The "gimmick" of the film is the power of a skilled Tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) to transform itself and create illusions in utterly amazing ways. And there so many crazy antics and throw-away jokes that I had to watch it a few times (& keep backing up) to catch them all-- since I was relying on subtitles and couldn't read fast.
The centre-piece of the film-- a (literal) parade and demonstration through the streets of Tokyo-- is no less fascinating. This and other allusions to environmentalists and other social activists come fast and furious, but-- like the heaps of Japanese cultural/literary references the film is loaded with-- take some thinking to digest/ appreciate.
And it was only after I had managed to tear myself from the eye-candy and "work" through the subtitles that I realised this was the poignant history of the end of a era.
***Spoilers*** As stated in the title, this film is the story of a war the Tanuki-s conducted during the reign of the current emperor (the Heisei-reign). Early on in the film, the Tanukis realise that their common enemy are the humans-- who are levelling the mountains and forests to create housing estates-- and form an alliance to drive the humans away. Since this story takes place in modern times, it will be obvious to clear-headed viewers that the Tanukis eventually lost this war-- which is why this review is full of spoilers...
For such a melodramatic/sentimental story (from the Tanuki point of view) on the futile resistance of the Tanuki-s against the humans, the director Takahata took a relatively light and fast-paced approach in telling the story. This works for me because:- 1) the Tanuki-s are practical and playful creature not given to moping; 2) this story took place over the course of 3 years, and the Tanuki-s had other things to do other than fight the humans; 3) this story is told as a remembered event through the voice-overs of various Tanuki survivors; and 4) the director Takahata was never one to rely on the cheap trick of demonising the enemy, the humans.
Even as the Tanukis start to die halfway through the film, the persistent sense of fun and wonder remains to heighten the poignancy of the film. I laughed even as my heart ached in the darker moments of the film-- when an elder Tanuki dies of over-exertion in the demonstration against the human, or when many fatalistic/fanatical Tanuki-s left on a ship "bound for paradise".
And at the end, all that is left for the Tanuki-s to do is to fit in (and live like city-dwellers) as best they can, with the consolation of a bit of nostalgia/reminiscing every now and then with like-minded folk. The ending hits me like a ton of bricks because this is what I have been trying to do ever since the countryside I grew up in was changed into a housing estate.***End of Spoilers***
The centre-piece of the film-- a (literal) parade and demonstration through the streets of Tokyo-- is no less fascinating. This and other allusions to environmentalists and other social activists come fast and furious, but-- like the heaps of Japanese cultural/literary references the film is loaded with-- take some thinking to digest/ appreciate.
And it was only after I had managed to tear myself from the eye-candy and "work" through the subtitles that I realised this was the poignant history of the end of a era.
***Spoilers*** As stated in the title, this film is the story of a war the Tanuki-s conducted during the reign of the current emperor (the Heisei-reign). Early on in the film, the Tanukis realise that their common enemy are the humans-- who are levelling the mountains and forests to create housing estates-- and form an alliance to drive the humans away. Since this story takes place in modern times, it will be obvious to clear-headed viewers that the Tanukis eventually lost this war-- which is why this review is full of spoilers...
For such a melodramatic/sentimental story (from the Tanuki point of view) on the futile resistance of the Tanuki-s against the humans, the director Takahata took a relatively light and fast-paced approach in telling the story. This works for me because:- 1) the Tanuki-s are practical and playful creature not given to moping; 2) this story took place over the course of 3 years, and the Tanuki-s had other things to do other than fight the humans; 3) this story is told as a remembered event through the voice-overs of various Tanuki survivors; and 4) the director Takahata was never one to rely on the cheap trick of demonising the enemy, the humans.
Even as the Tanukis start to die halfway through the film, the persistent sense of fun and wonder remains to heighten the poignancy of the film. I laughed even as my heart ached in the darker moments of the film-- when an elder Tanuki dies of over-exertion in the demonstration against the human, or when many fatalistic/fanatical Tanuki-s left on a ship "bound for paradise".
And at the end, all that is left for the Tanuki-s to do is to fit in (and live like city-dwellers) as best they can, with the consolation of a bit of nostalgia/reminiscing every now and then with like-minded folk. The ending hits me like a ton of bricks because this is what I have been trying to do ever since the countryside I grew up in was changed into a housing estate.***End of Spoilers***