Ham! Saw Ponyo over the weekend, and it was a charming spin on The Little Mermaid and other similar fairy tales. I’d say this ranks somewhere in the middle of my favorite Studio Ghibli films — and I have a hard time ranking all of them. It certainly appealed to the young keiki in the audience! One little girl (not more than 5 years old) sitting near me repeated many of Sōsuke’s and Ponyo’s lines. Her mom gently shushed her every now and then, but that’s telling when the little ones are already repeating the lines! Teens and college students might not appreciate the wonder of this film, and might even consider it terrible. Perhaps they were expecting (unfairly) more of the purity of My Neighbor Totoro, or a statement piece like Princess Mononoke. No, this film was meant for the youngest in the audience. Parents definitely enjoyed seeing their keiki enjoying the film.
As in my earlier post, the artistry of the hand-drawn cells impressed me. I would argue there’s a bit of Hayao Miyazaki in each and every pencil/brush stroke. It’s the creative mind letting loose (free drawing, if you will) with no concern for pixel placement or coding to get the computer to simulate motion or an expression. We’re all so digital these days, and it’s nice to see a 2D throwback to days gone by. There’s a certain fluidity and charm in the design that echoes the true animated classics. I think it’s fantastic for the youngest movie goers to see something that’s not CGI’d to death. I imagined a much younger version of myself watching this film. When I was little, I don’t remember my parents ever taking the family to see an animated film in the theater. I only saw animated movies on VHS tape until Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was released. I thoroughly enjoyed Ponyo, watching with the child-like awe I would have had years ago! Watch if you feel up to trying something newold, and hopefully the keiki in you will enjoy the visuals and old-time storytelling as I did.
Embracing my old soul and young-at-heart nature…
