Pom Poko (1994)

A community of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs struggle to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development.

Director:

Isao Takahata

Writers:

Hayao Miyazaki (idea), Isao Takahata

Stars:

Shinchô Kokontei, Makoto Nonomura, Yuriko Ishida

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shinchô Kokontei	...	Narrator (voice)
Makoto Nonomura	...	Shôkichi (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)
Beichô Katsura	...	Kinchô Daimyôjin the Sixth (voice) (as Beichou Katsura)
Bunshi Katsura Vi	...	Yashimano Hage (voice) (as Bunshi Katsura)
Kosan Yanagiya	...	Abbot Tsurugame (voice)
Akira Kamiya	...	Tamasaburô (voice)
Rei Sakuma	...	(voice)
Tomokazu Seki	...	Male Tanuki B (voice)
Minoru Yada	...	(voice)

Storyline

As the human city development encroaches on the raccoon dog population's forest and meadow habitat, the raccoon dogs find themselves faced with the very real possibility of extinction. In response, the raccoon dogs engage in a desperate struggle to stop the construction and preserve their home.

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Plot Keywords:

testicles | raccoon | deforestation | habitat destruction | flying | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for violence, scary images and thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

25 December 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pom Poko

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hakuhodo, Nippon Television Network (NTV), Studio Ghibli

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

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 Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Porco Roso's Seaplane from Porco Rosso (1992), Totoro on his top from My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and young Taeko from Only Yesterday (1991) can be seen flying just above the winged skeleton.

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Goofs

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

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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.

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Alternate Versions

The English dubbed version censors all references to testicles.

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Connections

References Ocean Waves (1993)

User Reviews

Takahata's best work for Ghibli

This is a Ghibli film by the studio's 'other', less famous, director, Takahata, who in Japan is still best known for doing the 'Heidi' television series in the 1970's, and who probably had his swan-song with Ghibli with the 1999 box-office disaster 'Tonari no Yamada-kun' ('My Neighbours the Yamadas').

Nevertheless, I think history will judge that his 'Pom Poko' is one of Studio Ghibli's finest works: breathtakingly imaginative and looney, wry, complex, sentimental but un-dogmatic, unapologetically Japanese in its outlook and references. I would in fact rate it higher than Miyazaki's highly-regarded 'Mononoke Hime,' which takes itself a bit too seriously and becomes slightly tiresome as a result.