The son of a sailor, 5-year-old Sosuke, lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother Lisa. One fateful day, he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach and upon rescuing her, names her Ponyo. But she is no ordinary goldfish.
Ponyo hasn't changed my mind about Miyazaki. But I'm willing to accept and enjoy this little window into the dream life of fish.
– Stephanie Zacharek,
Salon.com,
19 Aug 2009
rotten:
One of the anime master's weaker efforts.
– Andrea Gronvall,
Chicago Reader,
20 Aug 2009
fresh:
Children will love this. It's classic Miyazaki.
– Ruth Hessey,
MovieTime, ABC Radio National,
27 Aug 2009
fresh:
We're drawn under the waves of the sea to a hidden enclave of neon-hued aqualife more vibrant, surreal and enchanting than any of the floating 3D whatsits in 'Avatar'.
– David Jenkins,
Time Out,
16 Feb 2010
fresh:
Even when the film feels murky, Miyazaki's painterly eye keeps things afloat