Pom Poko Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Pom Poko Blu-ray Movie Review

"The destruction stretched for miles. The situation was far worse than they had realized..."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown February 2, 2015

Parental advisory: Though rated PG by the MPAA, 'Pom Poko' features anthropomorphic animals with prominent scrota/testicles. In many scenes, these "pouches" are merely visible; in others, the raccoon dogs' genitalia transform into blankets, parachutes, trampolines and giant war clubs. The presence and depiction of raccoon dog scrota is never sexualized, and is in keeping with culturally significant elements of traditional Japanese folklore. However, Western audiences may find the "pouches" distracting, with some parents considering the appearance of the raccoon dogs' testicles and the manner in which they're used to be inappropriate for younger audiences. No warning appears on the package art or before the film plays.

With Disney's latest trio of Studio Ghibli titles hitting shelves, only four feature films remain unreleased: Isao Takahata's Only Yesterday (1991) and My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999), Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning Spirited Away (2001), and Hiroyuki Morita's The Cat Returns (2002). And while three of the four are among Ghibli's most obscure projects, it wouldn't be naïve to expect title announcements for each within the next year. In addition to Disney, Cinedigm and, most recently, Universal, have ensured the full Ghibli canon will soon be available on Blu-ray, and in light of rumors that the studio will be shuttering its doors, that's some much-needed good news. But that's the uncertain future. The present, strong and certain, lies with Porco Rosso (1992), Hayao Miyazaki's adventurous, delightfully funny celebration of early aviation; Tales from Earthsea (2006), a resplendent but fatally flawed fantasy adaptation from Gorō Miyazaki; and of course Pom Poko (1994), Takahata's deliriously bizarre, strangely endearing fable of shape-shifting raccoon dogs who declare war on their industrious human neighbors.

The raccoon dogs of the Tama Hills (inaccurately referred to in the English dub as "raccoons") are being forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. As it becomes harder to find food and shelter, they decide to band together and fight back, practicing and perfecting the ancient art of transformation until they are even able to appear as humans. In often hilarious ways, the raccoon dogs use their powers to try to scare off the advance of civilization. But will it be enough? Or will the raccoon dogs learn how to live in balance with the modern world? 'Pom Poko's English dub features the voice talents of Maurice LaMarche, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, J. K. Simmons, Clancy Brown, Kevin Michael Richardson, Tress MacNeille, Jess Harnell and John DiMaggio.

Pom Poko is about as unhinged as Ghibli comes. It holds fast to the studio's style, humor, heart and family friendly nature, but drifts so far into the untamed realms of anthropomorphism -- breaking every rule, knocking on the fourth wall, throwing traditional animated storytelling to the wind, and indulging in zany flights of fancy (even by Ghibli standards) -- that it takes Takahata's environmental fable to a whole new level; one that's both wildly inventive and fully aware of its own boldness. Surprises await around every corner, in every scene, and the imagination the filmmakers employ is as wonderfully peculiar as it is weirdly entertaining. More than a spirit of fun, Pom Poko embraces cheerful escapism, with its raccoon dogs often struggling to grasp the enormity of their predicament in the face of distractions as powerful as good food, parties, and all the little things in life. Yet as much as Takahata's raccoon dogs cling to their lighthearted frivolity, the destruction of their homes and culture is terribly sad, and that contrast gives the film its sway over its audience. These may be simple creatures, but their passions, devotion and sense of togetherness represents the best of humanity, and their story resonates.

Pom Poko is also Ghibli at its most preachy. There's no mistaking Takahata's pro-environmental message, and if that bothers you, well, tough luck. You're obviously new to Studio Ghibli films. Brace yourself for a world of disappointment. No, the problem here is that Pom Poko is a bit too on the nose, occasionally losing sight of its already wafting, absent-minded characters in its grasp at timeliness and urgency. The environmental sermon is by no means invalid or ineffective -- or unwelcome -- just a tad overcooked, with the raccoon dogs' more brutal, murderous intentions graying an otherwise noble defense of their habitat. (This is PG territory after all. "Raccoons try to crush police officers with their inflated testicles" isn't exactly a typical plot point among animated adventures.) In the grand scheme of Takahata's absurdly amusing approach to the film, though, and with the help of calculated, smartly penned narration as delivered by the soothing Kokontei Shinchou and Maurice LaMarche, it somehow works, positioning the raccoon dogs' plight as a war from the annals of feudal Japanese history. The result is a colorful, hypnotic, laugh-out-loud comic tragedy that still has something profoundly meaningful to say, even some twenty years after its release. More so now than ever.

Pom Poko Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

With Pom Poko, Disney once again adheres to the intended look of Studio Ghibli's films with a 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation that retains the color and texture of the original picture. Though beautifully remastered, Takahata's fable hasn't been subjected to contrast boosting, noise reduction or other techniques that might skew its palette or subdue its grain field. Watercolor hues, affecting primaries and satisfying blacks still bring the vibrant world of the raccoon dogs to life, but without the sort of new-world tinkering that tends to split purists and modern moviegoers. Detail is excellent -- as near to flawless as it could be -- with clean, well-defined line art and nicely resolved, painterly background textures. There also isn't any sign of significant macroblocking, banding, aliasing, errant noise or ringing, and the encode is proficient from start to finish. A few white specks appear here and there, but the print is in wonderful condition, without any substantial scratches or damage. Pom Poko couldn't look much better, or more faithful, than it does here.

Pom Poko Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release of Pom Poko features English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo tracks, and both offer solid lossless experiences. Voices are clear, intelligible and carefully prioritized within the soundscape, the film's score is never overwhelming or under-represented, and, aside from the lack of LFE support and rear speaker activity, there isn't anything that warrants concern. Neither track is remarkable per se, but each accomplishes all that it needs to, drawing the listener into the world of Takahata's raccoon dogs and delighting as often as do Pom Poko's playful visuals.

Note: Disney's English dub makes notable but arguably minor changes to the original language, from referring to the Tanuki (raccoon dogs) simply as "raccoons" to editing/censoring various references to the animals' genitalia.

Pom Poko Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Original Japanese Storyboards (HD, 120 minutes): Watch the entire film comprised of its original storyboards. This is not a Picture-in-Picture comparison, but a 1.85:1 showcase of the original artwork.
• Original Japanese Trailers (HD, 8 minutes): Four Pom Poko trailers and preview reels.

Pom Poko Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Pom Poko is a strange but strangely intoxicating fable that, if nothing else, delights in its whimsical delirium. It's not standard Ghibli fare, yet feels right at home among the studio's most imaginative adventures, telling a story as amusing as it is heartbreaking, as boundary-defying as it is relevant, and as memorable as it is unique. It's not necessarily for children (Western parents my be particularly surprised by some of its content), but it's no less worthwhile. Disney's Blu-ray release is strong too, with a faithful remaster and video transfer, a pair of solid DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks, and a feature-length presentation of the film's original storyboards. Additional extras would have been appreciated, but no matter. Pom Poko has never looked or sounded better than it does here.