Entertainment **86

In Ponyo, a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo decides to leave her underwater world behind after making friends with a five-year-old boy who lives in a small coastal village. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” Ponyo comes to the big screen as imagined by legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, whose credits include films Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.

Ponyo has the classic storytelling sensibilities of a timeless fairy tale, and the visuals—entirely hand drawn—reflect the Academy Award®-winning Miyazaki’s signature and unmistakable style. The director’s attention to detail is what makes Ponyo yet another Miyazaki masterpiece.