Healing usually not considered one of the Studio Ghibli And by Hayao Miyazaki The adventures are darker, but bubbling just below the surface is an element that takes the film under a whole new perspective. The film fascinates audiences with the story of a goddess’s goldfish-like daughter who turns into a human thanks to her love for a young man. Like any good Ghibli film, there’s plenty of emotional drama and dangerous magic, everything culminating in a happy ending. But in the chaos that ensues Ponyo’s transformation, the viewer—and the film itself—easily overlook a sinister detail.
Throughout the film, Ponyo’s father, the Wizard Fujimoto, clearly shows his hatred for humanity. He frequently criticizes their tendency to pollute precious oceans, calling them disgusting and wasteful. He is much more bitter than his lovable daughter, the result of his fear of being an overprotective father. Otherwise he is generally harmless. Or he seems to be, until the viewer realizes how far his hatred has gone.
Ponyo’s Fujimoto wants to destroy all human life
After obtaining the Ponyo from first setting foot on the arid land, Fujimoto was distraught over her desire to become human. Here the audience gets to know a bit about his backstory. In addition to his role as the father of a school of goldfish, he also acts as the caretaker of the ocean, trying to protect and heal it from any damage caused by humanity. In trying to distract himself with his work, he reveals his ultimate goal is: once he’s brewed enough magic, he intends to return the ocean to its state from the Cambrian era, the complete end of human civilization.
Perhaps more shocking than this revelation is that Fujimoto’s plan was never acknowledged again. Towards the end of the film, he apologizes to Sōsuke for not trusting him, but the Wizard never mentions his change of heart affecting his plans. Even if he is content to entrust his daughter to a human, he is most likely preparing to continue with his doomsday plot after the events of the movie. This leads to another optimistic ending in dark light as one considers whether Sōsuke’s act of love will be enough to keep him and Ponyo safe once the Age of Oceans begins.
It’s not uncommon for a simple line in a movie to have profound implications for its world, especially in a film as cheerful as Ponyo. Fujimoto has achieved many great feats throughout the series, so there’s no doubt that he can finally bring an end to civilization as we know it. But with little hope of a Ponyo sequel, fans may never know if he still intends to make it. Instead, they’ll have to ponder how such a bizarre world can turn so dark thanks to a subtle detail in the story. Ponyo by Hayao Miyazaki.