By Nrl Liya
Edited by Harith Syafiee
“Ponyo” by Studio Ghibli is a heartwarming and beautifully stunning animated movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The 1 hour and 43 minutes film was released back in 2008 and adapted from The Little Mermaid with some twists to the plot and themes.
Unlike “The Little Mermaid” which had a villain, Ursula, Ponyo does not have any villains which for me is a very interesting approach in a movie targeted at children. The movie focuses on Ponyo, a magic goldfish that wants to explore the land and rebel against her father's prohibition to do so, she then coincidently meets with Sosuke, a young human boy. Ponyo loves the surface and as her power and love grew, the natural balance was tipped and caused natural disasters to the little town and the ocean.
It is quite hard to explain the plot because of how unique it is but I would say that the plot of Ponyo is very interesting as it explores various themes that we don’t usually see being portrayed by a young character of a 5-year-old and a magic goldfish. I think the reason is that in characterising a child we always underestimate to be innocent in a way that they don’t know how to think for themselves and just pure childishness that adults will shrug off.
But Hayao Miyazaki can portray such rich characteristics and growth in both the characters while still maintaining their personality from the start and not acting out as a child would do. The film also portrays not only the young but the also old ladies who wish to have one more chance of running around the field and feeling young once again.
Another thing to note in this film is the environmental undertones. In the movie, we can see that Ponyo's ‘house’ is deep in the ocean filled with beautiful sea creatures and an enchanting aura around them, away from the humans. But when Ponyo ventures closer and closer to the land, she is troubled by the trash floating around the sea. This plot point showcases the harm that humans have caused to the sea and is one of the reasons why Ponyo’s father resents the humans.
This wasn’t the main focus of the film and neither was it discussed between characters or anything but it is still an important addition to the film as it showcases the injustice humans have done to nature. The town receives the consequences of their action when a big tide washes over them and creates a flood caused by the unbalanced nature of Ponyo and her power that grew rapidly due to going to the surface. The tsunami left a reminder to the watcher, how delicate and unpredictable the sea is and how it should not be mistreated.
Lastly, I think it is required for me to mention the dynamic between Ponyo and Sosuke that won the hearts of the audience throughout the whole film. The bond between the two displays the purity of childhood friendship. Filled with trust and devotion for one another through thick and thin. How they easily warm up to each other and give unwavering support was sweet and heartwarming.
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