The film starts off with a young boy named Sosuke rescuing a goldfish named Ponyo (who happens to be a girl). Their bond slowly develops into what seemed like an unusual friendship between a boy and a fish. However, Ponyo’s father, a powerful sorcerer, did whatever it takes to break that bond by forcing Ponyo to return to the sea. Little did he know that Ponyo’s desire to become a human caused an imbalance between nature and humanity, which results to a massive thunderstorm. It is only Ponyo’s mother, the beautiful sea goddess, who can restore the balance once again.
One thing that really stood out in this film is the animation. The very close attention to detail was seen all throughout the film, which contributed greatly to the element of magic and fantasy that was felt during the course of the story. I loved the way the artists and animators portrayed the ocean. It gives you a certain feeling that it isn’t just the regular ocean we see on TV or when we go to the beach. You could almost feel the waves, accompanied by a fitting musical score, transporting you to a world completely far from your own. You can’t deny the fact that Hayao Miyazaki really has a fertile imagination. It can even make you feel momentarily lost in a blank stretch between fantasy and reality.
Ponyo is probably the cutest character I’ve ever seen yet. The voice actor did a pretty good job to make her character believable and fun to watch. Other than that, Sosuke is the bravest 5-year-old I’ve seen yet. Rarely do you see characters like him in real life. He’s someone who is able to stand up in the midst of a storm despite his very young age. There were some parts in the movie that seemed out of reach, though. Let’s take for example the adults. Their characters weren’t believable enough. I mean, what kind of adult would leave a 5-year-old alone at home during a thunderstorm? What kind of adults would just nonchalantly wave at two kids riding a boat on their own? Well, that’s fiction for you.
Overall, the story of this film didn’t seem to work for me message-wise. It’s targeted for a younger audience, so I have to admit that it is indeed fun to watch. The characters were original, the art and animation were impeccably done, and the music was fitting, as well. The film gets a high score for that, but the story barely passes. Nonetheless, if you’re somebody who enjoys watching fantasy films that have the power to kindle the child-like heart within you, you might want to add this movie to your watch list.
