But unlike Princess Mononoke , which is cynical about the conflict between nature and man, Ponyo offers a simple solution: . The balance of the world is restored not through sacrifice or war, but because a little boy looks at a little fish-girl and says, "I will accept you exactly as you are."
She ends up washed ashore in a glass jar, stuck in a tidal inlet. She is rescued by a kind-hearted five-year-old boy named Sōsuke (Hiroki Doi/Frankie Jonas), who lives on a cliffside overlooking a small Japanese harbor town. Sōsuke names her . He promises to protect her. But unlike Princess Mononoke , which is cynical
is a film that demands we view the world through a pre-kindergarten lens. In that lens, magic is not exceptional; it is expected. The film celebrates the radical competence of children—their ability to accept love and chaos without the baggage of adult doubt. Sōsuke names her