My first exposure to Miyazaki was Princess Mononoke. It must have been 6th or 7th grade, and, being as young as I was, I was amazed by the very idea that an animated film could be taken so seriously, one which dealed with adult themes and wasn't afraid of portraying violence. Indeed, it was his most mature work, but as I grew older my appreciation for his other films stemmed from this stunning ability he has to tap into a childlike mindset that oozes from every pore of his films.
Ponyo was the first film of his that I've been able to see on a large theatre screen. My jaw dropped. As a child all I needed to survive was food, water, and a box of colored pencils in my hand. Being able to see these beautiful, detailed backdrops with such clarity that you could spot every loving stroke on the screen and have them inhabited by these living, breathing creatures flowing in and out of the strokes literally brought me to tears. These were my childhood drawings coming to life before my eyes and the emotional impact it had on me was completely unexpected.
The movie itself was great. I didn't have a problem with the dubbing at all other then Liam Neeson's voice not really being what I'd imagine for his character. Every time he spoke I could only picture Neeson's face. The structure of the movie was unique, but suited the characters and overall I really loved it. It made me feel like a child, and it didn't talk down to its audience like most children's films do.
