Concrete Playground

There are few things in this world more appealing than the little creatures, epic adventures and magical universes created by the god of anime, Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle). His latest film follows the story of a young goldfish on her quest to become human, through the challenges of metamorphosis, morality, young love, a tsunami and a grumpy old woman.

The childlike playfulness of Ponyo is reminiscent of Miyazaki’s earlier film My Neighbour Totoro, while this time he uses the sea, rather than the forest, as the mysterious world within which the story unfolds. The plot, characters and visuals also surprise with moments of unexpected humour and sophistication that will keep all ages in the audience hooked.

The English version features the voices of Noah Cyrus (daughter of Billy Ray and sister to Miley), Frankie Jonas (younger brother to the Jonas Brothers) and Cate Blanchett, though purists may prefer to see the film in the subtitled format - which will also enjoy a limited release here. That said, the strength of Ponyo is in its stunning hand-drawn animation, making it a definite one to catch on the big screen.

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