It’s a new Studio Ghibli film, what more needs to be said? Beautiful, imaginative, and more adorable than I thought possible, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is another success for Hayao Miyazaki and the Studio Ghibli team. The film follows the adventures of a magical fish girl called Ponyo, who after a chance encounter with a young boy, sets out on a quest to become human. Regardless of how stock the plot sounds, the film is nothing like The Little Mermaid. In fact the first thing I noticed when watching this film is the stark contrast to recent (last 10 years) Disney films. Rather than a film about cheap laughs and market audiences everything about this film screams quality. From the luscious vistas, to the rich characters, to mind blowing animation, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is animation done right.

The film borrows a bit from some of Miyazaki’s earlier works, specifically My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). From Totoro we get a similar purpose behind the film. Rather than a film like Spirited Away (2001) or Princess Mononoke (1997), which carry with them deep and complex themes paired with some more mature scenes, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea posits itself as more of  a children’s film. The plots and motives are simple and understandable and the overall themes and relationships are a bit muted in comparison. This isn’t necessarily a negative point however, as the “simple” level of operation still makes for an immensely enjoyable film. Even though it follows stock themes such as love and modern humanity vs nature, the quality with which it approaches these themes makes the whole experience fresh. Another point lifted from My Neighbor Totoro is Ponyo herself, who both looks and acts like the young child Mei in the earlier film. She contains the same determination, spunk and curiosity which made the old character so lovable. Add to this some magical powers and sea side environment, and the character becomes another Ghibli classic.

From Howl’s Moving Castle we get a very similar character who is our antagonist. Fujimoto is the good hearted but spiteful magician who lives under the sea. He is a recluse whose separation from the land dwellers has made him bitter and so he plots to overthrow the land one day when his magic is strong enough by flooding it and repopulating the world with sea life. Yet at the same time he is gentle and effeminate, much like Howl. My one upset is that the two characters feel far to much alike. Although Fujimoto is much quirkier and awkward, he is pretty much what I imagined Howl would have been like in another 20 years or so if he had never met Sophie. Both characters have magical homes filled with gadgets and treasures and both are powerful magicians as well as very enjoyable characters to watch on screen.

Visually the film doesn’t disappoint. The environments both underwater and on land are beautifully animated and detailed. Some of the scenes contain so many individual moving creatures at once its hard to keep up. The characters look fantastic. They are human yet not, containing all the subtle motions and reactions of real people, while still containing the hyperbolized style of classic anime. The orchestrated score is fast paced and powerful and fits beautifully with every scene.

Bottom line, creativity and imagination unbound in this next addition to Ghibli’s lineup of wonderful anime. It’s a truly fantastical experience for young and old alike which we unfortunately rarely see from North American studios. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is fantasy land that we become deeply interested and invested in. The characters are more than just cute, they have depth and real personality, not the faux clichés, racial archetypes and pop culture references of Disney and Dreamworks films. It is everything an animated film should be and more. Outside of Pixar, you would be hard-pressed to find another North American animation studio with similar heart and soul as Ghibli.

While I would recommend watching the original Japanese release with subtitles, some people prefer dubbed film. The English dub of Ponyo the Cliff by the Sea is being release by Disney later this month in select theatres with a voice-cast including Miley Cryus’s younger sister, one of the Jonas Brothers, Matt Damon and Tina Fey. While you wait for the release or if you have never seen a Ghibli film I recommend checking out the following.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

My personal favorite Miyazaki film. Very 80s animation and kick ass princess in a bizarre alternate future with giant bugs and weird technology.

Spirited Away (2001)

One of the more popular Miyazaki films. Complex and mind blowing. It’s a definite must see.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Kawai! The cutest shit on the planet. Totoro is the domo-kun of the 80s.

Click here for a trailer of Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008)

(8.5/10)