Ponyo

aka: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
Japan 2008, 100 minutes
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
In Japanese, English with English subtitles
Rating: [G]
Genres: Family / Fantasy, Animation, Anime

Topics: Studio Ghibli.

Feat. Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi

Aroview: Utterly irresistible, Miyazaki’s latest animated triumph is one for all ages (even toddlers!); a Little Mermaid-inspired adventure of a goldfish who longs to become human and best friends with an inquisitive young boy.

A return of sorts to the gentle, pre-school simplicity of MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO, this is a perfectly distilled fairytale for bright-eyed youngsters who’ll have no difficulty engaging with the charming story – regardless of the language it’s viewed in. Miyazaki’s unbridled imagination is ultimately what transports the film into awe-inspiring realms though, with a brilliantly rendered seaside town the delightfully perilous setting in which events are to unfold. A cast of vividly drawn characters, from elderly grandparents to cheeky five-year-olds, also populate this wondrous, at times joyously outgoing Studio Ghibli movie.

NZ International Film Festival 2009
Adopt-a-Movie Kindly Adopted by Adam Minter