7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A young boy, Sōsuke, befriends a strange looking goldfish whom he names Ponyo. Unbeknownst to Sōsuke, Ponyo is a magic fish who has decided that she wants to live with Sōsuke and the other humans. Unfortunately, Ponyo's decision to give up her underwater life creates a crack in an ancient magic spell, and places the world in danger. Together, Sōsuke and Ponyo must set things right.
Starring: Tomoko Yamaguchi, Kazushige Nagashima, Yuki Amami, George Tokoro, Yuria NaraForeign | 100% |
Anime | 95% |
Family | 89% |
Fantasy | 81% |
Adventure | 70% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
When is a cartoon no longer a cartoon? When does an animated film transcend its whimsical creatures and magical, primary-hued dreamscapes to become profound cinema? When it's helmed by master craftsmen like Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, the Japanese visionaries responsible for sweeping sagas like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Castle in the Sky, lighthearted tales like My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, and resonant fables like Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away (subsequently the first anime to have ever won an Academy Award). Miyazaki's and Studio Ghibli's latest endeavor, Ponyo, has proven itself to be yet another moving hand-drawn masterpiece, garnering critical praise and audience acclaim the world over. Built upon the seemingly simple story of a young boy who befriends a shape-shifting fish, it's a film brimming with extraordinary sights and breathtaking animation; a fairy tale as airy and agile as it is stirring and meaningful; a touching adventure children of all ages will cherish and adults of all temperaments will adore.
Ponyo and Sosuke...
What Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have accomplished through magnificent artistry and beautiful hand-drawn animation, Disney accomplishes through technical perfection, a flawless presentation, and a masterfully encoded 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer. Vibrant primaries erupt from Miyazaki's painterly palette as aggressively as the ocean surges round Sosuke's home. Lush greens and yellows, soft blues, piercing reds, icy whites, and inky blacks ripple through Ponyo's world, transforming every frame into a gorgeous print worthy of hanging on a cinephile's wall. Moreover, Studio Ghibli's expressive characters are bolstered by clean, crisp lineart and stable color fills; the team's hand-painted backgrounds showcase every brush stroke and penciled texture; and the artisans' fluid animation is meticulously rendered in glorious high definition. Detail, contrast, and clarity are impeccable, and artifacting, aliasing, edge enhancement, unintentional source noise, and virtually any other anomaly imaginable are nowhere to be seen. Even banding -- ever the enemy of animated-film transfers -- is non-existent. Scour the oceans and stare at the skies all you like; you won't encounter any issues. I could go on, but I fear my analysis is already flirting with hyperbole. Suffice to say, the Blu-ray edition of Ponyo is absolutely stunning.
Disney's audio package would stand side-by-side with its video transfer if it weren't for one small problem: while Ponyo's excellent English dub leaves a lasting impression via a top tier DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, its original Japanese mix is presented with a standard Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Normally I'd be a bit more upset than I am -- I'm generally a purist when it comes to audio on foreign films -- but I've always enjoyed the voice casts the studio has assembled for Miyazaki's animated films, and Ponyo is no different. Disney's DTS-HD MA track is an absorbing sonic experience blessed with powerful low-end presence, crystal clear dialogue, and a fittingly immersive soundfield. Studio Ghibli's underwater seascapes take full advantage of the rear speakers, filling the ocean with rising bubbles, propelling jellyfish, groaning creatures, swashing fins, and song-like streams of magic. Above the water, the soundscape is just as engaging. Trees rustle and bend as howling winds whip across the ocean, boats creak and smack against the waves as the tides rise, and the pit-pat of rain subtly surrounds the listener whenever it has the opportunity. Better still, precise directionality transplants the two-dimensional image into a convincing three-dimensional space, pans are fluid, prioritization is spot on, dynamics are commanding, and Joe Hisaishi's score takes on a playful life all its own. In a word, Ponyo's English dub sounds amazing. The Japanese track is no slouch either, but a standard Dolby Digital mix, above average as it may be, can't quite compete.
To clarify: Disney's 640kbps Japanese track, if scored separately from its lossless counterpart, would earn a 3.5, while the English DTS-HD Master Audio dub, if scored separately as well, would earn a solid 4.5. The average of the two determined my final score.
The Blu-ray edition of Ponyo doesn't boast an overbearing assortment of snazzy special features, but rather a concise and modest supplemental package (presented entirely in high definition) that effectively captures the spirit and wonder of Miyazaki's production.
I don't know how Miyazaki does it, how he consistently creates such memorable and moving animated features, but he's done it once again. Diving into the whimsical world of Ponyo is an absolute joy; giving in to its sweet story and endearing characters is unavoidable; soaking up its hand-drawn wonders is a thrilling experience rivaled only by the filmmaker's own canon. Simply put, Miyazaki weaves his magic and delivers yet another fantastic film, one Disney embraces at every turn. While the Blu-ray edition of Ponyo doesn't offer a lossless Japanese audio track, its English DTS-HD Master Audio track is bold and bombastic, its video transfer is beyond reproach, and its unassuming supplemental package adds even more value to the studio's high definition release. I rarely recommend a blind-buy, but animation enthusiasts, Miyazaki zealots, and kids of all ages should add this to their cart post haste.
崖の上のポニョ / Gake no ue no Ponyo
2008
崖の上のポニョ / Gake no ue no Ponyo
2008
With Art Cards / 崖の上のポニョ / Gake no ue no Ponyo
2008
借りぐらしのアリエッティ / Kari-gurashi no Arietti
2010
となりのトトロ / Tonari no Totoro
1988
天空の城ラピュタ / Tenkû no Shiro Rapyuta
1986
魔女の宅急便 / Majo no Takkyûbin
1989
ゲド戦記 / Gedo Senki
2006
千と千尋の神隠し / Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
2001
ハウルの動く城 / Hauru no Ugoku Shiro
2004
平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ / Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko
1994
紅の豚 / Kurenai no Buta
1992
思い出のマーニー / Omoide no Mânî
2014
猫の恩返し / Neko no Ongaeshi
2002
かぐや姫の物語 / Kaguya-hime no Monogatari
2013
メアリと魔女の花 / Meari to majo no hana
2017
サマーウォーズ / Samâ wôzu
2009
劇場版ポケットモンスター キミにきめた! / Gekijō-ban Poketto Monsutā Kimi ni kimeta!
2017
風の谷のナウシカ / Kaze no tani no Naushika
1984
Limited Edition | アーヤと魔女 | Āya to Majo
2020
2000-2004
耳をすませば / Mimi wo Sumaseba
1995
夜明け告げるルーのうた / Yoake tsugeru Rū no uta
2017