"Raccoon, Raccoon, Come on out and play." "I can't right now, I'm eating." "What is it you're eating?" "Pickled plums and radish." "How about some for me?" "Hey." "Don't be so greedy." "We raccoons have always lived close by humans." "Not to steal their food." "Not at all." "Where there are paddies and fields, there are frogs and grasshoppers, mice and moles." "There's fruit, like persimmons and mulberries." "There's much more food than in the woods." "Last spring, the old farmhouse was suddenly abandoned." "It looked like no one was coming back, so we all moved in." "We spent a really wonderful year there." "Living in a detached house with a garden was like a dream." "But then..." "We raccoons usually don't make a fuss over territory, but this was different." "Wherever we went looking for food, we ran into other raccoons." "There were quarrels, and fights over burrows." "And finally..." "Pom Poko 31, autumn." "On the newly logged border between Taka and Suzu Woods, the raccoons of the Tama Hills gathered for their final battle." "The Red Army was commanded by Gonta, a fearsome raccoon of Taka." "The Blue Army was led by Seizaemon, an elder of Suzu." "Now, it's a little-known fact, but when humans aren't around, raccoons walk on two legs, just as you see here." "The battle was hard-fought, but it did not last long." "Fight!" "Fight!" "Taka!" "Fight!" "Fight!" "Suzu!" "Red wins!" "Blue wins!" "Both of you lose!" "Slaughter the losing raccoons!" "Taka loses today, Suzu loses tomorrow!" "The raccoons have nowhere to go." "Where can the raccoons go to?" "There's nowhere for them to go." "Whether Red wins or Blue wins, both sides lose." "Kill the losing raccoons!" "There are too many of them!" "Fewer raccoons is better for all!" "The rest of you, control yourselves!" "Stop having children!" "Have more children and you'll lose everything!" "Your homes are disappearing, and that's a fact!" "Granny Oroku was right." "The raccoons were stunned by the desolation around them." "Their woods were disappearing." "A chilling panorama of denuded, flattened hills" "A chilling panorama of denuded, flattened hills stretched as far as the eye could see." "This is madness!" "It's no time for us to be fighting!" "In those days, Japan was entering a golden age of economic growth." "Demand for housing around Tokyo exploded." "Lots of farmland and forest disappeared in waves of uncontrolled development." "As Tokyo grew, it gnawed the land in random patterns like a huge insect." "Then in 1967, the city fathers hit on a better idea:" "A plan for a new suburb of Tokyo called Tama New Town." "Over 300,000 people would populate an area of 3,000 hectares." "Forests would be cleared, hills flattened, valleys filled, farms and fields obliterated, old farmhouses demolished." "The Tama Hills would be transformed into an enormous construction site to create a model bedroom town for Tokyo's workers." "It was the largest urban development project in history." "You've got to hand it to these humans they're really something." "We always thought they were animals just like us, but now we know we were wrong." "They must be even more powerful than the gods." "Raccoon clans from all over the Tama Hills gathered secretly late one night at the old abandoned Manpuku Temple, deep in the forest." "By unanimous agreement of all present, the meeting was chaired by Tsurukame Osho, the temple's 105-year-old resident raccoon." "...so in view of the current difficulties, we must abandon our nocturnal habits and be prepared to act at any time of the day or night." "Amid some confusion, the assembly agreed on a policy to stop the development." "That makes it unanimous!" "The raccoons turned for home, leaving it to the clan elders to work out a specific course of action." "The elders settled on a five-year program to revive the neglected art of shape-shifting and study the ways of humans." "They invited renowned practitioners of shape-shifting from Sado and Shikoku islands, where the art was most advanced, to teach the young raccoons." "But in view of the difficulties and danger posed by the long journeys required to fetch these teachers, there were none willing to go." "So, they all pretended to fall asleep." "I suppose we'll just have to wait for the youngsters to acquire the skills on their own." "Agreed!" "The McDonald's hamburgers provided to facilitate the discussion were enthusiastically received." "And with that, the council of elders concluded." "NO DUMPING" "Keeping close track of the doings of humans was of the utmost importance, so the raccoons decided to set up a television in their headquarters, the main hall of Manpuku Temple." " Good evening." " Good evening!" "The arrival of the television provoked great interest." "The headquarters at Manpuku Temple were soon crowded with visitors who were there just to spend the day watching television." "Shape-shifting requires the highest degree of mental concentration." "It means changing one's very cells in an instant." "Truly, this is nature's greatest miracle." "Lesser forms of transformation can be achieved by such animals as chameleons." "But only raccoons, foxes and some old cats can practice real shape-shifting." "Gonta!" "That you can assume such an appearance, even for a moment, proves you've taken the first steps on the path, whether you realize it or not." "If one studies hard and grasps the basics, any raccoon can learn to shape-shift." "At least in theory." "Allow me to demonstrate!" "Aren't you going to put a leaf on your head?" "That's for beginners!" "That's for beginners!" "It's been a long time!" "And a one, and a two!" "With Granny Oroku as their instructor, the raccoons made steady progress in the art of shape-shifting." "Young raccoons from every clan burned with desire to hone their skills." "Bravo, Shokichi!" " Gotcha!" " Gotcha!" "Gotcha!" "I've been interested in humans and their ways ever since I was a child." "As a rule we weren't supposed to approach them, but for my late father, I think that just sharpened his interest." "Careful observation of humans is a basic requirement for shape-shifting, so I'm sure he thought getting close to them would prove useful." "It goes without saying that some of our raccoons were not good students." "In fact, many of them simply couldn't manage at all." "Shape-shifting requires rigorous physical and mental discipline." "Naturally this discouraged many of the raccoons, who unlike foxes, are inclined to be rather lazy." "Hey!" "Ponkichi!" "All the arhats are here!" "Turn them!" "Turn!" "Turn!" "Turn!" "Turn!" "Back then all I thought about was shape-shifting." "I never dreamed my childhood pal Ponkichi wanted nothing more than to live like a normal raccoon." "...so when the traveler reached the mountain pass, he saw the pine tree seemed to have grown an extra branch." "Now, this was odd." "The traveler said to himself, "There wasn't a branch on that side last time."" "And lo and behold!" "The branch switched sides." "Seeing this, the traveler said aloud," ""That's not right either." "There were branches on both sides."" "And sure enough, branches sprouted on both sides." "The next instant, boom!" "Something fell!" "What was it, do you suppose?" "A raccoon!" "Right!" "And why did he fall?" "Gonta?" "He was a klutz." "I'd never fall." "That's the spirit!" "Sasuke, why do you think he fell?" "He had to let go of the tree to make two branches." "Very good!" "And what is the moral of this story?" "Shokichi?" "It doesn't pay to take what humans say literally." "That's correct." "We raccoons are naturally good-natured." "We get carried away!" "We try too hard to please!" "This is where we go wrong." "Do you see?" "Yes, Tsurukame Osho!" "So if I were to say: "Mr. Raccoon, Mr. Raccoon, come out and play"?" "We're in the middle of a lesson now!" "See?" "You're already getting carried away!" "This is what worries me!" "As the raccoons worked to understand humans and practice shape-shifting, winter turned to spring." "The plum trees blossomed, and love was in the air." "But most of the raccoons heeded Granny Oroku's admonition to remain chaste and avoid having children until everyone's homes were safe again." "They suppressed their maternal instincts and firmly rejected the clumsy efforts of the males to woo them." "Meanwhile, the massive building program was picking up steam." "Woods were cleared, the earth was scoured, and construction sites multiplied." "The raccoons, filled with anger and sadness, called these sites "bald hills."" "Mr. Postman, you dropped something" "Freed from the work of child-rearing, some of the females started to practice shape-shifting too." "When males tried to pass themselves off as women or children, the overall effect was not quite right." "With the participation of the females, this problem was solved." "Naturally, some of the females wanted to try their hand at turning into males." "Ah, I'd like the males to stay after class today." "One day, Tsurukame Osho gave a special lecture for the males." "Now then, what do you think the carpet you are all sitting on is?" "I may as well tell you." "It's my testicles!" "It's exactly eight mats." "And I'll prove it!" "The time finally came for the students to test their skills in the real world." "The exercise was conducted like a driving lesson." "Each student was accompanied by an advanced partner, in case of unforeseen problems or someone seeing through their disguise." "Shape-shifting requires large amounts of energy, especially when assuming human form." "The dark circles raccoons have around their eyes are the result of sheer fatigue." "Even experienced shape-shifters have to secretly carry special herbs to replenish their strength at a moment's notice." "Otherwise, out pops the tail, and the next thing you know, they're back to their original form." "Recently raccoons have discovered that quick-acting energy drinks widely sold in stores are a good pick-me-up." "To graduate from the shape-shifting course, students had to pass one final test:" "To go out and earn at least 1,000 yen through honest labor." "Help!" "Some raccoons got together and took turns impersonating the same human." "Others transformed themselves into monks with begging bowls." "Some females worked in clubs and raked in money drinking with customers." "Another raccoon parlayed a discarded pachinko ball into big money." "One tricky raccoon burgled a temple donation box, but all he got was small change." "So he transformed some leaves into bills, but Oroku saw right through him." "I told you modern shape-shifting forbids turning leaves into money!" "One day, an urgent report interrupted Gonta's training at headquarters." "He hurried home to Taka Woods to face tragedy." "More than half his childhood home had already been ravaged by construction." "Gonta went mad with grief." "Gonta went mad with grief." "He raced back to headquarters and forced Tsurukame Osho to call a meeting of the clan elders, where he called for a strategy of violent attacks on the humans." "I'm completely against this." "Why?" "The time is not ripe." "We're still in the first year of the Five-Year Plan." "We've all completed our training." "There's a lot we can do right now!" "What do you think, Granny?" "Do you think these youngsters are up to it?" "True, they've mastered the basics, but..." "But?" "They lack experience." "One slip and they'll be exposed." "Gonta, I have to ask you this." "I think your anger at what happened to Taka Woods is clouding your judgment." "Isn't that so?" "I swear there is absolutely no truth to that." "I'm thinking of the welfare of all the raccoons of Tama." "What do you mean, everyone's welfare?" "Don't forget, Gonta's the one who tried to take over Suzu Woods!" "Shut up!" "Even if no one's for it, we raccoons of Taka are going ahead anyway." "If Gonta's that determined, I'm going to help him!" "You too, Shokichi?" "Thank you!" "It's too late to stop us now!" "Not so fast!" "Don't try to stop us, Granny!" "Just this once, I'll teach you a special technique!" "If you bungle this, you won't return to your original form for five days." "So, what is it?" "A dead fox!" "Pom Poko 32, summer." "Ten young volunteers led by Gonta of Taka Woods set out to apply their new skills in shape-shifting with a series of desperate surprise attacks on the humans." "The raccoons were fighting back at last." " Here they come!" " They're coming!" "Keep going!" "Keep going!" "We did it!" "Multiple Accidents At Construction Site" "Disaster struck the Tama New Town development at approximately 2:30 p.m." "A series of landslides and accidents killed three workers, injured two, and destroyed a residence under construction." "Live" "Police suspect reduced visibility and unstable ground from heavy rains." "The widespread, simultaneous nature of the accidents is raising concern there may be fundamental problems with the development plan." "Some local residents are calling for a review of the plan." "Hold on, everyone!" "I think we should take a moment to remember the poor humans who died in this operation." "Osho is right." "Let's observe a minute of silent prayer for the unfortunate victims." "Agreed!" "A minute of silence!" "All pray!" "Look, it's Gonta!" "The heroes have returned!" "You really did it, Shokichi!" "You youngsters have put hope back in this old heart of mine." "That was only the beginning!" "Today was just a practice run!" "Raccoons, the war has started!" "We must kill, crush, and mangle every human we can, until they are driven from the Tama Hills!" "Shokichi, you should say something too!" "And let's plant trees!" "Lots and lots of our favorite persimmon trees!" "Little persimmon seeds, send out your shoots!" "We'll have all the persimmons we can eat!" "Out with the humans!" "Slaughter the humans!" "OK, OK, OK." "But first we must celebrate this auspicious victory!" "You know, something worries me." "What?" "Are we really going to drive out all the humans?" "Of course!" "Can't we let a few of them stay, the way it used to be?" "No way!" "The two-legs are our sworn enemies." "They're vermin." "We've got to get rid of them once and for all!" "I see." "I mean, look, I hate humans too." "Well, some of them are not so bad." "I mean, I really do hate them." "But..." "But what?" "But if we get rid of them all, we'll never eat tempura again!" "Or sardines!" "Or corn!" "Hamburgers!" "Donuts!" "Fried chicken!" "Potato chips!" "Pizza!" "I can taste it!" "Well then, Gonta, shall we let a few of the humans stay?" "I guess it can't be helped." "Hooray for Gon!" "Lift him up, fellows!" "The moon, moon, moon shines bright" "Over Man, Man, Manpuku Temple" "All our friends are here tonight Pon poko pon pon, pon pon!" "We'll show the world What Tsurukame Osho can do!" "Come on, come on!" "All our friends are here tonight!" "Come on, come on!" "... a government spokesman stressed that the project is an urgent necessity for the people of Tokyo, and that today's accidents will not affect the government's determination to carry out the building of Tama New Town." "What?" "!" "It was a very unfortunate accident." "Poor Gonta, the driving force behind the attacks, suffered fractures and internal injuries that would take a year to heal." "The news report plunged the raccoons into depression." "But when television began to cover local residents' fears of divine retribution, their spirits soared again." "Maybe it was a mistake, moving that Shinto shrine." "How do you mean?" "Maybe all these incidents are revenge from the gods of the shrine." "It's true that a lot of Jizo statues and shrines have been moved." "Yes, that really worried me." "I asked the developers to observe the proper ceremonies before moving them, but..." "Professor Mizuki, what do you think about all this?" "These spirit entities are usually associated with a given location." "If their abodes are moved, they'll try to return home." "If they do, and find everything has changed, they naturally become upset." "I have a feeling there's a lot more trouble to come." "Maybe I can save my woods after all." "Shokichi and the others went into action." "The owner of Shokichi's woods came to inspect his property with one of the developers before construction began." "To his surprise, he saw a lot more Jizo statues than he remembered." ""I'd better give this more thought," he told the developer, and held off on signing the contract to sell his land." "During a ceremony at another shrine that was slated to be moved, one of the raccoons suddenly appeared on the roof disguised as a fox, the shrine's servant to the gods." "The fox's eerie cry brought the proceedings to an immediate halt." "The fox's eerie cry brought the proceedings to an immediate halt." "The ceremony was canceled, the shrine's relocation put on hold, and residents petitioned the authorities to change plans for a road through the area." "The raccoons were on a roll." "Each group tried to outdo the others in a campaign of guerrilla operations." "Come this way!" "Go away!" "Take it with you!" "Let's take all the trash and leftovers with us." "The leftovers!" "Leave them behind!" "Is something wrong, miss?" "What's the trouble?" "I have no face!" "A goblin!" " J-j-just now, I..." "I saw" " A murder?" "N-no, it was..." "Not a murder?" "Too bad!" "Th-th-there was a woman!" " Did she have a mouth like a shark?" " No!" "No!" "She was..." "I mean..." "Then, was she something like this?" "It's her!" "Was... she... something..." "like... this?" "The raccoons took endless delight in frightening the humans." "After every big success, they held a celebration." "But Gonta, the one who started it all, showed no signs of recovering from his injuries." "His loving wife Otama cared for him tenderly, but she could not soothe his frustration at being out of the fight." "Frankly, Gonta thought his raccoon friends were wimps." "Yesterday's News Train was priceless." "That special about "Tama New Goblin Town."" "They interviewed the cop we scared." "The other guests laughed in his face." "He was so furious!" "I almost died!" "Idiot!" "So what?" "Are they going to stop the project just because of stuff like that?" "If you're going to shape-shift, do it the way I did!" "Cause accidents, and kill them!" " Oh, no!" " Gonta!" "It was just as Gonta said." "The project didn't stop." "Rivers were encased in concrete, roads were laid out everywhere, masses of building material flowed in, and the construction of thousands of apartments finally got under way." "The strange happenings on the construction sites and in the hills" "The strange happenings on the construction sites and in the hills received nationwide coverage." "The raccoons became more and more confident of ultimate victory." "Rock, paper, scissors..." "Pom Poko Year 32, autumn." "It was time to choose messengers to travel to Sado and Shikoku islands, to seek the help of famous masters in the art of shape-shifting." "Tamasaburo of Oni Woods was chosen to go to Shikoku." "Bunta of Mizunomi Marsh was chosen to travel to Sado." "So at the next full moon, the two young raccoons said farewell to their comrades and set out for their destinations in high spirits." "What a smell!" "The raccoons continued haunting the construction sites." "They were having so much fun with their shape-shifting, they almost didn't care whether it was effective or not." " Out with the demons!" " Daddy!" "Will this really drive out the humans?" "Won't they see through us one of these days?" "Maybe we should really go after them, like Gonta says." "What does it matter if one or two get killed?" ""To be, or not to be, that is the question."" "Kiyo!" "What are you doing up there?" "Something wrong with your neck?" "I was posing for you." "I was hoping you'd say I was pretty." "Oh, sorry." "Now there really is something wrong with my neck." "You looked pretty." "It's too late." "I mean it." "It's OK." "I just need more practice." "One day a raccoon from Potamochi Mountain..." "Everyone likes that song, don't they?" "I kind of like it myself." "Do you know the song, Where Are You From?" "Yes, but I can't sing all the lyrics." "That song used to be..." "There was a raccoon from Senba Along came a hunter..." "A hunter shot my grandpa." "I'm sorry." "I didn't know." "That's OK." "But Grandpa wasn't boiled or fried." "Someone paid a lot for his pelt." "I really like your fur too." "Why, that makes me happy." "Coming from you, that is." "So, what were you going to say about that song?" "My father used to sing it." "He was a good ball-bouncer too." "He must have been a character." "Whenever he got to the end of the song, he always warned us." "About what?" ""You kids better remember:" "Even in a simple ball-bouncing song, you hear about the cruel nature of humans."" ""How they hunt us raccoons, kill us and eat us." "And don't you forget it!"" "Say, shall we bounce balls?" "Are you good at it?" "Yes, I'm pretty good." "Then I better do my best too!" "Where are you from?" "Higo." "Where's Higo?" "In Kumamoto." "Where's Kumamoto?" "In Semba." "There was a raccoon from Semba." "Along came..." "Shokichi, when are you going to do that "Operation Twin Star" you talked about?" "Oh, I don't really want to do it anymore." "But it was such a good plan." "Why don't we do it tonight?" "Just the two of us." "With you?" "Are you afraid to do it with me?" "No, it's not that." "It's just..." "Then let's try." "I'm sure it will go over really well." "OK, let's do it!" "With you as my partner, I bet things will go great." "I can't wait!" "Well, well, what adorable little children!" "We just got back from a trip to the stars, but our home is gone." "A trip to the stars?" "From red-eyed Scorpio to the Eagle's wings..." "From the coils of the Snake to the brow of the Bear Cub!" "We sprinkle the dew and frost as we fly among the stars." "What is this?" "!" "Our home is gone!" "We're cold!" "Mister, do you know where our home went?" "Your home?" "I don't know what you mean." "Nobody knows!" "Run along now!" "We should call the police." "Someone get the police here!" "Hey, what are you kids doing?" "They're not kids, they're gremlins!" "Gremlins?" "!" "Little gremlins, please don't be angry!" "Now, just hold on a minute." "I'll treat you right!" "You want a raise?" "Come on, give me a break!" "Nope, I've had it." "I'm going back home." "I can't stay in these haunted hills." "Come on, Suzuki." "I heard Tokyo was a scary place, but this is too much for me." "You'd best stop the construction." "Whether it's gods or devils, somebody or something is really upset about this project." "The raccoons cheered." "That evening's celebrations were especially grand." "Naturally, the guests of honor were the two heroes, Kiyo and Shokichi." "Meanwhile, the workers' quarters were dark and silent." "But the next morning..." "It seemed there was an endless supply of humans." "No matter how many the raccoons scared away, there were always others to take their place." "It's rumored among local residents that this may be the work of foxes and raccoons." "That would make things simple enough." "All we'd have to do is exterminate all the offending animals." "The raccoons monitoring the broadcast were shocked." "But these incidents are right out of old folk tales." "It's not surprising people think foxes and raccoons are behind it." "But that's precisely what proves this is all just malicious rumors." "What do you mean, rumors?" "!" "I saw it with my own eyes!" "Oh, all right." "In that case, we'll issue an extermination order for these pests." "As soon as you find any more raccoons playing more tricks, let us know immediately." "That is, if you can prove it!" "Shokichi was not the only one who wondered whether shape-shifting was enough to drive out the humans." "As you all know, the Edo period was a golden age for raccoons." "Raccoon shape-shifting was a frequent subject for painters and writers." "But unfortunately, we raccoons were too conspicuous." "We aroused the resentment of humans." "In the modern era, we've been hunted for our pelts, and our fur has been used for paintbrushes and toothbrushes." "That's how the humans took revenge for our excesses." "Don't any of you ever forget:" "The past few decades have been peaceful for us raccoons only because we've exercised restraint and not used shape-shifting too often." "Our talents are a two-edged sword." "I want all of you to use this technique with discretion." "Otherwise, we'll invite further retribution from the humans." "Oroku's speech dashed cold water on the spirits of the young raccoons." "And now autumn was upon them, the time of year when raccoons need enough food to store ample fat and grow the long, fluffy coats needed for the coming winter." "The young raccoons focused their attention and shape-shifting skills on getting food for the winter." "One day, an exhausted raccoon arrived in the Tama Hills." "Don't worry, we're raccoons too!" "Thank you very much." "You seem completely worn out." "Where did you come from?" "From Fujino Woods." "Is that on Shikoku island?" "Sado island?" "Why, no." "It's just over the mountains from here." "Just over the mountains?" "So you're not from Shikoku after all." "Oh, my, I'm sorry." "I'm afraid I've disappointed you." "No, it's just that we've been waiting for someone from there." "So, what brought you here?" "Now I finally know where all that dirt is coming from, the dirt that's ruining our woods!" "According to this raccoon named Hayashi, a huge amount of excavated dirt was being illegally dumped in Fujino Woods." "The streams were polluted, there were frequent landslides, and the raccoons and other animals of the woods were in dire straits." "To find out where all this discarded earth was coming from," "Hayashi assumed human form and caught a ride on one of the dump trucks." "Unfortunately, shape-shifting was not one of his strong points." "The swaying of the truck and the stress of the journey made him fall asleep, and he changed back into a raccoon." "It's not just Fujino Woods." "Other woods are being ruined too." "And now there are garbage dumps and golf courses all over the place." "Our Tama Hills are leveled, and we suffer." "Then the dirt is dumped in Fujino Woods, and you suffer." "When will this insanity end?" "And I was so astonished at what I found here!" "I thought the trucks came from some site in the middle of Tokyo." "But we're in the hills here!" "They dig up one hill and dump it on another!" "I just can't understand why the humans are doing this." "So if we stop the construction, it will help the raccoons in Fujino Woods too, right?" "What stirring words!" "I beg you all to use your skills in shape-shifting to save our woods too!" "Well, you see, it's not really that simple, even for us." "Where could Bunta and Tamasaburo be?" "They were supposed to go and fetch the masters to help us." "There was no word from Shikoku or Sado." "And so winter came to the Tama Hills." "With the raccoons down for the winter, the haunting of Tama New Town was forgotten, and media attention evaporated." "The papers were filled with stories of celebrity scandals and sordid political goings on." "Sleet covers the garden of Manpuku Temple" "The sleet's like ice cream!" "All our friends are here!" "Pom poko pon pon, pon pon!" "New Year's Day, Pom Poko 33." "The Tama Hills greeted the new year covered with a rare blanket of snow." "Most of the construction workers had already returned to their hometowns and were enjoying the holidays surrounded by their families." "Push!" "Push!" "Push!" "Our golden balls swing and swing" "Though there's not a breath of wind" "The baby raccoon sees our balls And swings his too..." "We saw it!" "It really happened!" "A bunch of raccoons pushed that earth mover over the cliff!" "We're not lying!" "Police suspect the workers, who stayed behind over the new year holidays, were inspired by the numerous pranks that finally stopped last fall." "However, snow around the crime scene has melted, and it may be difficult to gather evidence." "I hope you know what you're doing, Shokichi." "Oh, I think we'll be all right." "What a stupid prank." "Not at all." "Shokichi was trying to encourage the raccoons who can't shape-shift" "Shokichi was trying to encourage the raccoons who can't shape-shift by giving them a way to help." "What do you think, Osho?" "Hmm, I don't see any great harm done." "It was just as Osho predicted." "The three workers were released for lack of evidence." "Naturally, no one believed the raccoons were responsible." "The case remained unsolved." "And so spring came." "The season of love had arrived once again" "The raccoons had been chaste for more than a year, and were unable to control themselves any longer." "The air was filled with sweet nothings, and the raccoons pursued and wooed each other until the very skies turned rosy." "Hanako!" "Wait!" "Hanako!" "You're walking much better!" "Hanako!" "Wait just a minute!" "Can't you catch me?" "Everyone has spring fever." "I guess we're all like the flowers and the trees." "When winter ends and the sun shines down on us, we can't help sending out shoots." "Then at last we blossom and bear fruit." "But we have to keep our promise to Granny." "Let's stay chaste until we've finally won this war." "Shokichi, you're so wonderful." "I'm so happy!" "Our love will last forever!" "Shokichi!" "That was a mistake." "Their love grew passionate, and later that year, four charming young raccoons were born to Kiyo and Shokichi." "Kincho Daimyo Shrine" "Now the previous autumn," "Tamasaburo had managed to reach the island of Shikoku after many trials and hardships." "He presented his request for help to the master of shape-shifting, Kincho VI, but then he collapsed and was very ill for many weeks." "Luckily, Kincho had a daughter, Koharu, who stayed by Tamasaburo's bedside and miraculously nursed him back to health." "With the coming of spring, their bond deepened, and Koharu bore Tamasaburo three cubs." "The island's elders held a council in the inner chambers of the shrine." "They all agreed that success in stopping Tama New Town would be an important blow against similar construction all over Japan." "But the elders were divided as to who to send, how affairs in Shikoku would be handled, and how to avoid any succession disputes that might arise in case something should happen to one of the participants." "Hundreds of questions were raised, but no conclusions were reached." "It's such beautiful weather." "But Father and the others just talk, talk, talk." "They've been debating for six months now." "When will they ever reach a decision?" "Oh, I hope they never reach a decision!" "Tamasaburo, just the thought that you might someday return to far-off Tama Hills makes my heart ache with sadness." "Koharu..." "I too dream that this happiness we have may never end." "Why must it be just a dream?" "I'll ask Father." "I'll ask him to let you stay here and be his successor." "While Tamasaburo was struggling to make a decision," "Bunta of Mizunomi Marsh roamed the fields and mountains of Sado island, searching for a master of shape-shifting called Danzaburo." "Searching for a master of shape-shifting called Danzaburo." "But he found no one who knew anything about the master's whereabouts." "During the summer and fall of that year, the raccoons of Tama Hills were beset by a series of misfortunes." "Their woods continued to shrink before the onslaught of development." "And just when the baby boom of spring had brought many new mouths to feed, poor summer weather brought a serious food shortage." "There were not nearly enough chestnuts and persimmons to eat that fall." "Those with shape-shifting skills tried to help by gathering food meant for humans, but it was still not nearly enough to feed the growing cubs." "Finally, even raccoons who could not shape-shift were forced to come out of the woods and scavenge around human dwellings, looking for anything to feed their children." "Inevitably, some of them began to lose their lives on the roads and in traps." "I can't take any more!" "The time has come for each of us to take at least one human life, even if we lose our own." "Are you sure you're all right now, Gonta?" "Of course!" "See?" "I'm in the pink!" "This is wonderful." "When should we celebrate your recovery?" "This isn't the time for parties, Granny." "I think we should wait for the masters of shape-shifting to get here before we decide our strategy." "You too, Shokichi?" "You're too young to be such a coward." "You're wrong." "We can't underestimate the humans." "If we attack them head on, they'll destroy us." "We've waited long enough!" "Be patient." "Let's hear Shokichi out." "I propose we adopt three policies until the masters arrive." "One:" "Establish a system of distributing food to raccoons who can't shape-shift." "In other words, a rationing system." "Two:" "Thorough training in traffic safety." "Three:" "Formation of rescue squads for raccoons caught in traps." "That's my proposal." "Shokichi, you're practically like one of the humans." "No!" "I'm a raccoon, born and bred." "Well then, leaving the particulars to later." "All in favor?" "Hands up!" "In favor!" "What is this nonsense, Gonta?" "It's not nonsense!" "It's a coup d'etat!" "Anyone who opposes me from now on will be killed by my private guard!" "Got it?" "Those are dangerous words, Gonta." "That's "Sir Gon."" "Raccoons!" "We all know the humans are dangerous." "If we attack without concern for our own safety, victory will be ours." "They can be killed." "As the saying goes, "a trapped mouse will beat the cat."" "What's that supposed to mean?" "He doesn't look like a mouse." "He means, we can win, if we're desperate." "Exactly." "If a mouse is cornered, he'll find the strength to beat the cat." "We're not mice, Gonta." "What's the point in beating a cat?" "Come to think of it, it's been a while since I had a nice mouse." "Mouse tempura can't be beat." "No, deep fried is the tastiest!" "Are you sure?" "I think the tempura batter really makes it." "That crispy deep fried tail!" "What the hell are you talking about!" "?" "What's important is I love mouse tempura!" "Yes, I do!" "See Gonta?" "All we can think about is food." "I think we'd better wait for the masters to get here." "My apologies." "I suppose it was too much to expect the young raccoons to stay chaste and not have babies." "No!" "Instead of fewer raccoons, we need fewer humans!" "The places they've infested used to be our homes!" "The humans are the intruders!" "Drive them out!" "The humans are the intruders!" "Drive them out!" "Kill them!" "Drive them out!" "Kill them!" "But at that very moment..." "Hey, taxi!" "I'll tell everyone you're here!" "Tamasaburo!" "I've brought the masters from Shikoku!" "Tamasaburo!" "You did it!" "Friends, on our way here we saw your devastated woods." "You have our deepest sympathy." "We'd like to address all raccoons tonight." "There's no time to lose." "Pompoko 33, autumn." "All the raccoons assembled to welcome the three masters from Shikoku." "There's a good moon out tonight." "Fellow raccoons, I am Tazaburo Hage of Yashima." "I am 999 years old." "Why is Honshu ravaged by development, while Shikoku is almost untouched?" "The reason is, we raccoons protect our woods vigilantly." "The humans of Shikoku know that disaster will befall them if they anger us." "In fact, all three of us are worshipped at every shrine and temple in Shikoku." "The humans revere us." "But I have not introduced myself." "I am Inugami Gyobu, supreme leader of the raccoons of Matsuyama." "I am Kincho VI, direct descendant of the first raccoon master of Kincho Shrine." "To frighten the humans of Tokyo and drive them out, we have resolved to carry out Operation Goblin." "This operation will require unprecedented powers of mental concentration, concentration so great that the three of us may lose our lives." "But if you successfully carry out this plan, you will regain the humans' fear and their respect without fail." "And then, you can use the humans' fear and respect of raccoons to put an end to this infernal construction once and for all!" "We have a full array of potent tricks." "We have brought you a boat, oh raccoons, that will ferry all of you back to a lost era of greatness!" "We promise you:" "All who come aboard will reach those blessed shores without fail!" "What a beautiful moon." "We raccoons love moonlit nights." "Let us pray to the moon for the success of our enterprise." "Right, everybody?" "The raccoons immediately embarked on a special regimen of training." "Congratulations on your nine hundred and ninety-ninth birthday!" "Thank you everyone!" "Thank you!" "Master, please reenact the story of Yoichi the Archer, as you witnessed it in your younger days!" "So I shall!" "The time is ripe!" "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" "Pom Poko 33, December." "The day for Operation Goblin arrived at last." "Slightly cloudy, no wind." "Thirteen degrees centigrade, humidity 65% ." "Perfect conditions for goblins." "Transformation into monsters and goblins has always been a raccoon strong point." "But now, they needed to draw not only on their own latent energy, but also the hidden energy of the cosmos:" "Fire, earth, water and air." "The intensity of the training undertaken by the raccoons under the tutelage of the three elders of Shikoku is almost beyond description." "All the raccoons, even those who could not shape shift, worked together to focus their combined power." "That night, the fighting spirit of the raccoons merged into one consuming flame." "Their enthusiasm was so boundless, they transformed themselves into goblins long before they even reached the dwellings of the humans." "Long before they even reached the dwellings of the humans." "Hey, look at that!" "What is it?" "Let the trees burst into full flower!" "Let the trees burst into full flower!" "Wow... it's a big parade of goblins!" "I used to see stuff like that too, way back when." "You know, foxes with lanterns, that kind of thing." "You can really see them." "You can see the lanterns." "With little lights in them." "You can see them marching along." "I wonder why I could see them?" "Maybe foxes can really do that." "I wonder." "You can really see them." "It must be your brain playing tricks on you." "A fox wedding." "Foxes with lanterns." "It's already in your head." "So, it's like..." "Your brain plays tricks on you." "You can see them walking." "It's all in your head." "Yeah, you're right." "There's no way it's real." "People's brains are scary." "You think things, and then you see them." "There's no way they could be real, though." "They really are real!" "It's just your brain playing tricks on you." "Welcome home." "Sachiko!" "Matter is void!" "Form is emptiness!" "Here they come again!" "Master Gyobu!" " Master Gyobu!" " Master Gyobu!" "That was amazing!" "That was scary, wasn't it?" "Aw, is that the end?" " That was really cool!" " Yes." "Come on, time for bed." "Oh, OK..." "Don't forget to brush your teeth!" "I feel like I just woke up from a dream." "Me too." "What was all that about, I wonder?" "After that, flying saucers would seem pretty tame." "There are some things you just can't explain." "Long ago, when the Matsuyama clan was at war," "Gyobu went over to the enemy, causing the downfall of his clan." "He regretted this so deeply that he made a solemn vow to devote the rest of his life fighting for justice." "We must ensure his sacrifice was not in vain, emulate his noble spirit, and vow not to rest until the day of victory!" "Gyahte gyahte hara gyahte" "A raccoon of Potamochi Mountain" "Got drunk and transformed himself!" "Great success to Operation Goblin!" "The raccoons were so convinced of victory, no one was checking the television for news." "Police and the media are searching for anyone who might have videotaped tonight's mysterious parade." "But so far no one has come forward, complicating efforts to determine what really happened." "I'm sure I was taping the whole thing, but there's nothing on the tape." "It doesn't make any sense." "The goblin slipped in right through this opening." "It was terrifying!" "Nobody could have staged that." "There really is something strange about New Town after all." "I'd like to move out, but it's not easy." "There will be a special program at 12:20 a.m." "With in-depth coverage of this evening's strange events." "The more people investigate this, the more they will be convinced it was no hallucination, that it all really happened!" "Then, when they realize their science and logic are powerless to unlock the riddle of what happened..." "They'll be dumbfounded by the awesome mystery of the cosmos, and realize how insignificant human existence really is." "Listen, everyone:" "Our good fortune awaits, but let's not wait for it!" "Come then!" "Drink!" "Sing!" "Dance!" "Let's hear it for Master Hage!" "But the next day, events took a totally unexpected turn." "It appears that the massive parade staged yesterday in a residential complex of Tama New Town may have been a publicity stunt for Wonderland, a theme park now under construction in the area." "Police have summoned PR executives of Wonderland for questioning, on suspicion of having staged a parade without a permit." "You gotta be kidding!" "However, residents of the complex and the surrounding area remain convinced that what they saw yesterday could not have been a publicity stunt." "You can say that again!" "The president of the company responsible for Wonderland has admitted that the parade was a promotional event." "What?" "President of Wonderland At Emergency Press Conference" "I deeply apologize for any inconvenience caused by our parade yesterday." "Who the hell is he?" "We just wanted the world to know how wonderful, ah," "Wonderland will be." "So we decided the best way was to go out and give the public a free taste of the, ah, wonders they will soon be able to experience at Wonderland." "As president of Wonderland," "I take full responsibility for the staging of this unauthorized event." " What a liar!" " That's ridiculous!" "Fortunately, we received an overwhelmingly positive response to our parade." "Frankly, we were astonished at the enthusiasm we encountered." "If this humble servant of the theme park going public has to go to jail, the positive reaction we received will make it all worthwhile." " What in the world?" "!" " Is this for real?" " What in the world?" "!" " Is this for real?" "There's got to be some mistake here!" "If this humble servant of the theme park going public has to go to jail..." "That asshole!" "This new development plunged the raccoons into a state of panic." "Meanwhile, Wonderland was desperately searching for the people who staged the parade." "It's too late!" "Beat the bushes if you have to!" "Just find out who did it and hire them all!" "Throw money at them!" "I'll pay whatever they want!" "It was the work of raccoons." "What's that?" "Raccoons?" "I don't care if it was penguins!" "I want them all working exclusively for me!" "Raccoons?" "Wait a minute!" "What's that supposed to mean?" "Oh, just a little joke." "Who are you?" "How did you get in here?" "Your assistant let me in." "I am Ryutaro." "We spoke on the phone earlier." "This affair is a bit delicate." "If you want to work with the people who did this," "I'm probably the only one who can deliver them to you." "Fine!" "I'll pay you 100 million yen." "The raccoons were dumbfounded." "This bizarre human had completely stolen their thunder." "At first, they railed against the unfairness of it all." "But soon, the sheer hopelessness of their situation began to sap their will to fight." "Meanwhile, with no footage of Operation Goblin, media coverage petered out and the public rapidly lost interest in the whole affair." "You're a fox!" "Truly, you have a discerning eye." "I am Ryutaro, the shape-shifting fox, at your service." "I am honored to meet you, master Kincho." "I have heard much about you." "I'm nothing more than the sixth in a long line." "And what business brings you here?" "I was astonished by your fabulous parade." "At last, someone who understands!" "How could I not?" "And you have my deepest sympathies for everything you've had to bear." "I see..." "At least someone understands what we're going through." "And I was hardly surprised by what happened after the parade." "What's that you say?" "Ryutaro the shape-shifting fox could charm the birds from the trees." "He convinced Kincho to come to Ginza." "He showed the raccoon into a private room in one of Tokyo's swankiest clubs." "Step right this way." "Not to worry!" "All my girls are foxes." "Do you like them this way?" "Would foxes suit you better?" "Or they can be raccoons, if you prefer." "I'll get right to the point." "There's no future for the raccoons of Tama." "They'll die out, just like the foxes." "So that's what happened to the foxes of Tama." "Yes, I'm afraid so." "The few of us who could shape-shift have to live like this now." "Among the humans?" "!" "That's the only way to survive in the big city." "And that's why I invited you here, to recommend that you raccoons do the same." "Now hold on a minute!" "I know this must come as a shock, but allow me to complete the picture." "It's not enough to start over in the human world." "If you must swallow poison, drink the whole cup." "The best move would be for you all to go to work for Wonderland, and solve your problem in one go." "You can't be serious!" "Work for the people who made monkeys of us?" "Let's think about this calmly." "It's time for you raccoons to start living as humans." "That's a foregone conclusion." "It takes big money to live like a human!" "And how do you make the money you need?" "You use the skills you have!" "And who's going to pay the highest salary?" "I'm afraid that would be your enemy, Wonderland." "They tell me they'll pay generous benefits too." "Here's the salary, and these are the benefits." "Naturally, I'll be the only one who knows you're raccoons." "Bon appétit." "Now then, let's take our time and think this over." "Master Kincho, you must be used to eating better than the scraps you get in Tama." "I'm sure it's hard for you." "That's not important." "What I want to know is, so the raccoons who can shape-shift live as humans." "What about the ones who can't?" "They'll have to fend for themselves." "The strongest genes must prevail if the species is going to survive." "We foxes had to abandon the others, but we had no choice." "And so... they died out." "Yes, they did." "It was the choice we had to make." "Ah, this is a tragedy!" "Well, you know, you raccoons are omnivorous." "Not like us foxes." "Those who can't shape-shift might not do so badly after all." "Meanwhile, the raccoons met once again, to consider what might be done to improve their depressing situation." "Only the core group came." ""We have a full array of potent tricks." A load of hot air!" "We were idiots to think those old geezers could help us." "Reminds me of the saying," ""Don't sell the pelt till you catch the raccoon."" "No, I don't think even Buddha could have seen how this would turn out." "You shouldn't blame the masters." "The humans say people like the president of Wonderland are "sly as a raccoon."" "Humans are so weird." "Speak for yourself, Shokichi." "I just mean we need to do a lot more research on the humans." "Shut up!" "It's time to challenge them to a fight to the death!" "Control yourself, Gonta." "It seems to me our only choice is to reveal that Operation Goblin was really staged by us raccoons." "Have you lost your mind, Osho?" "We can't reveal ourselves to the humans." "It's an ironclad rule." "She's right." "If the humans knew we did it, they'd hunt us all down." "But it's so frustrating!" "Someone else got the credit for all our work." "I just can't accept it." "I want to tell the world!" "I want to shout it out!" ""We did that!"" "Master Osho, what could we do to convince them it was us?" "All we have to do is take public credit for it." "Call the TV stations." "Send out letters." "They'd just think it was somebody's idea of a joke." "Then one of us should go on TV and demonstrate for them." "Nonsense." "The humans would just think it was staged, and we'd be humiliated again." "You see?" "Talk is useless!" "The debate dragged on through the night, and into the next morning." "You see?" "Talk is useless!" "But if we become terrorists, that will just incite the humans to wipe us out!" "I keep telling you!" "We do it without them knowing it was us!" "In that case, we can't do anything really effective." "Instead of going off halfcocked in different directions," "I think we should join forces for another, even bigger Operation Goblin." "Where's the guarantee things won't turn out the same?" "All we have to do is get together like before." "Ha!" "You're just playing around in the sandbox." "You're like a stinking girl!" "Watch your tongue, Gonta." "That's no way to talk about women." "OK, but if he WAS a stinking girl, that's what he'd be like!" "Anyway, I'm going to start getting ready for Operation Goblin part two." "Yeah?" "You and who else?" "Do you think anyone'll follow you?" "What was that?" "!" "Moron!" "Knock it off!" "Listen everyone!" "There's only one way out of this." "We have to use our shape-shifting skills the way we did for Operation Goblin!" "You know what kind of impact Operation Goblin had on the humans." "But everyone thinks that idiot president of Wonderland was responsible." "So what can we do?" "How would you stand this egg on end?" "This is how Columbus did it." "Very impressive!" "You must have a really brilliant solution." "It's time for us to begin living as humans!" "No way!" "No, I'm absolutely serious." "This is not a joke." "But what about the ones who can't shape-shift?" "Where's Osho?" "Appeal From 808 Raccons" "With Osho gone, the raccoons could not agree whether or not to follow Kincho's plan." "Their unity began to unravel." "Operation Goblin took precedence over important matters like food gathering." "Most of the raccoons turned to survival, but Gonta began gathering followers." "Meanwhile, age seemed to have addled Master Hage's brain." "He gathered the raccoons who could not shape-shift, and initiated them into a Buddhist dancing cult." "This world is an abyss, a mud boat!" "Invoke the name of Amida and dance!" "Namu Amida Butsu, this is the end for us" "Paradise will be our boat" "Master Hage was always so hale and lucid." "What an awful place Tokyo is!" "If Operation Goblin had taken place in Shikoku, the humans would have known it was us raccoons." "Offerings to us at shrines and temples would have increased ten times." "Master Kincho!" "Master Kincho, my fervent desire is to accompany you back to Matsushima and devote myself to training." "Is that so, Tamasaburo?" "Yes." "You're prepared to become my successor?" "Yes, Master Kincho." "I've been waiting for those words!" "But you're not selfishly abandoning your fellows to get back to Koharu, are you?" "Of course, Master Kincho." "Only..." "Only what?" "Even Master Kincho has lost the support of the other raccoons." "What purpose would it serve to stay here in any case?" "I think there's something we can do about that." "Wow, this is quite an amazing restaurant!" "The owner has spared no expense to make your visit a pleasant one." "This place is really something!" "Good grief, it's better than Disneyland!" "And so Master Kincho not only got his revenge on Wonderland, he obtained a massive war chest for the raccoons." "The president of Wonderland rushed to the police to report the theft of 100 million yen by a pack of raccoons." "But no one would listen to him." "Meanwhile, Gonta and his crew of hardliners were taking steps to stop further clearing of the forest." "Nature preservationists!" "Please stop interfering with our snake extermination, and leave immediately!" "You will be subject to prosecution!" "If you do not immediately heed this warning and leave, we will use force to remove you!" "But Gonta and his army ignored the warning." "They pinned the police, hunters and workers to the road and kept them from advancing an inch." "And so both sides continued the face-off as night fell." "What?" "!" "If Gonta insists on doing this, we ought to be standing with him!" "Can't you hear?" "The riot police are already here." "It's too late." "I'm going to take a look!" " Shokichi!" "They'll get you too!" " I'm going with him!" " Ready, men?" " Right!" "Even if we should fall in the heat of battle, our deaths are certain to redouble our brothers' resolve to carry on, till the day of victory dawns!" "Our raccoon balls swing in the wind" "Back and forth, back and forth" "Amen" "Special ops!" "Move aside!" "Gonta, wait!" "Move out!" "Gonta." "The raccoons used their family jewels as weapons in a desperate kamikaze attack." "Mr. Raccoon, Mr. Raccoon." "Meanwhile, in another part of the Tama Hills, a reporter was trying to interview the raccoons." "Mr. Raccoon, please come out." "Any form you want to take is fine." "The staff of World TeleReporter is on your side!" "It looks like they're not so eager to come out." "Mr. Raccoon, Mr. Raccoon, why don't we talk?" "We've got nothing to eat!" "They answered!" "It's true after all!" "We'd like to hear more about this from you." "Won't you please come out?" "Oh!" "There they are!" "It's the raccoons!" "It's them!" "Are you raccoons really responsible for the goblin parade?" "That's right!" "Please change into something for our viewers." "Otherwise no one will believe us." "Some of us can't shape-shift." "So if the woods are all gone, we'll have nowhere to live!" "Raccoons, please listen!" "If you don't come out, this broadcast will look like a cheap put-up job!" "If you want people to believe you, you'll have to show yourselves." "Osho!" "Please go tell the humans everything!" "He came out!" "He came out!" "A ceramic raccoon is walking toward me!" "Mr. Raccoon, a word for our viewers!" "We... we..." "Yes?" "Go ahead!" "Granny Oroku!" "It was us!" "We made that parade!" "These woods are our home!" "Please don't destroy them!" "We speak for every animal in the forest!" "The person I saw yesterday is gone today" "The person I see today will be gone tomorrow" "Who knows what will happen to us tomorrow?" "Today everyone is sad" "Master Tazaburo Hage, last surviving witness of the battle of Yashima, was 999 years old." "But now he had seen enough, and he decided to bid the world farewell." "With a song of triumph, the raccoons stretched his vast testicles into a fabulous treasure ship, with fittings of lacquer and gold." "Singing and dancing, they boarded the ship, in anticipation of leaving the world of suffering for the shores of bliss." "The ordinary raccoons imagined paradise and boarded as if they were going on an outing." "The treasure ship set off down the Tama River, swaying in the moonlight." "The current bore the ship downstream, the sail stood proudly in the breeze." "The boat was full, the sail was flying high." "Now the tide helped them forward as the moon glinted off the water." "The raccoons drummed their bellies as the ship sailed away, drumming and drumming on this night of dreams." "They celebrated with bells, samisen, flutes and drums." "The ship was laden with gold, silver and precious coral." "With tears in their eyes, the raccoons watching from shore prayed this would be no mud boat." "As in a dream, the ship sailed on past mist-shrouded woods and fields." "The raccoons strained to catch a glimpse of Amida beckoning from paradise." "The treasure ship crossed over to the next world." "Singing and dancing, the raccoons crossed over to the next world." "With bells and flutes, they crossed over to the next world." "With samisen and drums, they crossed over to the next world." "They crossed over to the next world, and they never returned." "You can't beat the humans after all!" "You can't beat the humans after all!" "Bunta, it's you!" "Bunta!" "Bunta!" "Tamasaburo!" "Bunta!" "You've finally returned!" "Sasuke!" "Shokichi!" "Did you find Master Danzaburo?" "Did you reach Sado and see the master?" "I learned at last that he was shot by a hunter years ago, after the war, when food was scarce." "How sad." "I was looking forward to meeting him." "You did well, Bunta." "But what's happened here, in only three years?" "I feel like Urashima Taro." "We did everything we could to stop it." "But everything has changed beyond belief!" "The land has shape shifted, not us raccoons." " We understand how you must feel." " Did the humans really do all this?" "Yes, they did." "They did it all." "No, it can't be!" "Only raccoons can change things like this." "We're the only ones!" "The humans were really raccoons after all!" "Old, stinking raccoons!" "Give us back our woods!" "Give us back our fields!" "Give us back our homes!" "Shall we give it one more try?" "Let's use the power we have left to put everything back the way it was." "We'll see who's better at shape- shifting." "The raccoons or the humans." "Sounds like fun!" "I can remember every detail of the way things used to be." "All right, then." "One last guerilla attack!" "But what's the point?" "It's already too late." "Oh, it'll cheer us up." "That's all that matters." "It's this playful spirit that keeps us raccoons, after all." "Master Kincho, will you help us?" "Of course, though it may turn out a bit like Shikoku." "Ponkichi!" "Here I am!" "Shall I round up the others?" "Will you lend us your energy one more time?" "You can rely on me!" "Wait up for me!" "Why, that's Mother!" "And Yotchan!" "It's Yotchan!" "Yotchan!" "That's us!" "That's us when we were children!" "Look, raccoons!" "Wow!" "They're cute!" "Those are raccoons, right?" "I'm surprised to see them here, so close to the city." "Hey, raccoons!" "Don't go!" "Aw, they're gone." "It would've been fun to feed them." "I wonder if they can really change themselves like in the stories?" "So in the end, we were defeated after all." "Tama New Town kept growing without the slightest hindrance from us." "As the years passed, the city settled in and became a pretty nice place for people to live." "The hill where Manpuku Temple stood is a trendy residential district." "And I think our shape-shifting did have a good influence on the humans." "As it said in the papers, they're concerned about preserving nature, and they're setting aside little bits of the woods for parks," ""to live in harmony with the raccoons."" "But the parks were too late for us." "They're too small for raccoons, anyway." "Some of us moved further from the city, where there were still woods and fields." "But of course there were raccoons there already, and with construction and the cars that took one of us from time to time, life was hard." "So we took the final step." "That's right, those of us who could shape-shift took a leaf from the foxes' book, and started living like humans." "Nowadays I have a desk job and my wife, Kiyo, works at a bar." "A few raccoons got into the real estate business and made a pile selling forests to developers." "They're no different from the humans." "Most of us are just worn out from the stress of living in the city, and wish we could go back to the woods." "I'm impressed by the humans." "It takes stamina to live the way they do." "Some of us dropped out of the rat race and are scrounging out a living on the streets." "Oh, and what about Ponkichi and the others who couldn't shape-shift?" ""Living for the moment" is an expression made for raccoons." "We never let property development or accidents on the road get us down." "We live as we please, relaxed and joyous, in the present moment." "We have children, and we die, all too quickly." "Ponkichi!" "Ponkichi!" "Shokichi!" "You came!" "How long has it been?" "You often hear on the news how foxes and raccoons are disappearing because of urban development, right?" "I wish you humans would stop saying that." "Sure, some foxes and raccoons can shape-shift." "But unfortunately, most of us who can't just disappear." "What about the rest of the animals?"