Pom Poko 1995

In the sweltering summer of 1960s Japan, a precarious landscape unfolds as a group of tanuki face an existential crisis. The Tama Hills on Tokyo’s outskirts are under siege by the behemoth New Tama development project, mercilessly devouring their forest sanctuary and fragmenting their land into tiny parcels. As the years pass, the tanuki struggle to cope with the dwindling resources and shrinking habitat, their once-thriving community now torn asunder by petty squabbles over scraps.

It is in this climate of desperation that Oroku, a wise and aged matriarch, rallies the tanuki against their common foe. She is joined by a diverse cast of characters: Gonta, a fiery leader consumed by his own aggressive ambitions; Seizaemon, an aged sage with a deep understanding of the ancient ways; Shoukichi, a resourceful young tanuki with a knack for creative problem-solving; and others.

As the tanuki’s plight worsens, they must relearn the forgotten art of illusion to stage a series of daring distractions. With industrial sabotage, clever pranks, and calculated chaos, they orchestrate a campaign of disruption that leaves construction workers shaken and frightened. Though their efforts initially yield some successes – injuries, property damage, and even fatalities – the relentless onslaught of replacements ensures that the construction never truly falters.

In a last-ditch effort to turn the tide, the tanuki dispatch messengers to distant lands in search of legendary elders who might lend their wisdom and power to their cause. And then, after years of struggle, a messenger returns bearing news from Shikoku’s mystical shores, where development has left the land untouched and the tanuki are still revered as sacred creatures.

With renewed hope, the tanuki concoct an audacious plan to reassert their connection to the spiritual realm. A grandiose ghost parade is staged, designed to deceive humans into believing that the town is haunted by restless spirits. Though the strain of this massive illusion proves too great for one elder, his spirit is freed in a poignant raigō, and the effort seems doomed to failure when a nearby theme park owner claims credit for the spectacle, branding it as a clever publicity stunt.

As the tanuki’s prospects continue to dwindle, they are left wondering if their desperate measures will ever yield the desired results. The outcome hangs precariously in balance, as the battle between humans and tanuki rages on, with no clear victor in sight.

As the unity of the tanuki falters in the face of adversity, the once-cohesive group fractures into smaller factions, each pursuing a distinct strategy to resist the encroachment of human development. Gonta’s contingent embarks on a path of eco-terrorism, engaging in a fierce confrontation with police that ultimately culminates in their tragic demise, transformed into a tsurube-otoshi as they futilely attempt to block the advance of an oncoming dekotora. Meanwhile, another group endeavors to garner attention through televised appearances, pleading their case against the destruction of their habitat to a seemingly indifferent public.

As the elder tanuki grapple with the consequences of their failure to adapt, one begins to succumb to senility, leading a cult of non-transforming tanuki in a bizarre Buddhist dance that ultimately culminates in their collective demise as they set sail into the sunset. The remaining elder, however, seeks solace in the human world, following in the footsteps of the last transforming kitsune who have already crossed the threshold.

In a final act of defiance, the remnants of the tanuki population stage a spectacular illusion, momentarily reversing the urbanization and restoring their habitat to its former glory. Exhausted by their efforts, the tanuki most skilled in illusion choose to blend into human society, abandoning those who are unable to transform. Though their media appeal arrives too late to halt the construction, the public responds with sympathy, prompting the developers to set aside small areas for parks. However, these parks prove insufficient to accommodate all non-transforming tanuki, forcing some to eke out a meager existence by scavenging for human scraps, while others disperse into the countryside to compete with established tanuki populations.

Years later, Shoukichi, who has long since integrated into human society, returns home from work to find a non-transformed tanuki leaping through a gap in a wall. Drawn to the path, he crawls through the opening and follows it to a lush clearing where some of his former companions have gathered. With joy, Shoukichi transforms back into a tanuki, rejoining his friends.

In a poignant address to the viewer, Ponkichi implores humans to exercise greater consideration for tanuki and other animals less gifted with transformation abilities, cautioning against destroying their habitats and way of life. As the camera pulls away from this intimate gathering, it reveals their surroundings: a golf course nestled within a sprawling suburban landscape.