Pochacco no Wakuwaku Birthday

what an amazing, outstanding, brilliant film,


act one shattered my perspective of the world in many ways, Keroppi overcoming literal, metaphorical and if I may mental mountains was an amazing way to show his resolve and strength. it is also a moving social commentary on many issues we face day to day, such as racism, war, cavemen cloud babies striking lighting at people, it really cover the spectrum of love and hate. this isn't even getting into the plot twists and masterfully executed musical numbers, the short and very long of this is to say that I LOVE keroppi.

but even so i ... believe act two may be some of the best fiction put to film
(hell even the world)

to start if act one shattered my perspective of the world, act two rebuilt it and showed me my worth in this cold cruel world.
Pochacco struggles with lies, delusions and manipulation throughout the former half of the film with no help or guidance from his so called friends, one even explicitly stating they needs to "get to the border" multiple time throughout, and one saying "I don't damn know" every they time on screen (which I believe to be a hilarious catchphrase) as the years go by and I watch this every 4 years, on Pochaccos birthday (his birthday is every four years (leap day)) I have come to realize that Pochaccos "friends" are not in fact but instead pure, greed, malice, evil, cruelty, rage, and madness incarnate. I cant even begin to describe the anger I felt when they said they didn't even know what day it was i wonder fucking why (apologize for the swear but it truly conveys how I felt watching this film). Even the world seems out mock Pochacco on this day as several tragic events befall him such as his precious red balloon popping, crashing violently into a tree and almost drowning, after reminiscing about the past when he felt like he could trust his friends Pochacco fines himself atop a hill in front of a tree, inside a holes at the bottom of the tree lays 3 eggs, laying his eyes upon them Pochacco cant help but shed his tears the day having dragged him through hell and seeing these eggs reminded him where he stood, alone, abandoned and in a tree. Giving up Pochacco retuned home heartbroken, lost, and all together broken as he laid is bed looking at the moon remembering the sun that had once smiled upon him, he cries himself to sleep, even the sky couldn't help but shed its tears... causing a massive typhoon.

Before I continue I would like point out one of the more subtle aspects this film has to share, one about Famennian and how one natural disaster can can ruin a small community without remorse, after the massive typhoon fits the town, many houses and community farms are shown as being destroyed, it is kept ambiguous as to if the town is able to fully recover at the end of the film. this shows how cruel mother nature can be and how quickly it can take away everything we hold dear. A harrowing warning anyone can take to heart.

Continuing on with the main review of the film.

After barely being able to get any sleep Pochacco is awoken with a distressing call to action, the eggs, the same eggs Pochacco bonded with at his lowest, were swept away by the typhoon. In a horrible turn of events Pochacco must risk his life for the only ones he now trust, as well as those who betrayed him, after sharing a moment of distress with the others, they begin the search, soon they find the eggs stuck betwixt the remains of a tree's roots reaching out to the rushing water of the river, Pochacco, who will have nothing to live for if he loses these eggs risks his life to rescue them, grabbing ahold of the roots with stick in hand he climbs across the roots towards the edge, in a brave attempt to rescue the eggs with his stick he foolishly falls into the water the eggs now unstuck from the branch are now rushing down the river, Pochaccos "friend" Dotchi the frog most likely in some last dich effort to one up pochacco, dives into the water, as Dotchi the frog catches up to him Dotchi the frog foolishly only grabs two of the three eggs (probably assuming the last ones not worth it to save) Dotchi the frog turns to Pochacco and lifts the eggs high into the sky to show Pochacco the eggs are his now, Dotchi the frog swims back to shore but Pochacco sees the eggs that was left behind and rushes to grab the it but its too late the river is not long enough and egg is at the edge, in any attempt to save what remained, he leaped through the river grabbing ahold of the egg but sealing his fate by falling over the edge with the egg.

As Pochacco is falling, he thinks back to the day prior, a day he had been waiting for for four year, what a unlucky day to be born, thinking about it like that maybe it makes sense that his birthday would be as cruel as it was, at the very least, his bad luck shouldn't extent to others, he should be the only one to suffer this fate, not his friends, not the town or crops, not the lives yet to be lived, such as the life he holds in his hands now, why was it here, something so pure tainted, something with so much potential destroyed. No that not why its here... it not why I'm here, me, Pochacco, holding this life in my hands is proof that i was put here not just to suffer but to live, he finally realizes that all life is worth living, even his. he thought to himself, as he headed towards the bottom of the waterfall, Pochacco felt content, Choppy the mouse, Mogumogu the mole, Chatty the bird, Pete the turtle, Dotchi the frog, Popple the duck and even the 3 eggs, his friends, thinking about them and all the joyful moment they spent as his time drew near, he felt warm, he felt content, knowing even if this is the end for him, a life was saved and will share the same wonderful experiences as him.

They were stunned seeing Pochaccos bravery in saving the eggs but by some miracle not only did the egg float to the surface Pochacco did too as they drag Pochacco out of the water his breath shallow and heart beating a little too slow they wonder if hell make it " will he be okay " asked Dotchi " I damn don't know" said Pete, suddenly Pochacco starts coughing up water and he is fine, after they they realize the eggs are freezing they start considering who should stay with them, dotchi pointed out that pochacco only saved one egg and almost died and Dotchi saved two and was really good at swimming so they didn't even drown at all, the group decided that Pochacco should stay until they can built a new nest for them. Pochacco being brave ,kind awesome warm, soul he is he stayed with them even when he was starving so they would stay warm suddenly the eggs started hatching he was so happy he wasn't alone anymore, however he started to see fireworks coming from the hill and he soon investigated.

However if you are reading this I have already been feeding you the same lies the director and the whole staff had been telling us, in reality Pochacco's friends were planning a surprise party this whole time, as Pochacco strode up the hill he saw his dream come true, his friends, his real friends welcomed him to the party with opened arms and open hearts, he was so happy, maybe it wasn't so much of a unlucky birthday after all.

as you can probably tell this film touched me deeply, truly a work of its time that will never be forgotten.
to make a long story short i LOVE keroppi

p.s.. I watched thisd without adio or subtidles, hope you like it :D