Studio Ponoc is founded by Yoshiaki
Nishimura, a former producer for Studio Ghibli.
With Studio Ghibli going on an indefinite hiatus, Studio Ponoc hopes to
fill in the void, starting with their first venture Mary and the Witch’s Flower.
And with many former Ghibli employees joining Ponoc to work on it, the implication is that the Ghibli spirit is going to live on through Ponoc.
Based on the book The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart, Mary and the Witch’s Flower is about a
young girl named Mary Smith who is sent to live with her Great Aunt Charlotte in
her estate. In her exploring of the
nearby forest, she is led by two cats to a rare, extraordinary flower called
Fly-By-Night and an old broomstick ensnared in vegetation. These proves to be the catalysts for a magical
adventure, as she is whisked to Endor College (think Hogwarts, but with almost
as much machines and science as magic). She’s
initially awed of the place, but soon, she discovers that it is harboring dark
secrets.
As expected, this anime film is a
delight. It captures many of the
qualities that made Ghibli movies utterly charming. The animation is exquisite, and the sound
design is magnificent. It is pleasingly
whimsical, joyous, enthralling, innocent, and yet, dark and bold.
However, though this could easily pass off as a Ghibli film, I feel that it somewhat lacks oomph and depth. The storytelling isn’t quite strong as I wanted to, and the characters – both protagonists and antagonists – aren’t quite
memorable. As a result, I was compelled by
it, but not as much as I was compelled by most Ghibli movies. After seeing the last Ghibli film, When Marnie Was There, I just knew it
was going to end up in my list for best films that year (and it did). In comparison, Mary and the Witch’s Flower doesn’t leave with such kind of impression. Well, it’s a great film, so it’s possible that
it eventually ends up in my list for this year’s best movies. But there’s no certainty.
All in all, Mary and the Witch’s Flower is fantastic. As far as style, it does a perfect
Ghibli. It falters a bit at the substance
front, but it nonetheless generally upholds the Ghibli essence. Thus, until Studio Ghibli comes back to the
game (if it ever still plans to), then Studio Ponoc is on the right track of
becoming its spiritual successor.
Mary and the Witch’s Flower may not be an anime masterpiece. But it has successfully served as a terrific stepping
stone for Ponoc. Hopefully, they can
build on it; that their next film will turn out being one.
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