Gake no Ue no Ponyo

Note: This review is based on a fansub and not the Disney dubbed version. Although I do want to check out the Disney dub, because Disney’s Ghibli adaptations are the rare movies where I think the voice dubs are really well done. The story: Ponyo is a simple love story at it’s heart. And I say "love" in its purest sense, because it’s not quite familial love, but it’s not quite romantic love as well. The relationship between the two kids is unique and full of life. If Sosuke is a bit disturbed by Ponyo’s fish roots, or her tendency to look like a chicken when she’sdrawing upon her magical powers, he doesn’t let on at all. Conversely, Ponyo’s love is pure dedication as she literally transforms from a fish into a human and travels across the oceans to get back to Sosuke. The love story is cute, sweet and free from all the typical angsty drama. Unfortunately, there’s also a more supernatural and dramatic element to the story which is woefully underdeveloped. There’s no backstory to why Ponyo’s father cast aside his humanity to retreat to the seas. There’s also no backstory on what Ponyo’s mother is and what she does. But more egregiously, we’re told at the end that Sosuke’s true love for Ponyo saved the world from annihilation. Why or what that annihilation was is a complete mystery. I think it had to do with the moon getting too close to Earth, but I have no clue, and it’s a curious missing piece from the story. The Animation: It’s beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. Maybe not as steampunk detailed like Howl’s Moving Castle, or as bizarre and otherworldly as Spirited Away, but the attention to detail is amazing. You’ll notice an interesting detail, or a flourish of movement in every scene. It’s mind-boggling to me that all this was done without CGI. The character designs are interesting, but typical Miyazaki. But I did like Ponyo in goldfish form actually. She was just so adorably cute. The Sound: If the story was somewhat lacking, the animation and sound more than make up for it. The opening sequence reminded me of Fantasia, with the orchestral background and the myriad of sea creatures on screen. From there, it’s just orchestral bliss throughout. It feels like there’s never a moment where there’s not at least a woodwind or a violin playing quietly in the background. You definitely notice it every step of the way, but not because it’s distracting, but because of how good it sounds, and how it always seems to complement the mood so fittingly. I didn’t recognize any of the voice actors, but the VA work is solid, and I especially liked Ponyo’s seiyuu, especially when she’s saying "I want ham!" The Characters: Ponyo is a movie for kids, so there’s not a whole lot of character development. Ponyo is a headstrong, high-energy, heart on her sleeve goldfish. Sosuke is the naive but bright-eyed and good natured kid. Risa is the strong backbone of her family and community. While Ponyo’s parents balance out the eccentricity scale. They are what they are, and they don’t change too much during the movie. But the chemistry between all the characters feels so natural, that the characters don’t feel like cardboard cutouts, and instead everything feels natural – even when you’re literally a fish out of water. Final Thoughts: It’s not really fair to compare Ponyo to Miyazaki's recent works like Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke, because they’re intended for different audiences. Ponyo is a much more straightforward, "what you see is what you get" story. And like I mentioned, even some of the deeper stuff under the surface isn’t developed enough to bother thinking too deeply about. But if you level-set your expectations and you watch it for what it is – a kids story about love – I think it’d be hard to deny the feel-good, cuteness of the movie.

This movie was not exactly my favorite to watch, especially considering it was directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Ponyo had his artistic style, but my reaction was not at all similar to that of other works of his. I expected a story that had me thinking about anything ranging from questioning humanity or questioning what it means to love another. Ponyo's themes were more family-oriented, but it did not capture the same emotions and mindsets that previous Hayao Miyazaki films had. Nonetheless, it's a good family film; but if you're a Hayao Miyazaki fan, it's not my favorite pick.

Hayao Miyazaki's work is and always will be outstanding. Although some may complain because Ponyo wasn't up to par with some of his more serious work, we do have to keep in mind that Ponyo is geared to small children. With this knowledge on hand, it's a heart warming movie that is meant to showcase the innocence and purity of a child's heart. At least that's what I gathered from it. I've seen the Japanese version and not the Disney dub. These are my own opinions after all, sorry if they disagree with anyone's. Enjoy! Story: The story itself is kind of like a loose interpretation ofthe little mermaid, sans evil octopus witch. There is no clear "villain" to the story, as with many of Miyazaki's other works. The closest thing I'd have to say is Ponyo's father, a sorcerer who believes humans are vile creatures who destroy the ocean. It's really a lighthearted story about a fish and a boy who share a really pure and innocent love for each other. These days everything is tainted and complicated and blah blah, so it was a nice break to see Ponyo, which really showcases how beautiful a child's heart and emotions can be. The movie wasn't really in-depth and complex, but I think that's part of it's charm. Not everything has to be super complex, full of plot-twists and deep, revealing moments for it to be a good and enjoyable story. Ponyo tells it's story in a simplistic manner, calling for an emotional response rather than a rational one. If you're expecting Matrix level depth, look elsewhere... Art: As always, Miyazaki's works are visually dazzling. From the very first scene to the last, you'll be amazed at all of that hand-drawn magic. From the calm scene of thousands of detailed sea creatures to the action-packed, awe-inspiring waves of giant fish clashing against the roads and mountains, you wont be able to believe how beautiful the world that was created in Ponyo truly is. The characters are lovable and endearing in the way they were drawn, especially fish-form Ponyo and her little sisters (you'll certainly be screaming "KAWAII!" more than a few times). As always, Miyazaki's work is an animation masterpiece. Sound: Unfortunately, I don't pay attention to sound as often as I should! Ponyo's sound went along fine with each of the scenes as a complement rather than a distraction. The end song was pretty cute also! Character: Ponyo and Sousuke as the main characters certainly achieved a heartwarming sensation on me and the rest of the viewers. They're lovable characters you instantly take a liking to and as far as Ponyo goes, you cheer for her all the way. Even Fujimoto is a likable character, and as stated before, he's as close to a villain as you'll get in this movie. You are introduced to a few other characters, each with their own amount of appeal. I don't believe that the movie achieved any super in-depth look into the characters but I also think that because of the audience it was aimed to and the story itself, it was best this way. Enjoyment: Simply fantastic. It's a fun movie that everyone in the family can watch and enjoy. It's not something that will cause you to have an epiphany or that will reveal some sort of universal truth, but it'll definitely show you something about what we all once had and unfortunately lost along the way.... and kids will certainly love it!

I usually don't care for stories that have pre-school protagonists, but Hayao Miyazaki easily made me forget that as he wove his magic once again in "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea". This is a beautifully simple story that wonderfully demonstrates all of Miyazaki's strengths as a director and writer. It also demonstrates some of Miyazaki's weaknesses as a director and writer, but those only add to the overwhelming charm of the movie. What we have here is a thoroughly modern movie that at the same time captures all the timelessness of great story telling. Ponyo is a dauntless heroine and Sousuke is her perfectknight. Never-the-less, the screen is stolen every time Ponyo's father Fujimoto or Sousuke's mother Risa are on the screen. But the real "heros" of the movie are the animation and the way that Miyazaki's imagination is let loose. The scenes of the "living sea" during Ponyo's storm are absolutely breathtaking, as are the scenes after the storm, which are reminiscent of the post-storm scenes in "Spirited Away". But at the same time, Miyazaki's penchant for bringing in visually disconnected concepts also shows up in the post-storm scenes. The idea of having prehistoric fish and sea creatures appear is initially entertaining, but after a while their constant presence blunts their original surprise effect. As with many Miyazaki films, "Ponyo" has periods of almost no dialog, particularly at the beginning. Never-the-less, the dialog that does show up is often quite entertaining, such as Ponyo's line when she asks Sousuke if his father is a "bad sorcerer" (implying of course that is what Ponyo thinks of her father). All-in-all, the film is full of wonderful surprises about the characters, the situations, and the world where they live. This is a great film and definitely deserves to be on the collection shelf of all Miyazaki fans. I won't wait for the R1 to come out; I've already ordered the R2 release. When you eventually get a chance to watch "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea", don't miss the opportunity either.

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