The film's pleasures are immensely simple, but this does not make them less real or wonderful.
Comment
08/19/09
Ponyo (2009)
91
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:111
Fresh:101
Rotten:10
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: While not Miyazaki's best film, Ponyo is a visually stunning fairy tale that's a sweetly poetic treat for children of all ages.
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” ... [More]
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Reviews for Ponyo
His twisted version of Finding Nemo meets Splash, the movie won't go down as one of his best, but it's still better than 90 percent of animation out there.
08/15/09
A children's film that's at once overly simplistic and needlessly nonsensical.
08/12/09
I was, I’m afraid, a little lost at times.
08/17/09
I liked that it wasn’t bound by the conventions of normal storytelling and I loved seeing a film that is just hand drawn animation.
08/17/09
Miyazaki has come up with another memorable film in Ponyo, which is roughly inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid... it’s incredibly beautiful as Miyazaki explores an amazing world of sea creatures and human beings.
08/26/09
It is a delight, this film. There is so much imagination at work here.
08/26/09
Older kids and even adults are unlikely to get bored, thanks to the story’s unforced sweetness, giddy highs, and stunningly beautiful visuals. Even in the unspoiled Devonian, real life never looked this good.
08/13/09
Fable, emotion and psychology merge in a fairy-tale brew that will hold children rapt and engage the better angels of adults.
08/13/09
Stunning bursts of imagination and sensational, almost psychedelic images make the film a garden of unearthly delights.
08/13/09
Nothing in the great animation of a Miyazaki movie stays cute for long. Not the ocean, not the trees, not the critters that live in them. Change is constant but rarely natural.
08/13/09
The film is visually stunning, however, with a A-list cast of voices that include Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, and Tina Fey.
08/14/09
With a starry, first-rate voice cast and the shortened name, this Disney-fied version remains a magnificent animation wonder and a pure delight.
08/10/09
Heartwarming, graciously surreal, and pure eye candy, Ponyo is an elevating fantasy that swims enthusiastically in delightfully unexpected directions.
08/13/09
One of the anime master's weaker efforts.
08/20/09
This poetic, visually breathtaking work by the greatest of all animators has such deep charm that adults and children will both be touched. It’s wonderful and never even seems to try: It unfolds fantastically.
08/13/09
Top CriticThe film's joys are numerous, and most of them are small and simple. To start with, the animation -- all hand-drawn -- is simply breathtaking.
08/18/09
Admirable and enjoyable and beautiful, but it's a movie for the littlest of the little ones.
08/12/09
A loose adaptation of The Little Mermaid that's full of fantastic visuals and genuine whimsy, but a little lax when it comes to plot logic or meaningful themes.
08/13/09
Hiyao Miyazaki, bless him, continues to be an analog guy in animation's increasingly digital world
09/04/09
Latest News for Ponyo
August 16, 2009:
Win Preview Tickets to Miyazaki's Ponyo in Sydney
No one's more highly regarded in the world of animation than Japan's Hayao Miyazaki, the director behind such classics as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke... More...
August 13, 2009:
Critics Consensus: District 9 is Certified Fresh
This week at the movies, we've got an alien nation (District 9, starring Jason Cope and Sharlto Copley); a high school musical (Bandslam, starring Gaelan Connell and Vanessa... More...
August 13, 2009:
Box Office Guru Preview: District 9 Invades Over Crowded Frame
With summer almost out of gas, studios toss five more contenders into the ring in hopes of catching moviegoers that just haven't had their share of multiplex entertainment yet.... More...
August 13, 2009:
Total Recall: Hayao Miyazaki's Best Movies
Hayao Miyazaki's last three films (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle) platformed in America to mild success. For his 10th and latest movie, Ponyo (the... More...
More Movies
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds