A Review
OK, I watched Ponyo. Actually I watched it twice because I didn't get it the first time.
I believe you guys reading this thread know the story already so I won't get into it here.
I think whether you enjoy this film or not depends on your mindset. I don't think you'd be able to get into it if you look for things like logic and reason as I did the first time I watched it.
It is a fairy tale where stuff happens just because. The story is told from the point of view of its protagonists who are small children, and anything that is not simple enough for them to comprehend is not explained.
I was stupid enough to be bothered by the fact Sosuke, the little boy who rescues Ponyo, fills up a bucket with tap water and drops Ponyo, an ocean fish, in it! lol Oh, and the way his mom just accepts Ponyo (as a little human girl) without asking any questions, and when she just leaves two small children alone in the house, while she goes over to check on the elderlies at the nursing home where she works, in the middle of a gigantic storm that is about to swallow the small island they call home.
You try to tell yourself that this is a fairy tale and you are supposed to leave your "common sense" at the entrance, but it is pretty hard to do so because....
The story takes place in a very contemporary, realistic world, the present day Japan. The characters talk and interact with each others in OUR language, not some sing-song prose out of an Andersen fairy tale. They eat the food that we eat, they have jobs, go to school, drive cars.... These people seem...real. Now, when something so unreal, a talking fish who turns herself into this... fish-chicken-frog-human(lol) whose magical power is so strong it causes a massive tsunami, is thrown into the everyday lives of these people, They do not react the way we would. In one very disturbing scene, Sosuke and Ponyo encounter young parents and their baby on a boat after the massive flood had the whole island submerged underwater. The kids give the family some food that they had brought from home and as they are leaving the family, the baby starts crying. Ponyo turns herself back into her Fish-chicken-frog-human form and RUNS on the water from their boat to the family's, gives the baby a big wet kiss and the baby stops crying. Imagine you were the parent. This cute little girl who had given you food has just turned into this...MONSTER and she is running toward you and your baby!!!! The terror!!!!
That was my impression of the film the first time I saw it.
I really enjoyed the film the second time around. This time, I watched it knowing the film was what it was, a fairy tale for kids. It seems like the story is being told by one, too.
In a scene later in the film Ponyo's mom, a sea Godess of some sort, and Sosuke's mother are seen having a conversation. We can guess this must be a very important talk that they are having, as Ponyo is about to be turned into a real human girl and will be cared for by Sosuke's mom. Yet, you do not get to listen to the conversation. Why? Because if you are a five year old kid, you don't care what they are saying to each other. Ponyo's mom may be giving detailed instructions on how to care for a recent fish-human convert. Don't expose her to bright light, get her wet, and never, ever feed her after midnight, etc... Sosuke's mom would want to discuss the logistics of "adopting" a little girl who has no Koseki, I would imagine... Again, kids don't ask these questions. Sosuke vows to love Ponyo no matter WHAT she is, Ponyo becomes a human, kisses Sosuke and happily ever after! Hey kids, do you remember that little something about the earth being in danger because the moon had been pulled very close to the earth by the power released by Ponyo's mischief?
Oh, and all these people who have lost their homes because of the tsunami ALSO caused by the little fish-girl? No? That's OK because they're not that important.
Arrrgggghhh!!! I cannot help it!! lol I try so hard to BE a little kid but I can't! I want answers, damn it!!
No, really. I did like the film alot. The hand-drawn animation is breathtaking, and you can almost see the imagination of a small child (a 60-something film maker, really) working overtime latching onto an arresting image that serves no purpose in the grand scheme of things, following an idea, and abondoning it when something shiny catches his eye... yet, he is able to lead the story to a happy ending if by force before he is called in by his mom for supper. For an adult, listening to his story is amusing, at times frustrating, and exhilarating.
www.imdb.com
But it might be easy to understand? 
Hayao Miyazaki films for me suit many many ages. So I look forward to the DVD...I'm not so keen on the theatrical release if its only going to be an english dubbed release.
I dont mind beeing seen either, who cares? only thing is that I am affraid that I will not be able to undestand Japanese which is probably intended to be undesrant by 3yo kids ☝
), you won't find it difficult understanding this new one.
I might be crazy, but this trailer is really misleading... whole story of the movie seems different.. people might get disappointed... or not 
