Ponyo

Ponyo and her little sisters escape from the sea in Ponyo

Ponyo is the latest 2D offering from the ‘Japanese Disney’, Studio Ghibli. If you’ve not heard of Studio Ghibli then you won’t be alone but they are a mighty force to be reckoned with in the animation world. 

Founded in 1985, in Japan, they are unique in that they still produce films that are almost all hand drawn and don’t rely on CGI; Ponyo alone has an estimated 170,000 separate cels. The joy of their films is not just in the beauty of the craftsmanship but also in the originality of stories; their back catalogue includes Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service and all are far more imaginative and dazzling than any animated Disney feature made in the same period.

Ponyo is the tale of a fish princess who, along with being super, super-cute, longs to be human after being rescued from a glass jar by a little boy, Sosuke. Washed ashore with a new protector, it only takes one lick of his blood and a taste of his ham sandwich before she’s smitten. Her father, Fujimoto (Liam Neeson), believes her to have been kidnapped by the dirty, polluting humans and uses his powers over the sea to get her back. On discovering her intentions to leave their home waters, Fujimoto is less than enamoured with her desire and traps her in a bubble in their underwater castle until he can discuss the matter with Ponyo’s mother (Cate Blanchett).

Ponyo riding the waves to catch up with Sosuke in Ponyo

Now, as anyone who has been a child (er, that’ll be all of us then) will tell you; what your mum and dad want you to do is not necessarily what you want to do and therefore it doesn’t matter: Ponyo escapes her bubble – with a little help from her eager sisters – to go find her love, Sosuke, but with magical and almost disastrous consequences as the sea becomes an unrivalled force against the land.  It is apparent that the director, Miyazaki, has a love for the sea and the weird and wonderful creatures below its surface. Forget the cute sea life of Finding Nemo, Miyazaki’s ocean contains your usual fish with some beasts and oddities and looming shadows in the waters. 

A reworking of The Little Mermaid with some modern ecological issues thrown in, Ponyo is all about the ocean and not just its beauty. A sweet tale that is brushed with a slight sadness, it’s classic Ghibli with a story that gently progresses and captures a child’s point of view perfectly.  With every scene a joy to watch; from the simple lighting of a candle or running up a flight of stairs to the awe inspiring tsunami scene, it’s light entertainment at its best.

Fujimoto keeping Ponyo in a safe place while he consults her mother.

So, even if you’ve not managed to see a previous Studio Ghibli release then you should seriously consider sticking your head in the clouds and taking a trip through a film that will fill you with childlike wonder and awe and remind you that there’s more to cinema than special effects, explosions and drama.

Ponyo will be showing at Broadway cinema until Thursday 25 February.

Ponyo official website

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