I really enjoyed this and especially this quote: βThat might be why Miyazakiβs films are so beloved in our late-capitalist society β they offer a refuge from the narrative that there is something wrong with us. They suggest the radical possibility that nothing is wrong with us, and instead, itβs the world that might need fixing.β
I had just written about creating Ma in my schedule so this felt so serendipitous to read!
ahhh the way I nearly cut out that paragraph out of fear it's "too political"... Thank you so much for reading!! I'd love to read what you wrote about "Ma" if you get a chance to share the link!!
Iβm a massive Studio Ghibli fan and I am so happy to finally see someone talking about Ponyo! Itβs my all time favourite and reading this made me realize how little I actually know about the how-it-came-to-be story. Very well written π thanks for sharing!
Ponyo has been a comfort film for me for years - on the surface it seems like a "shallow" movie and the fact that it is through the mindscape of little children certainly makes things seem simplistic, but artistically and conceptually this is probably the epitome of Miyazaki's potential in my eyes. I just love everything about it, and your analysis really encapsulated that!
P.S. You could rly do an audio book lol! Your voice is so perfect for it.
Amazing read, thanks for sharing it Wren. Ponyo is a beautiful film, sublime animation and storytelling. The first time I watched the film was with my daugther, she was thre years old and we re-watched Ponyo many times since then so I only associate warm and cozy memories :)
Whoa Marc that sounds so lovely! I also associate it with my family, I think there's just something very nostalgic and warm about the little details in this film! Thanks so much for reading! π
I love Ponyo as well! Itβs a beautiful movie, each scene bursting with life. Your essay has made me want to rewatch it once more. Also, looking forward to an essay about βmaβ. Iβve heard it for the first time in the interview with Miyazaki, so it would be great to expand my understanding of it! Happy writing and happy new year! π
Soo happy you liked the essay!! I'm still forming my thoughts on "Ma", it feels like such a big topic and I wouldn't want to write something I don't fully believe in! That being said I promise to write it this year! I won't fail you Mariya! π«‘π«Ά
What a delightful read. You put into words all the things I've always felt in a Miyazaki film, but could not always explain in words. I will definitely read the other posts about Miyazaki, I am such a fan. Happy writing for 2025.
One of my favorite details within Miyazaki films is something I think of as "the choice of joy". When a character encounters something strange, they often have a brief moment of pause, which moves into a joyous reaction. I think of Sosuke's mom when she first meets Ponyo. We see the characters consider how to react and /choose/ to be joyful. It's something lovely often left out of western films.
I love this analysis. It gave me a new perspective about this film, which I feel now I didnβt respect as much as I should have before. It also makes me think of Tolkienβs discussion of Recovery as a principle good of fantasyβthat, like you said, we forget as we grow up, and good fantasy stories help us recover our ability to see the wonder and beauty in the world. Miyazaki is a master at the craft of making compelling, impactful fantasy stories, and your analysis really calls attention to his mastery. Great jobβI enjoyed reading this!
Thank you so much to Mish, Diana, Christo, Yana and my mom for proofreading my essays this year! You guys are the best!!
I really enjoyed this and especially this quote: βThat might be why Miyazakiβs films are so beloved in our late-capitalist society β they offer a refuge from the narrative that there is something wrong with us. They suggest the radical possibility that nothing is wrong with us, and instead, itβs the world that might need fixing.β
I had just written about creating Ma in my schedule so this felt so serendipitous to read!
ahhh the way I nearly cut out that paragraph out of fear it's "too political"... Thank you so much for reading!! I'd love to read what you wrote about "Ma" if you get a chance to share the link!!
So glad you kept it! Itβs #3 on this reflections list from 2024: https://thedevilyouknow.substack.com/p/11-things-i-learned-in-2024-one-is
:)) just watched it for the first time ever so this was a lovely read!
Thank you for reading!!
Iβm a massive Studio Ghibli fan and I am so happy to finally see someone talking about Ponyo! Itβs my all time favourite and reading this made me realize how little I actually know about the how-it-came-to-be story. Very well written π thanks for sharing!
My favourite Ghibli movie! π©·
This is icy a rich and brilliant piece. Just holds you throughout.
wow thank you so much for the kind words Jon!!
Ponyo has been a comfort film for me for years - on the surface it seems like a "shallow" movie and the fact that it is through the mindscape of little children certainly makes things seem simplistic, but artistically and conceptually this is probably the epitome of Miyazaki's potential in my eyes. I just love everything about it, and your analysis really encapsulated that!
P.S. You could rly do an audio book lol! Your voice is so perfect for it.
OMG ISHA i was so not sure the audio narration was a good idea skdjfgh thank you so much!! π
ahhh amazing deep dive π€ so beautifully expressed
ahhhhh so happy you enjoyed it Julianna! Thanks for reading!! π«Ά
It was lovely to hear the audio version, thank you for that!
Whoa so glad to hear that!! It was an experiment but I'll definitely start doing it for all of my posts now:)
Amazing read, thanks for sharing it Wren. Ponyo is a beautiful film, sublime animation and storytelling. The first time I watched the film was with my daugther, she was thre years old and we re-watched Ponyo many times since then so I only associate warm and cozy memories :)
Whoa Marc that sounds so lovely! I also associate it with my family, I think there's just something very nostalgic and warm about the little details in this film! Thanks so much for reading! π
I love Ponyo as well! Itβs a beautiful movie, each scene bursting with life. Your essay has made me want to rewatch it once more. Also, looking forward to an essay about βmaβ. Iβve heard it for the first time in the interview with Miyazaki, so it would be great to expand my understanding of it! Happy writing and happy new year! π
Soo happy you liked the essay!! I'm still forming my thoughts on "Ma", it feels like such a big topic and I wouldn't want to write something I don't fully believe in! That being said I promise to write it this year! I won't fail you Mariya! π«‘π«Ά
Looking forward to it whenever you have the time and your thoughts gathered together π No pressure though π
This blog is what convinced me to read both starting and turning point, and I have not been disappointed so far! Wonderful thoughts!
So lovely to hear!! Happy new year Emma!
What a delightful read. You put into words all the things I've always felt in a Miyazaki film, but could not always explain in words. I will definitely read the other posts about Miyazaki, I am such a fan. Happy writing for 2025.
Thank you so much Erentia!! Iβm so happy it was able to capture something for you!! Happy holidays and thanks for reading!!
One of my favorite details within Miyazaki films is something I think of as "the choice of joy". When a character encounters something strange, they often have a brief moment of pause, which moves into a joyous reaction. I think of Sosuke's mom when she first meets Ponyo. We see the characters consider how to react and /choose/ to be joyful. It's something lovely often left out of western films.
I love this analysis. It gave me a new perspective about this film, which I feel now I didnβt respect as much as I should have before. It also makes me think of Tolkienβs discussion of Recovery as a principle good of fantasyβthat, like you said, we forget as we grow up, and good fantasy stories help us recover our ability to see the wonder and beauty in the world. Miyazaki is a master at the craft of making compelling, impactful fantasy stories, and your analysis really calls attention to his mastery. Great jobβI enjoyed reading this!
que joyita acabo de leer? muy hermoso