DISCLAIMER: I did not see this movie in its original language(Japanese), but in a dubbed version(Italian). I may have missed some nuances.

I had never seen a movie by Miyazaki (or by Studio Ghibli) before Porco Rosso. I can safely say that Mr. Miyazaki has gained a fan. This movie really captured me.

It's got a particular mix of drama and humor. On one hand you have Porco, a human turned pig, outcast from society; on the other you have the silliness of the pirates and the general comedy, almost like it is a kids movie.

The visuals are stunning. The animation is smooth and absolutely a pleasure to the eye. But the flight sequences are something else. So detailed, so realistic, with clouds that look straight out of a painting. One of my first thought was: "Someone on the team that has made this must really love planes". Sure enough, a quick google search showed that Miyazaki himself is a big aviation fan. It shows, and it's beautiful.

Character-wise, the movie really only concentrates on Porco; the side characters are not well explored. That is not to say they fill like empty husks; their story is just barely touched upon,but enough to understand them.
The main character, though, I found really interesting. Porco Rosso (or Marco Pagot, before he became a pig) is an interesting guy. He seems to be the only real one to care about his own appearance. But he is not bitter about it; on the contrary, the movie showcases his caring side.


The universe in which this movie takes place is the icing on the cake, at least for me. It takes place between the two World War, but in Porco Rosso seaplanes dominate the sky. It's such an interesting idea. The seaplane is the maximum freedom a man can think of, combining boats and planes together. Not gonna lie, it made me hope for a seaplane comeback in our world.


In short, it's an interesting movie that can be funny to a kid and make an adult reflect, all in the same 90 minutes. Plus an imaginative universe, animated to perfection. What more do you want?


9/10