Ponyo (2008)
Anime film · 100 min · Studio Ghibli · directed by Hayao Miyazaki
AdventureFantasy
Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is a vibrant fantasy adventure centered on a young boy and a magical goldfish. Their friendship sparks an environmental upheaval as the goldfish, Ponyo, yearns for humanity, disrupting the coastal world with a child-centric, anthropomorphic tale.
Ponyo screencaps & stills
Reference frames from Ponyo.
Ponyo in motion
Short loops for study, each cut to a single shot.
The story
Sosuke, a young boy living by the sea, encounters a goldfish he names Ponyo. Their bond quickly deepens as Ponyo, a magical creature, longs to become human. This desire drives the central conflict, as Ponyo's powerful sorcerer father attempts to reclaim her, believing she belongs in the ocean.
Ponyo's yearning for humanity, however, has significant consequences beyond her family. Her transformation upsets the natural order of the coastal environment, unleashing a massive storm that threatens to engulf the world. The narrative explores themes of environmental balance and the profound impact of individual desires on a larger ecosystem, all through the eyes of its young protagonists.
Credits & cast
- Studio
- Studio Ghibli
- Director
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Story
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Script
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Animation
- Katsuya Kondou
- Music
- Joe Hisaishi
- Voice
- Yuria Kouzuki as Ponyo
- Voice
- Hiroki Doi as Sousuke
Where to watch Ponyo
Streaming services that list it. Availability changes by country.
Ponyo colour palette
The main colours across the whole film, by share of the picture.
Colour script
The dominant colour of each sampled frame, from the first minute to the last.
Where Ponyo happens
underwaternightwaterroadcoastalboatwoodencozy
Ponyo background art
Frames with no characters in them: the places, as painted.
More from Studio Ghibli
Spirited Away 2001
Howl‘s Moving Castle 2004
Princess Mononoke 1997
My Neighbor Totoro 1988
Grave of the Fireflies 1988
Kiki's Delivery Service 1989
Castle in the Sky 1986
The Wind Rises 2013
Whisper of the Heart 1995
The Secret World of Arrietty 2010
More by Hayao Miyazaki
Spirited Away 2001
Howl‘s Moving Castle 2004
Princess Mononoke 1997
My Neighbor Totoro 1988
Kiki's Delivery Service 1989
Castle in the Sky 1986
The Wind Rises 2013
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind 1984
Porco Rosso 1992
The Boy and the Heron 2023
Anime like Ponyo
Recommended by fans who watched Ponyo, most votes first.
- 1
9 fan votes · Comedy · Sci-Fi
- 2
7 fan votes · Shared: Adventure
- 3
6 fan votes · Shared: Adventure
- 4
4 fan votes · Shared: Adventure · Fantasy
- 5
3 fan votes · Childcare · Slice of Life
- 6
3 fan votes · Shared: Adventure
- 7
The Sea Prince and the Fire Child 1981
2 fan votes · Shared: Fantasy
- 8
2 fan votes · Shared: Fantasy
Looks like it
Matched frame to frame, on style and colour.
Similar stories
Puka Puka Juju 2012
Questions about Ponyo
Who made Ponyo?
Ponyo (2008) was animated by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, from a script by Hayao Miyazaki.
Where can I watch Ponyo?
Netflix and Max list Ponyo. Availability changes by country.
What anime are like Ponyo?
Fans most often recommend Tsuritama, Lu Over the Wall, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away. In look: Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies, Howl‘s Moving Castle.
See more of Ponyo
Every reference frame and clip, searchable by what is in the shot — a character, a place, a light.
Frames and loops from Ponyo (2008) © Studio Ghibli, shown at reduced size as reference for study and commentary. Rights questions: copyright@framethrower.ai.