Ahhhh, nothing brightens up a day like sitting down and watching a Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) classic. Then again, aren't all his movies classic? But I digress...

Porco Rosso (as stated in my hastily written synopsis) is about a flying ace, named Porco Rosso. The american name is Crimson Pig, but this movie takes place in the mediterranean, so the Italian name of Porco Rosso fits much better.

The story is more or less a slice of time in this pilot's life... perhaps I can label it as one interesting moment in time, in a character's life of many adeventures. He lives on the edge of society by himself, on a small island he calls home. Quite happy to live away from rules and regulations, he makes a living flying his plane on contract. In fact, he calls himself a bounty hunter, but I wouldn't call saving hostages from pirates a "bounty" exactly :)

This is a whimsical tale (I like the word whimsical, I plan to use it more often) with sights and sounds that will please your eyes, ears and soul. Porco Rosso is a lovably gruff character... He smokes, and as a result has a gruff voice, but you can tell that he is a kind man deep down. You can't help but grin as you watch him, he really is a character you will remember (for reasons I'll let you discover by watching the movie). Come to think of it, all the characters are not easily forgotten. You'll love everyone, including the "bad" guys.

I tried to think of what the main story element is, and I can't quite nail it down to one thing. It is more like a moment in time for Porco... We learn a bit about his past, but mainly we learn about him as he is now, and how he deals with things now. The are several small stories, leading up to a dual between him and another pilot, for the heart of a 17 year old girl. In the end, everything takes just enough time... Nothing is rushed, nothing is too long. One might find the conclusion a bit lacking (yes, I'm talking to you Boney!) but I felt it adequate. As I indicated before, this is about one moment in time, so a conclusion with "happily ever after" just would not suit the movie.

The aesthetics of this movie are fantastic. The music really does a good job of representing the era (sometime after the first world war) and the location. It may not be to everyone's taste, but I found it a refreshing change. It certainly fit the movie in every scene, without fail. After having my ears assuaged by the music, it is no surprise that Miyazaki can also satisfy the eyes with his visuals. The planes and flying scenes might leave you breathless, as you feel like you are right there flying with Porco. Lush green islands, gorgeous sea and beautiful sky... It absolutely must be seen to be truly apreciated.

Overall, this movie has it all. Don't go into it expecting something deep; go into it to take your mind off whatever troubles you may have had. Just sit back, pretend it is a different time and place and be prepared to be whisked away. You won't regret it.

I'm seriously considering just making a separate genre for all Miyazaki films. They're just so difficult to categorize, and nine times out of ten, they are going to be spectacular. Porco Rosso is certainly no exception to this unwritten rule, offering not only great characters, an extravagant world, and an interesting story, but it also has a flying pig!

Although the concept of animals walking and talking in anime has already been done several times by Miyazaki, Porco Rosso is different. How is he different? Well, you'll just have to watch and find out. It's a very mysterious and interesting plot element in the movie, at least I thought so. Porco Rosso isn't the only interesting character in the film, though.

From the female flying boat mechanic Fio to the so-called "air pirates" of the Adriatic Sea, each character is well developed and really rose my enjoyment level even higher. Where else can you discover the more emotional and passionate side to air pirates? There's also the over-ambitious pilot that goes by the name of Curtis who dreams of becoming the president of the United States, as well as woman who can't quite let go of her past, or Porco Rosso's for that matter. Of course, not all of the characters are developed a lot. One character I would have liked to learn more about was Ferriali (if that's not his name, I'm sorry, I'm terrible with names). Though it's obvious that he and Porco Rosso go way back, we never find out how they know each other or why Ferriali risked so much to help him.

The art and animation reached my expectations of Miyazaki films, as usual. The world was filled with detail and vivid colors, animations were very fluid, and the character designs were as good as ever. The quality also manages to hide its age very well. Despite the fact that it was made over a decade ago, its age doesn't seem to show at all. The sound effects and music were also very well done. The growl of the flying boat engines, the bullets being fired from machine guns, and many other effects were very well done, and combined with the soundtrack, lifted my experience to a whole new level.

Porco Rosso also manages to have a level of comedy not present in many Miyazaki features, partly thanks to the antics of the air pirates. There were many funny moments in the movie, but there was always something to laugh at once they appeared on the screen. Though they were often lowered to a sort of comic relief in the film, they also had a lot of honor and dignity, which made them very likeable.

There was also a very interesting subplot involving themes like the great depression, inflation, and revolutions in Italy prior to World War II (which was my interpretation of the setting). Although the main story is not what many would consider to be "deep" or really thought provoking, it was still a great experience that I would recommend all fans of anime to try.