Pom Poko - Blu-ray + DVD

Very unique movie, the kids loved it and had no idea what was going on.

One of the great animes made by one of the great anime producers, one of Japan’s greatest

Of the famous Ghibli duo, Takahata is too often the one who remains in the shadow of his colleague Miyazaki.Of all the titles offered by these two giants of Japanese cartoons, Pom Poko is one of my favorites with its superb animation and its symbolism of the situations, during this amusing story of the Tanukis who confront humans to regain their territory.A success without a shadow of a doubt!

Great

The movie invokes nostalgia for the past and simpler lives that used to be prior to human development displacing fauna that’s been around for centuries. These raccoons then come up with ways to safely discourage humans from taking more land yet it ends horribly for them when they defend themselves from humans. It ends with the forest being destroyed with raccoons assimilating into modern society and putting greens.

An interesting Ghibli offering has mythical raccoon dogs see their environment encroached on by humans, they attempt a variety of techniques to stall development and win back their space but ultimately humanity prevails. Bittersweet and somewhat overlong, repeated viewings do increase the eco awareness and the somberness of the subject matter. Have both the GKIDS and Disney BDs, can't recall if the newer release has better subtitles vs. dubtitles. Regardless, the picture quality is very good on the BD.

This movie is definitely not child appropriate, unless you're okay with your child seeing these Tanukis use magic with their testes. It's a funny movie overall and now me, my husband, and cousin have a great inside joke from this movie!

In a film that desperately needs liner notes, Isao Takahata explores the world of the tanuki in 60's Tokyo. This is an animated mockumentary about the real life construction of the Tama New Town suburbs, and the trickster tanuki's attempts to fight back using folklore and mythology. It is also about the rejection of traditions and beliefs in the name of progress, as the humans are mostly unmoved by their work. In the end, desperate measures are taken, and life continues on for everyone.This film, like many of Takahata's, is very, very Japanese. This is a film that <i>heavily</i> references Japanese folklore, mythology, and history. In short, not a film for the casual viewer. Being versed in Japanese folklore is recommended to get the maximum enjoyment out of this movie. For those interested in some of the references, a visit to the FAQ on the film's page on nausicaa.net is highly recommended. Also suggested are the books <i>Youkai Attack!</i> and <i>Tales of Old Japan</i>.