FROM UP ON POPPY HILL

Japan, 2011, 92 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Goro Miyazaki.

From up on Poppy Hill is the second animation feature from choral Goro Miyazaki, the son of the founder of Ghibli Studios, Hidao Miyazaki.

Ghibli Studios, from the 1980s, produced a long succession of very successful animation films, distinctive in their style, drawing, layouts, depiction of characters, use of bright colours and popular music. This film is in this tradition, but stays in the world of realism rather than in the world of fantasy of so many of the films.

The setting is Yokohama, Japan, in 1963, with memories of World War II as well as of the Korean War. It focuses on two teenagers, a girl who lives in a boarding house and works for the port, raising the flags and signals for the ships, the boy a student in the school. They meet and are attracted to each other. The boy has a project, saving the clubhouse which has become dilapidated. They work together.

However, there is a darker theme underlying this friendship, the boys seeing a photo of the girl’s father and thinking it was his own biological father, thus creating a tense situation in their friendship. They struggle with this but, later, another ship’s captain explains how he was a friend to each of their fathers – the clubhouse is saved and there is a nice future in store for the two youngsters.

1. The popularity of animation films from Ghibli Studios? The director the son of the founder? In his father’s footsteps and spirit?

2. The style of animation, colour and backgrounds, layout, the depiction of the characters, interactions? The musical score?

3. The title, Poppy Hill, Umi and her living there, coming down to the town? The view of the town?

4. The setting, 1963, Yokohama? Under 20 years since the end of the war? The school? The clubhouse? The status of the teenagers? The city support, the ships?

5. The introduction to Umi, her age, at the boarding house, her job, raising flags for the ships? The memory of her father, his death in the Korean War? Going down to school? Meeting Shun?

6. Shun, his character, at the school, the encounter with Umi? The importance of the clubhouse, dilapidated, the interiors and decay, webs? The campaign to save it? The shy boys and their grouping in the clubhouse?

7. Shun and Umi, their friendship, becoming close? Working together? Shun and his seeing the photograph of Umi’s father? Thinking it was his father?

8. The theme of relationship, relationship between alleged brother and alleged sister? The undertones of incest? As a theme in Japanese films? Yet the modest presentation of the interaction between the boy and the girl?

9. Working on the clubhouse, almost finished? Yet the decision that it might be destroyed? The trip to Tokyo? The discussion with the school chairman? Persuasive? His saving it?

10. Meeting the ship’s captain, his knowing the father of each of the youngsters? The fact that they were not brother and sister? Possibilities of love in the future?

11. The detail of life in Yokohama, streets, the ports, the boats? The importance of food? Umi and the food?

12. The brawls between the boys, the introverted group in the clubhouse? The reaction to girls?

13. The challenge to the teenagers, Umi and her parents eloping, unconventional, Shun not knowing his father?

14. The contribution of this film to Japanese animation films and the international reputation?