REWATCHING GHIBLI VI

Porco Rosso was one of those films I rewatched multiple times as a child because it's the few CDs I still had in my possession, it's weird, and I want to understand what it all means! With Ghibli films, you must accept the inexplicable, even if you are dying to have an explanation because that's what Miyazaki intended. Look what happened to me with Castle in the Sky. I was fixated on "plot-holes" that I ended up hating the movie, even though I enjoyed the heart/camaraderie. I have to accept that he's a pig, an actual pig. 

The fact Marco, Porco Rosso, is an anthropomorphic pig makes this movie stand out. How he became one, it serves the story, and to lift the curse were always in the back of my mind. His appearance is a metaphor, but I'm neither sensitive nor partial to metaphors, so it went over my head. His appearance aside, Marco acts nothing like a pig (how we traditionally view pigs,) but also denies that he is a man. His paradoxical nature and experience in the war all make him compelling and complex; the war affected his code of conduct, his way of thinking, and his relationship with others. Speaking of war, I think this is one of the few instances where peace and preservation of nature are not the themes of a Studio Ghibli film. War is used to enrich the setting, but that's about it. It's refreshing because the Ghibli films are, dare I say, formulaic. 

Aside from being from the same studio, the films have another thread connecting it all: similar themes, character designs, landscapes, and soundtracks, etc. Maybe it's because I watched the movies consecutively, but I would like to see more variation because they all blend together, which begs the question, do I have to rewatch all of the films if they are similar?

My favorite scene took place in Piccolo Co. with women of all ages from the Piccolo family working together to build a plane: grandmothers painting the plane, mothers/wives doing wood-work, and young women soldering. What makes this even better was when Mr. Piccolo said something to the effect of, "the women are strong and capable." I found this incredibly empowering. While every woman was working, Marco, who was initially doubtful of women working on his plane, was sitting on the sidelines doing nothing. The women are formidable.

I don't think this movie has much going for it. I thought it was cute, the art/animation is fantastic, loved the feminism, and I enjoyed the story, but the romance was unnecessary. I see reviews of people lauding the plot and the profundities, but it's still lost on me. I don't think I'll ever understand this movie, but I appreciate it every time.

1. Only Yesterday

2. Nausicaä

3. Kiki

4. Porco Rosso

5. Totoro

6. Castle in the Sky