DOKAN 6/Dokan 06.iso/Webs/www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/file-archive/ponpoko.thread

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From [e-mail] Sat Oct 29 15:26:16 1994
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Date:         Sat, 29 Oct 1994 18:10:59 EDT
Reply-To: Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
Sender: Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From: Steven Feldman <[e-mail]>
Subject:      HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO Bulk Post
To: Multiple recipients of list NAUSICAA <[e-mail]>
Status: OR

Folks,
     I'm going to edit the synopsis (by Brad Lucido) and review (by Scott
Nash) of Isao Takahata's latest film -- HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO --
sometime soon, so I used Bitnet's database search function to dredge up
all the relevant postings before their corresponding archives get deleted
from the fileserver.  Since this is the "fifth week of the month" (in
listserv's virtual thinking), I'm posting it all in one lump for the sake
of posterity and those who would like to know all we currently know about
this anime.  Note that there are spoilers once the synopsis gets rolling.

                          -- Steven Feldman <[e-mail]>
+          +          +          +          +          +          +

 ======================================================================= 30
Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 1994 11:28:21 -0800
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         David Goldsmith <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Re: HEISEN TANUKI PONPOCO (?)

At 12:00 PM 4/1/94 -0500, Steven Feldman wrote:
>Dear People,
>     I'd like to add Isao Takahata's upcoming (in July or August, 1994)
>film to the filmographies file, but the relevant postings are no longer
>(because of space considerations) stored on the fileserver, so I can't
>find out what the consensus opinion as to its actual title and
>translation is.  I seem to recall that it was something like HEISEN
>TANUKI PONPOCO and that it translated as BATTLE RACCOON or somesuch.
>If anyone still has the complete archives to this list (David Burrowes?
>Mauricio?  Larry?) and they can somehow scan them to extract all mentions
>of this film, please do so and get back to me asap.  Thanks.

Atsushi Fukumoto gave the official name as HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO in
a message on March 7 of this year. This means roughly "Heisei-era tanuki
battle PONPOKO". Ponpoko sounds like a nonsense word or a name, but I'll
look in my bigger dictionaries when I get home. "Heisei" is the current
emperor's reign.

----------------------------
David Goldsmith
[e-mail]
Taligent, Inc.
10201 N. DeAnza Blvd.
Cupertino, CA  95014-2233
 ======================================================================= 29
Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 1994 14:28:22 EST
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         Steven Feldman <[e-mail]>
Subject:      HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO

>Subject: Re: HEISEN TANUKI PONPOCO (?)
>Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 1994 11:28:21 -0800
>From:         David Goldsmith <[e-mail]>
>
>Atsushi Fukumoto gave the official name as HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO in
>a message on March 7 of this year. This means roughly "Heisei-era tanuki
>battle PONPOKO". Ponpoko sounds like a nonsense word or a name, but I'll
>look in my bigger dictionaries when I get home. "Heisei" is the current
>emperor's reign.

     Ah, I see.  I guess that means one of two things: either the title
was changed over the last year or so, or my memory of it is faulty.  The
second of the two is likely, since without the aid of being able to
access old archives via a database search I must rely on my own memory,
which is subject to the vagaries of time.  (Feh.  I wish I had made a
special file just for info on this film like I had planned months and
months ago.)
     Okay, so HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO (HEISEI-ERA TANUKI BATTLE
PONPOKO) is what I'll list it as in the Takahata Filmography.  If anyone
finds out about a more accurate description, please make it known.
     Thanks.

                          -- Steven Feldman <[e-mail]>
 ======================================================================= 47
Date:         Sat, 2 Apr 1994 15:45:58 -0800
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         Trish Ledoux <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Re: HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO
In-Reply-To:  <[e-mail]> from "Steven Feldman" at
              Apr 1, 94 02:28:22 pm

>      Okay, so HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO (HEISEI-ERA TANUKI BATTLE
> PONPOKO) is what I'll list it as in the Takahata Filmography.  If anyone
> finds out about a more accurate description, please make it known.

Ah, finally something I can help with...!

HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO works out to "Modern-Day Tanuki War 'Tum Tum'".
And I'll tell you why. ^_^

"Heisei," as many of you know, I'm sure, refers to the current year in
the Japanese dating system. Without going into a long rant about how these
dates are determined, let's just say that they're influenced by deaths of
emperors, omen-bearing comets, etc. But "heisei" doesn't mean just this
year; it also refers to this present age known as "heisei." Thus,
"Modern-Day."

"Tanuki," which can be thought of as a sort of "raccoon dog" indigenous to
parts of East Asia, should remain "tanuki," I think. To paraphrase, a
tanuki is a tanuki is a tanuki. ^_^ And it's unimportant to the sense of
the sentence to translate it literally.

"Gassen" is straight forward. "War," "Battle," etc. I choose "war" becaUSE
of the story: Tokyo-dwelling tanuki go on the offensive against encroaching
human development (etc., etc.). This fight for survival amonst the tanuki
isn't just a battle--it's WAR. ^_^

And finally, "Ponpoko." For those of you familiar with Japanese folklore,
you know that certain animals have magical powers. Kitsune or foxes, for
example, are known to assume human form to trick humans (it's the trickery
part we see over and over).

Tanuki, also of the magical animal tribe, are known to pound on their
cutely rounded little tummies to make a drumlike sound during their many
parties. Thus, "ponpoko," onomatopoeia for a drumlike tummy-pounding or
"tum tum."

"Modern-Day Tanuki War 'Tum-Tum'"  I like it. ^_^

Trish
 ======================================================================= 73
Date:         Mon, 4 Apr 1994 14:20:58 -0700
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         David Goldsmith <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Re: HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO

At  3:45 PM 4/2/94 -0800, Trish Ledoux wrote:
>>      Okay, so HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO (HEISEI-ERA TANUKI BATTLE
>> PONPOKO) is what I'll list it as in the Takahata Filmography.  If anyone
>> finds out about a more accurate description, please make it known.
>
>Ah, finally something I can help with...!
>
>HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO works out to "Modern-Day Tanuki War 'Tum Tum'".
>And I'll tell you why. ^_^
>
>"Heisei," as many of you know, I'm sure, refers to the current year in
>the Japanese dating system. Without going into a long rant about how these
>dates are determined, let's just say that they're influenced by deaths of
>emperors, omen-bearing comets, etc. But "heisei" doesn't mean just this
>year; it also refers to this present age known as "heisei." Thus,
>"Modern-Day."
>
>"Tanuki," which can be thought of as a sort of "raccoon dog" indigenous to
>parts of East Asia, should remain "tanuki," I think. To paraphrase, a
>tanuki is a tanuki is a tanuki. ^_^ And it's unimportant to the sense of
>the sentence to translate it literally.
>
>"Gassen" is straight forward. "War," "Battle," etc. I choose "war" becaUSE
>of the story: Tokyo-dwelling tanuki go on the offensive against encroaching
>human development (etc., etc.). This fight for survival amonst the tanuki
>isn't just a battle--it's WAR. ^_^
>
>And finally, "Ponpoko." For those of you familiar with Japanese folklore,
>you know that certain animals have magical powers. Kitsune or foxes, for
>example, are known to assume human form to trick humans (it's the trickery
>part we see over and over).
>
>Tanuki, also of the magical animal tribe, are known to pound on their
>cutely rounded little tummies to make a drumlike sound during their many
>parties. Thus, "ponpoko," onomatopoeia for a drumlike tummy-pounding or
>"tum tum."
>
>"Modern-Day Tanuki War 'Tum-Tum'"  I like it. ^_^
>
>Trish

I generally agree with the translation, but here's more information: my
office neighbor (and co-editor on the Porco Rosso script) Lee Collins has a
copy of the ko-ji-en (did I spell that right?), a fairly comprehensive
Japanese native dictionary. It lists three definitions for "ponpoko":

1. The sound made by beating a drum.
2. A beat used in traditional Japanese music.
3. The FX word for puffing your stomach out.

My guess is the movie title refers to the first or last definition
(probably the last). As Trish said, "Heisei" refers to the current
numbering system for years of the calendar, based on the current emperor's
reign (the previous name was "Showa"). According to Lee, these names are
often used in literature and Kabuki to refer to great battles, so "Heisei
tanuki gassen" sounds like a classical title ("The Heisei-era Tanuki War").
Lee says adding ponpoko on the end is rather jarring, "kind of like a Mel
Brooks title" or "--NOT!".

I'll be interested to see what English title Studio Ghibli picks for this one.

----------------------------
David Goldsmith
[e-mail]
Taligent, Inc.
10201 N. DeAnza Blvd.
Cupertino, CA  95014-2233
 ======================================================================= 85
Date:         Sun, 17 Jul 1994 00:40:31 +0900
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         "Brad J. Lucido" <[e-mail]>
Subject:      PONPOKO released today! Comments from a viewer.

Comments on "Heisei Tanuki Gasen: Ponpoko" on its opening day


I went to see Ponpoko today in Kochi, Japan.  You may recall, I am the guy
that lives where the movie "Umi ga Kikoeru" takes place.  I hope that my
comments will not be redundant after reading those of the other people in
Japan that contribute to this list. If so, please bear with me.

Luckily, the city that I live in has two main theater chains, one of them
being Toho that is showing Ponpoko starting today.  The theater was
unusually crowded.  It reminded me of when I saw films in the states.

It is approaching summer vacation, and the feeling of trying to take a break
from the summer heat pervades the air.  The main arcade/ shopping mall that
has the theater was twice as active today, as there were all sorts of food
and game stands set up. along the mall's main walk. It made for a very
crowded situation which is unusual for this part of Shikoku.

As can be expected of Ghibli, the artwork was impressive, especially the use
of colors.  The story is basic, but the characters are deep. You can really
underst the character of the Japanese raccoon-dog, or tanuki.  I think that
the soundtra is not as good as ones created by Jo H. , but it grows on you
after awhile. (I rented the Image album at my local CD/Video shop and have
been listening to it for a couple of weeks)

The film is narrated by Kokontei Shinchou, a famous Rakugo performer. For
those of you who don't know what Rakugo is, if there are any of you, it is a
traditional form of Japanese "stand up comedy" (actually, the performers sit
down and wear traditional yukatas).  From what I understand about Rakugo, it
is a very tongue and cheek kind of comedy that pokes fun at Japanese
people. It usually is narrative in type. I know for sure that there are tons
of things about the movie that I didn't catch because of the Rakugo nature,
and other very cultural elements that I am not familiar with, like some of
the children's songs etc.  Perhaps those of you that know of these things
can shed light on them.

The main theme of the film concerns, not surprisingly, the environment. It
comments on man's destruction of nature in order to build cities.  Those who
are affected and lose their homes, are of course the Tanuki. According to an
interview of Miyazaki that was on NHK news a while ago, tanuki in a sense
are really representative of man.  They try their best to achieve their
goals, but t really don't know what they are doing.  They are a bit
whimsical about their way of doing things (like playing paper, rock,
scissors by projecting pictures o fists on their tummies instead of just
using their hands.) and maybe even slightly lazy.  I believe it is meant to
be a humble picture of mankind.

The tanuki's have four states of transformation.  #1 is their natural and
realistic looking animal forms. #2 is their androgynous bipedal form. #3 is
their transformed state (as humans, Buddhist statues, ghosts, what have you)
and #4 is their "manga" form that looks like a very simple cartoon character
without to much detail.

The film is very creative and entertaining.  Technically it is marvelous as
well is highly detailed, especial with animation of large groups of tanuki
at once. I even spotted a scene with what I think is computer aided
graphics. It is a library scene, where the camera tracks sideways down the
rows of books. In one spectacular scene, there are quick cameo shots of Kiki
on broom, Totoro flying, and Porco's red plane.

There are three characters from Shikoku, the island that I live on that is
known for its preserved natural spots.  Unfortunately, the characters come
from the three other prefectures that I don't live in. Ehime, Kagawa, and
Tokushima, but not Kochi where I live.  They are important figures in that
they are the leaders of the tanuki in those areas of Shikoku that have
managed to preserve the mountain wilderness, so these characters are looked
up to, and even worshipped by people as Shinto deities.

Kitsune make a cameo appearance in the film, as the other race of
transforming creatures.

I recommend this film, and think that it deserves its place among studio
Ghibli's other works.


In my next post, I will write a brief synopsis of what I can remember after
seeing the film once.


Brad Lucido
[e-mail]
 ======================================================================= 70
Date:         Mon, 18 Jul 1994 10:28:08 JST
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         Scott Nash <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Yet another Ponpoko review

                           My Review of Ponpoko
                        --------------------------

Last Saturday night, Itoh Hikaru and I went to see _Ponpoko_,
and the result was . . .   OK.

Certainly, the technical animation quality was as high as ever, and
there were some magical moments.  But it just didn't move me in
the same way that Miyazaki's earlier works did, for the following
reasons:

        1)      It was too Japanese (i.e. not universal enough);
        2)      It was too based in the real world; and
        3)      There was no central character.

Since Brad was kind enough to post a synopsis, I won't bore you
by repeating details.  Suffice to say that those who will most
understand the film are Japanese people, because many of the
scenes involve Japanese myths and legends.  These visually are
very interesting, but story-wise provide little depth for the
foreigner who doesn't know the meaning of, for example, the
"Fox Wedding Ceremony."  A chief feature of Nausicaa, Totoro, and
Laputa was the _universality_ of the films.  It really didn't matter
where you were from, it could strike a chord in you through the
strong story and moving characters.  But in Ponpoko, the frequent
references to Japanese culture only serve to isolate the film,
making it a lesser work.

Of course, as people would point out, the film is set in Japan, so
it is only correct that there be a good dose of Japanese culture.
However, that brings about my second point -- looking at films
like Nausicaa and Laputa, having them set in other worlds or
times enables everyone to enjoy the film.  Furthermore, by using
the alternate world as an allegory, it forces the viewer to think
about and make connections to our own life, which has a greater
impact.  By setting _Ponpoko_ in the real world, the viewer does
not have to think; he (or she, or it) is instead hit over the head by
the obvious message.  This cheapens the overall effect.  Also,
because the story is set in the real world, there is no real "enemy"
that you can grow to loathe, which might make you like the
protagonist more.  The real world setting is a tough hurdle to
overcome.  Totoro succeeded with a strong story and well
developed characters.  Unfortunately, _Ponpoko_ is not so well
endowed.

Finally, the movie centers around the entire tribe of tanuki,
without really focusing on one main character.  This lack of focus
means we never really get to know a character deeply; instead,
we have a very shallow view of the tribe.  Because we never
learn much about the characters, I couldn't really care about what
happened to them. This is further exacerbated by the structure of
the movie, which jumps from scene to scene through the use of a
narrator.  This makes the movie seem more like a collection of
scenes rather than a coherent story.  I just found myself saying
"what is there to root for?"

As I said, the movie does have its moments.  Both Itoh and I
agreed on one thing:  I should see the movie again before passing
finally judgement.  Finally, I think this movie would win the
previous argument on which movie would cost most to film in live
action.  The whole thing is one continual morph.  That is cool.

Scott Nash
[e-mail]
 ======================================================================= 36
Date:         Sun, 17 Jul 1994 21:26:19 -0800
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         David Goldsmith <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Re: Yet another Ponpoko revi

         Reply to:   RE>Yet another Ponpoko review
(Scott Nash, on Ponpoko)
>Certainly, the technical animation quality was as high as ever, and
>there were some magical moments.  But it just didn't move me in
>the same way that Miyazaki's earlier works did, for the following
>reasons:
>
>        1)      It was too Japanese (i.e. not universal enough);
>        2)      It was too based in the real world; and
>        3)      There was no central character.

And, number one on David Letterman's list:

         0) It's not by Miyazaki.

Although Miyazaki was involved, Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko was directed by
Isao Takahata. Considering that his previous two films, Omoide Poroporo (Only
Yesterday) and Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies) were also both steeped
in Japanese culture, this shouldn't come as a surprise. It's his shtick. As
you say, it limits the appeal considerably. I happen to like his films because
I'm interested in Japanese culture anyway. But I've found when showing them to
others that the reliance on Japanese culture makes them a "harder sell".

It will be interesting to see if Miyazaki manages to make his next film,
Mononoke Hime, universal despite the Japanese setting and mythology.

Thanks to everyone for the reviews and synopses, by the way.

David Goldsmith
[e-mail]
 ======================================================================= 61
Date:         Tue, 19 Jul 1994 10:06:00 JST
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         =?ISO-2022-JP?B?GyRAMEtGIyEhOHcbKEo=?= <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Ponpoko Offline Meeting (was RE:another

Hi, folks,

As previously noted by Scott, we held an "offline meeting" last Saturday.
("Offline meeting" is a Japanese-English word frequently used in Niftyserve,
for meeting outdoors with friends who are always communicating
via net, i.e. online. )
The members were me (Hikaru Itoh), Scott Nash, Hiroshi Nakagawa: a friend of
mine who works at a publisher, and Taro Hirai: another friend of mine
who happend to visited Tokyo then and was called to join the meeting.

At 18:30, we met in front of Takaoka Bookstore in Jimbocho. The bookstore
is dealing exclusively in Manga. There Scott got a Comic-market (Comike)
catalogue book, that is also an entrance ticket to Comike.

Then we went toward Nakano, where Mandarake Bookstore is placed. It is
a used-book or goods store dealing in all kinda manga or anime-related
ones. There were used cel on the sale, most of them were rather cheap
TV-series ones, but a few ones from Miyazaki animes! I myself is not
interesting to seek anime cells, for I think it's more essential to
watch the works and feel and think, but surely EXCELLENT were the quality
of Miyazaki ones in comparison with others. Scott bought some in
quite good price (didn't you, Scott? (^^))

We had dinner at a small Japanese food restaurants at about 20:30,
talking on anime and other subjects. I wish we'd have more time, but
we had to leave there in about 40 minutes.

Finally we got to the theater in Shinjuku in time, at 21:20. The seats
were well-filled up with peoples. We watched and enjoyed _Ponpoko_,
ended up around 23:00. I wanted to talk more on the work with Scott,
but he would have to work on the next day and had to go home soon.
We parted in Shinjuku Sta. at 23:30.

I'll mail later about more close view to _Ponpoko_, and now only give
a slight comment. It is a kinda chronicles of the tribes, not so much as
a drama only played by several core-presons. And it features so much
Japanese domestic things. In these points, I'm sure foreign watcher
would say the movie rather hard to understand. But in another view,
of me and many Japanese, it causes much sympathy. For exam, in the first
part of the work was the scene showing the green mountains are scraped
by shovel-cars for construction. I DO WATCHED the same scene a decade ago,
so do most Japamese.
So it caused rather sad feeling in the end of the movie; in a word it
was a story of the defeat of Tanuki-tribes, the maker of fantasy, like
anime and movie-makers.

I DO say, I want the non-Japanese Miyazaki fans to watch _Ponpoko_,
even though it has many things so domestic that won't make you understand
as easy as _Porco Rosso_. Because there lies the REAL cultural difference
and History.
Of course you don't have to worry, the quality and storytelling is
excellent as is always with their works. You can enjoy even if it is
not totally understandable at first sight.

Itou, Hikaru  (Hikaru Itou) [e-mail]
 ======================================================================= 11
Date:         Wed, 20 Jul 1994 12:22:24 JST
xxply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
xxnder:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From:         Scott Nash <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Re: Yet another Ponpoko review

The music was pretty good; better than Omoide PoroPoro (which I hated), but
not as good as Laputa or Kiki's.

Snash
[e-mail]

==========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 20 Jan 1995 19:01:17 -0800
Reply-To: Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
Sender: Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <[e-mail]>
From: Trish Ledoux <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Re: Apologies to Viz/Trish, plus other assorted responses...
To: Multiple recipients of list NAUSICAA <[e-mail]>
In-Reply-To:  <[e-mail]> from "Bill Wilkinson" at
              Jan 20, 95 06:04:00 pm
Status: OR

"PONPOKO" TO WIN ACADEMY AWARD FOR "BEST FOREIGN FILM"...?

According to the February issue of ANIMAGE, Miyazaki/Takahata's
HEISEI TANUKI GASSEN PONPOKO has been chosen as Japan's entry
for the "Best Foreign Film" category for this year's Academy
Awards.

As I understand it, each country may submit one film for
consideration each year. Look for an official announcement on
the nomination on February 14.

Trish