Gake no ue no Ponyo (2008)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Hayao Miyazaki

Writer:

Hayao Miyazaki (written by)

Release Date:

14 August 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Welcome To A World Where Anything Is Possible.

Plot:

An animated adventure centered on a 5-year-old boy and his relationship with a goldfish princess who longs to become human.

Plot Keywords:

5 Year Old | Sea Goddess | Cliff | Love | Becoming Human

Awards:

6 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Yuria Nara	...	Ponyo (voice: Japanese Version)
Hiroki Doi	...	Sosuke (voice: Japanese Version)
Jôji Tokoro	...	Fujimoto (voice: Japanese Version)
Tomoko Yamaguchi	...	Risa (voice: Japanese Version)
Yûki Amami	...	Guranmamare (voice: Japanese Version)
Kazushige Nagashima	...	Kôichi (voice: Japanese Version)
Akiko Yano	...	Ponyo no kyôdai (voice: Japanese Version)
Shinichi Hatori	...	Anchorman (voice: Japanese Version)
Tokie Hidari	...	Kayo (voice: Japanese Version)
Eimi Hiraoka	...	Kumiko (voice: Japanese Version)
Rumi Hîragi	...	Young Mother (voice: Japanese Version)
Tomoko Naraoka	...	Yoshie (voice: Japanese Version)
Nozomi Ohashi	...	Karen (voice: Japanese Version)
Kazuko Yoshiyuki	...	Toki (voice: Japanese Version)
Akihiko Ishizumi	...	(voice: Japanese Version)

Also Known As:

Ponyo (USA)
Ponyo on the Cliff (International: English title) (informal literal title)
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Australia)
Untitled Hayao Miyazaki Project (International: English title) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | DTS-ES

Certification:

South Korea:All | Hong Kong:I | Singapore:G | Taiwan:GP | Switzerland:0 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:AL | Belgium:KT | USA:G (certificate #45429) | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/4 (dubbed version) | Portugal:M/6 (subtitled version) | Canada:G (all jurisdictions) | Australia:G | Mexico:A | New Zealand:G | Sweden:7 | Ireland:G

Company:

Studio Ghibli

Trivia:

Toki, the bitter old lady in the rest home, is actually an affectionate homage to Miyazaki's mother (as was the mother in Tonari no Totoro (1988)).

Quotes:

Lisa: So, what's your Mother like, then?
Ponyo: She's big, and beautiful! But, she can be very scary.
Sosuke: Just like my Mom.

Movie Connections:

References Tonari no Totoro (1988)

Soundtrack:

Gake no ue no Ponyo

More juvenile than Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle but still gorgeous.

While Hayao Miyazaki's movies have always been hit-or-miss with me with regards to story, they are unequivocally gorgeous to the eye, with characters of simple animation against a backdrop of artistic images. Ponyo sticks to that formula, with a lead character so adorable I want a plush doll of her and scenery so pretty it wouldn't look out of place framed up as a picture on a wall.

The story, on the other hand, I didn't enjoy quite as much as his last two wide-releases, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. It was just a tad too juvenile, coming across as more for kids and leaving adults to just enjoy the animation.

I was also disappointed that the score done by Joe Hisaishi, who also the scores for the above-mentioned two movies, wasn't nearly as memorable this time around. While I can't quite recall Howl's score now, I still remember it being one of the most beautiful I had ever heard. Ditto Spirited's - though I only remember it being very complementary to the movie. Maybe it's because Ponyo is more juvenile fare that the score isn't quite as haunting. In any case, this movie is still a must-watch for fans of anime or Miyazaki.