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When I think of Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli, the first things that come to mind are their intricate, beautiful fantasy films like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Ponyo. But, from time to time, they rein in the flights of fancy and focus on a simple human story. From Up on Poppy Hill falls into this latter category, and while the story feels a bit slight from time to time, Ghibli once again proves that it is simply the best there is at producing traditional animated features.
The film is set in Yokohama, Japan, in 1963. The country sits at a balancing point between picking up the broken pieces that are still left over from World War II and looking forward to the future, symbolized by the upcoming Olympic games in Tokyo. Local girl Umi, whose father was killed in the Korean War and whose mother spends a great deal of time out of town doing academic research, meets Shun, a boy from her school, who writes for the school newspaper. The film tracks their burgeoning relationship as well as their attempts to help save the Latin Quarter, a run-down former mansion that serves as a meeting place for the school’s various clubs. Along the way, secrets from their past hint at an unknown connection that neither of them ever suspected.
This clearly isn’t the epic or whimsically surrealistic mode that Ghibli normally operates in. Adapted from a classic Japanese manga by the studio’s founder, Hayao Miyazaki, and directed by his son, Goro, From Up on Poppy Hill is more concerned with capturing the spirit and feeling of its setting and allowing the characters the time to naturally inhabit that world. Neither of the major plotlines is particularly unique, and you can guess the general flow of the story well in advance. Goro Miyazaki’s direction isn’t quite as dynamic as his father’s, but it’s still early in his career, and he does possess an impressive eye for detail.
That’s where From Up on Poppy Hill truly succeeds. American feature animation has largely been taken over by CGI, and while I love almost anything that Pixar does, there’s something irreplaceable about the painted backgrounds and hand-drawn figures that Ghibli holds on to. The Yokohama of this film may not be exactly true to life (as explained in the special features), but it feels like a living, breathing place all the same.
Even as the background shines with detail, the characters, though simply drawn, each have their own distinct personalities. Simply nuances of shape and motion help keep a large cast from becoming indistinguishable, helped by a solid American voice cast in the English dub, including Anton Yelchin and Sarah Bolger as Shun and Umi and featuring such actors as Jamie Lee Curtis and Ron Howard in supporting roles.
From Up on Poppy Hill may not blow your mind the way that Studio Ghibli’s fantasy work does, but it’s a sweet, beautifully realized story that captures a time and place that most American audiences won’t be familiar with. By once again proving their talent with traditional animation, they’ve turned 1963 Yokohama into a magical world all its own—and one well worth visiting.
Blu-ray Review:
Studio Ghibli generally turns out a pretty nice package for their feature releases, and From Up on Poppy Hill is no exception. The animation looks wonderful in high-def, and they’ve included a wealth of special features to wade through. You can watch the film with either the American or Japanese dialog or as the complete set of storyboards.
Featurettes include an interview with Goro Miyazaki, a piece on the history of Yokohama, a music video for the theme song, and a presentation of the film by Hayao Miyazaki, along with a few trailers and a 16-page booklet with introductions from Hayao and Goro. The most interesting inclusion is a featurette on the production of the English language track, which goes into greater depth than usual describing this tricky process.
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