After watching Porco Rosso it has become my favourite Studio Ghibli film, that being said I've only seen 3 others. My favourite thing about Porco Rosso is its simplicity. There isn't some huge fantasy world with mythical creatures (other than the fact that the protagonist is a pig but that does get an explanation). The story also isn't one of huge scale that impacts the entire world of the film, instead it's simply about a pig that flies. The 'Heaven sequence' has become one of my favourite scenes in animation because of the depth it adds to the character of Marco and the film as a whole. The setting and time period being between two world wars is a unique and interesting one that Miyazaki seems to recreate perfectly. Marco is a great protagonist who is both tragic and charismatic and the characters of Gina and more importantly Fio do a great job at bringing out another side of Marco whilst also adding tension on who he'll pick. The antagonist of this film, Curtis, is also great because he's just a regular man who happens to fly really well. He doesn't twirl his moustache or have an eyepatch and he doesn't hate Marco or the world, he just feels a frustration from Gina's rejection. The other side characters of the Air Pirate Captain, Grandpa Piccolo and those three crazy old ladies are fun to watch and help keep the film entertaining. I enjoyed the films rather open ending because it seems very fitting with Marco's character who closes himself off from most people. As with all Ghibli films the animation is great, with every frame looking almost like a painting, the soundtrack is memorable and the film is very charming in the typical unique Miyazaki way. This film has entirely changed my perception of Miyazaki's films as mainly being for children and hipsters and I am eager to see more. Thanks for reading my review and remember, it's better to be a pig than a fascist.
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