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2009-09-03

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork

Omohide Poro Poro: Production Artwork


Thanks to the magic of the intertubes, we have a look at the fantastic production artwork for Omohide Poro Poro.  I think I'll split the "present" and "past" styles into seperate posts.  Let's take a look at the painting for the 1960s scenes.

The art design in these scenes is a masterstroke.  Isao Takahata strikes at the very heart of nostalgia; he understands just how we process and retain memories.  The backgrounds fade at the edges, and some scenes are nothing more than bare sketches.  Others, like the great scene of the market at sunset, are vivid and saturated with lush colors.

The baseball sequence is almost barely drawn, and the players themselves are painted white, which makes them to appear almost as ghosts.  The game flashes by in a blur, which is precisely how Taeko-chan remembers her childhood crush.

This is one of the many reasons why I hold Omohide Poro Poro as Takahata's film masterpiece.  It is so masterfully constructed, so skillfully thought out, and then so wonderfully realized by the Ghibli artists and animators.  They have the willingness to take great risks and the skills to bring them to life.  I would kill to see the Americans try something as inspired as this movie.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved the music in this movie.

Daniel Thomas MacInnes said...

The music is absolutely spectacular. I even tracked down the Muszikas CD whose songs appear in this film. They were the Hungarian folk band played by Toshio in his car.

Biggest musical surprise in Poro Poro? Zamfir. Zamfir! Master of the Pan Flute! Hah hah hah hah...anyone who was around back in the '80s remembers that cheesy commercial. Turns out he's a real musician, and pan flutes are good for more than playing that stupid Celine Dion "Titanic" ballad at art fairs.

Anonymous said...

I've just finished watching this movie and it was really great... Also that Hyokkori hyoutan jima song is really sticky...

Chris Sobieniak said...

Being reminded a friend of mine sent me a DVD with episodes of that NHK children's program on it (Hyokkori Hyoutan-jima) and it's quite an addictive tune indeed!

Sean L. said...

Another Ghibli movie I need to see! There's no U.S. release planned is there?

Chris Sobieniak said...

Not any I know of sadly.

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