Anime on Blu-Ray: Ponyo
Ponyo is the latest feature film from legendary anime master Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, first released in Japanese cinemas in 2008 and now available on DVD and blu-ray just about everywhere. The film follows the eponymous Ponyo, a goldfish who befriends a young boy named Sosuke and subsequently longs to become human herself. Although the premise draws obvious inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, Miyazaki’s story is as inventive as you would expect and brings an entirely fresh perspective to the concept. It’s a more unconditionally kid-friendly film than the studio’s more recent efforts like Howl’s Moving Castle or even Spirited Away, but that only serves to broaden its appeal as a film that is truly for all ages. Charming, heartwarming and visually spectacular, Ponyo shouldn’t disappoint long-time Ghibli fans and has surely attracted plenty of new ones. Because the film is not particularly new, I won’t dwell any longer on the film itself – I’d be doing little other than elaborating on the praise I’ve already given anyway – so let’s look at why blu-ray is the best way to experience Ponyo.
Anime on Blu-Ray: The Sky Crawlers
The Sky Crawlers (スカイ·クロラ) is a film by director Mamoru Oshii (of Ghost in the Shell fame) originally released in 2008. It had just been released on DVD and BD in Japan when I was there earlier last year, so it caught my attention and I looked forward to a local release. Based on a novel by Hiroshi Mori, The Sky Crawlers is set in an alternate version of our world where aerial war is waged between rival corporations. The film follows a group of young pilots known as Kildren, who never age beyond adolescence. Despite their youthful appearance (and sometimes behaviour) the Kildren are actually experienced and hardened combat pilots, though the nature and implications of their condition play a key role in The Sky Crawlers‘s plot.
Anime on Blu-Ray: Origin – Spirits of the Past
Origin: Spirits of the Past is a film by anime studio Gonzo – their first theatrical feature production, originally released in 2006. The film takes place in a dystopian future where forestation has reclaimed much of the Earth after genetic modification resulted in sentient trees. The basic premise is quite an interesting one – if … Read more
Anime on Blu-Ray: Sword of the Stranger
Sword of the Stranger is a samurai action film that follows the story of Kotaro, a young boy on the run from soldiers from the Ming Dynasty. Initially accompanied only by his dog, Tobimaru, Kotaro soon finds an unlikely protector in the form of a ronin with no name (unless you count “No Name”). It’s … Read more
Blu-Ray: 300 – The Complete Experience
Most of the time, packaging is just something that something more interesting comes in. This new edition of 300 on blu-ray – “The Complete Experience” – does not come in such packaging, instead opting for something that adds to the product rather than simply containing it. The disc is housed in a “digibook”, which is … Read more
Movie Review: Red Cliff and Red Cliff II
I discovered Red Cliff (Chi Bi in the films’ native Mandarin) while in Japan. Part I had just been released on home video formats and Part II was hitting cinemas, so advertising was plentiful and boy, did it look good. On returning home I tried to find any information I could on a local release, … Read more
