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

Narrator: They used their balls as weapons in a brave kamikaze attack.

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Alternate Versions

The English dubbed version censors all references to testicles.

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Connections

References Only Yesterday (1991)

User Reviews

If you have a heart you will love this movie

I was expecting a movie about stupid little raccoons that would be boring and unoriginal. However it was far from that, it was fun, original, exciting and moving. I'm upset by how many people think it's bad! It's moved me more than any other movie has in a long time.

It's the story of a bunch of shape shifting raccoons, whose forest is slowly being destroyed by humans. I would normally assume that with that plot it would be a preachy, boring "WHY MUST WE HURT OUR MOTHER EARTH?!!!!" style story but it's not at all. It's from their point of view, not in a way that's overstated. No big sweeping scores or little raccoons finding a potato chip bag and shedding a tear.

Along with their magical powers of shape-shifting (which often includes using their testicles... I'm not making that up), they persevere and fight on. It's not an epic, it's not manipulative at all. It's set more or less in the real world, at least the imagined world where raccoons can talk is portrayed realistically.

This movie is hilarious, and a hell of a lot of fun. It's an excellent 'escape' movie. It's a cute fun filled world, the raccoons go through tough times but they don't sit around crying about it. It brought me back to that feeling as a child when I would watch Disney movies and feel the "magic" (which now that I'm grown up is just "escapism".) This movie isn't for critics. If you think that little raccoons playing with their balls and having fabulous adventures are stupid then you can go and re-watch 'Citizen Kane.' Don't go into watching this movie with a serious attitude or critical eye, just feel the fun. Don't be a critic and "compare it to other Ghibli films", who cares about how "GOOD" a movie is, if you don't enjoy it. It's not about how many fat middle-aged critics like it, it's about how it elicits emotion in you.

So don't view this movie as another "movie", it's about feeling like a kid again and just having a lot of fun watching these amazing raccoons.

An all around excellent film, a good antidote to a rainy day! 10/10.