Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Ponyo

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Miyazaki's stunning adventure is geared to younger kids.

Movie G 2009 103 minutes
Ponyo Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 5+

Based on 96 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 12, 2022
age 4+

Not Miyazaki's best...but it's still pretty good!

I am a big Miyazaki fan and this film is beautiful and full of whimsy, but there are a few big flaws that I found a bit difficult to overcome. The main one being that it is implied that Sosuke has to decide at 5 years old if he is going to love Ponyo forever or not...seems a bit much. Then of course that Ponyo's desire to be human becomes tethered to Sosuke and his love for her at 5 years old. It was a bit fantastical and cliche. The independence of children surrounded by supporting (or absent) adults seemed to be Miyazaki's films strengths and was a bit sorry that it took such a patriarchal "Little Mermaid" turn. On the other hand, my 4 year old LOVED it although he was visibly upset whenever Ponyo was manhandled or it appeared there was real wave danger.
llcox
llcox Parent of 3-year-old
July 28, 2019
age 3+

Second favorite after Totoro for our 3yo

In the search for movies my husband and I actually enjoy watching that are also appropriate for our three year old, this is our second favorite after Totoro. There are scenes that were a little scary for our sensitive 3yo: the rainstorm scene was tense, he was a little worried about the boy's mom when the boy couldn't find her (we see she's fine a couple minutes later), and the dad is quirky and a little scary in his overbearing concern in the beginning. But these fears were easily calmed by just pausing and talking about how it will all work out. I love that there are no evil characters and no violence (making it infinitely more appropriate than anything by Disney). It's also particularly beautiful, even by Miyazaki's standards. Is it weird that it ends in two five year old's having an almost faux-wedding? Yes. However, I have to disagree that it's sexist - in fact the father doesn't give her over - Ponyo's mother is the one to give consent and is all-around clearly the more powerful and influential person in the relationship. Finally, though the boy is told to kiss the bubble to make Ponyo a human, Ponyo herself initiates the kiss - she is clearly in charge of her own fate, both at the end and throughout the whole film.
See all 96 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid tale, PONYO follows a goldfish princess named Brunhilde (voiced by Yuria Nara in the original version and Noah Lindsey Cyrus in the English dub). Brunhilde wants to explore beyond the sea, but when she ends up nearly lifeless on the shore of a small oceanfront village, 5-year-old Sosuke (Hiroki Doi/Frankie Jonas) rescues her, renames her Ponyo, and vows to take care of her. Ponyo's father, an undersea sorcerer who seems human (George Tokoro/Liam Neeson), recaptures her -- but Ponyo is determined to use her father's magic to turn into a girl and return to Sosuke. By unleashing her powers, Ponyo does transform into a girl, but she also disrupts the balance of nature and causes a tsunami that nearly destroys Sosuke and his mother Lisa's (Tomoko Yamaguchi/Tina Fey) village.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (96 ):
Kids say (115 ):

This is a classic Miyazaki film, from the enchanting anime style to the recurring theme of humanity's relationship with nature.. And, once again, Ponyo features several unmistakably strong female characters: Ponyo is quite literally a force of nature, and her mother the ocean queen (Yūki Amami/Cate Blanchett) is even more powerful. Plus there's Sosuke's mom and the trio of women she tends to (Tokie Hidari/Cloris Leachman, Tomoko Naraoka/Betty White, and Kazuko Yoshiyuki/Lily Tomlin) at a nursing home, who form a sort of chorus for the film. And there is, at the heart of the Ponyo (and every Miyazaki story), a hero's journey.

Ponyo is just like a real 5-year-old girl -- in awe of the world, adventurous, hilarious. Sosuke, on the other hand, is wise beyond his years, courageous, responsible, and loving. Those who dive in to Miyazaki's world will be rewarded with a humorous, touching fable that will leave young children wide-eyed, although possibly demanding ham (you'll see!).

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Sosuke and Ponyo's journey to be together. What obstacles did they each have to overcome, and what sacrifices (if any) did they each have to make? Is it strange that Sosuke and Ponyo are 5, instead of teenagers?

  • Miyazaki loosely based this story on Hans Christian Andersen's original Little Mermaid fairy tale. How does this version of the story compare to the Disney movie?

  • Families who want to learn more about anime may want to screen Miyazaki's other films together. How are they similar to each other, and how are they different from most American-made animated movies?

  • How do Ponyo and Sosuke show compassion and empathy for each other? How do they show courage? Why is Ponyo's curiosity a trait that gets her into trouble but also one of her strengths?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate