Ponyo

First published on 12 Aug 2009. Updated on 12 Aug 2009.

Based very loosely on Hans Christian Andersen's story 'The Little Mermaid', Ponyo is the latest release from Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle) and is a simple, joyous film. We've become used to the Disney approach of creating children's animation that tries to operate on two levels - keeping parents happy with adult humour while children enjoy the main story. The beauty of Ponyo is that it uses realism and a single level that remains appealing to children and the child within. If you see it with a child, you will both be enjoying it for the same reasons, not because you understood the double entendres.

Despite one potentially scary scene (a dramatic storm), the world of Ponyo is free of malevolence or even particularly sinister elements. Children behave like children, not miniaturised adults, and adults are typically caring and nurturing. Even the most ambiguous character, Ponyo's father Fujimoto (voiced by Liam Neeson), acts out of concern for his daughter and for the balance of the world.

Fans of Miyazaki's animation style will recognise many familiar elements in the faces and scenery of Ponyo's world. The style of the animation reflects the simplicity of the story, with Miyazaki focusing on a hand-drawn approach to an even greater extent than in his previous films. As a result some of the visual richness and intricacy of Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle is missing from Ponyo, but the pencil landscapes and simple character animation create a sense of timelessness that fits with the mood of the film.

See this film if you're looking to immerse yourself in a sense of delight over the simple wonders of a child's world; or see it with a child under eight.