![]() Animation, per usual with Studio Ghibli, impresses. The mountainous coastal backdrops, the ocean waves (which somehow are both cartoonish and realistic at the same time, if that makes sense), and even unremarkable everyday settings like a nursing home or school, all look fantastic and show the care that the crew put into this project. I’m sure we can all relate to such a traumatic incident from our childhoods, and the observational nature about kids is what really sells this film.Īs I’ve already alluded to, Ponyo is eye candy. The film works when it comes to emotion, too there’s a touching scene later in the movie where Sosuke goes out to search for Lisa and is unable to find her. But just as much enjoyment can be had from Ponyo’s joy in tasting certain foods for the first time her reactions to normally mundane things are amusing and make you say “APonyo’s innocence and deep, non-sexual love for Sosuke are just naturally adorable. The aforementioned tsunamis, which you may have seen from the TV commercials, are indeed stunning, and there’s a pretty exciting bit where Sosuke’s mother, Lisa, is trying to cross a dip in the road before it fills with water again. Ponyo succeeds in both grand spectacle and with smaller moments. It’s neat to see the shape-shifting (which isn’t grotesque, so parents, don’t worry about it) and how that increases the tension at certain points in the story. And Ponyo doesn’t remain a human after this, either she fluctuates between her fish form, a more chicken/frog-like state, and full human, depending on various factors. Ponyo also differs from the Hans Christian Anderson story in how Ponyo becomes human here, a drop of human blood (caused by a prick of Sosuke’s finger while getting her out of the bottle) does the trick, along with some potions owned by Fujimoto there is no evil sea witch. So there’s certainly justification for his actions he’s not evil, just a dad who loves his ocean creatures but has a hard time letting go. Not only is he protective of his daughter, but the longer Ponyo stays on land, the more out-of-balance the planet becomes, causing huge tsunamis. The two form a bond from then on, which causes problems when Fujimoto wants to return Ponyo back underwater where she “belongs”. It’s on land that the goldfish meets the curious, kind, five-year-old boy Sosuke, who rescues her from a trash bottle, and names her Ponyo. Yes, he lives underwater just go with it. For one thing, the decision to reach the surface happens right away, even before the opening credits a red goldfish (whom we later learn is originally named “Brunhilda”) sneaks to the surface, away from the watchful eyes of her human father, Fujimoto. ![]() What’s so special about that?” Indeed, director Hayao Miyazaki drew inspiration from the famous story, but the way this similar story unfolds is much different. Part of the reason why it’s difficult to say why I like Ponyo so much is that if you were to describe the plot to someone unfamiliar with it, chances are they’ll say, “Sounds like Japan’s version of The Little Mermaid. But it really has to be seen, and I recommend you do so. Oh sure, I can try to explain how beautiful the painted backdrops are, how meticulous the animation is in replicating real physical actions (not to mention how stunning the environmental effects are), and how the story is engaging without your typical “three act” structured narrative and lack of a true villain. By the end of term Taku will have learnt a valuable lesson in love and friendship.Ponyo is one of those films a mere review can’t do justice to. But soon his quiet life will be turned upside down with the arrival of Rikako: a beautiful, female student recently transferred from Tokyo. Kōchi is your average coastal town on the sleepy, idyllic island of Shikoku and young Taku is definitely your average high school student. Wonderfully detailed and incredibly subtle, there are very few films in the history of animation that have managed to capture so well the joys and drama of adolescence and teenage alienation. Directed by Tomomi Mochizuki (Princess Nine) and based upon author, essayist and playwright Saeko Himuro’s most popular, best-selling novel, OCEAN WAVES is one of the most poignant and unsung masterpieces within Studio Ghibli’s legendary creative output. One of Studio Ghibli’s most obscure and sought after titles OCEAN WAVES (also known as Umi Ga Kikoeru and I Can Hear The Sea) is newly restored and available for the very first time in stunning high-definition.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |