Pom Poko, Isao Takahata

Pom Poko is a Japanese animation directed and written by Isao Takahata. It was released in 1994. It is a quirky story about a group of Tanuki (Raccoons) whose habitat becomes threatened. It deals with environmental and conservation issues but does it with a lot of humour. These are no ordinay tanuki. They have the ability to change shape. They are fun loving and can be mischevious. They can shape shift into human form. They remind us of the environment we have lost.

As their habitat becomes threated the tanuki start to form a resistance movement. They use their power of transformation in their struggle, sometimes to comical effect. In one memorable scene they use their genitals as parachutes.

It did well in it’s domestic market, being the number one Japanese film for 1994. It was the Japanese submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for that year.