History Anime / TheBorrowerArrietty

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Arrietty and her family ultimately move away from the house, the Borrowers never ended up using the doll house like Sho's great-grandfather hoped, and Sho soon faces his operation. However, Arrietty and Sho tenderly part ways, exchanging tokens to each other, and it's implied that Arrietty and her family will live in a more hopeful and safe place. In the Disney dub, Sho's operation was a success. He was basically preparing to die beforehand, but the ending narration reveals that he's still alive a whole year later.]]

** [[spoiler:Averted with the dollhouse.]]

Arietty is a young member of a race known as the Borrowers. As one might suspect from that name, they make their living stealing items (borrowing, in their parlance) from the giant "human beans." Their primary rule is to avoid ever being seen by these [[HumansAreCthulhu terrifying creatures]]. However, Arietty meets a human boy who seems to be gentle and kind. Nonetheless, she is forbidden from seeing him.

* ActionGirl: Arrietty, natch.

* BigCreepyCrawlies: Any bugs when drawn in comparison to the borrowers. Ants are the size of rats to them, and crickets are as big as dogs.

* DubNameChange: Sho to Shawn, Sadako to Jessica and Haru to Hara in the Disney dub.

* ForbiddenFriendship[=/=]OddFriendship: Between Arrietty and Sho.

* PlayingAgainstType: Comedic actor Will Arnett voicing the HarrisonFord-esque Pod.

* SoapOperaDisease: Sho has a heart condition ever since he was a child.

* ShoutOut: Spiller's costume and facial markings are very reminiscent of San's wardrobe and make-up from ''{{Princess Mononoke}}'', which is an earlier ''{{Studio Ghibli}}'' film.
** In the photo of Sho's mother and aunt as children, they look similar to Satsuki and Mei from MyNeighborTotoro. In addition, their mother resembles the mother of Satsuki and Mei.

* ShownTheirWork: The way the liquids behave on small-scale. They all have surface tension, so water beads from their teapot in droplets, and melted cheese forms big round balls, among other things.

** He also appears in front of her after she locks him in his room, visibly startling him

* ButtMonkey: If anything bad happens, it's always to Homily.

* CreepyCockroach: Arrietty tries to fight one to show off her bravery, but Pod discourages her, saying a borrower shouldn't go looking for trouble.

Arietty is a young member of a race known as the Borrowers. As one might suspect from that name, they make their living stealing items (borrowing, in their parlance) from the giant "human beans." Their primary rule is to avoid ever being seen by these [[HumansAreCthulhu terrifying creatures]]. Arietty, however, meets a human boy whom she doesn't believe means her or her family harm. Nonetheless, she is forbidden from seeing him.

* RegionalBonus: The US DVD/BD release has the UK and US dubs, in case you were wondering.

* ChekhovsLecture: "Don't look down."

* BigBad: Haru

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* BadassAdorable: Arrietty.

* The Woobie: Sho. Poor, poor Sho. As if his lifelong sickness and heart condition weren't enough, he feels responsible for having failed to protect Arrietty from the crow. [[spoiler: He does, however, help Arrietty and her family escape to a safer home by the end of the film.]]

* Woobie: Sho. Poor, poor Sho. As if his lifelong sickness and heart condition weren't enough, he feels responsible for having failed to protect Arrietty from the crow. [[spoiler: He does, however, help Arrietty and her family escape to a safer home by the end of the film.]]

* The Woobie: Sho. Poor, poor Sho. As if his lifelong sickness and heart condition weren't enough, he feels responsible for having failed to protect Arrietty from the crow. [[spoiler: He does, however, help Arrietty and her family escape to a safer home by the end of the film.]]

* NonActionGuy: Sho, due to his heart condition. Even running for a short distance worn him out.

* CulturalTranslation: Unlike many Ghibli films in the past, some names where changed in the dub, although the backgrounds make it clear where it is actually set.

* ForbiddenFriendship[=/=]OddFriendship: Between Arrietty and Sho.
* FriendToBugs: Arrietty is shown idly playing with a pill bug early in the movie. She rolls it up in her hands, tosses it up and down like a ball, then sets it down to let it rejoin its mate.
** That's less FriendToBugs more a less threatening version of BigCreepyCrawlies. Bugs are simply a fact of everyday life to the Borrowers. Arrietty plays with a bug, but doesn't really pay it any serious mind. In fact at one point she is attacked by crickets, not exactly the friendliest moment.