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You are here: Home / Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment / Disney Movie News & Reviews / Ponyo, Another Masterpiece from Studio Ghibli & Hiyao Miyazaki

15 August 2009

Ponyo, Another Masterpiece from Studio Ghibli & Hiyao Miyazaki

Ponyo, which means something soft and jiggly, is the latest work of art released by Studio Ghiblil, directed again by Mr. Miyazaki. Sosuke, the little boy in the movie, gives Ponyo her name when he finds her as a goldfish stuck in a glass jar in the ocean. He decides to keep her and care for her, and she decides she’d really like to become a human girl rather than stay a fish. We had been watching the promos and news about Ponyo for years now as it was worked on and released in Japan, anxiously awaiting its arrival here in the States. After just seeing it now on opening night, I can say without hesitation that it was worth the wait. My daughter’s review: “I loved it! Best movie ever!!” It passed my son’s stringent standards for entertainment as well. The animation was a bit different from previous Studio Ghibli films; much more of a watercolor film – fitting with the water theme. Mr. Miyazaki has always been a steward of nature and environmental themes – before they were trendy – and Ponyo was no exception. When you see the power of the ocean overtaking the human world, that is when you become amazed with the mastery of animation being presented. Breathtaking.

Something I was much more aware of in this film was the Japanese cultural differences. I’m not sure if it was because of the amount of mainstream/Disney Channel promotion done or if I’ve just become so conditioned by what’s “P.C.” and what’s outside the “norm”. For example, the mother in the film (voiced wonderfully by Tina Fey) is portrayed as a pretty crazy driver – speeding, careening around sharp curves and risking her and her son’s lives by trying to outrun a huge ocean swell. At another point, she leaves her son alone in the house while she goes to look after the seniors where she works, because of the flooding and power outages everywhere. In a different scene, Ponyo and the boy Sosuke come across a young family with a baby. Ponyo offers the baby soup, but the mother takes it and drinks it. Ponyo says it’s for the baby, and the mother explains that the baby only drinks milk, but if she drinks the soup the she will make milk for the baby and he can get it that way. Pro-breastfeeding in an animated film?! That is unheard of in Hollywood. I was left thinking in all these instances, “this would never appear in a U.S. animated film.” And isn’t that sad?

That’s one of the reasons Studio Ghibli’s films have been such a welcome part of our home library. They prove by their very nature and success that there does not need to be a princess or damsel in distress, a villain or evil queen, and a clear-cut happy ending for it to be a wonderful family film, full of life lessons. Another breath of fresh air is how well-mannered, polite and respectful the children always are in these films. Of course this is a product of the Japanese culture too, but definitely something I wish would rub off on Hollywood’s productions. It seems to be not only common-place, but expected for kids movies today to contain a never-ending stream of “shut-up’s” “you idiot!’s” and other much worse slang forms of disrespect, where the parents are all ‘stupid’ and the it’s the kids goal to show them that. It’s easy to love a Studio Ghibli film, as a parent. Hayao Miyazaki has ensured that these details and storylines will stay in his films as they are released in America, after being disappointed by the severe cuts made to the American release of Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind. When Merchant Ivory wanted to make those same cuts to Princess Mononoke to “appeal to American audiences” Studio Ghibli sent over a katana sword with the simple words: “No Cuts”. The “no cuts” policy stands today.

I will admit I was kind of late to the Studio Ghibli party. A friend had talked about Totoro in the mid-1990’s (even though it was released in 1988) but I’d never gotten around to actually seeing the film or any of the others from Mr. Miyazaki. We eventually saw Kiki’s Delivery Service, but still didn’t make the connection to look into more of Mr. Miyazaki’s films. Finally, when Spirited Away arrived in theatres in the U.S. my husband and I went to see it. We were both amazed. We didn’t bring our children, who were 2 and 3 at the time, because we just didn’t know what to expect or if they would be frightened by anything. I was just so in awe of the detailed animation and the story itself just drew you in like nothing I’d ever seen. We were officially hooked.
totorodvd
We then looked into collecting and viewing more of Mr. Miyazaki’s works. At that time, there really wasn’t too much available on dvd, since Spirited Away had not yet won the 2003 Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature, and another 35 awards and 19 nominations, which would bring Studio Ghibli and Mr. Miyazaki’s work a little more into the spotlight. What we did find was a Japanese dvd collection from China on ebay containing all the Studio Ghibli productions to date, with English and Chinese subtitles. That is how we introduced our children to the wonders of My Neighbor Totoro.

They were right at the perfect age for that movie; aimed at smaller children with its sweet tale of two sisters moving out to the country with their father, while their mother is sick in a hospital. While out exploring the sisters meet Totoro, the king of the forest according to their father and adventures soon commence with Totoro, smaller totoros and the Cat Bus. It is a heartwarming story that wavers on the edge of that ‘it was only a dream! it wasn’t a dream!’ world that can only exist in the mind of a child. Watching the Japanese version let my children hear the correct pronunciation of Totoro-more like Tote-duh-doe vs. Toe-tor-oh, Satsuki, the older sister’s name as Saht-ski rather than converting it to Sat-SU-kee in the English version, as well as learn the Japanese word for acorn – donguri, which they still use today when we come across acorns. You don’t know how adorable a little 3 and 4 year old are dancing around saying Toteduhdo and donguri as they play Totoro throughout the house.

As we ventured further into Studio Ghibli collection we were able to discuss Japanese culture a bit as well as animation styles, something my husband has always been very passionate about. When he was a cast member at the former Disney MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) he would take his breaks on the steps of the animation building with his sketch pad in hand, working on his designs. An animator from Special Effects befriended him and told him he had promise, giving him some sample ‘tween’ work to practice with and encouraging him to submit his portfolio for the next hiring of 24 Disney Special Effects Animators. He did, but the number of open positions was then dropped to 10. His portfolio was one of 12 submitted to California but he did not make that final cut. All for the best since he later went into computer networking and programming and went on to author 7 technical books. Anyway, our son, idolizing his father, was very interested in everything his father had to say and the movies served as wonderful bonding time for all of us.

We moved through Castle in the Sky which is one of my favorites animation-wise, and eventually to Princess Mononoke as they got a bit older, which had darker themes and a bit more gore. When Howl’s Moving Castle came out, they were already true fans. Personally, Howl ties with Spirited Away as my favorites, though I still have a major soft spot for Totoro as well. It’s really hard to pick just one favorite because the stories and scenes are just so beautiful.

In any event, Ponyo did not disappoint, and I think for the most part it will appeal to children of all ages and it was a beautiful piece of animation. Of course now that John Lasseter and Disney are involved in the Studio Ghibli releases in America , they have acquired some big name voice actors for the American dub, which in turn means big promotion on The Disney Channel and other outlets across the country. This will no doubt be the most commercial success for Studio Ghibli in the U.S. thus far – thanks to Noah Cyrus and Frankie Jonas. I hope that level of star power creates a whole new generation that discovers the previous amazing works of Hayao Miyazaki, and even inspires some future animators out there, not afraid to break the mold of traditional American animation.

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Reviews Tagged With: Miyazaki, movie review, movies, Ponyo, Studio Ghibli

About Suzannah Otis

A child of the 80's, Zanna grew up on a never-ending quest the next best sticker for her collection (mood stickers were best, with fuzzy stickers a close second). Her first true love was a misplaced extra-terrestrial, followed by a handful of Ewoks, the entirety of the original EPCOT Center, and sipping her first iced coffee at age 10. All of these things shaped her life growing up outside of Boston where she climbed trees and roller-skated till the streetlights came on.

Zanna has lived in Florida for the most part since 1995. Now living and blogging in Walt Disney World's backyard for the past 10+ years, she is the mother of 2 adult humans, a 10-year old (also human) and 3 cats, and the wife to one husband, who puts up with all of the above. She tries to find that one little spark in everything, and thanks you very much for taking the time to read this.


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Instagram post 2193121348379911561_8048168 🕯 One of my favorite things ever to do is look at Christmas lights, and @otisney indulged my request to do that after our lovely dinner at @eathungrypants. We didn’t even realize that Lake Eola in downtown Orlando had these fun displays around the lake but we were glad we stumbled across them after visiting our magical wedding venue at the @drphillipshouse.

This giant ornament was a fun and popular spot for selfies and group photos. There were a few spread out around the lake. I had some fun editing the colors a bit. They turned the lights off at 9 tho so if you visit, plan accordingly!💡 We also drove around College Park and that’s the last photo in this group, they had a lovely display at a park there.

Do you enjoy driving around and seeing holiday lights? It’s easy to stay in the theme parks because so much is happening, but it’s fun to get out and explore too!
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Instagram post 2192389663457526685_8048168 Sometimes it’s hard to remember that Walt Disney was a man, not just a name on a theme park. He was a visionary as many of us know, and really changed the way we create things and how we see the world even 53 years after his death.

One of my favorite places to be is the @wdfmuseum in San Francisco. I love it for both its well-presented content and also the setting; the Presidio (a former military post) overlooking the majestic Golden Gate Bridge.

Part of what you learn at the Walt Disney Family Museum is about the man that Walt Disney was. Where he came from, his family, his wife, his children. Even the fun things like where they traveled, including Yosemite National Park (the second photo here). But also the struggles that he had as a person and professionally. Seeing Walt as a relatable human who did amazing things really brings home so many of the quotes he’s said about doing the impossible or moving forward.

I think it’s always good to take a moment and reflect on where things started. While it’s very easy to just throw out the “I hope we never lose sight of one thing, that it all started with a mouse,” it really started with a man. A man that had dreams and thought differently and found a way to make those dreams a reality. Even by going “up the waterfall” as Julie Reihm is realizing in their discussion about Pirates of the Caribbean in this first photo.

So today we wish Walt a happy birthday and we remember why he started the things he started. The things that have brought so many of us together in so many different ways. The things that keep us seeking new dreams, encountering new realities, and venturing down new paths...because a man with a dream showed us that it was possible.

Happy birthday Walt. #thankyouwalt
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Instagram post 2191563938552900050_8048168 So, I know today is a big day in the world of Disney parks, as many folks are riding Rise of the Resistance as I type this. Instead, I’m reflecting on one of the best days/nights of my life - my wedding day with @otisney. 💜
4 years ago today we gathered family and friends, some of whom we only knew because of social media and “DisTwitter” or my blogging at zannaland. I wish we had an unlimited budget and could’ve invited everyone we knew! I also wish I could rewind to that day and relive it again.
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I can still remember the air of excitement and all of the planning and preparation coming together. There were some bumps along the way of course (how could the caterer run out of potatoes for the mashed potato bar?! and the DJ played played our first dance song for its full 3 minutes and 32 seconds rather than the minute and a half we asked for lol), but I wouldn’t change anything (well maybe the mashed potato situation and blinking in most of my photos haha). The night was just so perfectly us; relaxed and surrounded by love and silliness.
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4 years later and SO much has changed, but we’ve gone with the flow, grown, and changed with the seasons. Our love for each other has grown too and though we made this leap and joined our lives together in our later years, everything happened the way it was supposed to, and our #HappilyEverOtis is unfolding before us, filling our lives with love, support, and laughter.
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Thank you to everyone who took part in our day, has been a part of our story, and continues to be a part of our lives. It meant so much to share our day with you, and we appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy holidays and theme park activities (there was actually an event announcing the addition of the Three Caballeros to Gran Fiesta Tour that day!) to witness our new chapter. Thank you to @DisneyRoots for capturing so many of those memories. I love the candid photos as much as the posed ones!
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And thank YOU for taking the time out of YOUR busy day, with holiday activities or Disney theme park events and news to read  this caption.💜💜💜Happy Anniversary @otisney! I love you more today and every day!💏
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Instagram post 2189656644726707733_8048168 Such a fun day/night at @legolandflorida for their #LEGOLANDflorida Holidays! The Christmas tree light show was amazing (check my story or watch the whole thing on our upcoming vlog!)
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All of these festive events are included in your @legolandflorida park ticket! Thanks to #LEGOLAND for having us out! ❤️💚
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What was your favorite part that we shared today?
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Instagram post 2188931105741248379_8048168 Finally made it over to the #ChristmasTreeTrail at @disneysprings (check my story for all the trees and fun sights!)
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I love all the trees this year and even tho it was a Saturday afternoon, it wasn’t too terribly crowded. We didn’t have to wait too long to see some trees and not at all to see others!
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It definitely put me in the holiday mood and ready to decorate my tree. Scroll thru and watch my story and tell me your favorite tree. What makes it your favorite?
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🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
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Instagram post 2186618907480033189_8048168 “But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name”
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Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! I’m so very grateful for YOU! What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving? #MerryMenagerie #ColorsOfTheWind #DisneysAnimalKingdom #DisneyHolidays #AnimalKingdomHolidays
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Instagram post 2184984619894526652_8048168 This year’s ICE! at @gaylordpalms is PHENOMENAL. This is by far my favorite theme and the details and design this year are just so amazing. This slide room with the scene from the train crashing through the ice has such incredible forced perspective, I didn’t want to leave! I’ll have more photos throughout the season and our video will be up later today! #polarexpress #polarexpresstrain #gaylordpalms #visitice2019 #cagp19
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Instagram post 2184491878907488580_8048168 How about this for a room with a view?? We love  @gaylordpalms so much, a huge thank you to them for having us out for the preview of ICE! It’s been a while since we’ve stayed here but it’s just as beautiful as we remembered! Have you visited or stayed here? 🌞
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@gaylordhotels #CAGP #VisitICE2019
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Instagram post 2184314566383677356_8048168 Happy #SpaceshipEarthSunday!🌐
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I took a little liberty with editing the colors but I really like the shades of blue and purple that showed up.💜💙
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#SpaceshipEarth remains one of the last places (along with the Land pavilion🌱) to get some of the original #EPCOTCenter goodness that still exists.
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Even with changes planned for Spaceship Earth, I’m hopeful it will remain an iconic attraction and keep its important messaging. The preview for it at the #EPCOTExperience gives me goosebumps, and hope.🤞🏼
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🌐What about you? How do you think Spaceship Earth will change and what would YOU like to see added?🌐 Happy Sunday!✨
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Instagram post 2183549684860281816_8048168 Everyone’s going crazy for the new ⛄️Anna and Elsa❄️ costumes in their meet and greet, but @tikibirdz and I are just out here hangin’ with our ‘munks! 🐿🐿
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Full disclosure, I don’t think these guys are meeting and greeting any time soon, but yesterday we got to see them in some new holiday looks, and they also had blinking eyes 👀 👀 and their mouths opened and closed! 😮🤭😳 So I knew we had to go meet them and say hello. I told them they had that “new chipmunk smell” when I hugged them, cause they did! 😂 I’m not sure if they were just testing them out here and they are really just going to be in the stage shows or parades where it makes more sense for them to open their mouths. Kinda weird for a meet and greet where they don’t talk anyway lol 🤷‍♀️
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But anyway, Chip and Dale are the best so there you go. Who’s your favorite character to meet? Besides these guys, I love getting Chewbacca hugs!
  

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