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Fresh-water prawns that you have to shell yourself make quite a nice snack but not such a filling lunch. Neither does Earl Grey accidentally made in a cup that still has some coffee left in the bottom.

And now having been off to watch some TV for a little while, the clicking of my mouse and keyboard suddenly sounds strangely louder than it did before.

Also before I forget, according to this twenty-eight percent of Microsoft's employees are Eris which probably explains a lot of things really.

Film: Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko (Pom Poko)

Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko (Pom Poko) has to be one of the most outstanding Studio Ghibli pieces to date. I know it’s probably not quite as flashy as Howl’s Moving Castle or quite as otherworld-esque as Laputa but it’s absolutely lovely. It’s a perfect mix of typical legendry tale and Japanese mythology.

Brief plot outline here since my following comments presume a familiarity with the story. (Spoilers in that outline also.)

( Spoilers )

The film is roughly two hours long which is why I ended up watching it in two sittings but it’s definitely worth the time.
I can see why Disney audiences might object to it though. The humour being not what someone used to Western cartoons might expect, especially regarding the tanuki’s shape-shifting and illusions which sometimes involve their testicles, and because the entire storyline is heavy on both tradition and Japanese folklore. But it’s absolutely worth watching, even if the viewer dismisses the tanuki as a silly idea and what not, if only for it’s treatment of ecological crisis.
Of course though, you might also argue that the tanuki being a silly idea is exactly what they’d want you to think about them. ^_~

Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone with even the mildest appreciation of folklore and a good traditional war story. The crafty kitsune that turns up along the way is also a bonus.

A fairytale

( Can I call it a Gothic fairytale? )