Studio Ponoc's first feature film, "Mary and the Witch's Flower," was a relief and a disappointment. We knew that the artistry and character designs we were familiar with, and the belief in the importance of entertainment for children and familes, was not lost when Studio Ghibli shut its doors. But it was also poorly written, a mistep for director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who had been otherwise successful with his attempts at Ghibli. But even though the film was fairly successful internationally, Studio Ponoc's next feature wasn't a feature at all, but a anthology of short films.Specifically, "Modest Heroes" (also referred to as "Ponoc Short Films Theatre - Vol 1") is a collection of three short films, at a total of 53 minutes. Some of that time is an extended opening and ending animation of a massive town and theater projector floating in the sky. In interviews, the studio said Ghibli director Isao Takahata was meant to direct a fourth short, but his sudden passing prevented the short from beginning production. But in some ways, the concentrated content of "Modest Heroes" is its strength. Anthologies can be a mixed bag, and aren't for everyone. Even Studio Ghibli's collection of shorts, most of which have never been available outside of Japan, tend to be experimental in ways not expected by their house. Here, "Modest Heroes" is impressively strong in every short, and with Ponoc's popularity, it might be something more viewers are willing to watch.With a short collection of shorts, we can discuss each in closer detail. Each short revolves around the theme of heroes, either small in size or action, but no less important. "Kanini & Kanino" is the first short, and directed by experienced director Hiromasa Yonebayashi. It's the most fantastical, taking place mostly in the water of a small stream. Its' characters are small magical human-like creatures that live and hunt in the water. Kanini and Kanino are siblings separated from their father in a attack from a larger fish, and spend the rest of the film trying to find and save their father. Despite not using any dialogue (any speech is in a alternate language, and simple to grasp its meaning), It feels like a typical fantasy adventure, and has the most potential to be expanded into a full feature film on its own. It also has some originality behind the new culture it creates. But compared to the originality of the other films, it comes across as the weakest."Life Ain't Gonna Lose" is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, and covers a more uncommon subject: children and allergies. Young boy Shun has a deadly allergy to eggs, and he and his single mother struggle to live in Japan, a place where eggs is used in almost every aspect of cooking. The subject matter is taken seriously: Shun goes to doctor's appointments, undergoes tests to understand symptoms and side-effects, while his mother buys and prepares custom food, and constantly fears for his life while also supporting that he have a normal life at school. His friends don't bully him and support keeping him safe, but even touching food or spit with egg-content can bring Shun to his knees, in need of an Epi-pen and a trip to the hospital. The story is the strongest of the three shorts, and the visual style uses a softer look, vaguely similar to Takahata's "My Neighbors the Yamadas," but with excerpts of great animation in motion (for example, in the mother's dance classes, or in Shun's climactic run when he experiences a reaction alone at home. Both Shun and his mother are true everyday heroes, for each other and for themselves, and I'm eager for see what both the writer and director make next here.
But personally, I thought "Invisible" was my favorite short film. Using fantasy as a metaphor for real feelings, its' lead character is a modern-day salaryman. But he virtually doesn't exist in this world: no one seems to notice his presence, not talking or interacting with him at work or when he attempts to buy food. He is rendered to be invisible, and even doesn't have weight in the world, needing to carry something heavy to prevent floating off into the sky. After a moment of kindness from a mysterious stranger that acknowledges him (his face hidden, but suspiciously looks and sounds like someone based on Hayao Miyazaki), even the invisible man finds he can do something with purpose on Earth, when he saves a baby in carriage that rolls out of control onto the street. The story is touching and relatable in a world with over 6 billion people. While the visuals themselves aren't too experimental, they are rendered beautifully and with detail: and of course, trying to "draw" an invisible man in the rain presents unique challenges, all of which are tackled perfectly. This is the first time directing for animator Akihiko Yamashita, someone who was apparently interested in directing for some time. His background in animation makes him a revelation as a director.It's curious that the "new" directors in this series of shorts did the best work, making me excited for the future of Studio Ponoc. And I'm excited that Studio Ponoc considered "Modest Heroes" to be the first volume of many more to come. Perhaps, decades from now, we will have several hours-worth of short films, enough to host an annual film festival as a tradition on repeat. If all them keep the same quality as seen in "Modest Heroes," it could be one of the best series of shorts the animation industry has to offer.