Mary to Majo no Hana

I think Mary and Witch's Flower is a solid film, and I'm glad Studio Ponoc started out strong. I hope their second film will be just as good.

Some people are calling Studio Ponoc the new Ghibli, and I can see why. Like most Studio Ghibli films, Mary and the Witch's Flower is based on a British kids' novel rather then a Japanese novel, manga, light novel, or game. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Plus, it has a similar art style. This gives the film a similar feel to many Ghibli films. Not to mention Studio Ponoc was founded by a producer from Studio ... Ghibli.

I'm not sure why the creator's of this film left Ghibli to create their own studio. I do have speculations, though. It might simply be because the studio is falling do to Miyazaki's semi-retirement, and they thought it easier to start fresh. When Marnie Was There and The Secret World of Arrietty aren't as popular as other Ghibli films. Which is a shame, considering they're both pretty good.

In the meantime, I hope to see more from both Studio Ponoc and Ghibli in the future.

Mary and the witch's flower at first glance had me intrigued and excited for something new that at least had a similar feeling to the Ghibli movies that I've loved since I was little. But by the end of it, I just ended up feeling genuinely upset. It could have been so good, but it lacked so much in it's story and character building that could of probably been solved if the movie was simply a bit longer.

Without going too in depth on how I would actually change the story to make it better, I'll point out the main issues that made the movie ... much less enjoyable for me.

1. The friendship between Mary and Peter goes from non-existent to BFF's without any buildup what-so-ever.
Mary just meets Peter twice by chance, he mocks her for looking like a monkey so she gets upset and then he just leaves! Then Mary has the fantastic idea to get Peter mixed up in all of the magic shenanigans happening, which really made me dislike her as a character. Her decisions were so immature and irresponsible at times and for the dumbest reasons. When she cried and apologized to Peter it didn't feel like she cares about him and feels bad for getting him mixed up in danger, it felt as if she was just being a brat crying over the mistakes she made. (because their relationship had no buildup, why should she care about someone so badly if she just met them a few days ago?)

2. The story was predictable.
As soon as I saw the front yard of the school and saw how madam Mumblechook showed up and behaved, I knew immediately that she was the antagonist and from there everything else was predictable. Judging by the scene in the beginning that showed a girl who looked like Mary, and everything about the broom, I knew that the woman wanted the flower that Mary used to get there. I could also immediately predict the "Twist" that the aunt was the girl from the scene at the beginning of the movie. It really just left me feeling bored in the end.

3. Peter's role and him as a character
Enough said, he lacked development and he was sirt of just a prop so that Mary could mess up and have a chance to shine upon rescuing him.

I'm giving the movie an overall rating of 3, because there's only 3 things that I liked. One point for the animation for being pretty and fluid and second point for the scene at the beginning of the movie where Mary's aunt steals the flower seeds and flee's the academy. I know I complained about that scene a little bit, but truly for me it was the best part of the movie, it got me more hyped and excited for what was going on and really just gripped me and made me wanna keep watching. Third point is for the whole animal and human experimentation theme that was going on, I found it to be different and creepy, so it kept me intrigued a little bit longer.

Hello lovelies,

Let’s be straightforward and admit this was a plain solid film, about a 7.5 in my book, but not near good enough if you’re expecting Miyazaki standards.

You will hear people say this film didn’t have “heart”, which is not quantifiable yet is the best description for the fallbacks of this film.

Note: I feel unfair comparing Ghibli to rate the film, but its the best way to help convey the setbacks some are feeling.

I adore Studio Ghibli. I grew up with it, I admire Hayao Miyazaki’s work, I admire Joe Hisaishi’s work, I’ve rewatched Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle too many ... times and was a huge fan of The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, which overviews the interworking of Studio Ghibli’s process.

I watched the theatre dub of this film and I’m going to, to the best of my ability, explain why others and myself felt this film lacked “heart” but definitely had the potential impact of that of its Ghibli predecessor.

Story & Characters (6/10):

Overall, this is what sets the film back. (There's a tldr at the bottom, I feel like I'm ranting in this section)

If you watched The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, you know Miyazaki’s process is very very organic. He doesn’t know the ending of the film until finishing the last storyboard and the film is made while he is storyboarding. It shows how much consideration he takes for these worlds and these characters. His films have multiple plots and character journeys because that’s how life works, right? A story is never just a main character going into mischief and people just letting it happen. Its a correlation of many character events clashing into a larger story.

[[Chihiro meets a spoiled son that learns to be selfless when turned into a rat. A no-face character that just wants a home but turns malicious when placed in a life of luxury. A river spirit is enslaved after losing his home to pollution but is saved by a girl he met years ago.]]

Now with Mary and the Witch’s Flower, this isn’t the case.

The story follows Mary. And follows Mary. And follows Mary some more.

The adults of the film, not from the Witch Academy, are either out and about running errands, worrying about Mary, or going to work. Then there’s Peter, a village neighbor, that exists purely as a plot device for Mary’s flaws and, eventually, her revelation. He’s defined early in the story as sweet and hardworking and he doesn’t become anything else after the fact. [[He is brave and loyal as well, but those are revealed traits later on]]

All the characters in this film are fully developed with no internal arcs except for their events around the Witch’s Flower. Mary is the only one, in the entire film, that really evolves, so we, as an audience, grow with her. She starts with an internal struggle of not being good at anything and disliking her appearance of large frizzy hair. Then she goes on this adventure into a Witch School that praises her for skills she doesn’t truly possess. Then towards the end of the story she accepts who she is, and realizes power and praise are only satisfying when she’s being true to herself.

In a way, this film could have worked with focusing on just Mary, but there wasn’t that organic journey of Mary becoming more independent and loving herself and perhaps finding her true strengths before she was off fighting. Instead she went home after day one and laughed off the whole ordeal, and had self love for her hair but there was nothing said about her insecurities at being bad at everything she does. The plot just ran ahead of her to the next action sequence.

So, there isn’t much attention to characters, so whats holding this movie like glue? Well it has to be the plot. And considering how smart audiences are today it would have to be rather fun and intriguing to keep attention.

The first scene in the film did this the best but the rest struggled to keep a consistent tone.

So here is the plot in very simple terms:

Intro powerful item, steal from bad guys, lose item for a long time, intro protagonist’s desires and flaws, protagonist finds item, protagonist seemingly happy however bad guys ruin it, item stolen again by bad guys, protagonist feels helpless, karma points helps save the day, protagonist must save the day without powerful item, proclaim a life lesson.

Not a bad plot, but basic enough you wonder what makes this film so special? What would make audiences talk about the story? Where is the “heart”, the connection, that resonates in other Ghibli films?

Lets talk villains.

Miyazaki films are very wholesome for always redeeming their villains. They’re always people who make mistakes or were pushed into difficult situations that become unraveled by the protagonist. Sometimes they’re just greedy, but in the end they realize their flaws and work to bettering themselves in some manner.

This film made villains for the sake of villains, and it was rather disappointing.

Its explained in a flashback. Two teachers at the academy are introduced to the Witch’s Flower and become obsessed and consumed.

Honestly, this explanation sounds fine on paper. But when you see the film, there is an attention to detail to the world building that creates expectation for more explanation.

These teachers, prior to the flower, were kind and intelligent. The academy helped further witches and warlocks in all levels of magic to further their studies and these two teachers were at the forefront.

Then the flower is just plucked out of no where and they go stir crazy with experiments to make the most powerful witches the world has every seen. But to what end? Is magic dying? Is there a reason powerful magic is needed?

Did their obsession to improve their students extend to creating THE best students ever known? Its a such selfless strange obsession that it barely holds up as a motivation to antagonize two children and mangle dozens of animals in experiments. Perhaps if there was a competing school? Or a competition of sorts?



TLDR; No character depth beyond the protagonist, antagonists exist to be antagonists, the plot is very basic with a beginning middle and end, and the lack of heart comes from the lack of internal character arcs so the audience cant find a connection with anyone.



World building:

There was too much expositional dialogue as a form of world building. Ponac has amazing talent for visuals— use them, use them, use them. Their characters seem to say things for the sake of saying something, so there was a lack of realism.

Then, there’s that rule in fantasy. You explain all of it, or you don’t try at all. Otherwise you create expectations for the readers and suddenly you’re riddled with holes.

The film tried on occasion to explain magic,[[one point mentioning electricity to be a form of magic…which is okay, thats fine]] but it never explained why magic just…existed in the sky? Is there a society somewhere? Is it like Kiki’s Delivery Service, and these kids leave home and live in isolated areas to specialize in their skills? Magic can be acquired through a flower, but it seems to have to be inherited? Are witches a dying breed? Are they worried about losing magic?

The world of magic itself was so isolated to the one school, it never really explained the general important questions, instead it narrowed the audience’s view to only see the actions within the school as a plot point. Which is fine, as far as writing goes, but it detracts from the immersion.

Animation:

No doubt it’s a gorgeous film and obviously descended from Ghibli. I love the style and every scene has great detail. I would never doubt their skills as animators.

Music:

I liked the soundtrack. I was very much reminded of Harry Potter when they used a hammered dulcimer for “Night Flight” and when Mary entered the Academy. It creates that tinkling sound which I think everyone relates to “oooh look magic is happening”. In Harry Potter they used a synthesizer and a celeste so this instrument was really beautiful and unique.




Well, thats that. Honestly, its still a lovely movie and solid for a new studio, I just think they need a stronger lead in future films on why they’re making these movies. The plots need revising and their characters need more depth.

- zamandzoe's Anime Reviews: Season 2 ~ Review 1 -

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”

Normally, it would be acceptable for a studio's first film to be far from perfect. However, when you have people from the acclaimed Studio Ghibli working on your film, you're asking to be compared to them from the get go.

As much as I'd want to deny this claim, it seems that Miyazaki was the key to much of Ghibli's success.

Story: 6
On it's own, Mary and the Witch's Flower's story is flat. The pacing is all over the place, and any ... world building falls flat on it's face. By all means, it's "passable" but it's far from engaging. We are introduced to a "normal" world followed by a magical realm of sorts that exists inside it. Notably, we see a full tour of the school which would leave you to believe that it would be a key asset of this film's world.

But it's not. Following the tour of a well-crafted and inspired school, it is completely dropped from the story. Soon after that, we see a house in the middle of nowhere that once belonged to a witch from long ago. That witch happened to steal a valuable item from the school, but other than what is said at face value, we never get a deeper explanation about why that happened.

Those were only some of the story's problems. Honestly, a film could pass with a lackluster plot and still be pretty good, but that means that it would need to be good in every other aspect.

Art and Sound: 8
If there's one thing this film did get from Ghibli, it's the art style and the sound. Though basic in this day and age, the style works well and a few still shots make the world at least feel alive. The sound compliments this, and makes intense scenes feel like it matters... Even though the characters make it seem otherwise.

Characters: 5
This is where the film falls flat in every way. We are supposed to like Mary, the protagonist, but all she does is act like a brat in the beginning and magically redeems herself by the end. The film could've gone in an interesting direction with her telling a lie that changes the course of the plot, but it ignores this.

As for every other character, they hardly classify as one. No development is to be found, they only do the minimum that the film requires them to do.

Enjoyment: 6
Ultimately, this is subjective. For me, the pretty scenery and above average soundtrack was enough for me to remain interested. That may not apply to everyone. If you absolutely need an engaging plot, then you won't find it here. The same applies for the characters.

Overall: 6
Is this a bad movie? No. Is it a great movie? No. Should you watch it? Sure, why not?

If you want a reason to appreciate Ghibli, then watch this film. It will make you realize how magical they were.

Otherwise, this film is pretty generic and not that noteworthy. It plays everything safe and takes no risks. As such, it is clear that replicating Ghibli came first, while being original was second.

If you have the chance to watch it on a big screen (theater), then it's probably worth a watch. The animation is very good and so is the soundtrack.

I don’t think we should compare this anime to Harry Potter or Miyazaki. I think the author was able to show his deep and interesting world. Hiromasa Yonebayashi always has live characters who interact perfectly. Be it grandma and granddaughter or granddaughter and gardener in this anime, or as in 'Memories of Marnie' aunt with uncle and niece. In his world you believe and understand what the author wanted to say and show. And it gives you the opportunity to fully plunge into history, and follow it with interest.

It may not show the magic school’s everyday life, but the school itself, to me, is shown ... quite interesting, though schematic. The author must have had a different message. We must not embrace the love of magic, but understand that we can do everything without magic and should do so. Like saving someone you care about with courage and ingenuity.

This is a very beautiful anime, in terms of pictures and magic music. Yes, I found music there too. And she betrays her style.

I suggest you enjoy watching this anime and having fun

In my opinion, this movie could have been great but during the movie the story went downhill.

Story - 5
I think the story at the beginning started strong! It definitely had the potential to be good story-wise but as the movie went on it fell flat to me. It was almost like there was a lot of filler bits or a lot of things just added in but not really thought out properly. It's almost like they had too many ideas and they wanted to include it all but then it made some other bits of the story either making no sense or not being ... necessary to include.

Character - 3
Probably the biggest let down in the whole movie. As I said at the start of this review, the start of the movie was great but the story and the character development throughout the movie are the things that made me give this movie a lower rating. My issues with the characters is the complete lack of development during the whole movie. They go through this massive adventure but it is almost like all the characters are only two dimensional. There aren't many examples I can give without giving spoilers but if you're curious I guess watch it and see...I kind of liked the cats but again there wasn't much development behind them either...just completely bland and boring which could take people by surprise due to how many events happen in this movie but what is really a good adventure without characters you actually care about?

Enjoyment - 5
Due to issues I've stated early I really didn't enjoy the movie and I constantly was waiting for it to end...

Art - 9
The art, in my opinion, was great! No complaints but sadly this was the best part of the movie for me...

Sound - 6
I thought some of the songs were okay I guess. The voice actors were okay but I did always think that the cat's sounds just sounded so much unlike a cat it just became annoying.

Overall - 6
I guess the art style kind of redeems the movie a little bit but barely...I wouldn't watch it by choice that is why I regret buying this movie...I guess it looks good on my shelf...idk haha but yeah It could have been great if they took their time, didn't rush the story, made it simpler and actually developed the characters. Personally Ii wouldn't recommend.

In short, there is nothing bad about this film.
While it is a visually and audibly well made film, I found it was lacking in any kind of "wow" factor.

This is a pleasant film to watch, but even without the unavoidable comparison to Ghibli, there was nothing that made this film stand out or feel special, so it seems like a bit of an unfortunately missed opportunity for Ponoc's debut. At the end of the film you might think "ah, that was nice" and then forget about it, and continue with whatever you would otherwise be doing - this film didn't leave any particular impression ... on me, no matter how high the production level was. Because of this, although the animation was great, and the designs were lovely, I couldn't rate this above a 7.

Considering this, I'd recommend this to anyone who just wants to sit down and relax for a couple of hours, and not have to think to much, or to keep your children entertained - I imagine this would make a great bedtime film - not to say that it will put you to sleep for lack of interest, but just because of it's gentle atmosphere.
As far as the plot, well, there's not much to it, it's a bit predictable, but I guess it relays those good old moral messages, so again would be great for children who are new to any tropes that we may recognise in this film.

I don't think this needs to be stated but this is Studio Ponoc first feature film, The studio is formed by former Ghibli members and is basically going to the new spiritual successor to the great legacy as i assume ( speculation) after Hayao Miyazaki last film in I think 2020 or 2021 that's it for Ghibli. Like every anime adaptation of a novel its best to think this as its own thing not as a replacement for The Little Broomstick by the Scottish Mary Stewart. This film is because an introduction to determine if this studio in the right direction they took ... something from children novel to set the tone so did it succeed. Well, I say its honestly a mix bag, they is alot of reason why is this a bad film nope, is it a really flawed film and overly safe yes it is.

Good:

It was during the introduction for the school, this was amazing the animators really went tenholds into that section the gym, the chemistry labs..... the detail, animation the lived in nature was great and fantastic.

Animation i have no complaints a lot of hard work and passionate went behind this movie.

Mary the character, she doesn't have that much characterization to say but the subtle facial expression, her tone.... really adds to the believability and honestly want to root for her.

Art design- again the lived in nature, it's not like generic anime rooms where it all tidy and has no personality.

The blend with CGI and 2D was honestly seamlessly only bits I notice was okay that way to detailed to be drawn and Mary interaction in this environment. But utlise CGI but really the hand-drawn nature is what makes anime look honestly beautiful.


Music- solid, i not expert with music so i can't really judge but it was well utilized.

Solid English Dub - All the VA does a solid job with they performance, the different accents.... interesting to listen to.



Bad:

The Plot : The problem this film is messy structurally, it's honestly all over the place. I kinda sick to the beat the bad guy plot, because they messing with..... This is where the Ghibli comparison comes in. The story in Ghibli are honestly never the focus its always the characters and the bad guy stuff is usually a backdrop. Great thing in Miyazaki work like Princess Mononoke they is no bad guy. Everyone has they motivation and a good reason for the actions, where people associate Ghibli films with is nuanced storytelling.

Characters: honestly besides the MC ( even she kinda underdeveloped) no characters really stand out. I again going to compare to Ghibli again ( impossible bar i know). Where characters do they subtle expressions or how they act you have a good understanding with them as characters. My Neighbor Totoro the Main Protagonist Dad you can understanding everything about them for his room, how he reacts to situations, how he works and plays with his daughters ..... You feel like he's a person, or the Main Protagonist Mei and Satsuki that acts like real sisters and act they age Not as stupid idiots just a little naive.

Bad Guys: they honestly unremarkable and leave little impact on me.

Pacing: This is what honestly killed the film when it comes to structure it felt longer than it should have tbh.

Conclusion

Well, they are a solid foundation yet it doesn't do anything to distinguish themselves as ex Ghibli employees, what makes Studio Ponoc different. They really don't do much, however, I'm optimistic looking at the next project the 3 short stories it's definitely on the right track a little weird and obscure, I like it. Hopefully, people do watch it as its a wonderful children film, it's beautiful and polish yet safe and generic which is a problem.

I rate this 6.4/10 alot of great elements to do it excited for they future work.

Writing my short review after watching this movie in theaters. Well, to be frank, this is just an above average movie.

Now let's start with the story. The story is what you get in every Ghibli movie ever. There's absolutely nothing special about it. If you are a fan of Ghibli movie, then you might feel nostalgic watching this movie because it combines a lot of elements that made you like Ghibli's movie, but it stopped there, they did nothing new with those concepts. If you haven't watched any Ghibli movie before, then I bet this movie will give you a lot of Harry Potter vibes, ... or if you have watched Little Witch Academia, then this kinda packed a similar setting with it.

The characters are fairy decent too. You have your main character who thought that she wasn't worth anything until she went to this magical land and found out that she has the greatest magic power there because of the help of a random plant she found at the middle of nowhere. Our "love interest", I put the "" because it really isn't confirmed but it was hinted, is just your typical love interest in every kids movie ever. Nothing special. So are the main villains, they are just cardboard cutouts you can find in other movies, doing all the things the did because of their own need.

However, what makes this movie so much more bearable is the art and animation. The art looks gorgeous. Each scene is well drawn and if your expectations aren't too high, the art will easily satisfy you. The animation too is fluid. If you are a huge Ghibli fan, then I bet this part won't disappoint you. This level of art and animation is extremely praise-able for a studio's first project.

The music is heartwarming, well-placed and suit the entire mood of the movie well. I have no complaints on this area. It didn't particularly stood out to me, but when watching the movie, I found no issue with the music.

Overall, Mary to Majo no Hana/Mary and the Witch's Flower is an above average movie, but at the same time is also an excellent movie for a studio's first anime. I will recommend this movie if you like Ghibli movie and want to get the same feeling in some other movie this year or to those who wants a movie like Little Witch Academia.

I have seen a lot of discussion on the topic of Studio Ponoc becoming the “new Ghibli”. I do not think they can fill such shoes, but rather would like to view them as a competitor. They share the same style, and a lot of the staff (at least for this movie), so that much is warranted. Anyways, Mary and the Witch’s Flower is actually a great debut work for the studio.

Pros:
- Great animation. Studio Ponoc did a really good job in the animation department for their debut work here. The movie looks and feels so much like a Ghibli movie that it is almost ... criminal. Considering where the director comes from, it should not really come as much of a surprise. The colors are vibrant, the world feels alive, and there were several scenes where I was just in awe at the animation (especially the water scenes).

- Beautiful soundtrack. Takatsugu Muramatsu does it again. I absolutely loved his work on When Marnie Was There, so I had a lot to look forward to when I heard he would be composing the soundtrack for Mary and the Witch’s Flower. He certainly did not disappoint! It reminded me a lot of the Arrietty soundtrack, more so than the soundtrack for Marnie. Even so, the soundtrack was excellent throughout, bringing to life this fantasy world portrayed through the already magical animation. My favorite track ended up being “Magic Science”.

Cons:
- Generic story. This movie is adapted from a children’s book, so I did not have the highest of expectations going into it. Cannot say I was surprised with how the story turned out, it was just your generic children’s fantasy tale. It is not necessarily a bad thing either, as this movie’s selling points are elsewhere, but do not go into this movie expecting the story to blow you away.

Overall:
Mary and the Witch’s Flower is a respectable debut work for Studio Ponoc. It definitely establishes them as a studio to rival Ghibli in the future, at least when it comes to style. I recommend it for that aspect alone. Hopefully we can get more works like this from them in the future!

No Spoilers.

Overall I really liked this anime. It hit all the right notes, with the cats and the way it interpreted magic. The world seemed very rich and engaging. The kids were pleasantly childlike and didn't display the decision-making capacities of adults. And the art was absolutely phenomenal. Especially in the opening, it really manages to engage the viewer right from the start.

However this show got a relatively low score for something that hits all the right notes. I found the plotline to be completely predictable, and the world too familiar. Some of the characters and visual concepts ... seemed recycled from Spirited Away. All in all as a story I feel like it didn't hold up. But the artwork is so phenomenal and the feel of Ghibli, even if a bit recycled, make this generally enjoyable. It wasn't very original and it didn't blow my mind, but it was good.

I'd recommend this anime to anyone who likes anime about kids, magic, or heavy-motion animation.

This is a pretty average movie story-wise but with a very high production value. There's really nothing in the story or characters that stood out or made a big impression on me, it follows a very safe template yet somehow has a disappointing ending all the same.

The animation is easily the strongest part of it as despite the middling story everything is in a lively Ghibli-esque art style. The soundtrack and voice acting are also solid, I have no complaints in that department. Despite the lack of charm it's worth a watch if you want a very safe movie that won't challenge you but will ... look consistently beautiful.

Studio Ghibli had long established itself as the pinnacle of Japanese animation starting in the 1980's, but recently the studio went into hiatus, leaving most of its younger employees at a dead-end. Not to be discouraged, some of these employees decided to start a new facility of their own. Now christened as "Studio Ponoc", this team of former Ghibli animators, led by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY and WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE) begin their career with MARY AND THE WITCH'S FLOWER, based on a children's book by the late Mary Stewart. The end result could very well be described as basically a "Greatest ... Hits" of Ghibli as opposed to something that would establish a new identity for the studio, but considering the alternative, which would be a complete extinction of a beautiful form of art, for once, this isn't a flaw.

Probably the best way to describe this feature is that it's a sort of KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE meets HARRY POTTER, with a dash of SPIRITED AWAY, and occasionally PRINCESS MONONOKE, HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, as well as CASTLE IN THE SKY for good measure. While MARY AND THE WITCH'S FLOWER doesn't quite live up to the standards of those titles, it is nonetheless a pleasant enough venture. It's also refreshing to see an animated feature targeted at kids and adults which goes all-out on being ambitious. In fact, the film's action-packed opening scene, in which we see a mysterious girl flee from a burning laboratory on a broomstick while chased by dolphin-shaped watery-like creatures, provides a great start.

After this thrilling sequence, we meet Mary (voiced in the English version by Ruby Barnhill), a bored little girl who has just moved to the countryside to stay with her aunt. She's friendless, depressed, and even clumsy. The only other person her own age in the town she has recently moved into, a boy named Peter, also rubs her the wrong way: he jokes about her red hair, which for some reason she is sensitive about. While pursuing a runaway cat into the woods beyond her house, Mary discovers both a little broomstick and a glowing flower. Before you know it, she is suddenly transported to Endor College (no, it's not a reference to STAR WARS), an elaborate fortress of a university which doubles as a school for witches. She is "welcomed" by the school's domineering headmistress Madam Mumblechook (Kate Winslet) and scientist Doctor Dee (Jim Broadbent). But things get ugly when she takes a spellbook that doesn't belong to her and accidentally puts Peter's life in danger. The last act of the movie involves Mary trying to correct her mistake, building to an edge of your seat climax with just enough pyrotechnics and thrills to please any fan of such suspenseful finales.

It's evident that director Yonebayashi is paying homage to his former master with every scene in his film. More often than not, there are visual references that one will make to classic Ghibli films along with visual touches of its own. Endor College is located on a tall mesa stretching above the clouds, bizarre assortments of chimera creatures abound in cages, and there are also the sort of rubbery, shape-shifting, ooze-like creatures that can be found from HOWL. At one point our heroine crash-lands in the forest, with her broomstick broken in half. And the entire climax involves scaling a massive tree which houses scientific technology. The animation is also as richly detailed and colorful as anything from Studio Ghibli, with the character designs each containing Miyazaki's signature style, from the cherub-like faces of the protagonists to the grotesquely proportioned "caricature" creatures.

Musically, too, MARY AND THE WITCH'S FLOWER excels. Although Joe Hisaishi's musical services are missed, Takatsugu Muramatsu supplies a beautiful orchestral soundtrack with occasional Hammer-dulcimer strummed interludes for good measure. There are times when the director does allow the music to take a back seat and let occasional still shots filled with environmental sounds do the talking instead of spoon-feeding us.

Perhaps the only issue with this otherwise enjoyable feature is that it doesn't quite achieve the same heights of Ghibli's classic films. It might be due to Yonebayashi trying to do a bit too much within 104 minutes or so, but there are a few plot points that feel a bit unresolved. I was unclear about Mary's issue regarding her hair, for instance, especially since the film decides to discard it in the second half. Her relationship with Peter also could have used a bit more fleshing out as well -- her sudden shift from annoyance to wanting to rescue him feels abrupt, even for a kid her age. The ending itself, while thrilling, also seems a bit rushed as well. Moreover, Mumblechook and Doctor Dee aren't all that scary for being antagonists, and despite Yonebayashi's claims that they are "misunderstood", all we're permitted to see in the film is both characters mostly engaging in despicable acts.

Probably the most interesting character in the movie is the one that doesn't utter a word, and that is Tib, a black cat who very much resembles Jiji from KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE. He pretty much acts like any ordinary cat would. He meows, prances, acts independently, and mostly communicates with facial expressions. For good measure, Tib even has a girlfriend. Not that the other characters are unlikable by comparison, but these two animals, for some reason, really stand out.

Following in the tradition of the Ghibli movies, this movie also employs some well-known actors and actresses to provide the voices for the dub -- only this time, the dub is recorded at England's Tambourine Studios, resulting with a mostly British-accented cast. Considering that this is based on a British children's book, this provides a nice change of pace, and is arguably all the more fitting for this film perhaps because of that. (None of this is a slight against any of the Disney-produced dubs for the Ghibli library -- they're still excellent, warts and all.) Oddly, the only performance that took a while to grow on me was that of Barnhill as Mary (recently seen as Sophie in Steven Spielberg's THE BFG). Her voice is a bit grating at first, with the occasional moment of tentativeness, but she gradually steps it up as the film goes on and by the end her Mary grew on me. Broadbent and Winslet are fine in their roles as Mumblechook and Dee, by contrast, while Louis Ashbourne Serkis (son of Andy Serkis from LORD OF THE RINGS fame) speaks appropriately for the role of Peter. Strangely, my favorite performance of the dub might be that of Ewen Bremner as as Flannagan, a pompous fox-like character who chastises Mary for how she handles her broomstick. The Scottish accent is a great fit, and he brings a lot of character. There are a few moments where the lip sync is less than perfect, but not distracting enough to take away from the film. I can't speak for the Japanese version, as I haven't seen it.

In the end it doesn't matter which version you watch. MARY AND THE WITCH'S FLOWER, inferior though it may be to Ghibli, is nonetheless lovely and a great way to spend two hours. Although it does little to set Ponoc apart from the studio it takes inspiration from, there's plenty to enjoy. That it comes at a time when hand-drawn animated features like these are scarce (at least in America) is a blessing as well.

Why would anyone want to watch Harry Potter when they could watch THIS instead?!?!

I was honestly shocked at just how good this movie is. It combines action-packed magic and fantasy with the vibes of your average Studio Ghibli movie (even though this movie isn’t even MADE by Studio Ghibli, it’s made by Studio Ponoc, who did a great job with this film)!

The technology and architecture in this film is magnificent, and the conflicts are unlike most films that I’ve ever seen.

If you want a GOOD fantasy film about magic and witches, this is the one. Go watch it, you most certainly WON’T regret it!

Overall rating: ... 9/10

Kay so let's start by getting one thing out of the way: One thing this film is NOT is Kiki's Delivery Service. I've seen a few people act like this is like Ponoc's Kiki's Delivery Service ripoff or something. It's not. Other than the superficial fact that both films include a witch, the two films have almost nothing in common. Unfortunately among the things that they dont have in common is the fact that Kiki's Delivery Service is good.

Mary and the Witches Flower does have its strong suites. This film looks and sounds amazing. The opening scene absolutely blew me away. Yonebayashi not only masters ... Miyazki's style, but he seemlessly mixes it with his own and arguably improves upon it. Between this film and When Marnie was There, I am incredibly optimistic for the future of Studio Ponoc and Yonebayashi.

That said, this film is bad. It's bad because of its script and it's bad because of its characters. Nobody feels like a real person in this movie. They're all 2-dimensional caricatures working their way through a contrived plot. I really felt like I was watching a chidrens cartoon. Its weird too because it seems to set up Mary's arc in this overly simplistic and audience-patronizingly explicit way, and yet it doesn't even really pay it off. Mary's conclusion is honestly just weird and doesn't really make sense

I know Yonebayashi can do good character work. He directed When Marnie Was There after all. but for whatever reason he totally missed that in this film.

As the first feature film of Studio Ponoc (comprised by former members of Ghibli), the production quality leaves nothing to be desired. It is on par with any Studio Ghibli film that came beforehand as far as animation and visual style goes, which is easily noticeable as far back as the trailers; I actually thought this was a Ghibli film when I first decided to watch it.

While production was excellent, the story did have some inconsistencies that stuck in the back of your mind throughout the whole run. Though the movie is obviously aimed at children (which leads to exposition always being kinda in your ... face), which justifies the pacing and story-telling, there are several elements that are introduced for the sake of it and not done anything with. For example, we are introduced to a Wizard College within the first half hour of the movie, and while nearly all of the conflict and climax occurs in-campus, we are never introduced to any of the students (in fact, they were always in the background, and at one point, even masked and in robes, making them unidentifiable from one another); it was obvious that the intent from the creators was to keep the cast small, and while I agree with the decision, the idea of the students getting involved somehow still remained in your thoughts, since the campus was getting destroyed and everything.

All in all, even with the inconsistencies, there's seldom an unexciting period in the whole movie. Not to mention the music was on point, even ending with one of the best credits song I've listened to. The similarities to Spirited Away and other Ghibli films are hard to ignore, but I don't see them as a flaw; after all, this is their first film as a separate studio. It won't be long until they find their own voice.

9/10 Great for a family night.

Plot: B *Mary is a curious girl who is bored at home and getting ready to go to her new school. She follows a cat into a forest and discovers a "Fly-by-Night flower" which blossoms once every seven years. Upon picking the flower up, the flower engulfs Mary in a bright blue light where a broomstick whisks Mary away to Endor College. This college resembles Hogwarts from Harry Potter as it is a school of magic. But things aren't all good here as the headmistress of the school has her own agenda and is using Mary to try and get to the flower.

Visuals: A+ *Beautiful ... animation that resembles those of the Studio Ghibli films. Lovely colors and really cute character designs. And the colors are gorgeous for the spellcasting.

Voice Acting: A+ *Great voice cast! I especially loved Jim Broadbent's voice for Doctor Dee and Ewen Bremner was hilarious as Flanagan. But everyone involved in the dub did a great job. Major props to Ruby Barnhill for her performance as Mary. In the majority of anime that I've seen, the voices and cries of kids makes my eardrums bleed. Ruby's voice was not only cute and emotional when the story needed it to be, but her crying sounded believable too!

Film Score: B *Like most film scores, there's some repetition and some filler, but overall, this has a lot of really pretty melodies which makes this a lot of fun to listen to both in and out of context of the film.

***My favorite track: Mary's Theme
(How could it be anything but Mary's Theme? Which features a gorgeous piano melody that is also heroic like our adorable little hero.)

Characters: B *The show is mostly about Mary as the others don't nearly get fleshed out as much as her, (which is honestly the film's biggest weakness. We needed to find out more about Peter and his relationship with his mother for the emotional attachment between the viewer and Peter to be stronger with his life being in danger( but they still all have a fun presence in the world and add that "Studio Ghibli" magic sort of feel. So it's a good thing that Mary was a really likable character and that the antagonists despite not having a lot of screentime were entertaining to watch.

Cringeworthy Anime Moments: N/A *Much like the Ghibli films, this movie was just a really well-made movie that will charm parents and kids alike. I have no complaints about this movie.

Opening Titles: N/A *But I will say that the opening sequence was a fantastically animated action sequence that grabs the viewer's attention from the very beginning. The ending song was ok, but I was hoping for something that gave made me want to stay and listen to the end credits. I wanted something memorable and cute like Mary's Theme and instead, we got an ok but forgettable J-pop song to close it off.

Final Verdict: 7/10 *While the story might not seem as original and fresh as the two family-friendly Ghibli films that I've seen thus far, I will say that this had a much better ending than either of those films had And that's because instead of adding something super convenient to tie loose ends and to make things end happily for our characters, this movie follows it's own rules and Mary is able to save the day using magic that we've already seen her use. My main complaint is that the movie feels short due to how little the world was explored at the castle and how little we know about the other characters. I loved Mary, but I wanted to love Peter and the film didn't give us the chance to do so. But even so, this was a charming film with beautiful imagery and very pretty music. I still would recommend it to anyone that wants to watch a really good family film.

Though I am someone who usually does not write reviews, It disappointed me to the negative feedback regarding this film so I had to write something.

While at first look this is a "childish" movie I don't believe that takes anything away from the sheer thrill it is to experience this movie. The obvious connection to Studio Ghibli, of course, can be seen, and the way the world is built is beautiful. But beyond that, the magical spark throughout the movie is sure to strike a chord with anyone who enjoyed daydreaming about fantastic adventures as a kid. And whether you are a young and old, ... I'm sure many can enjoy that magical ride that is Mary and The Witch's Flower.

Mary and the Witches Flower is a charming magic story. A significant element is the wonderous and amazing nature of magic, which is captured through the beautiful animation of the spells and magic energy. Mary is given a long tour of a school she is mistaken to have enrolled in, which feels slightly unnecessary and a tad long because once she never participates in the school. Once she goes home, the school kidnaps a friend from her village. She must then go back into the magic world to rescue him. Many European stories use the same narrative structure in order to warn children about whatever ... danger the author felt important. It works well to show off pretty locations and as an excuse to make great animation sequences.
Mary and the Witches Flower is a good example of telling a European style story to a different audience.

First of all, if you have any interest in seeing this movie, you should totally watch it. I thought it was overall a very enjoyable experience, and I had a lot of fun watching it, especially on the big screen. The animation was a lot better than I expected, and it's pretty much just 100 minutes of scenery porn. I went in knowing almost nothing about the plot, and the events that happened were a lot more fun than I was expecting. I don't know why, but I was actually expecting less magic? Sounds weird, I know, but I was expecting it to be more ... down-to-earth with fantastic elements, when in reality the entire setting was magial and pretty cool. Also the English dub was good.

The things that bothered me about this movie, without going into too much detail, basically boil down to all of the human characters being really, really stupid and all of the animal characters being omniscient deus-ex-machina devices (albeit fun and charming deus-ex-machina devices). And the way magic works not being well-established. You basically want the villains to win because their plan is awesome and very well-intentioned, but of course no-one in this movie is smart enough to not fail catastrophically. The ending message, "we don't need magic," is very strange as well since electricity and chemistry are apparently magic in this universe so you absolutely do.