Probably the underdog of this year’s February half term holiday family releases, Ponyo is also without a doubt the most highly acclaimed. Already nominated for and the winner of many awards around the world, Ponyo is the latest work of animation from Japanese animation director, whose animation house Studio Ghibli is responsible for such reputed (sadly, until now I have not had the fortune of actually seeing any of Hayao Mayazaki’s works) masterpieces of animation as Spirited Away (which won Best Animated Feature at the 2003 Oscars) and Howl’s Moving Castle (which was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2006 Oscars). Unlike those films, Ponyo – which unites Studio Ghibli with Walt Disney Animation head John Lasseter, who is responsible for assembling the impressive voice cast for the US and UK release of the film – has not been acknowledged by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but it has nonetheless generated the same kind of critical acclaim. And such acclaim is very well deserved.

The son of sailor Koichi (voiced by Matt Damon), 5-year old Sosuke (voiced by Frankie Jonas) lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother Lisa (voiced by Tina Fey). One fateful day, he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach and upon rescuing her, names her Ponyo (voiced by Noah Cyrus). But she is no ordinary goldfish. The daughter of masterful wizard Fujimoto (voiced by Liam Neeson) and sea goddess Gran Mamare (voiced by Cate Blanchett), Ponyo uses her father’s magic to transform herself into a young girl and quickly falls in love with Sosuke, but the use of such powerful sorcery causes a dangerous imbalance in the world. As the moon steadily draws nearer to the earth and Ponyo’s father sends the ocean’s mighty waves to find his daughter, the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to save the world and fulfill Ponyo’s dreams of becoming human.

2D animation may have gone out of fashion in Hollywood but in Japan it has never lost its appeal and films such as Ponyo illustrate just why this is. The animation in this film has something that is missing from computer animated features and even some Hollywood 2D animated features – a childlike sense of wonder. The animation is very simple but beautifully so, being quite basic in some ways yet also packed with detail, almost like something that a child might draw, and herein lies the genius of Hayao Mayazaki. The film not only delivers animation that is beautiful but also captures the innocence and imagination of childhood, not only in the lovingly crafted drawings but also in the subtle, innocent sense of humour, the magical and enchanting story and the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. And the film loses none of its charm in the transition from east to west, with the English voice cast being truly excellent, bringing the characters to vivid life, the two actors who stand out the most being Noah Cyrus and Frankie Jonas who imbue their roles with the sense of appreciation for life that only a child could provide. Only two things let the film down slightly – firstly, the plot meanders a bit late on, and secondly, the film may be a bit too slow paced for younger viewers used to fast paced Hollywood movies – but these things are not enough to detract from what is a truly beautiful film. A genuine masterpiece of animation, Ponyo is a definite must see during this half term holiday and undoubtedly the film that will stay in your memory for the longest.

Ponyo *****
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Review by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

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