I have been awed and amazed by Studio Ghibli from the first moment I saw SPIRITED AWAY (Awarded Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards - 2003). Consequently, I have watched everything from the Studio, that I can get my hands on (often several times as I've introduced them to new audiences). And, I've learned that the two founders, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata have very different approaches to character, world building, theme and storytelling (and I am entirely in the Miyazaki camp). Although the artwork and animation is stellar in both, Takahata tends to shape his stories as he goes, which makes the stories too fragmented and meandering for my tastes. He tends to chose environmental subjects and natural characters as we see in this story of how the Tunuki (Raccoon Dogs) are affected as we ravish nature to accommodate human sprawl. He does so with hyperbole and humour but tends to anchor his world in real world concerns and identifiable creatures, even when he taps into Japanese myth. For me, this story was too long and lacked focus. The creatures were cute and relatable but the the message was muddled. I give this film a 6 (fair) out of 10. [Animated Feature]