The plot is hardly the point here - the animation is delightful, colourful and detailed and the flying sequences in seaplanes as old-fashioned as this style of animation are exhilarating.
Porco Rosso(紅の豚)
✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
Japan · 1992
Rated PG · 1h 34m
Director Hayao Miyazaki
Starring Shûichirô Moriyama, Tokiko Katô, Sanshi Katsura, Tsunehiko Kamijô
Genre Comedy, Animation, Adventure
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In 1930s Italy, air pirates rule the skies, attacking and robbing wealthy cruises as they see fit. The only one with the gumption to stop them is Porco Rosso, a veteran pilot from the first World War cursed with the appearance of a pig.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
It's in this view of the military life, and competition in general, that Porco Rosso reveals itself to be one of Miyazaki’s most personal works.
The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis
Muting adult concerns — like the jackboots of fascism and the ubiquity of male violence — with marshmallow clouds and subtly shifting light, Mr. Miyazaki smooshes fantasy and history into a pastel-pretty yarn as irresistible as his feminism.
The New York Times by Mike Hale
This homage to vintage Howard Hawks-style aerial thrills is as beautifully drawn and colored as anything he’s done. And it’s tremendous fun.
Not only does this rank among Miyazaki’s finest achievements, it reflects his personal love of aviation, his political concerns and his fullest expression to date of a non-fantasy world resembling our own.
The A.V. Club by Tasha Robinson
Porco Rosso was initially conceived as a short film for Japan Airlines, and its roots show in its delight with aviation and the experience of flight, but also in its somewhat shapeless plot.
It's solid Miyazaki, although he has reached greater heights both before and since.
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Such an underrated Studio Ghibli classic—every time you pause the film, you land on a masterpiece. So beautiful, playful, and moving. A must see!
A really fun film, and maybe my favorite Studio Ghibli. The visuals are really beautiful making for a lovely experience. It is lighthearted but also thoughtful and meaningful. A delight to watch.