It's
gems like this that truly take away the clichés and stereotypes of the
anime genre which makes mainstream viewers want to know what all the
fuss is about. Of course, it doesn't help that Ponyo features some
wonderful animation and storytelling about a goldfish who looks more
human than fish.
If
something feels a little familiar about Ponyo, it's probably because it
was created by Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Spirited Away, another
popular mainstream anime film that once again spotlighted this
genre. Of course, the star of this movie is the amazing story about a
girl fish who wishes to become more human and as fate would have it,
her wish may come true.
Of
course things go a little awry when Ponyo is caught in a fishing net,
however thankfully she is found by Sosuke, a young boy who lives near
the coast with his parents. The pair soon find themselves fast friends and as Ponyo
recovers, she tries to ignore the call of the ocean and as magically as
this story is, magic will be the answer to her dreams.
Without spoiling the story, Ponyo's father is a powerful sorcerer which
ignites an almost Disney-esq journey in the water, however the strong
Japanese story is more innocent and captivating than any Disney animated
film could be. Featuring a variety of Hollywood actors that include Cate
Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Tina Fey, Matt Damon, Lily Tomlin, Frankie Jonas
and Noah Cyrus, they don't make the story any better, rather, than only
compliment it.
After
watching both the DVD and Blu-ray version, the Blu-ray version is far
superior and makes the animation come to life with larger than life
images and colours. The special features are fun to watch, especially
the short featurette on those masterminds behind this little fish.
Creator interviews are engaging for a behind the scenes exploration of
the themes and characters and finally, the entertaining Japanese TV
spots. Classic stuff!
At the
end of the day, Ponyo is a thoroughly magical film that will have you
laughing, amazed and more specifically captivated as you are taken on a
journey of a goldfish' dream to become human. There's also some great
one-liners in the movie that is highlighted by the wonderful animation
of this story.
Breathtaking and magical!
DVD Special Features
'The Five Geniuses Who Created Ponyo'
featurette
Creator interviews
Japanese TV Spots and trailers
Textless songs
Storyboards
And much more!!
