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PONYO (GAKE NO UE NO PONYO) |
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Hayao Miyazaki has long been revered as a master animator within the industry and abroad. He won Best Animated Feature
with his "Spirited Away" in 2002. Unfortunately Japanese anime remains more of a cult attraction in the US as we tend to go for the Pixar or Disney of
Warner Brothers animated stuff. There have been occasional periods of interest in the Japanese art - the 1960's Speed Racer was one example - but overall
the American public tends to go with American animation. "Ponyo" may not change that attitude a lot but with the help of Disney, it may expose the American public to
the wondrous beauty that anime can be. |
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"Ponyo" is hardly original; it's a little bit "Finding Nemo" and a little bit "Little Mermaid" with a dash of "Pinocchio" for good measure.
It takes place in the realm of the sea with Fujimoto (Lian Neeson) as an all powerful wizard who is pretty upset with the ways humans are trashing the oceans. He is constantly cleaning up after them and he's getting tired of it. His daughter is a goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by Noah Cyrus) and as with most children completely disagrees with
her dads point of view. So mush so she wishes she were human. |
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While swimming around one day looking in on what was happening on the surface of the ocean, Ponyo gets trapped in
a glass jar - part of the very trash her father loathes - and nearly dies. To her rescue comes a little boy named Sosuke (Frankie Jonas). Sosuke is thrilled to have
his new pet and convinces his mother (Tina Fey) to let him keep Ponyo. With all the wile of the slickest females Ponyo gets Sosuke to carry her around in a bucket so she cane see the world.
Of course his world consist mainly of going to school, to a nursing home (where his mom works) and home. There she encounters Sosuke's friends (Betty White, Lily Tomlin and Cloris Leachman) whom sort of take to her. |
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It is at this point that Ponyo becomes determined to not only stay, but to become human. The stunt she pulls
has dire consequences and nearly kills everyone around her. How will everyone be saved? "Ponyo" will delight everyone even though the American voices are unconvincing with Japanese names. I would have liked to see either
a Japanese version with English subtitles or and English version with English names. But that is nitpicking and doesn't diminish the charm of this fabulous film. Hopefully,
Ponyo will create that interest in anime and will see more of this unique art. --GEOFFREY BURTON
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