History Headscratchers / PonyoOnTheCliffByTheSea

** To answer your questions in the order they were asked. 1. The mix wasn't ready to use yet, he wanted to wait until the well was full on his own time. 2. He wasn't gonna dump it, he specifically said when they well gets full the new age begins. In other words earth would be screwed the second he filled the well to the brim. 3. Fujimoto used to be human before he married the Goddess of Mercy.

* Remember Lisa criticizing Fujimoto for spraying what she didn't know was 'the purest ocean water'? Why is it in Japanese, they translate it to "insecticide", but in the English dub, they say "weed killer"? Do they think [[ViewersAreMorons we can't wrap our minds around the word]]?

** It's a Miyazaki flick, main characters are always driving like maniacs, be it a car here, [[KikisDeliveryService a broomstick]] or Fujimoto's boat.

* All right, what was up with that scene where Ponyo "cures" the baby's cold by [[NoSenseOfPersonalSpace assaulting his/her face?]] It's a [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment jarring moment no one mentions again in the film]] and for this troper, it takes something away from Ponyo's normally charming demeanor. Also, why didn't the baby's mom react? Had that been me, I would've gone [[BerserkButton ape-shit]] if I saw some strange girl doing whatever to my child.
** They're treating the fact that their entire island is mostly underwater as something near a picnic. These people are either in a dream-state, or Ponyo's {{glomp}} is the least of that childs problems.
** The mother didn't react (other than to display her befuddlement) because she has no reason whatsoever to believe Ponyo would do anything harmful to the child. Ponyo, a ''five year-old girl'' (as far as she knows) just went and smooshed her face against the baby's, making it laugh and laugh happily. If that's "assault" then infants and preschoolers everywhere should be charged with assault and battery. (Also, from experience, some babies indeed love playing like that. YMMV, but it doesn't immediately make Ponyo's affection "assault.")
** The whole "cold" thing was added into the English dub. The baby is just upset that Ponyo left in the Japanese version, which makes a bit more sense. She went back to comfort the kid, not to cure him.
*** Okay then, weird translation, Disney. Yet even so, that actually makes the scene more uncomfortable and without charm. I dunno, maybe it's because I value/need personal space because I have issues with certain forms of touch. So even if it was that the child was upset about her leaving, as a parent, I would find it unsettling that another child, regardless of age, decides to make my own child feel better by suddenly invading his personal space. So if that's the case, then I suppose it's my own values that makes this an issue that bugs me.

* Is Sosuke's mom just insanely irresponsible? Why on Earth would you leave two CHILDREN up in a house that's clearly flooded. I don't buy that "Sosuke's a pretty smart kid" excuse either. Having a good mind doesn't save you from DROWNING. Also, what is up with her driving?
** Personally, I prefer the driving to the stopping the car for five minutes in the middle of a chase sequence against a raging flood, because her son thinks he saw a girl running atop a school of colossal fish made of water. (Which he did, and who wouldn't look out for endangered kids, but still.)
** First, the house is on a cliff, and most likely one of the highest places in the area. Hence making it one of the SAFEST places in a flood. Second, the house has a light signal to communicate to ships at sea, so if they NEEDED help they would have an on-hand effective method to alert those passing by who would have the methods and training to help. Third, it's not unusual to leave children home alone for a couple hours if they have been demonstrated to handle it; and we can all assume not only that Sosuke is able to but that he could also help Ponyo handle it. And as to the driving...I recommend coming here for a day and then complain about her driving. Not to mention any possible need to rush when you are being chased by the ocean itself.
*** I don't find those sufficient excuses for her leaving. She is a mother. Her husband is trapped at sea during a typhoon. There's a decent chance he would perish out there and the same to her if she leaves. I don't care how clever her 5-year-old is. I don't even care whether or not the house was well stocked (I forget if it was). No mother should risk orphaning her child(ren) when she has a viable option not to.

* One for the viewers: Why is everyone taking a ''Studio Ghibli'' film done by ''Miyazaki'' told from the point of view of ''two children'' so seriously? Overall, all logical questions can be answered by the following: MAGIC. Problems are solved by the power of love. Why? ''Because that's all a five year old wants''.

** This troper recalls that Sosuke said to the sea goddess: "I love ALL the Ponyos!" This seems to indicate that it is Sosuke's love for the living things of the ocean that has brought the world back into balance, not (or not ''just'') his love for Ponyo herself.

** To answer your questions in the order they were asked. 1. The mix wasn't ready to use yet, he wanted to wait until the well was full on his own time. 2. He wasn't gonna dump it, he specifically said when they well gets full the new age begins. In other words earth would be screwed the second he filled the well to the brim. 3. Fujimoto used to be human before he married the Goddess of Mercy.

* So when Fujimoto is putting his elixirs in the well, he talks about how if "one living creature" got into the elixir then the balance of nature would be disrupted. Sure enough, that's what happens when Ponyo floods the room and opens the door to the well. But... he's planning to eventually dump it all into the sea anyway, bringing about a new Devonian Age (and killing off all the humans somehow). Wouldn't that irreversibly upset the balance of nature and destroy the world? And also, how come Fujimoto can look human (even though he apparently isn't one) and use magic, but Ponyo can't?

* Those bubbles that appear around the characters when they are in water... what exactly are they? Air? Purest Ocean Water? [[NeonGenesisEvangelion LCL]]? Because all humans are surrounded by one under water, I thought it was air, but when Ponyo is trapped in one by Fujimoto when she attempts to transform, she breathes bubbles.

* So when Fujimoto is putting his elixirs in the well, he talks about how if "one living creature" got into the elixir then the balance of nature would be disrupted. Sure enough, that's what happens when Ponyo floods the room and opens the door to the well. But... he's planning to eventually dump it all into the sea anyway, bringing about a new Devonian Age (and killing off all the humans somehow). Wouldn't <i>that</i> irreversibly upset the balance of nature and destroy the world? And also, how come Fujimoto can look human (even though he apparently isn't one) and use magic, but Ponyo can't?

** But the moon falling destroys the balance of the entire world.

* Why is Fujimoto suddenly so concerned about the sea level rising? Wasn't that his plan to begin with? Drown out humanity and let nature thrive outside of their influence?

* Why is Fujimoko suddenly so concerned about the sea level rising? Wasn't that his plan to begin with? Drown out humanity and let nature thrive outside of their influence?

*** Or if they didn't it may not matter. Some fish from long ago, for example the Coelacanth (of WhatMeasureIsANonCute fame) are still around, and with the [[AWorldwidePunomenon lack of depth]] with which humans have explored the oceans, some of the dino-fish could be out there RIGHT NOW.

* The animation in Ponyo bugs me. It isn't crisp and colorful, like in every other Miyazaki production, it looks more like someone used crayons and watercolor paint on the backgrounds.
** It's the intended look. B'sides, this page isn't for complaints, it's for FridgeLogic.
*** IS IT? IF it is then the page should say. NB: THIS IS ONLY FOR FRIDGE LOGIC.
**** All JustBugsMe pages are for FridgeLogic. Unfortunately, a lot of them get derailed by people who think they're complaint bins.
** That's the beauty of it - you ''inherently know'' that colored pencil and watercolor paint were used and yet it still manages to look awesome.
*** Cut Miyazaki a break, this IS his first film without using any computer animation whatsoever. I think he did a damn fine job on it.

* While I enjoyed the movie thoroughly, I'll admit a few things did bug me. It does feel like there were elements missings, which could be a result of them making the movie largely more for kids this time around. For one, Fujimoto's plot seems to get booted out of the story once Ponyo mucks up the well, with not even something like him saying "Maybe I'll postpone the new sea age." Of course, it's understandable that they probably couldn't work in a conceivable climax that would work with Sosuke's young age and not suddenly have him pulling off unrealistic heroic moments. Only other little nitpicks would be that they don't quite explain why Ponyo falls asleep, as Fujimoto seems to imply he or his wife were the ones making her sleepy. Overall, it still works nicely for a kids movie, and the faults, if anything, should be easily ignored when considering it's just that, a kid's movie.

** There are in fact parts of Japan where families refer to one another by first names as a sign of affection and familiarity. Like many cultural behaviours, it seems odd to outsiders who don't practice this, but perfectly normal to those who do.

** It's not too much to hope for some solid character development when the movie has an entire subplot about the continuously-strained relationship between Sosuke's parents.