Watched in Sub/Dub: Dub
Story: 6/10
Pom Poko highlights one of Japan’s odder but extremely popular legends. Pom Poko follows a large commune of raccoons that are determined to reclaim their land from the humans that stole it. The raccoons engage in plenty of shenanigans to halt construction and screw with humans. The plot is all over the place and lacks character development and opportunities for emotional moments. Even though Pom Poko is advertised as a comedy, I found the “funny” moments to be forced and cringey.
Art: 6/10
The animation flow when the raccoons are transforming is excellent but the entire film seems stylistically desynched to the other Studio Ghibli films. The scenery specifically is more angular compared to the generally soft look of most nature scenes in Ghibli movies. A lot of the scenes feel and look like a parody of Studio Ghibli movies.
Sound/Soundtrack: 6/10
The soundtrack is generally boring and doesn’t evoke any particular emotion or feelings of nostalgia that other Ghibli soundtracks accomplish.
Character: 1/10
The raccoons are lazy, unlikable, and underdeveloped characters. While in real life I often think about the impact humans have on the habits of other animals, I felt no sympathy for these annoying ass raccoons.
Enjoyment: 4/10
Honestly I was just bored watching this movie from start to finish. It’s difficult to watch a movie where none of the characters are interesting, likable, or even evil. The visuals in Pom Poko are definitely interesting but since I have no personal connection to Japanese folklore (i.e. I wasn’t raised on it), the film doesn’t really offer anything for the viewers to emotionally connect with or care about.
Overall: 4/10
I’m sure if I was more familiar with Japanese folklore and/or had a nostalgic connection to the legends in Pom Poko I would like the film a lot more. However, as an outsider, watching Pom Poko is a dull experience.
