For centuries raccoons have lived in the mountains, hills, and forests
peacefully. But the human population is growing, and the need for additional
housing has spurred the destruction of the raccoons' natural habitat.
Enraged by the recent developments, the raccoons decide to re-train themselves
in the art of transformation.
Raccoons are naturally endowed with the ability to change their forms; they
just need to hone their skills so that they can do so effectively. Soon the
raccoons gain the ability to transform into anything... from everyday objects
to people.
Pom Poko Anime Review
I normally dislike animal-oriented films, and the only reason why I purchased
the Pom Poko DVD was because it was a Studio Ghibli production and I have this
thing about collecting Studio Ghibli's releases.
Studio Ghibli Pom Poko would seem like your typical humans vs. animals type of film, but
it's so uniquely done that it becomes much more than that. The raccoons are so
determined to save their home that they master the art of transformation,
wreaking havoc on the construction sites.
Soon, people begin to think that the whole project is cursed and/or the sites
are haunted. In the meantime, the raccoons keep themselves updated on the
latest news via a television set that they had found in a dump.
The mood is relatively light at first, but as the raccoons become more
aggressive in their campaign, casualties start piling up.
Pom Poko tells two sides of a story from a raccoon's perspective. Both the
racoons and the humans have valid reasons for their actions, and one can
actually sympathize with everyone concerned.
Perhaps the strangest thing about Pom Poko anime is the constant reference to the
male raccoon's balls, which can supposedly be stretched and manipulated to
take on various shapes and forms. I find that there isn't really anything
objectionable about this but of course whether or not younger children should
see it would best be left to the parent's discretion.
Like almost every other Studio Ghibli release, Pom Poko dazzles us with crisp,
vibrant, and finely rendered visuals. I especially appreciated the detail that
went into each scene, like how realistic the construction vehicles were, how
lush and fresh the natural landscape looked, etc. The music came off as
somewhat understated throughout the show but fitting all the same.
Pom Poko movie takes a serious theme and makes a story that everyone can relate to
out of it. One can't help but be interested and entertained since pacing is
brisk and there are a lot of amusing twists.
What's even more admirable is that it leaves some food for thought afterwards
without detracting from one's overall enjoyment of the film. Highly
recommended for children and adults alike.
Miscellanies: Pom Poko
Pom Poko Studio Ghibli is about 2 hours in length. I watched and reviewed the official R3
version.
Pom Poko (Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko) | |
| Genre | - |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 1 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Jun 13, 1994 |
| Producers | Daiei, Nippon Television Network |
| Studio | Studio Ghibli |
| Rating | G - All Ages |
| Themes | Anthropomorphic |
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