Death of Pochi the tanuki
Let me tell you a story.

A couple of years ago, someone in Japan was walking through the a park near his home. We'll call him Siroboshi. He heard the sound of a small creature crying for food.  He found a small tanuki cub in the tall, unkempt grass. He searched the park for its parents, but could not find a trace of them.

Siroboshi resolved that someone had to care for the little tanuki. He picked the small one up and carried him home. Weak from crying and lack of food, the tanuki did not struggle.

He named the tanuki Pochi, which is a common name for a pooch in Japan. Siroboshi got a lot of joy from Pochi, and used his video camera to keep track of their time together. He shared the videos he made with the world, putting them up on a popular sharing site. it was a rare opportunity for people to see how a tanuki really acts.

Pochi became very sick, and was unable to keep anything down. He lost weight rapidly, and was soon not able to stand without collapsing. While doctors tried to make him well, and gave him nutrients and medicine, he soon passed away.

The time that Siroboshi and Pochi had together was short, but precious. From those of us who watched your videos and loved them, Pochi, you will be missed. From those of us who feel close to tanuki, you will never really be gone. Thank you.