Pom Poko is a Studio Ghibli movie that came out in 1994, starring tanuki (Japanese raccoon dogs). The film served as an environmental allegory and one that dove into the folklore around Japanese raccoon dogs. In folklore, raccoon dogs can be yokai, capable of magic such as creating illusions and shape-shifting, and they do so a lot in the film.

While incredibly loved in Japan, this Studio Ghibli film is not so well known globally. When fans outside of Japan think of Studio Ghibli's environmentalist juggernaut, they think of Princess Mononoke instead. Quality is not an issue at all with Pom Poko, as fans who have seen it love it and consider it to be a devastatingly hidden and underrated movie worthy of more attention. The message of Pom Poko only gets more connected to reality with time, as humanity is facing the consequences of over-urbanization and climate crisis. So many have asked, "why is this movie so underrated?"

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The Oddity Of Tanuki Folklore Outside Japan

Tanuki shape shifting.

There is a lot of Japanese folklore put into anime, and a lot of it is popular and fascinating with non-Japanese audiences. Many are charmed by the ideas of Shinto's animism and yokai. However, it can sometimes be quite odd to outside cultures, to the point that they focus more on the oddity than the message.

Pom Poko is a great example of this, as tanuki are beings of fertility and thus have their testicles out and noticeable throughout the whole film. They are also hard to be ignored, as they use their testicles for a lot of their magic, turning them into parachutes and weapons. While many anime fans would find this funny and delightful, it has made the movie not well known. On Netflix, it is listed as mature audiences for nudity, but a lot of mature audiences don't watch it because they assume it is for children if they don't look at the rating.

Outside of tanuki themselves, Pom Poko is far richer in certain aspects of Japanese culture than other Studio Ghibli films. This is in the music, the shrine the tanuki live in, the kitsune they speak with, objects they transform into (like daruma), and, of course, in the grand illusion parade they give the humans. This is part of what makes the film a masterpiece, but also why it is underrated outside Japan.

A Sad Environmentalist Tale

Daruma with tanuki.

Another reason Pom Poko is underrated is that it does not exactly have a happy ending. Other Studio Ghibli movies typically end on an optimistic note, but Pom Poko is special. Ultimately, the tanuki lose in the battle against human construction. A ton of them die and those that are left have to adapt to the new world they could not push back. For the average viewer, it is devastating to watch, as the tanuki are incredibly lovable characters. They are silly, mischievous, innocent, love to party, and often think with their bellies rather than their brains. They are characters audiences want to win, but the powerful environmental message then would not stick the same way if they had won.

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To many audiences, including Studio Ghibli fans, the ending was a negative experience. A lot of people do not want to watch a movie for a lesson, but for entertainment. Other Studio Ghibli movies contain the same lesson, but on a different level that is easier to ignore when all ends up happy or okay. Outside the strangeness of the folklore, the sad ending is another reason this movie has been underrated.

Why It Is A Masterpiece

Tanuki having a meeting.

Despite nearing 30 years old, Pom Poko has never been more relevant to societies both in and outside Japan. It also made a ton of experimental and risky choices. While Studio Ghibli certainly explored sad endings before, like with Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko did so with a lot more happiness along the way and with tanuki as the protagonists. Tanuki have been side characters in a couple of animes, but as main characters, far less so. Even more interesting was using such goofy and odd creatures to convey a very serious and sad message.

So much political allegory is packed into the movie, giving viewers so many connections to such foreign beings. The tanuki themselves create a governing body to fight against the oppression of humans, much like a civil rights movement. Violence is condemned but perpetrated by both sides. The tanuki are offered shady deals to assimilate with humans rather than fight for their rights. It is all quite complex and shows no hesitation to take this story to various places with no limits. The move was risky but made for a fascinating movie unlike any other.

Like any Studio Ghibli film, a lot of love went into the setting and animation. Love is put into nature and simple living. The film won Best Animation at the 49th Mainichi Film Awards and was the Japanese submission in the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

Lastly, despite the sadness in the ending, there is not exactly a feeling of preaching in the message. The magic, characters, and moments of joy make the message one that does not feel bitter to swallow. The movie is a work of art before it is a message, and it has plenty of fun with drunken tanuki, illusions scaring away police, and giant skeletons appearing in a parade of illusions. True to its animist inspirations, the movie shows the magic that can be lost if humans do not pay attention to how they are building.

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