In honor of the 1992 classic Porco Rosso, Studio Ghibli has re-released a replica of the crimson seaplane piloted by the film’s main character.
Donguri Sora, Ghibli’s online store, recently restocked the Porco “Pretend” Savoia S.21 — an electronic PVC model originally launched as a commemoration of Porco Rosso’s 30th anniversary. As shown below, the plane has a number of pre-recorded sound effects that change depending on how the plane is placed, adding to the sense of realism. When the power button is pressed, the plane’s “engine” will start. Tilting the nose up or down then creates an “up” and “down” effect; When the plane is horizontal, it will make a “slow” sound. Porco himself sat in the plane’s small cockpit. Currently, Ghibli fans can purchase this model for 8,580 yen (about $57.85 USD).
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Porco Ross is one of Studio Ghibli’s lesser-known gems
Written and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Porco Rosso is set in the late 1920s. In the skies above the Adriatic Sea, Marco Rossolini, a rebel fighter pilot who fought for Italian Air Force during World War I, now a bounty hunter. For unknown reasons, Marco was also cursed with a pig’s head and ears – a fact that gave him a significant boost. One day, the pirate gang is hunted by the Porco resort to hire a famous American pilot named Donald Curtis to take his plane out of the sky forever. Thus, Porco sets out on a journey to reclaim his honor – and finances – from the arrogant con man. Along the way, he meets 17-year-old Fio, a brave but talented hovercraft mechanic who greatly admires Porco’s past heroes.
While Porco Rosso was a financial success for Ghibli, the film was relatively obscure compared to international icons like My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away. However, Ghibli spared no detail with the Savoia S.21 restock, even putting special effort into the packaging of this model. The product comes in a bright red box decorated with an illustration of the iconic airplane. Inside, the model sits on a stand surrounded by a design that resembles the ocean surface, creating the illusion that the plane is floating on water.
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Ghibli has brought attention to Porco Rosso with some pretty unique releases in the past. Last December, Donguri Sora transformed the film’s main star and Donald Curtis into a set of boxing puppets. These novel humorous details may be inspired by the film’s climax, which ends with a humorous fight scene between the two characters. In 2020, Ghibli cooperated with Seiko to launch a line of expensive but classy watches based on Miyazaki’s classic film. At the time of publication, the SNR047 model sold for a whopping $6,237, while its companion model, the SRQ033, sold for a relatively modest $4,409.
Porco Rosso, in addition to other Studio Ghibli films, is now available to stream on Max.
Porco Rosso
In 1930s Italy, a veteran World War I pilot is cursed to look like an anthropomorphic pig.
Release date December 16, 1994
Cast Bunshi Katsura Vi, Shûichirô Moriyama, Tokiko Katô, Akemi Okamura, Akio Otsuka, Michael Keaton, Cary Elwes, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Running time 94 minutes
See where Max
Studio(s). Ghibli Studio
Distributor(s). That thing
Source: Donguri Sora