Pom Poko

We started with Spirited Away years ago when the cover caught my eye, then My Neighbor Tortoro when I read Roger Ebert's 4 out of 4 star review. I quickly bought all the family movies from this studio. My kids, now 7 and 9, have cherished them all: Kiki's Delivery Service, Nausicaa, Castle In The Sky, Howl's Moving Castle (my favorite), The Cat Returns (huge hit at my daughter's slumber party), Ponyo... and they wanted more. I hadn't heard of Pom Poko and stumbled acrossed it here on Amazon. The reviews made me a little concerned regarding the males' scrotums, but after I watched the trailer for this movie with my 9 year old daughter on YouTube, we couldn't wait to order Pom Poko and get it home! I had told her about the "pouch" thing and told her not to make an issue of it. When watching the movie she giggled a couple times, but they were funny scenes! Her 7 year old brother didn't notice or seemed phased. As far as the two little bumps "down there" when the male characters are standing-- not a deal; our male dog shows more-- it's just the male body. And when the characters inflated them or transformed them, it was only a few times and just a little quirky but no biggie. That was a non-issue in a overall wonderful film. And the movie is so beloved by both of my kids. They have seem it countless times already and belly laugh at their favorite parts every time. It is up there with Nausicaa for them. I loved it myself. A great message, and very entertaining. People said the ending is not "Disney", but it's a pleasant ending. The same director did Grave of the Fireflies-- one of the best and saddest movies ever. Do not let your children see that one, but that movie was amazing. Anyway, Pom Poko is a wonderful addition to a family who is at all familiar with these excellent, sweet and quirky Japanese films that my kids and I cherish!

One of my favorite movies by this animator

Director Takahata does not benefit from the media aura of his colleague Miyazaki. And yet Pom Poko is undoubtedly one of the best films from Studio Ghibli. Takahata's scenarios are sometimes more subtle, and hide more serious, even very dramatic, thoughts. Since his death, we obviously no longer talk about him. The artist was the most experimental in the diversity of his creations. This is why the public seems to remain resistant to his filmed work. However, in addition to this, go see the adventures of Kié, or those of the Yamadas family. You might be surprised, and like it. For the blu-ray (and DVD or Streaming) editions, we only have the choice based on the number of releases that there are of its titles.

Based on Japanese folklore, magical raccoons with the ability to shape-shift inhabit a forest. They mostly live a carefree life. However, their peace is threatened when humans decide to start leveling the forest to make way for a new town. The raccoons find that their home is being destroyed and start wondering what to do about it. They start to hone their shape-shifting skills and try to stave off the human incursion. In the English dub, the creatures are called "raccoons" which is a simplification of the original name "tanuki." Indeed, overall this movie is heavily influenced by folklore surrounding the tanuki and contains many other references to Japanese culture that may be lost to a western viewer, including myself. However, even though every reference may not be understood, the main story of the movie is easy enough to grasp. I enjoyed this film with its trademark Ghibli excellence in animation and some good humor along the way. It may be a little bizarre to some people, but it is a good movie nonetheless. The bonus features on this set are rather light which consists of some trailers and the original storyboards. If you like animation, especially the works of Studio Ghibli, I would recommend checking out this movie.

i have this movie on japanese laserdisc. this is my favourite studio ghibli film. i lived on the outskirts of a japanese city while i was a child, during the ten years we lived there the neighborhood changed from 3/4 fields of crops to 3/4 private homes, this film resonates with me in way that Miyazaki's more fantastic ecology films don't, tho Totoro has many familiar sights in it. like the previous reviewer i thought this film would run afoul of the MPAA rating system and american puritanical tradition. i'll be blunt. anyone who has seen a ceramic tanuki knows they have huge testicles. in the film they use them as weapons, literally. in one scene the old tanuki teaching the younger ones the art of transforming, informs them the mat that they are all sitting on is his transformed testicles. in another a tanuki swings his scrotum with his hands like a sack of bowling balls in a fight. it's as sexual as the bath scene in Totoro(not at all), still i never thoght this movie could get a PG in america. not sure but, i believe the japanese tried to enter this film in the best foreign film catagory in the oscars. it deserved it as much as the Incredibles did.

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.

I first saw this at the IFC theater in NYC where they were having a Studio Gibli festival. I've seen a half dozen or so of the other Gibli flicks and thought a lot of them. I'm an Anime fan in general - I would say the Gibli films are usually targeted primarily for children and have a certain, slick polish to them. Pom Poko is a bit different - it shares the same themes as many of the Gibli films - our destruction of nature and how this destruction creates discord with the Shinto spirits of nature. It differs in that it is not as polished in some places and there seem to be certain stylistic inconsistencies with the animation - nothing too serious and I attribute much of this to the fact that this film is older than many of those that have become popular in the US market recently. The movie really is bizarre in many respects though - it feels more Japanese than many of the other films and is very quirky. I found myself laughing out loud many times throughout the film which is not the way I usually react to Gibli films - it was just so weird! Those who criticize the film because of the occasional, cartoonish depiction of testes should really try and think outside the box of our own cultural norms. Certainly Japanese culture is equal to the US in terms of modernity and sophistication - the depiction of testes is not meant to be pornographic or dirty in any way - its simply part of their culture. And really, the drawings of them aren't very realistic so its hard to see how it could offend anyone. Frankly I barely noticed it - its only when I read some of these reviews that I see how bizarrely prudish some of our fellow citizens are...

About tanuki and their prominent endowments: In Japan's history, Tanuki hides were used to help flatten gold into very thin sheets. So, tanuki were good at stretching a dollar. This brought the idea that they must have very large 'kintama' (money pouch).'Kintama' was also slang for a man's 'family jewels'. So really, it's a pun gone wild in Japanese Folklore. The humor of the tanuki's kintama is as crass as seeing a guy get wanged in the crotch in American media. It's mostly a cheap laugh, but this is intended as a Children's movie. Even so, it's necessary to the subject depicted and there is a reason why Disney released this one so quietly. They were required to not alter it in any way. It's a good film, and an excellent piece of cultural education for any age.