"2DAniCritic" Review:

From Up On Poppy Hill

Review Score: 3.43 / 5.00        

Poor Goro Miyazaki... being the son of the legendary animation director Hayao Miyazaki, he gets more scrutiny than others in the industry. Some interviews suggest that Goro never wanted to be an anime directory to start with, that he sort-of fell into it based on expectations of the media around him, and he was very wary of living up to Studio Ghibli's reputation when directing his second film "From Up On Poppy Hill." I don't think anyone will remember the film as much as other staples of the studio (despite being written by Hayao himself), but coming out near the end of the studio's life, it was a darn good film in its own right, and Goro can stand proud.

Unlike most films from Ghibli, there is no fantasy or magic in the story. It's a grounded tale about high-school students trying to save their old clubhouse from being demolished, set during a period of change when Japan is trying to rebuild itself after World War II. But more importantly, a romance forms between students Umi and Shun, but they learn they may have the same father, who died at sea. Is it INCEST? Maybe, maybe not. I don't want to spoil what they learn and how they deal with it, but while the concluding discoveries aren't as exciting as the film led the viewer to believe, it and how the characters deal with it is respectul and satisfying without alienating the general public. The writing is smart to focus on the school building, and while both threads are predictable, it still brings a smile to my face. The colorful cast of side-characters helps much with this (one of which is voiced by Ron Howard in the Engllish dub, normally known for directing in Hollywood). The dub is strong and smart for all the characters. The music is subtle but lovely. Overall, the film is a refreshing and nostalgic experience.

If the ffilm falters anywhere, it's with the animation. The character designs are good, and the background art is detailed and feels lived-in. But during most of the film, I noticed the frames of animation seemed less than usual, even compared to other Ghibli films or anime in general. It isn't quite as smooth, and can be noticalbe with all the moving characters on screen. Apparently, the film's production suffered a little from a major earthquake that hit Japan around this time.

This would be one of the first Ghibli movies released in America by GKIDS rather than Walt Disney Studios (GKIDS would take over all Ghibli films a few years later), and they did a great job with on-disc features and a physical booklet with interview excerpts. It also reveals how Hayao Miyazaki feels about the production, talking like a teacher to his students, knowing there is still much for them to learn. Don't worry, Mr. Miyazaki. Your son is doing just fine.