Secret World of Arrietty

Secret World of Arrietty produced by Studio Ghibli, distributed by Disney.

Plot: Based on The Borrowers, The Secret World of Arrietty offers a Japanese-influenced retelling of the classic English story. Arrietty, the only daughter of two Borrowers, anticipates her first venture into the house. However, the sudden arrival of a young, ill boy threatens the plan. Her first trip ends abruptly when the boy spots her. He attempts to contact the family, despite their attempts to avoid him. Eventually, the trio have no other option. They must leave the house to avoid further detection. The boy may not be as malicious as they fear, though. Yet, despite his good and generous intentions, he may lead trouble to the Borrowers, particularly when the nosy maid becomes involved.

Genre: Anime, Movies, Fiction, Fantasy

Reading Level: Rated G

Similar Titles: The Cat Returns, Kiki's Delivery Service

Personal Thoughts: I liked the different cultures within the movie. Some viewers find the contrast forced or unsettling, but the blend of Western and Japanese styles enhances the setting of the film. Much of the animation attempts to follow the modern, Western style and, as a result, the art depicting backgrounds, furniture, light, and shadow allow an extreme focus to detail, enhancing the sense of smallness in Arrietty's world. However some aspects, particularly the character movement and eye design, maintain an anime-like appearance, allowing the film to focus on the expressiveness of the characters.

Ponyo

 
Ponyo distributed by Disney.

Plot: After she manages to escape from her overbearing father, a little goldfish girl finds herself rescued by a four-year-old boy. The boy, named Soske, is enchanted by the little red fish with a girl's face, and names her Ponyo. Promising to love her, Soske and Ponyo seem like perfect friends...until the sea reclaims Ponyo. Determined to return to the little boy, Ponyo taps into depths of magic her father never dreamed of. She manages to find Soske and transforms into a girl to stay with him and his mother, but her determination tears the fabric of reality. She and Soske must conquer the sea goddess's challenge to return the world's balance and stay with each other.

Genre: Animation, Movie, Fantasy, Anime

Reading Level: Rated G

Similar Titles: Charlotte's Web, My Neighbor Totoro

Personal Thoughts: While the movie is based on Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid, it has a much lighter feel and sweeter ending than the original. While the movie does hint at deeper meaning beyond the plot, it uses the hints to maintain a feeling of mystery coupled with a desire to explore, much like My Neighbor Totoro. Also, the animators attempted to avoid relying on computer graphics, allowing the simplicity of the character design to give the movie a story-book quality often missing in animation. A good movie for a lazy day.

My Neighbor Tototro

Miyazaki, Hayao. My Neighbor Totoro. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2006.

Plot: The film follows the everyday adventures of Satsuki and Mei, two young girls who recently moved to the country with their mother and father. While exploring, Mei discovers Totoro, an owl-eared, bear-bodied guardian of the forest. Mei and Satsuki discover the magic and power within their own backyard. Yet, their mother's health continues to fall. Can the girls and their unseen friend help her?

Genre: Anime, Fantasy

Reading Level: Rated G

Similar Titles: Ponyo, The Cat Returns, The Iron Giant

Personal Thoughts: This movie features what is probably the most iconic of all anime scenes - a little girl standing next to a fluffy monster with an umbrella. As bizarre as the mental image is, the film provides a good story with believable characters. The newer dub, featuring Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, captures the interactions between the two sisters wonderfully. Some older tweens may dismiss the film as too childish, but due to the film's influence in more popular culture (such as the Studio Ghibi logo and cameos in Futurama, Sandman comics, and Toy Story 3), it is definitely recommended.

Spirited Away

Miyazaki, Hayao. Spirited Away. Burbank, CA : Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 2003.

Plot: After following her parents into what appears to be an abandoned theme park, Chihiro meets a strange boy who warns her to get out before sunset. She fails and finds herself trapped in the world of spirits with her parents transformed into pigs. With the help of the boy, called Haku, she manages to solve the mystery of No-Face, escape the imprisonment of Yubaba, discover Haku's real name, and rescue her parents.

Genre: Anime

Reading Level: Rated PG

Similar Titles: Alice in Wonderland, My Neighbor Totoro, Never-Ending Story

Personal Thoughts: Considered by some to be the archtype of Anime movies, Spirited Away received several awards, including the first Oscar for an Anime movie. The themes of the movie include environmental concerns, growing up, accepting challenges, and generation changes. The last theme begs for consideration. At the time of the movie's creation, Japan was in the aftermath of the "bubble economy," a time of high economic value that abruptly ended. The generation following it had the expectations for wealth of the adults, but lost the faith and traditions of the older generations. Chihiro lives between the economic expectations of her parents and the traditional demands of the spirit world. Her struggles, in some ways, mirror the current economic and political situation in the United States.

Azumanga Daioh: The Animation

Azumanga Daioh: The Animation. ADV Films.

Plot: This 5-disc DVD set follows the story of presented in the manga. The series follows the exploits of a group of teenage girls as they work their way through high school and plan for their futures. Yet, not all of their situations are quite as standard as they appear to be. The voice actors manage a remarkable job of bringing 5 girls, their teachers, and their school to life.

Genre: Anime

Reading Age: Rated TVPG for language

Similar Titles: School Rumble

Personal Thoughts: Why are cartoons for little kids, and anime for grown-ups? The world may never know.

Anyway, this is a pretty good interpretation of the original manga. The version I watched has the original Japanese, English, and subtitles. The subtitles offer a different experience than the English version, since they use a more literal translation. Overall, the series offers a new way of looking at the everyday.