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Magical tanukis fight to save their forest from urban development.
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A community of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs struggle to prevent their forest home from being destroyed by urban development.
"This might be the most unassuming animation from Studio Ghibli. And that, it should be said, doesn't mean it's bad. Far from it. After the moving 'Grave of the Fireflies' and 'Only Yesterday', director and animator Isao Takahata opted for a much lighter comedic drama in his third feature film with Studio Ghibli. 'Heisei tanuki gassen ponpoko' is one of the least known films of the studio, but still ingenious in mixing visual humor with a theme that fits perfectly with other productions of Studio Ghibli, which usually address the coexistence of humanity with the natural world. And it is worth noting that, even though the title speaks of raccoons, in reality they are tanukis, animals that in Japanese folklore have the magical ability to transform and cause havoc."