The Art of Ponyo: A Film by Hayao Miyazaki

Ponyo Film Comics

by Hayao Miyazaki, Takami Nieda (translator), Nick Matamas (editor)

Relive the story of Ponyo and Sosuke in this full-color movie art book!

 

From the animators of Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and Academy Award winner Spirited Away, comes the new Studio Ghibli film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

 

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, is a hand-drawn feature-length film. The art of the film involves not only cel, but also striking watercolor and pastel concept sketches and layout pages. Interviews with productiin principals about their daring choice to hand draw a film in the age of CGI and the screenplay complete the package.

 

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Manga, Film, Comics, Japan, Childrens

268 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 2009

About the author

Hayao Miyazaki (Japanese: 宮崎 駿) is a celebrated Japanese animator, filmmaker, screenwriter, and manga artist, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of animation. He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, the animation studio responsible for producing many of Japan’s most beloved and internationally acclaimed animated films. Over the course of a career spanning decades, Miyazaki has developed a reputation for creating visually rich, emotionally resonant stories that often explore themes such as nature, pacifism, flight, childhood, and the human condition.
Miyazaki was born in Tokyo and developed an early interest in drawing and animation. His father’s work in the aviation industry had a significant influence on him, particularly in fostering his fascination with aircraft and flight, motifs that would become prominent throughout his later works. After studying political science and economics at university, Miyazaki began his professional career in animation when he joined Toei Animation. There, he worked under the mentorship of directors like Isao Takahata, with whom he would later form a lifelong creative partnership.
In his early years at Toei and other studios, Miyazaki contributed to several television series and animated films. He worked as a key animator and storyboard artist, gradually gaining recognition for his storytelling abilities and attention to detail. Among his early projects were contributions to series such as Heidi, Girl of the Alps and Future Boy Conan. His directorial debut in feature films came with The Castle of Cagliostro, a film adaptation of the Lupin III manga series, which already showed signs of his distinctive style and sensibilities.
Miyazaki's breakthrough came with the film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, based on his own manga. The success of that film prompted the establishment of Studio Ghibli, which he co-founded with Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. From that point forward, Miyazaki directed and wrote many of Ghibli’s most iconic works, including My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle. His films are known for their hand-drawn animation, strong character development, and philosophical underpinnings.
In 2001, Miyazaki directed Spirited Away, which became one of the most critically and commercially successful animated films of all time. The film received numerous awards and international recognition, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It also became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history at the time of its release. The film’s success further solidified Miyazaki’s reputation as a master storyteller and a visionary in global cinema.
Despite announcing his retirement several times, Miyazaki repeatedly returned to filmmaking. His later works, such as Ponyo and The Wind Rises, continued to showcase his evolving themes and storytelling maturity. His most recent project, The Boy and the Heron, marked a highly anticipated return to the director’s chair and once again captivated audiences with its dreamlike visuals and emotional depth.
Miyazaki’s films are often distinguished by their complex female protagonists, environmental messages, and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting clear-cut villains and heroes, his stories explore the nuances of human behavior and often focus on characters finding their place in the world. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades and honors for his contributions to the arts, including lifetime achievement awards recognizing his impact on both Japanese and international cinema.
His legacy continues to influence generations of animators and filmmakers worldwide, and Studio Ghibli remains one of the most respected names in animation.

Reviews

[joshua sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

the whole movie! was hand drawn! miyazaki is insane!

[★ray's bookshelf★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both of the art style are amazing, the story is good everything is amazing!

[Lê Tuyền ICHI · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

Bộ anime mượn ý tưởng từ truyện cổ tích Nàng tiên cá. Ponyo là cô bé cá, vì yêu mến cậu bé Sousuke, nên muốn trở thành người. Cô bé và cậu bé phải đối diện với thử thách tình yêu: chỉ khi có cậu bé đã thấy rõ hình dáng thật mà vẫn bằng lòng chấp nhận thì cô bé mới có thể thực biến thành người, còn không thì hoá thành bọt biển =)))

Tuy vậy, câu chuyện này lại mang thông điệp phê phán loài người gây ô nhiễm môi trường nước trầm trọng. Chỉ khi học cách hòa hợp với tự nhiên, cả con người và thiên nhiên mới có kết quả tốt.

Hiệu ứng hình ảnh tốt ghê. Nhưng mình lại không thích nét vẽ. Một bộ anme trung bình, coi ổn.

[Claire Teets · Rating 5 out of 5]

gave a lot of info into the making of ponyo as well as interviews with the art and animation directors who had worked on other notorious ghibli films like kiki’s, totoro, princess mononoke, howls, and others! also includes the english dub voice over script at the end which is super cool for anyone who’d want to look more into the actual lines in the movie

[Gijs Grob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concept art, background art and film stills from Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece. As with all animation art books, the amount of information is low, but the artwork itself, of course, is gorgeous.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great art-book.

[Nadia Fong · Rating 5 out of 5]

The film is way better than the movie i LOVE things by Hayao Miyazaki

[Mirko, "Chel dai libris" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Era il 2009. Ho "incontrato" Ponyo in quel periodo (ricordo ancora le timide presentazioni). Lo ammetto: Non ero ancora pronto per comprendere gli insegnamenti e amare tutto ciò che lo Studio Ghibli e Miyazaki potevano offrirmi. D'altronde lo dice anche Guccini in una strofa di "Eskimo": "A vent'anni si è stupidi davvero, quante balle si ha in testa a quell'età". Ma il tempo cura tutte le ferite e corregge le varie lacune. Basta solo aver fiducia in se stessi.

Cinque anni dopo, nel 2014, la svolta. L'acquisto del DVD ( e di molti altri del noto regista giapponese). Poco dopo aver schiacciato play ... l'illuminazione, innamorandomi della storia con una mentalità sicuramente più matura e meno acerba avuta in precedenza. I disegni, la trama... Il rapporto tra Ponyo e Sosuke poi hanno portato a termine la missione, lasciando il sottoscritto con gli occhi a cuoricino una volta arrivato alla parola "Fine" del film d'animazione. 😍 Tra tutti i film di Miyazaki, Ponyo sicuramente rientra tra i miei preferiti di sempre. Sprecato dire che questo volume sia una chicchetta da annotare sul proprio taccuino per tutti i fan dello studio Ghibli e di questo film: include molti disegni fatti ad acquerello/matita, storyboard, bozze e sketch. Oltre anche alle interviste a chi ha lavorato al film. Incluso anche lo script alla fine dell'intero film! Insomma... averlo tra le mani) mi ha fatto venir voglia di fare il più classico dei rewatch! Il titolo in questione è in inglese, non so se esistono libri a riguardo o varianti già tradotti per il pubblico italiano o estero, ma per me (nonostante il mio inglese alla "Ortolani", almeno quello parlato) è stato anche un valido esercizio.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊su 5. Da collezione.

#cheldailibrisconsiglia #hayaomiyazaki #theartofponyo #studioghibli #vizmedia

[Lun · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story itself is super simple – no crazy twists or complicated plot turns, it really does feel like a pure fairytale.
But those ocean scenes? Still some of the greatest animation ever made, even decades later. Literally every single frame of the sea in the book could be your desktop wallpaper – it’s that breathtakingly gorgeous.
And yeah, underneath the simplicity it still touches on environmentalism, the power of a mother’s love, the purest kind of love can take, and this deep reverence for nature. Miyazaki basically grabs your hand and pulls you back into that innocent, wide-eyed “kid’s perspective” he’s so good at. It’s wholesome magic.

[Luke Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful art book for arguably my favorite Ghibli film (battling Grave of the Fireflies for that title). The book contains a large amount of finished frames from the film, storyboards, concept arts, and some very insightful interviews from key members of the crew. Just getting to enjoy the finished frames alone, presented in high quality here, was worth it. But seeing many of the early concepts and story boards parred with the interviews added a whole new layer to how I view this masterful production.

I also had no idea that the script was included at the end of the book. That's neat.

[Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Studio Ghibli art book goes super in depth into how Ponyo was made, more than possibly any other. It was so amazing to learn that everything was completely drawn by hand without assistance from cel animation. I absolutely love how Miyazaki wanted the ocean to be a living, breathing character in the movie, and I think they achieved this 100%. I’m so happy to have these books!

[Story · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I have read several of the Disney "The Art Of" book, and although they're very similar, this book included the full film script, which I loved reading. One thing I like about the Disney books in comparison, is that they specify which artist did each piece & the medium that they used. Overall a spectacular book I'll definitely revisit.

[Surya Darmana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very lovely art. It's nice to peak into the magical process behind such a wondrous film.

[Noelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owww

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really gorgeous book taking you through the whole movie and different stages of production. It's wonderfully calming to read and would be great for anyone who loves Studio Ghibli.

[Farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent for an inside look into the creation of the classic film. If you're into the behind-the-scenes of the two films, sketches, notes, and look behind the curtain. This is you.

[miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

i find it really cute that they colored the backgrounds with pastel crayons, that must’ve been quite messy and fun! it’s the way a child would draw and play with those kinds of art materials

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love you ponyo

[Lennard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naturally the only possible rating

[Leslie Carnahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean..... It's one of his best. The scene of Ponyo running?! COME ON! This book is a wonderful deep dive into the creative process of such a wonderful film. :)

[Vanesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟

super informative and well.. it’s studio ghibli, how can you not love it?

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

love love lovw love

[Wendy Brousse · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Ghibli artbook so far, I love Ponyo so much !

[Parka · Rating 5 out of 5]

(More pictures at parkablogs.com)

I can't believe I actually held off purchasing the original Japanese art book when it came out in August 2008. The long wait for the translated version from Viz Media is finally over! It's cool that they have also used the smooth matte paperback covers typically used by the Japanese Studio Ghibli art books. Nice touch.

The Art of Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is a very beautiful book presented just like the other Studio Ghibli art books. There are background paintings, pencil watercolour sketches and film stills. This time, they have included more concept art than the film stills. We have lots of character designs and town paintings. That's over 220 pages of art work followed by the complete voice-over script.

All the concept sketches are drawn by Hayao Miyazaki in his usual pencil and watercolour wash treatment. The concept art and backgrounds by the art staff were supervised by art director Noboru Yoshida, and character sketches and design are by supervising animator Katsuya Kondo. There are interviews with those two as well as with Michiyo Yasuda (Chief Colour Designer) and Atsushi Okui (Director of Digital Imaging). They talk about the watercolour storyboards, how Miyazaki works, how they create the sea and other production stories.

This book is highly recommended for all fans of Studio Ghibli. It will put a smile on your face.

[Laura Caçoete · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this book? It is beautiful, just like the Movie. It has a number of interesting interviews with Art directors and Producers, explaining how and why things are the way they are.

My most favourite part of this book is all the storyboarding and rough copy drawings you get, The artists used a lot of different mediums and some of the drawings and paintings (well all) are completely stunning. You also get glimpses of character design development which I really appreciated.

The book is printed on extremely high quality thick glossy paper and it is just a joy to read.

If you are a Ghibli Fan, and a Ponyo fan you need this book! Also if you are an illustrator or just interested in illustration you will get a lot from this book, It isn't typically anime-ified which I approved it.

I'm planning on buying some of the other artbooks now as the quality was so high!

[τλιϓλ · Rating 5 out of 5]

إما لأنهم يحبون الوصف أو لأنهم يعشقون ذكر التفاصيل لقد جاء هذا الكتاب بطريقة مختلفة تماما عن كتب الآرت التي تخص شركة ديزني ويبدو أن كتب ستوديو غبلي تفهم تماما معنى هذه الكتب، كمية الصور والمعلومات متوازنة ومبهرة حقا، كتب غني بمعنى الكلمة من كل النواحي، الفهرس في النهاية يُرشدك لأشياء كثيرة ويختصر لك وقتا لو أحببت لاحقا معاودة القراءة عن بعض النقاط، سرني أنني امتلكت الكتاب فأجواء فيلم بونيو جميلة حقا.. فقط لو كان الكتاب ذو غلاف كرتوني سميك بدل غلافه الورقي..

[Firman Widyasmara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tidak sia-sia saya habiskan sisa uang saku ketika residensi dengan membeli buku-buku keluaran Ghibli di Jepang. Isinya membuat decak kagum tak berhenti keluar. Menambah inspirasi dan semangat yang membuat saya terus gumamkan kata-kata...'Saya harus membuat karya animasi yang mumpuni!' Aamiin! :D

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a collection of beautiful art, and of course I got it, but I was pleasantly surprised to see an assortment of detailed interviews about the production history of the film. This book is a gem.

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you've watched ponyo, you'll love this book! it's full of amazing early sketches and interviews, i was definitely not disappointed by this book and i loved being able to see how the film came to life!