I probably would’ve scoffed at the idea that a film where a bounty hunter pig flies around the world attacking pirates would ever land in my all-time favourites, but here we are. Porco Rosso is a film where a pig flies around the world in a seaplane, vanquishing pirates. It’s a nice premise, and going into this Studio Ghibli piece, I expected nothing more than a cute, comfortable viewing experience. What I didn’t expect was a marvellous piece of cinema that would resonate with me more than any other animated feature I’d previously experienced.
With animated films, in particular those made for a family audience, there’s a notable reliance on nostalgia to keep audiences returning to the film. Ratatouille for me is that film, alongside Toy Story and Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry, is so completely nostalgic that it could do no wrong. A trio of films quite different to one another in major ways, yet at times I find myself returning to the memories I made while watching those films. Has my nostalgia ridden memories made me think that these films are better than they actually are? Absolutely they have, so it was nice to see that Porco Rosso could leave such a lasting impression on me, even without the added help of nostalgia.
A first-time watch is always a frightful experience, and in the case of Porco Rosso, I’m quite scared to watch it again. The engaging, upbeat tone of the film may not have the same impression as it did the first-time round, the unpredictable energy of the product on the whole is a marvel and something that doesn’t receive as much credit as it rightfully should. With wholesome animated endeavours, Studio Ghibli knock it out the park with Porco Rosso, which is as colourful and visually impressive as all of their other films thus far.
For the most part, the biggest draw for me is the plot. So completely engaging and enjoyable thanks to fully fleshed out characters, ambiguous details leaving a need for something more and on the whole just some very nice design for our cast of characters. A beautiful soundtrack helps proceedings too, with a consistently enjoyable setlist of optimistic and mood setting songs that do nothing but engage with the story at hand.
Pure bliss, Porco Rosso is a film that has all the charm you could possibly need from a Studio Ghibli movie. Amazing characters, a tremendous soundtrack and the finest animation around come together to create a lively, stupendous film that brings with it not a single fault. Pure hearted good fun, the finest film Ghibli has to offer me so far and I doubt that’ll ever change as Porco Rosso becomes a personal favourite of mine. It’s always nice to resonate so well with a classic.
