus ; it can't make its point if there's always a safety net - this is an outstanding movie for everybody . A Studio Ghibli marker might just be the greatest assurance of excellence you can look for on a movie .
012 4 This is a very different , more dynamic film than a lot of other Ghibli works . Although it bears some thematic resemblance to Mononoke and Naussica in its nature vs . man plot , it plays out much differently through its use of humorous protagonists . Though on the surface the tanuki may look like cuddly teddy bears , they are fierce in their war with the humans .
013 4 This review is from :
Pom Poko ( DVD )
After seeing a film such as Ocean Waves ( I Can Hear The Sea ) I was really in the mood get back into the fantasy mode of Ghibli . Ocean Waves is a brilliant real story about 3 friends growing up together and experiencing life head on . It can be awkward and sometimes confusing , but in the end you learn to cope and move forward . * Ocean Waves is not up for release yet so that was my brief review )
Then , we have ' Pom Poko ' . It is the story of racoons with the ability to transform into many things from inatimate objects even human beings . In the late 1960s the racoons ' home land is being dug up to make more room for new housing projects in Japan and the racoons have a war on their hands . The objective is to scare the humans into stopping production of these new houses and take what is theres . Through all the hardships and crazy parties the racoons soon reach the conclusion that in a constantly changing world they have to figure out ways to evolve with all their surroundings in order to remain alive .
A fantasy directed by Isao Takahata , is something to be prepared for . Takahata has a gift of brining realism to life in his films and he does the same with this one eventhough it envolves such kooky characters as racoons . There are very funny moments but also moments that will make you cry or make you feel warm inside . The characters share amazing bonds and play off each other real well . Though I thought the plot was not as harsh as it turned to be the message is important .
014 4 After seeing a film such as Ocean Waves ( I Can Hear The Sea ) I was really in the mood get back into the fantasy mode of Ghibli . Ocean Waves is a brilliant real story about 3 friends growing up together and experiencing life head on . It can be awkward and sometimes confusing , but in the end you learn to cope and move forward . * Ocean Waves is not up for release yet so that was my brief review )
Then , we have ' Pom Poko ' . It is the story of racoons with the ability to transform into many things from inatimate objects even human beings . In the late 1960s the racoons ' home land is being dug up to make more room for new housing projects in Japan and the racoons have a war on their hands . The objective is to scare the humans into stopping production of these new houses and take what is theres . Through all the hardships and crazy parties the racoons soon reach the conclusion that in a constantly changing world they have to figure out ways to evolve with all their surroundings in order to remain alive .
A fantasy directed by Isao Takahata , is something to be prepared for . Takahata has a gift of brining realism to life in his films and he does the same with this one eventhough it envolves such kooky characters as racoons . There are very funny moments but also moments that will make you cry or make you feel warm inside . The characters share amazing bonds and play off each other real well . Though I thought the plot was not as harsh as it turned to be the message is important .
016 4 Takahata Isao's Pom Poko tells the story of a band of tanuki ( racoon dogs ) fighting to save their forest home in the Tama Hills from a Tokyo subdevelopment . But these are no ordinary tanuki : capable of shapeshifting , they wage an all-out war to frighten humans away .
The animation style of the tanuki looks at times photorealistic to goofy Care Bear minimalism . Backgrounds are lovely and evocative , particularly those that showcase traditional Japanese architecture . There are many cultural elements : traditional clothing , temples and shrines , and traditional songs and folktales make up a good deal of the story , but will be unfamiliar for Western audiences .
However , I tried multiple times to watch Pom Poko , and found myself wandering off . The story , overly long at two hours , didn't keep my interest as other Studio Ghibli films have done ( I didn't identify with Porco Rosso for similar reasons ) . I appreciate the cultural elements present in the film , and was glad that I had a chance to see it , but so saying , don't see adding it to my collection anytime soon .
For parents of young children : the film contains numerous graphic references to tanuki testicles ( translated as pouches and balls in the captions ) , which are at one point inflated to giant size and used as a weapon . There are also several veiled references to mating and the birds and the trees , as well as the on-screen death of several humans . Also , the ending may be distressing to young children ( definitely not a Disney ending ! )
017 4 I laughed for a good portion of this movie ! It's hilarious and safe enough to share with the whole family ! The minor details of whether they are raccoons or not doesn't matter . For me , it doesn't take away from the pure entertainment of the film . It's fun , it's unique , and it sends a real message too . What more could one want ? Good job , Studio Ghibli !
018 4 A very interesting cartoon . Very different . I think it's great that Disney brought this cartoon from Japan to share with us to show how cartoons and cultures can be very different . Anyone with a strong interest in Japan and Japanese culture must get it .
It's about a colony of raccoons facing the loss of their habitat when human beings come to develop it . But more so than that , it's about Japanese culture and traditions . Very funny , amusing , lovingly drawn and well translated into English . It's just so different from a cultural point of view that the first few minutes were a culture shock , but very enjoyable . Highly recommended , but maybe not for small children since it talks about death . If this for young kids , make sure the parents are there to explain the movie .
019 4 Pom Poko is a film produced by Studio Ghibli and directed by Isao Takahata that relies heavily on Japanese folklore . Pom Poko was released by Disney as part of the deal the company made with Studio Ghibli ; the film was released in the United States on DVD in 2005 . Pom Poko tells the story of a group of tanuki ( called raccoons in the English dub and subtitles ) who are trying to find a way to save their home the Tama New Town development that's being built and causing a decrease in living space and food for the tanuki .
The animation in Pom Poko employs at least two or three different styles , especially when it comes to the Tanuki . Not that this is bad , but it can be a bit disorienting at times . Personally , even though this film was given a PG rating , I don't think it's entirely appropriate for younger viewers . There are shots of a couple of the Tanuki being run over by automobiles , which could be disturbing to young children . Also , in at least one battle , the male Tanuki use their testicles as a weapon . Personally , I would recommend Pom Poko for anime viewers who are thirteen or fourteen years of age and older .
Pom Poko was released as a two disc set . There is only one special feature included on the first disc . The feature is the trailers and TV spots for Pom Poko , and this runs for about eight minutes . There are four promotional spots in all , which have the original Japanese audio with English subtitles . The second disc only has the storyboard version of the film included on it .
Pom Poko has an interesting premise , but it is one of the longer films in the Studio Ghibli catalog . The pacing of the film is also a little slower than the other Studio Ghibli films , which is another thing that younger children wouldn't appreciate about this film . However , if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli or Isao Takahata , then you should add this DVD to your collection .
020 4 Some people are too shallow and nitpicky to get pass the raccoon dogs using their ' pouches ' as weapons against the human construction workers . Is that really all you got from the film ? It's the people that focus exclusively on that aspect that make me doubt not the filmmaker's integrity and morality but their own . It is well known that the tanuki ( the real raccoon dogs in Japan ) actually have prominent testicles ; in Japanese folklore they mythologized it by saying that they occasionally used it as weapons . Nothing pervertish is meant by it . Japanese replicated statues of the tanuki with their large ' pouches ' as a sign of their success and prosperity . They decorated their homes with them much like we do with Garden Gnomes .
That said the film is mainly about the Raccoons and their pleasant harmonious way of life being threatened by the never-ending onslaught of more humans . They used to coexist quite well with them in the past , but as man becomes more technically advance buildings and cities are now being created resulting in the destruction of the raccoons . The raccoons are shown as loving to party , dance , and feast and are pretty lazy when it comes to doing actual work . But soon they have to learn the ancient art of transformation in order to befuddle , scare , or even destroy the humans . Much of the film's delight and wonder comes from their transformation . It is hilarious watching them turning into humans sometimes inadvertently falling back into their raccoon form . And there is a dazzling scene where dozens of raccoons transform themselves into a large heavily Japanese cultured parade of dragons , monsters , and ghosts only to find to their despair that the humans still think human pranksters are behind it and not the raccoons from Tama hills .
The film is very bittersweet and saddening at times as it seems no matter what they do nothing has really any lasting effect . Finally , at the end the raccoons use all their remaining magic and numbers to try to restore their forest the way it was before and it's a beautiful scene of power as they raise mountains from the ground and trees and plants grow everywhere . Some buildings make it , some don't , and theirs lovely lakes , gardens , and farms all over . The film's ending is slightly one of despair , but also of hope and reconciliation . It's inevitable that humans will reproduce and populate and expand and the best we can do for the earth is respect it and its creatures , giving them as much freedom as we can . What I love about Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki is that they are not extremist when it comes to the environment . They want humans and animals and Nature to COEXIST ; not kill off humans so that animals alone can exist . They because they are positive and hopeful seek a bond not a sundering .
021 4 I just sent the DVD to Kids in the States by their request . As long as I heard , the kids like it very much . Though I am not sure how much the story or situation of Japanaese suburbs back then could be understood , they loved seeing all the acts of the raccoon dogs ( tanuki ) , especially when flying with their scrota .
I hope even a bit can stay in their mind to consider , compare and contrast developing modern culture and destroying nature by watching this kind of entertainment . And hopefully Mr . Miyazaki keeps in such concept .
022 4 This review is from :
Pom Poko ( DVD )
I had seen this before in a Japanese Film Class , and decided to buy it . I love it and it is not offered in most movie rental stores . It is an eccentric movie with great heart , and a relevant plot . I agree with some other reviews that most of the cultural elements are well explained , but there are some deeper things that I noticed that are worth a little research ( maybe a summer project for the kids ? i dunno ) .
Overall I definitly recommend this movie , although keep in mind it is not an American cartoon !
023 4 I had seen this before in a Japanese Film Class , and decided to buy it . I love it and it is not offered in most movie rental stores . It is an eccentric movie with great heart , and a relevant plot . I agree with some other reviews that most of the cultural elements are well explained , but there are some deeper things that I noticed that are worth a little research ( maybe a summer project for the kids ? i dunno ) .
Overall I definitly recommend this movie , although keep in mind it is not an American cartoon !
024 4 What can I say ? Studio Ghibli always has a way of telling VERY good stories . A must for anyone who has a passion for good story telling
025 4 For those familiar with Japanese culture , folktales , traditional children's songs and ghost stories , you will be delighted with the homage , the references and the in jokes . The movie is rich in these references and this is it's most outstanding feature , not the enlarged [ . . . ] ( which by the way are a traditional mythic feature of tanuki ) . For the uninitiated , check out Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn , - - - the illustrations of woodblock prints from the Edo period alone will demonstrate the rich cultural heritage being romped through by the tanuki band of Tama Hills . This is a gem for anyone interested in a playful view of Japanese culture and folklore .
026 4 This Ghibli film , Pom Poko , is directed by Isao Takahata . It features raccoons who find their forests shrinking , due to human expansion , and fight to retain what is left . It is a typical Ghibli film that includes multiple flight scenes ( pocket-parachutes , and transformation parade ) , an environmental message , and numerous fantasy elements .
Pom Poko has a documentary feeling attached . It opens with commentary from some of it's raccoon characters . It then continues with a narrator through various portions of the film . The narrator gives time periods and points out societal trends related to the topic .
Takahata captured the environmental effects of forest loss well . The raccoons view each other as competition for food as the forest shrinks . With less food comes less mating , etc . He also expresses some Darwinian theories in it as well ( i . e . adaptation , evolution , etc . ) .
The music is fun . The raccoons frequently sing and dance and play music . There are two or three songs that could be easily learned and sung by young children . The rest of the music is fun , catchy , and diverse as well . The soundtrack ought to be awesome .
I would consider Pom Poko a great multi-age film for older children through adult .
027 4 This movie is about a lot more than just cute little Raccoons , it deals with the destruction of the environment and the effect on the animals that inhabit it . Its a fun cute movie , with sad bottom line though .
028 4 Pom Poko / B0009MAO3W
I don't understand what happened here . I usually enjoy Studio Ghibli films , but Pom Poko was just not good at all , in my opinion . My husband , who likes Studio Ghibli films even more than I do , actually fell asleep during this movie and specifically asked ( when roused ) that I * not * stop the film so that he could continue it later .
There's a good message here : deforestation is hurting the raccoons of the forest and they are scrambling to figure out how to cope with the new situation . The raccoons are varied and all have unique ways of approaching the crisis - some want to work with the humans to find a peaceful solution , some want to frighten the humans away with silly tricks , and some want to declare outright war and destroy equipment ( and , if necessary , lives ) to drive the humans out . Unlike some nature vs . humans films , there's a good deal of discussion about how to best allow industrialization to co-exist with nature ; this isn't a mindless destroy all society and be hunter / gatherers again film .
Unfortunately , all this deep thought is truly wrecked by the animation and story-telling method employed here . The painfully slow years in the life of a raccoon narrative is - and I really hate to say this - just plain boring . I feel like the idea was to make a sort of drowsy documentary , and I really like the idea , but the execution is just so lacking . The narrators all sound like they've taken a fistful of valium - I ended up playing much of the movie on 1.5 speed so that the narrative dialogue would go at a semi-normal rate of speaking .
And the animation ! The animation switches jarringly from realistic raccoons that look artistically real , to cartoon raccoons that look normal enough for animation , to caricature raccoons that look . . . bizarre . The caricature raccoons always sport gigantic testicles , that the animation draws attention to frequently and grotesquely - the raccoons can shape-shift , you see , so testicles get used frequently as gigantic air balloons , weapons , you name it . Now , I've got no problem with animals having testicles , but this was just . . . weird . And not funny , just kind of gross , and after awhile you start to worry about the animator a little bit because , seriously , you cannot go five minutes in this movie without the animation making a BIG point of saying , Hey ! Look ! Testicles ! Funny !
I really wanted to like this in the end , for the careful dissection of nature themes here , but I just couldn't , and I don't recommend Pom Poko .
~ Ana Mardoll
029 4 Magical badger-Raccoon creatures who can change into anything or anyone begin to feel that their forest is being damaged by humans whom are doing land development , the creatures begin to take drastic measure even other forms including on human form to stop the developers .
Fascinating and intriguing animated fantasy-comedy-drama from Studio Ghibli that is produced and story by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and from the director of Grave of the Fireflies Isao Takahta . This movie has spectacular animation with some original interesting ideas based on a Japanese myth of magic raccoons blended with a Eco-protection message in the film to make it a one of a kind animated feature like you'd expect from Studio Ghibli , although the dubbed version with the voices of Jonathan Taylor Thomas , Maurice LaMarche and Clancy Brown ( Spongebob Squarepants and Shawshank Redemption ) is good but the Japanese dub's better with the subs .
This 2 - Disc DVD special edition has good picture and quality sound with both the English and Japanese language tracks with subtitles and the only extras are Trailers , TV spots and full length storyboards , it's still a must have if your into animation .
030 4 I've watched other Studio Ghibi films ( starting with Princess Monoke ) and since this was made by Studio Ghibi , I picked it up . I haven't watched Grave of the Fireflies as yet , but am planning to get it . Which may be a better film than Pom Poko .
Pom Poko is about magical creatures that can transform into humans ( or statues ) . The creatures ' Tama Hills are being destroyed by Man , and the creatures go to war . 3 Humans die in the movie , but the creatures do pray for them . . . killing humans weren't a part of thier plan .
I was surprised that Disney released a film that had inflatable testicles in it . It shocked me the first time I saw it , but I soon forgot it . In the English dub , they are called pouces .
This is one of the better Ghibi films . And I do agree that it's not for young children .
031 4 This review is from :
Pom Poko ( DVD )
And it's still good ! It moives at too slow a pace though , and it actually gets kind of boring in spots . The chanting and singing the raccoons do get on my nerves . The scene where they go into town and put on that sort of fireworks / illusion show for the humans was cool , but that's about it . I like the meaning behind the movie ( humans are destroying nature , nature tries defending itself ) , but it fails to captivate me like a majority of the other Ghibli movies do .
032 4 And it's still good ! It moives at too slow a pace though , and it actually gets kind of boring in spots . The chanting and singing the raccoons do get on my nerves . The scene where they go into town and put on that sort of fireworks / illusion show for the humans was cool , but that's about it . I like the meaning behind the movie ( humans are destroying nature , nature tries defending itself ) , but it fails to captivate me like a majority of the other Ghibli movies do .
033 4 Pom Poko , the ninth feature-length animated movie produced by Japan's Studio Ghibli , is a brilliantly-made film with a powerful message of how man's progress can sometimes impact nature in harmful ways .
The raccoons ( tanuki in Japanese ) of the Tama Hills are suffering from the encroachment of human civilization ( in the form of new suburbs of Tokyo ) into their habitats , so they decide to fight back . Fortunately , the tanuki are one of the animal species in Japanese legend with the power to change shape . They can replicate inanimate objects , other animals and even people . The raccoons must learn to effectively use their abilities to dissuade the humans from destroying their homes .
Isao Takahata - a colleague and mentor of the masterful Hayao Miyazaki - created a moving film that runs the full gamut of emotions ; there are a lot of funny moments , but other scenes will definitely tug hard at your heartstrings . Though the tanuki have these fantastic powers , their plight and anguish feel quite real . . . and the ending of the movie certainly reflects reality as well . By the way , Tama New Town is a real place - built in the hills southwest of central Tokyo in the 1960 ' s .
The English dub is quite close to the original Japanese script ( with a few cultural allowances ) , and the English voice actors did an excellent job .
I would probably not recommend this film for really young children as there is quite a bit of death and violence associated with the raccoon struggle , and a tiny bit of implied birds-and-bees stuff . The English dub creatively skirts around a sensitive issue related to the raccoons ' reproductive organs . If your children are old enough to understand the larger environmental message , however , I would have no reservations showing them this magical film .
034 4 In Japanese folk tales Tanuki or racoon dogs are believed to trick people in a mischivous manner . Takahata-san with the support of Miyazaki ( Konchou Daimyoujin a tanuki god from Awa , Shikoku borrows the self-image of him I guess ) puts out ecology-motivated film somewhat parodical of Naussica and Castle In The Sky with similar poignant message . Since MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Takahata / Miyazaki team tries to bring back Japanese nomadic landscape seriously in danger of destruction by current development . Unlike Naussica and Castle In The Sky this work gets more to the point . Racoon dogs are now being deprived of the home by housing development and they work together to revenge human and try to stop the development . Takahata gives the poor racoons the every idea and folk legends to fight against humans . Japanese scenary was vividly recreated by the hands of kazuo Oga known by the brilliant works in Totoro and Mononoke . The story reminds me a bit of The Planet of Apes series and lost effort by radical activists trying to stop Narita Airport back in 70s and 80s . Overall it is well-crafted ecology-motivated movie and very fun as well . Tama hills area used for this film is used again as the location of Whisper Of The Heart . I just hope Shizuku can find the remaining tanukis .
Verdict : Fun movie yet with clear message
Rating : 87 out of 100
Recommended for : Essential for Kazuo Oga scenary work fans who love Mononoke and Totoro . And wide range of movie fans .
035 4 Pom Poko is the story of a group of tanuki ( raccoon-dogs that feature in Japanese culture , and have a mythic ability to shapeshift ) who fight back against the encroachments of developing Tokyo . The moral of the story is : work with nature , not against it . You know . Like every other movie out of this studio .
If this were a western cartoon , most of the reviews of this movie would tell you the following :
That this movie is cute , but very slowly paced .
That it is repetitive . ( The tanuki rebel . Celebrate . Learn that the humans haven't given up yet . Mourn . Decide to rebel again . Repeat ad nauseum . )
That many of the characters kind of blend together .
That the movie is too preachy ; not subtle enough .
That using a gigantic scrotum as a bludgeon is just plain weird .
However , people don't say these things because this isn't a western cartoon . It is anime , and anime gets a special pass . When there's something that is confusing in anime , we assume that it accounts to translation issues , or cultural backgrounds , and can't possibly be the fault of the writers . I will grant that tanukis are known for their large genitalia in Japanese culture ; however , using one's scrotal sack as a parachute is odd no matter where you're born .
I don't mean to say that this is an awful film . It's cute ( great animation ) , if too slow . But don't be fooled by those who insist that everything that comes out of Japan is genius ( let alone Studio Ghibli , which is sacrosanct ) . Some anime is good , some is bad , some is in-between . This movie falls to the latter category .
036 4 Normally , strange plot devices / characters in movies make for entertaining viewing . Despite all the weirdness of Pom Poko , it still managed to be boring on the one hand , and just plain odd on the other .
First of all , I am a great lover of Studio Ghibli films . I've seen almost all of them at this point , and I've loved almost all of them . So , I am no stranger to anime ( I've watched tons of different anime , not just Studio Ghibli's ) or Studio Ghibli's work . This one , however , really isn't that good . I almost gave it 3 stars until I realized how biased that was ; if anyone but Studio Ghibli had put this out , I'd have given it a much lower rating , so it gets it's two stars . Anyway , Pom Poko covers the story of a group of raccoons ( actually they are tanukis , but in English it was changed to raccoons ) who are trying to stop the humans from destroying their forest .
So what's wrong with this movie ? My complaints begin with the pacing . It's rather dull . It spans several years , and the plot twists this way and that before getting to any real conclusion . Not to mention the repetitiveness : the raccoons come up with a plan to stop the humans , they celebrate prematurely , they find out that it didn't work , they mourn . Repeat this several times . It really got old . Another thing is the narration . The movie is told in substantial bits with a narrative monologue . This really dulled it down for me ; it sort of broke up the action and distanced the viewer from the things actually going on . Also , the fact that there really wasn't a specific central character made it more difficult to focus or care .
Another complaint I have is the weirdness of bludgeoning people to death with giant testicles . I realize it's cultural , and it's not that I'm offended by it , it was just really weird . This strange element really should've made the movie interesting with its sheer bizareness , but the movie was still rather dull . That's truly paradoxical .
Another thing you should take note of is the environmentalist message . It should be obvious from the synopsis that this is a movie with heavy environmentalist themes . I truly sympathized with the raccoons , as it was very sad to see them struggle in vain to save their home . In fact , the film makers went to great length to make us identify and sympathize with the raccoons by making them anthropomorphic and continually depicting their struggles . Unfortunately , all the human-bashing humans are evil dialogue ended up making me feel more defensive than sympathetic at the end of the movie . Still , almost all of Studio Ghibli's movies are environmentalist , but it's never bothered me until this movie .
I've heard that this movie was actually supposed to be a comedy of sorts . I can see how some scenes are silly , but I think the humor may have been lost in translation , so to speak . Perhaps I would've laughed alot more if I was Japanese . I think maybe alot of the humor went over my head , and that's why I didn't enjoy it as much .
Ultimately , I find Pom Poko difficult to recommend to anyone really . Perhaps those already familiar with Studio Ghibli's other works should watch this to say they've seen all Studio Ghibli has to offer . If you're new to Studio Ghibli , I suggest seeing just about any other one of their works , especially Howl's Moving Castle , The Cat Returns , Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro .
037 4 This review is from :
Pom Poko ( DVD )
Not action packed , but lots of fun with a tree hugger nature-saver theme .
A bunch of raccoons are getting squeezed out of their habitat by development . Raccoons are one of the animals that can change shape and using that talent , they try to scare the humans away , but ultimately fail to progress . Finally using their talents to adapt to their new environment .
038 4 Not action packed , but lots of fun with a tree hugger nature-saver theme .
A bunch of raccoons are getting squeezed out of their habitat by development . Raccoons are one of the animals that can change shape and using that talent , they try to scare the humans away , but ultimately fail to progress . Finally using their talents to adapt to their new environment .
039 4 The animation is about a forest of racoons fighting to keep their forest exactly that , a forest from that of Japan's economic growth . Their antics are funny .
040 4 I watched this movie after seeing Isao Takahata's name on it . Coming from someone who directed Hotaru No Haka ( Grave of the Fireflies ) , I thought it will at least be worth 2 hours of my time . . . .
It's definitely a departure from the heart-wrenching ' Fireflies '
This is a light-hearted movie about a bunch of raccoons whose habitats are being threatened by men .
While I thought the movie had its cute moments , the movie takes far too long getting to its conclusion .
One other thing , I have never seen so many scenes of raccoons utilising their testicles . . . . you'll see testicles being used to crush someone to death , testicles being used as a parachute , testicles being used as a rug , and my favourite - testicles being used to crash a truck .
So if raccoon testicles are your thing , add 3 stars to my rating
041 4 I rented this movie for my 6 year old daughter because it had the Disney label and pictures of cute raccoons on the front . I shut it off at the beginning of the first battle scene . If the prominent scrotums ( mentioned in another review ) weren't bad enough , the raccoons transformed into Ninja / Sumo / Samurai warriors and committed mayhem and violence against each other . This movie would probably appeal to pre-teen boys , but is not appropriate for yongre kids . Why is Disney squandering their good name on junk like this ? ? ?
