Heisei tanuki gassen pompoko (1994)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Isao Takahata

Writer:

Isao Takahata (writer)

Release Date:

16 July 1994 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

A community of magical shapeshifting raccoons desperately struggle to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development.

Plot Keywords:

Talking Fox | Maneki Neko | Tokyo Japan | Animal | Transformation

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Shinchô Kokontei	...	Narrator (voice)
Makoto Nonomura	...	Shoukichi (voice)
Yuriko Ishida	...	Okiyo (voice)
Norihei Miki	...	Seizaemon (voice)
Nijiko Kiyokawa	...	Fireball Oroku (voice)
Shigeru Izumiya	...	Gonta (voice)
Gannosuke Ashiya	...	Inugami Gyobu (voice)
Takehiro Murata	...	Bunta (voice)
Beichou Katsura	...	Kincho Daimyoujin the Sixth (voice)
Bunshi Katsura	...	Yashimano Hage (voice)
Kosan Yanagiya	...	Abbot Tsurugame (voice)
Akira Kamiya	...	Tamasaburo (voice)
Rei Sakuma	...	(voice)
Tomokazu Seki	...	Male Tanuki B (voice)
Minoru Yada	...	(voice)

Also Known As:

Pom poko (USA) (dubbed version)
The Raccoon War (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for violence, scary images and thematic elements.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

English | French | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG | France:U | Canada:G (Manitoba) (video rating) (2001) | Canada:G (Ontario/Quebec) (DVD rating) (2005) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (DVD rating) (2005) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG

Company:

Hakuhodo

Trivia:

As the tanuki fly off in a train of spirits and ghosts, immediately before beginning project "Poltergeist", images characters from other Ghibli works can be seen, including that of Kiki from Majo no takkyûbin (1989), Porco Roso's Seaplane from Kurenai no buta (1992), Totoro on his top from Tonari no Totoro (1988), and young Taeko from Omohide poro poro (1991) can be seen flying just above the winged skeleton.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The English-dubbed version incorrectly refers to the tanuki as "raccoons". Tanuki are actually "raccoon dogs" - they are in the canid branch of mammals.

Quotes:

Osho: [Osho is patiently teaching a class to the young raccoons] A raccoon fell out of the tree! Yes, that's right. Who can tell me *why* the raccoon fell out of the tree? Gonta?
Gonta: [grunts] He was a loser.

Movie Connections:

References Kurenai no buta (1992)

A bit overlook and could have been deeper but is still entertaining in the ways you expect from Studio Ghibili

With the continued development of Japan, the racoons have found their living space on the edge of forests near humans to be increasingly smaller each year. This causes tensions within the community but war is averted as they turn their attention to combating the "human menace". Although racoons are generally a lazy and good-natured race, they set out a five year plan including researching the ways of human and also relearning the ancient art of transformation.

Although it is not without its faults, this lesser-known Studio Ghibili film (at least in the west anyway) is still pretty enjoyable. The environmental slant is obvious but it is not done in the heavier manner that other Ghibili films often have had but rather within a occasionally comic plot. It is quite fun and engaging but it runs about 30 minutes too long and sections of it drag a bit. It does still work though because the story is good. I took a bit of time to settle into the idea of the racoons being able to transform and essentially performing magic but this is a Japanese film after all so this sort of stuff does come with the territory to a certain extent. Once into it, the transformation aspect does allow for imaginative touches and animation.

The plot is surprisingly touching at times but is asked to do too much over too long a time and the rather mawkish conclusion does feel like it chickened out of ending on a bleaker note and thus being much more effective in the environmental message it was trying to deliver. The American voice cast is solid. At times some are just OK (Thomas) but LaMarche is a good narrator even though you get the impression a more famous voice could have done it. Brown is instantly recognisable and his voice suits his character while others include Simmons, George, d'Abo and Bowen.

A touch overlong then and perhaps overdoes the transformation aspect instead of going deeper with the material and character but it is still enjoyable. Children will love it more than adults because of the weaknesses; while the environmental message is also good for them because it isn't all that subtle but still valid.