Ponyo

The Independent“Unearthly magic with down-to-earth human interaction...” What makes it so special is that Miyazaki puts as much loving care into showing Ponyo eating noodles as he does into showing her running along the backs of fish the size of whales...

Variety“Ponyo unfolds with a magic limpidity...” Effortlessly shuttling between sea, land and sky, this tale dives deep into the collective unconscious of Japan’s island culture, imagining a transparency between natural elements that promises salvation and apocalypse in equal measure...

The Telegraph“A visual treat...” The draughtsmanship is jaw-dropping, and Miyzaki's ability to expressd extremes of emotion in his child characters without resorting to sentimentality or treacly music is remarkable...

Little White Lies“Wow!...” At its heart, Ponyo is a film about a global catastrophe no less destructive than the shifting plates and rising waters of 2012. But the apocalypse has seldom seemed so light, joyous or tender...

Guardian“The wonderful DayGlo visuals ought to keep the parents entertained...” He wraps everying up in a fluffy bundle of niceness by the end, taking his cue from Disney rather than Andersen's sombre original. It wouldn't really work any other way. Even little kids will love it...

The Times“In Miyazaki’s richly imagined worlds anything goes...” Ultimately, the defining feature of this film is its weapons-grade cuteness. It’s utterly disarming, a film that unspools like a big sigh of pleasure. Ponyo in her human form, joyfully careering around on her newly sprouted legs, is a delight...

Empire“Catch it...” Miyazaki’s back, and still a force of nature. A weird, wonderful aquatic romp, Ponyo is also a meditation on the state of this blue planet...

Total Film “Hayao Miyazaki's latest 2D marvel...” Another Ghibli charmer that finds story, subject matter and style in freewheeling harmony. You haven’t seen the sea until you’ve seen it through Miyazaki’s goggles...

Time Out film“Dazzling, and then some...” Every hand-drawn frame of this gorgeous animated masterwork offers a blissful evocation of the trials of childhood, the complexity of forming lasting friendships and a world that, ecologically, is teetering off balance...

Channel4 Film“Feisty heroines? Magic? Environmental issues? Yep...” Ponyo was loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Little Mermaid' but is a less dark affair. Feisty heroines? Magic? Environmental issues? Yep, we're back in the realm of Hayao Miyazaki...