Not a favourite, but a very good film regardless

Pompoko is a touch too long, but it is still a very good film with an environmentalist message that is quite hard-hitting yet never feels overplayed. For Ghibli, it is quite ambitious and quite different, this is not a bad thing at all, quite the contrary, and while not their best it has the elements that makes their films so pleasing. The animation is once again stunning, and the music is haunting, beautiful and quite evocative. The dialogue is good on the whole, perhaps the odd stilted moment but it is thought-provoking and intelligent, while the story and characters are engaging enough and the voice work as always is excellent. Not a classic, but definitely worth a look. 8/10 Bethany Cox

8/10