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For years, legendary Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki has fascinated audiences with his magical animated features, like Howl’s Moving Castle and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away. Now, with his Ponyo, Miyazaki tells a familiar story in a style that’s all his own.
Ponyo is the story of a headstrong little goldfish (voiced in the English version by Noah Cyrus) who runs away from home and finds her way to shore. When she gets caught in some debris, she’s rescued by five-year-old Sosuke (Frankie Jonas), who cares for her and names her Ponyo.
But Ponyo’s wizard father, Fujimoto (Liam Neeson), isn’t about to let her go—so he sends a storm to take Ponyo away from Sosuke and return her to the sea. After her time on land, though, Ponyo decides that she wants to be human. Using her father’s magic, she turns herself into a little girl, and she escapes once more and rides the storm to Sosuke’s seaside home.
Determined to keep her for himself, Fujimoto makes the storm rage on. But Ponyo’s mother (Cate Blanchett) suggests that they test Ponyo and Sosuke, to see if Ponyo should stay with her friend.
With its adorable young characters, its legions of sea creatures, and its dark and menacing storms—all brought to life through Miyazaki’s trademark imaginative animation—Ponyo is strikingly beautiful. It’s a dreamlike work of art. The bright and fanciful anime-style illustrations (especially in the first half hour or so of the film) are breathtaking. So, for fans of anime, the artwork alone makes it worth seeing.
The story, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. Even if you’re already familiar with the traditional Little Mermaid story, you’ll most likely find this version strange and perplexing. Some parts—like the story of Sosuke’s sea-going father—seem completely unnecessary. Meanwhile, other parts of the story go completely undeveloped. For instance, it’s suggested that Fujimoto is some sort of evil wizard. Apparently, he was once human, but it seems that he’s now set on destroying all of humanity. There could be an interesting story there—but, unfortunately, we never find out what it is. Instead, we get long, repetitive scenes of Ponyo the little girl racing across the waves. They’re beautiful, but they don’t really help to develop the story.
Miyazaki’s storytelling style is certainly unique. It’s quirky and exuberant, and the story hops, skips, and slides more than it flows. And, for Western audiences, it will most likely feel a bit…bizarre. Still, if you’re well-versed in anime—or if you want to see the work of a true master of animation—you’ll appreciate the art of Ponyo.
Blu-ray Review:
The two-disc Blu-ray release of Ponyo (which also includes a DVD of the film) offers a captivating look at celebrated director Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli—through a rather extensive nine-part making-of section. Here, you’ll find a conversation with Miyazaki and Pixar’s John Lasseter about the story and its gorgeous animation. You’ll also find short features discussing Miyazaki’s inspiration, the filmmaking process, the score, and even the relationship between Ponyo and Fujimoto (and daughters and fathers in general). My favorite part of the series, however, is the one that explores the old Japanese port town that inspired the film’s seaside setting.
Other features on the disc (including an interactive map) explore some of Miyazaki’s other films—like My Neighbor Totoro and Castle in the Sky. So if you’re new to Miyazaki’s artful animation, the film’s special features menu provides a great introduction to the beloved director and his magical animated world.
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