Goro Miyazaki, the son of famed Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki, has large shoes to fill. After the eventual retirement of his father he may be forced to live up to the dazzling reputation that his father has set forth in many anime classics. With "From Up On Poppy Hill" Goro takes the reigns once again (he has directed anime before) and offers a whimsical, delightful tale that, though not living up to the best of his father's work, is an entertaining spectacle.
The film centres around a young teenage girl, Umi, who helps run a boarding house in the time when she is not attending high school and is busy with homework. There is an old, run-down clubhouse that the boys of the school attend that is under the risk of being demolished to make way for the 1984 Summer Olympics to be held in Tokyo. There is a platonic relationship the develops between Umi and one of the boys who, over the course of the story, learn things about their past that brings to light unexpected surprises about their own histories and family pasts. Meanwhile, Umi and her fellow female classmates along with the males do what they can to prevent the eventual destruction of their beloved clubhouse.
The story is simple but elegant, the characters are interesting, and the visuals are quite stunning. This is a winning contribution to the Studio Ghibli pantheon and sets Goro up as an adequate heir to the Hayao legacy. I liked "From Up On Poppy Hill" and if you are looking for a good anime film to divert you from the drudgery of modern life I suggest you watch this nice little animated feature.
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