Porco Rosso: the character who shares his name with this MIYAZAKI Hayao’s film is a tragic, romantic hero: an Italian pilot cursed with the appearance of a pig. He works as a mercenary in the Adriatic Sea, and does his job so well that the air pirates in the area want him gone. The protagonist is the Ghibli version of a staple from old movies, one that suits the universe portrayed here well. The animation is, expectedly, top-notch: the characters are great to look at, well-designed, varied; the action sequences (of dogfights and fistfights) are exhilarating to watch; and the world recreation, quite incredible, detailed, colourful, alive, filled with personality. Voice acting is great: MORIYAMA Shuuichiroo does the voice work for the protagonist, creating a likable and charming rogue (despite his appearance); OKAMURA Akemi plays the plucky young mechanic who helps him; KATOO Tokiko, as the glamorous hotel singer, is warm and enticing. Composer Joe Hisaishi’s musical score is, as usual, a great fit, and the songs that appear in the film are quite touching and well-chosen.