According to Japanese legends, tanuki– raccoon dogs – can transform into other beings and objects, deceiving humans in this way. One group of tanuki must master this ability again when modern development begins expanding near their idyllic forest home. The film Pom Poko, whose title refers to the sound that tanuki make by drumming on their bellies, was made by master of Japanese animation, Isao Takahata. The film criticizes the values of a materialistic society obsessed with accumulating property and wealth while presenting a humorous yet bittersweet ode to disappearing nature and countryside. It draws from Japanese myths, folklore and classical literature, combining these elements into a playful satire in which forest beings use magic, deception and sabotage to fight against human expansion.
Isao Takahata / Japan / 1994 / 118 min. / Japanese / Czech subtitles
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