Ponyo Wants Ham!

I finally watched Ponyo last night. (Technically this morning, but that's another matter) I had wanted to see it since it came out, but I was in college at the time of its release, and Marshall, Texas is not exactly a cultural hub. I remember hearing many negative reviews at the time, primarily bemoaning its childish nature. Now that I've seen it, I can give my opinion.

The story is loosely based on The Little Mermaid: Fish-girl (Ponyo) runs away from home; boy (Sosuke) finds Ponyo (who discovers ham); Ponyo's father reclaims Ponyo, but Ponyo wants to be with Sosuke; Ponyo escapes, and... Well, that's where some differentiation comes in. I'll let you watch it to find out.

I watched the dub, rather than the subtitled version, since Ghibli usually gets a good cast. This time was no exception. If I have an issue with the voices, it's that Liam Neeson's voice is so distinct, I had trouble separating him from his character. The alternative version of the ending song in the American version, however, was... Distressing, I would say. Let it suffice that it is titled "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Remix)". (I'm not going to take the time to look it up. If you want to hear it, I'm sure you can find it somewhere) However, all things considered, a good dub.

Visually, the film is amazing, as one would expect from Miyazaki. Like his other films (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, etc.), it's easy to see the love and detail put into the animation. As for the story, I found it enjoyable, if a bit simplistic. My main problem was that there were several side-stories that could have been far more fleshed out, but never reached their potential. At the same time, there were a few moments that felt rather unnecessary. However, bearing in mind that the film is intended for children, I'm willing to let this slide.

All in all, it was definitely worth my time; not Miyazaki's best work, but well done and certainly better than I might have feared from some of the reviews I had read. If you have enjoyed Miyazaki's other works, I would recommend it. If you haven't seen his other films, it might be better to watch one of his other films first. Then again, there's nothing to prevent you from enjoying it on its own, except perhaps the level of Eastern influence. In other words, Ponyo probably won't make you into an anime lover, but it would be at home in any otaku's collection.

Three random thoughts:
1. It's been raining off and on since around 6 PM. This is a very good thing, since we're in a drought here in Northern Virginia.
2. I went to Dixie Bones earlier, also known as the home of the greatest barbecue stuffed potatoes known to man. Yes, their other food is good, but a chicken stuffed potato with the white sauce is fantastic.
3. I've been sick, but fortunately, it's manifested as little more than a very runny nose and a bit of a sore throat. Hopefully this will not change for the worse.