‘Ponyo’ and The Authenticity of Hayao Miyazaki
In a world in which films are more often than not retellings of old tales, Hayao Miyazaki proves that there is a way to add uniqueness to a story that’s been told many times before. His heartfelt 90-minute animated movie called Ponyo (or Ponyo on the Cliff, if we were to translate its Japanese title literally) offers us an insightful lesson on adaptation and how to get it right.
By the time Ponyo was released in 2008, Miyazaki had already made a name for himself as a brilliant storyteller, a skilled director, and an imaginative animator. Whimsical movies like My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), and Spirited Away (2001), would’ve probably never seen the light of day if it wasn’t for his exceptional ideas. With him at the forefront of Studio Ghibli, their productions introduced us to heartwarming stories and memorable characters that fascinated both children and adults alike. Authenticity, originality, and incomparable charm dominate every one of their productions, and Ponyo is no exception.
The movie begins with a curious goldfish princess (voiced by Yuria Nara) escaping her kingdom while her father, a knowledgeable wizard named Fujimoto (voice by George Tokoro), is busy with the other sea creatures. During her endeavor, her head gets stuck in a glass jar, and while struggling to get it off, the waves carry her farther and farther away. She is found by a five-year-old boy called Sosuke (voiced by Hiroki Doi), who was playing at the bottom of the cliff on which his house is located. He saves her by carefully breaking the jar and immediately grows fond of the goldfish and adopts her as his pet. However, Fujimoto discovers her whereabouts and brings her back to the kingdom with the help of the wild ocean waves. But it’s too late; Ponyo had already had a taste of the human world, and she makes it clear that she wants to be part of it, despite her father’s repeated refusal. With the help of her immense power, inherited from her mother, a goddess known as the queen of the oceans (voiced by Yuki Amami), she manages to turn herself into a human anyway and returns to Sosuke. But this is only the beginning of their adventure together, as the ocean has magical rules that will catch up with them very soon.
I first came across Ponyo while browsing through Netflix in search of some fun Studio Ghibli movies to watch. I was whipped from the moment I saw the downright adorable face of the little goldfish and pressed play. Only about halfway through did I start thinking that this must have a connection to Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. Sure enough, after the credits rolled, I went to Google to see if I was right.
According to SYFY WIRE, Miyazaki had Disney’s The Little Mermaid (itself an adaptation of the Andersen tale) in mind while writing this story. He purposely didn’t rewatch it, and instead opted to use his vague memories of it as a skeleton to build on. This, as well as the fact that Disney dubbed Ponyo in English and was in charge of distributing it across the U.S. and Canada, should give me enough room to compare the two versions and debate which one is a more faithful adaptation. But doing this would be immensely unfair to the Ghibli masterpiece.
Ponyo isn’t better than The Little Mermaid (1989); it doesn’t have to be. When it comes to adapting an old fairy tale, it’s about being unique rather than better, and Ponyo does a remarkable job at it. The look and feel of Miyazaki’s version are authentic enough to overthrow any sort of detailed comparisons. The stunning visuals, adorable character designs, and catchy tunes offer us the signature Ghibli experience that we grew to love. By turning the main characters into two toddlers, we immediately get a different perspective of the world. Complicated things like love, maturity, and responsibility are now being presented through the innocent and joyful views of two little children. We encounter a gorgeous combination of familiar and new. It serves as another testament to Miyazaki’s talent and skill not only as a writer and director but also as a storyteller and an artist.
What makes this story so special is the fact that Hayao Miyazaki never allowed his source of inspiration to overshadow his imagination. His creativity shines through the mesmerizing visuals and the enchanting score. He also offers us a fresh perspective that will make us look forward to the 90-minute adventure. Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story and Disney’s version of it were the first couple of steps of a long flight of stairs. A flight full of color, originality, and authenticity. Studios planning on investing in more adaptations, remakes, or reboots, definitely have a thing or two to learn from him.
