Viewed in
2009 (2), 2010
Premise
Hayao Miyazaki creates a very loose interpretation of 'The Little Mermaid'.
Who should watch
Anyone who wants to watch something amazingly cute and magical.
Thoughts
The legend creates another masterpiece.
Obviously, I loved everything about it, especially the overflowing cuteness, adorable love story, and (of course) impressive animation.
My friend charged me with blasphemy when I declared that its cuteness rivaled 'My Neighbor Totoro', granted, I would rather hug a mammoth-sized fur ball than a golf ball-sized mermaid.
Not only was I drawn to the main characters' perfectly captured five year old exuberance and innocence, I was hooked to their love for their parents and each other. Whether it is puppy love or just undying friendship, the relationships were genuine and wonderful to watch.
Lastly, there was the unrivaled animation, painstakingly hand-drawn. Some might be taken for granted, such as when Lisa drops her bags to unlock the door, then has to move the bags for the door to swing open, then picks them up to bring them in. Others cannot be ignored, such as a swimming army of ancient jellyfish, each with individual markings. It's only August, and 2009 has been a ridiculously great year for animation, when you think about 'Ponyo', 'Coraline' and 'Up'.
Overall, the American version was quite faithful to the original Japanese vision. Watching them back-to-back, I noticed a lot more labored exposition and dialogue in the dubbed version.
For example, Sosuke called her mom 'Mom', instead of the ambiguous 'Lisa', and characters reiterated that the Moon causes rising water levels. Those are useful shortcuts to eliminate confusion to the audience, but I preferred the ambiguous way, as I discovered fun new insights the second time around. Also, it clouded Miyazaki's theme that things cannot always be explained.
Also, the casting of Liam Neeson as Ponyo's father was miscalculated, as his voice was too serious for such a goof. Other than that, the American voices were quite excellent, though I still prefer the original, because some of the scenes resonated better emotionally.
I loved this adorable, magical and impressive family love story. Easily one of my favorite films of this year. What's harder is ranking it in Miyazaki's wonderful collection of films that leave me warm and fuzzy inside and smiling outside.
What I would change
Nothing.
Personal
Why did Sosuke call his mother Lisa? He correctly addressed everyone else in Japanese formality. My mom pointed out that even if she were a step-mother, she would still be addressed differently in the story. Just another perfect example of Miyazaki's unknown, but detailed backstories that adds flavor to the story.
You know you're a nerd when the first time you saw Sosuke save Ponyo from the ocean and put her in a bucket of tap water, and your mind screamed 'she can't survive in freshwater!'.
Can't believe it took me 20 years of Miyazaki's works to realize his characters all kind of looked alike. Not that it was a bad thing, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Still, my friend and I had a fun time pointing out which characters in 'Ponyo' resembled most from his other works.
