That is a strange movie.

It’s slower movie, with a magical style to the animation that’s both truly beautiful and surprisingly terrifying at times. The plot is somewhere between simple and mostly absent and the characters are mostly–there?

Overall, it was fascinating to catch in theaters as part of the Studio Ghibli Fest 2024… but not really something I’d ever choose to watch again.

Such is life.

A step further, I really did love the art style. Bold, bright colors and a vibrant seascape that I could just stare at all alone. But it really shines in the big storm scene, with rolling ocean waves evoking The Wave Off Kanagawa. Beautiful.

Characterwise, Sôsuke and Ponyo feel like they’re five–and that the story is told from a five year old’s point of view. Deep and open, with some of the details just sort of… not important. I actually really liked this.

On top of that though, in the dubbed version, we have Liam Neeson as Fujimoto… and he sounds exactly like himself. That was mildly distracting to say the least.

Fujimoto: You must promise me something. You will never go back to the surface, yes?
[He offers Ponyo a piece of food on a toothpick]
Fujimoto: Come on, now. Eat, Brunhilde.
Ponyo: I want ham!
[She defiantly blows away the food]
Fujimoto: Ham? You ate the food! What else did you do? Did you taste blood, Brunhilde?
Ponyo: My name is not Brunhilde. It’s Ponyo.
Fujimoto: Ponyo?
Ponyo: Ponyo! Ponyo loves Sosuke! I will be a human too!
Fujimoto: Human? What do you know about humans, Brunhilde? They spoil the sea. They treat your home like their empty black souls.

Cate Blanchett at least was somewhat less noticible–and I didn’t even realize that Matt Damon voiced Kôichi at all. Granted, he doesn’t have that many lines.

Overall, as I said. Worth a watch (especially on a big screen), but even among the relatively few Studio Ghibli films I’ve seen, I was not the biggest fan of this.

Onward!