Arguably Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s most overlooked film, Porco Rosso returns with a fun new punch puppet production.
Ghibli’s official merchandise store, Donguri, has announced the sale of the “Porco Rosso Puppet Set of 2” on December 16, 2023. The set retails for 18,700 yen (~US$130) and featuring the characters Porco Rosso and Donald Curtis. Styled with costumes from the original film, the puppets feature a decorative stand on which the figures can be removed, revealing the buttons for the film’s iconic boxing scenes. The puppet’s description reveals: “Press the button on the back to punch. The punch style is different depending on the button you press. Left button: Left punch, Middle button: Double punch, Right button: Light punch.” Although Donguri does not ship directly to international countries, Donguri goods can be found through specialty stores such as Meccha Japan.
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Porco Rosso is regularly praised for its balance between excitement and complexity. While inspiring humorous cosplay from the Ghibli title is underrated after 30 years, many reviews have noted the social commentary that Miyazaki became famous for. Porco Rosso delves into war and human nature, opposing fascism while also being a cautionary tale about how even ordinary people can perpetuate the political system. The film is certainly part of Ghibli’s legacy, delivering one of Ghibli’s most iconic female characters in Fio.
Going forward, Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron opens up a new path for the company. The newly released film is the first original anime film to top the box office, recently surpassing the $100 million mark. A CBR review said the film soared higher than ever and that “If The Boy and the Heron is Miyazaki’s final work, then we have been given the most precious gift of all: the feeling that, through art, anything is possible.”
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GKIDS distributed Porco Rosso in the United States and describes the film: “’Porco Rosso’ is the world’s best flying bounty hunter, whose face is transformed into a pig’s by a mysterious spell. When he angers a group of sky pirates with his heroes, the pirates hire Curtis, a hot American rival, to eliminate him. But with the help of teenage girl Fio, an aspiring airplane designer, and a sexy lounge singer named Gina, Porco triumphantly takes to the skies to watch what could be a flying duel. his final high.”
Source: Donguri
