Skip to main content


I finally watched Pom Poko with my family - one of the few Ghibli films we hadn’t seen. It’s a strange, sad & thought-provoking movie. I’ll be reflecting on this one for some time.
#anime #movies
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

thanks for posting. I hadn't heard of this one and I own 2 (Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle). Thanks also for mentally preparing me to be "affected" heheh.
in reply to Sim

@sim It’s very different than those two. Odd in other ways & changing in style throughout. But the strong environmental themes are poignant & moving.
@Sim
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Isao Takahata, the director, is very different from Miyazaki. "Grave of Fireflies" is one of the most devastating movies I've seen.
in reply to gmoke

@gmoke I haven’t seen that one yet, but I’ve been advised not to watch with my kids at this point. The plot seems very sad.
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

One summer when I was a kid, my mother took me to the cinema to see "Grave of the Fireflies" without knowing much about the plot, thinking "It's a cartoon. Kids love cartoons."

I must have blocked out the movie from my memory because I can't really recall the story. Yet I can still remember that at least 8 out of 10 people left the cinema sobbing uncontrollably. (Possibly more – my eyes were all blurry from tears.)

@gmoke

in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is delicately beautiful and based on one of the oldest Japanese stories, the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The novelist Yasunari Kawabata also wrote a version. But, again, check it out before letting kids see it.
in reply to gmoke

@gmoke Oh thank you. That’s still on our list but I’ll look at the story first before we make a night of it.

What is your favorite Ghibli film?

in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Totoro but, as Miyazaki advises, I take a long time between viewings. I'll have to watch Porco Rosso again sometime too.
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

@gmoke need to wait a fair bit to watch that one!
It's a tough watch
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

It's a terrific movie! Watched with the kids and it's quite a bit more tangible than Princess Mononoke (which we waited to watch till the kids were a bit older )
in reply to Das

@SRDas That’s one of our favorites! As is Nausicaä. As is Totoro. As is Spirited Away. And Ponyo. And When Marnie Was There… Just so many beautiful films.
@Das
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

yes, and Kiki's, Howl's, Cat returns*, Up on Poppy Hill, so many, all of them😭

(* Somehow we've never managed to see Whisper of the heart. Yet 😀 )

in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

I also haven’t seen it. Is it appropriate for small children like Totoro or is it more Princess Mononoke for teens and up?
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Content warning: Pom Poko ending

Lo, thar be cookies on this site to keep track of your login. By clicking 'okay', you are CONSENTING to this.