Customer Ratings & Reviews

Pom Poko, while beautifully animated, with a great voice cast, is not the best Studio Ghibli film. The plot is very interesting and makes for a great story about nature and our relationship with the environment. But what's jarring about the film is the narration, which constantly changes between two different voices and keeps you from getting into the story as much as you'd like to. Show, don't tell. It would be so much more satisfying to see the story and the world be built up, rather than being told everything. It's not a bad film, but some of the choices by the filmmakers we're not the best.

Out of all the Ghibli films released so far in the United States, this is by far the strangest. At least to American eyes; the tanukis are familiar to Japanese audiences, and this film is steeped in Japanese folklore and Japanese history. Disney, releasing Ghibli's work stateside, has done its best to translate this odd film. And believe me, they had their work cut out for them! This film is nothing like Ghibli's best-known work, Spirited Away. Because Spirited Away dealt with universal themes like family, overcoming hardship, and childhood fears of abandonment, the story remains gripping despite the odd cultural milieu of a Japanese bathhouse. But Pom Poko leans so heavily on culture that it's jarring stateside, even to diehards like me who know the culture. Both the original Japanese version, with subtitles, and the English dub is on the same disk. The English version is heavily Americanized - which just this once, really helps. In one example out of many, in the English version, one of the animals says that he feels like Rip van Winkle, while in the original Japanese version, he mentions Urashima Taro - the Japanese equivalent. Two other noteworthy points about the translation. These creatures are called "raccoons" throughout the movie. However, they're actually tanuki, an animal native to Japan that (if you're a scientist) is more closely related to a dog than a raccoon. But to lay people, they're more like raccoons in all other respects - appearance, behavior, diet, and the fact that they're considered pranksters (just like raccoons in Native American myth). So it makes sense that the Disney release calls them raccoons - for all intents and purposes, they are.

Great movie. I love studio Ghibli movies. Add to the collection.

When you think of Studio Ghibli, Japanese animation studio extraordinaire, Pom Poko is not one of the movies that normally comes to mind. However, I personally think it's one of the best movies that the studio has produced. It was directed by Isao Takahata, known more recently for the gorgeously animated Tale of the Princess Kaguya, who unfortunately doesn't seem to get as much attention as his more popular contemporary Hayao Miyazaki. The movie itself is decidedly Japanese, with many cultural and semi-mythological references that will go unnoticed. Fortunately that doesn't make a difference as far as enjoying the movie itself, a well-told story of nature vs. man, with an ultimately satisfying outcome. Some plot twists along the way keep the story moving in an interesting way, and the voice acting and dialog are superb, as is standard with Disney-released Studio Ghibli films. The visuals are magnificent as well; well worth buying the Blu-Ray over the DVD format to appreciate the hand drawn artwork in all its glory.

We enjoy pizza and a movie night, and my kids have been on a Studio Ghibli kick. Pom Poko did not disappoint.

Studio Ghibli movies all feature some unusual sequences, characters, or stories, especially for American audiences. This one, however, takes the cake. It tells the story of a group of Japanese raccoon dogs who are able to transform into any object they desire. They use this power to injure or kill humans in order to take back their forest when it is threatened by construction. Oh, and the English version is narrated by Kif Kroker (yes, from Futurama...same voice actor). The movie feels far too long for the story it is trying to tell, but the ending is an emotional payoff that rises above the obvious environmentalism message. And the parade scene is pure Ghibli magic. In some ways, the tiring length of this movie allows you to better relate to the tiring struggle of these animals. Intentional? My wife is not a fan of this film, but I had to own it. It might not be an objectively superior Ghibli movie, but somehow my mind wanders to Pom Poko more than their other movies, and it always makes me chuckle.

Great quality great product. It hasn't let me down.

The Tama Hills raccoon dogs are being forced out of their homes for development. So they band together and master the art of transforming into humans to scare off anyone in their way. What parents have to note is that they use parts of their anatomy to transform into various weapons and objects. If parents are okay with their slightly-older children seeing cartoon anatomy in a strange (but not inappropriate) way, then this movie should be fine for everyone. The A/V quality is good. Audio is lossless 2.0 English and Japanese. Extras are very slim, but they include being able to watch the movie with original storyboards. The trailer is also included.

I wasn't sure what this was about really but since I enjoy all the other movies they do I decided to give this one a try. And I'm very happy I had done so. I learn a bit about the culture and what what things they believe in. I'm always interested to learn about other cultures and they do just that with a little added flare. It's different than other movies since at times you're unsure just where they are going with the movie (and I say that as a good way and not a bad way)

This movie was released here in the USA, but the movie was not terribly altered and it is not intended for young kids, however as an adult I love it. It is an interesting story and the artwork is wonderful. It is a charming tale which is rooted heavily in Japanese culture and folklore but it was translated/dubbed quite well for our stateside audience. Definitely worth watching for a Ghibli fan.

A great documentary about the real life of Japanese raccoons. Not only is this story true, it's also a must watch film from studio Ghibili. This film will make you want to stop trying to keep raccoons out of your garbage and instead want to dump your garbage on your front lawn so you can become best friends with raccoons. What are you waiting for? Go buy 3 copies of this film!

This was quite different for me in a good way. Charming characters and interesting ideas can be molded into a story and this movie does involve an actual plot. There are more memorable Ghibli movies in the franchise, but I would say that this one was not a dissapoinment. The implications are serious but it is as vibrant and semi silly as any other disney movie.

Humor, seriousness, an underlying message...it's all here. Not as visually stunning as some of the the studios other films (Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke) but still strong. Not sure how Disney handled the peculiar features on the tanuki in their translation (I watch sub, not dub), so this may not be one for kids in the US.

I’ve been collecting studio Gibley movies little by little and best by coming up with them here and there so every time I see a new one I collect them until I collect all 23 I think 24

I like all that Ghibli has done, but some hit the spot better than others. This film is about a "war" between raccoons and humans, using mythic lore about raccoons being able to change shape. It is funny at times, but it also feels a lot longer/slower than other Ghibli films, making it one of their weaker films.

I got this for my partner for his birthday because he is a big anime and Studio Ghibli fan. We heard about this movie before but we never saw it before but heard good things. Its beautifully animated and still has a real world message of finding a balance between man and nature.

This movie I found to be a little confusing and boring.

Overall, this movie had a great message and it had really cute graphics. I love Studio Ghibli, but there was something about this movie. The racoons nuts were a little too common in this movie. They weren't graphic, but they were everywhere. Other than that quirk, it was a fun little movie.

Like all Ghibli films this one is full of whimsy. It is very rooted in Japanese society, culture, and traditions. So it can be a bit weird/hard to follow for people unfamiliar with those things. Even so, the film is a lot of fun and quite humorous.

Pom Poko anthropomorphicizes the tale of raccoons (they can actually become humans) as mankind threatens their habitats. A highly enjoyable story with great animation - as you'd expect from Studio Ghibli.One of their many hidden gems.