Studio Ghibli's Ponyo & It's Wonderful Cast

Ponyo was the last anime movie I watched. My anime journey so far has been quite fun I got to say. I’ve almost always picked out movie titles that sounded a bit off the regular path and thankfully the movies too have turned out so. Unusual, funny, and simple but with little life lessons tucked right in.

The film tells the story of Ponyo, a goldfish who escapes from the ocean and is rescued by a five-year-old human boy, Sōsuke after she is washed ashore while trapped in a glass jar.

As they bond with each other, the story deals with resolving Ponyo's desire to become a human girl, against the devastating circumstances brought about by her acquisition and use of magic. I enjoyed watching every little bit of it and now, I’ll walk you through Ponyo’s wonderful cast.

1. Ponyo

Ponyo is this goldfish with magical powers who gets swept to the shore stuck in a glass jar. That’s when she’s found by this boy named Sosuke. He rescues her and very gently keeps her in a green bucket.

Excited about having found a goldfish, he takes her to school and takes good care of her all day long. Ponyo who is happy as ever, tells Sosuke that she loves him. But soon after, a big wave comes and Ponyo is taken back to the sea.

Later though, determined to be more like humans she uses her magical powers to grow feet & hands. Ponyo is the child of Fujimoto who is known to be the magician of the sea & Granmamare who is the Sea Goddess.

So it's understood that she too has been born with magical powers. Cute little Ponyo loves tea & ham. But more than that, she loves the little guy Sosuke and so she gives up magic to turn into a human and that’s their happily ever after.

2. Sosuke

Sosuke is a boy who stays with his mother, Lisa in a house near the shore. One day he walks down to the edge of the ocean with his little boat and finds a goldfish stuck in a glass jar.

The very kind, gentle, and caring Sosuke rescues the goldfish, names her Ponyo, and spends all day with her. But later that evening, she’s taken back by the sea, which really upsets him.

The same night, his father is unable to come back from the ship and that really upsets the mother. But being the mature young kid that he is, he explains to her how she shouldn’t be mad at his dad for not keeping his promise. How he too had promised to take care of Ponyo but he couldn’t and wonders if she’s at sea too, crying like his mother is.

3. Lisa

Lisa is Sosuke’s mother in the movie Ponyo. Her husband is mostly at sea as he’s the captain of the ship and she takes care of Sosuke, the house, and works a job at an Elderly shelter.

With her extremely fast driving throughout the movie, she might come across as reckless, but she’s anything but that. During the storm when the entire town is chaotic, Lisa goes to take care of the elders at the shelter.

She leaves Sosuke in charge of Ponyo & the house. She also explains to him how he’s only 5 but wise beyond his years. Not only is she responsible, but also lovely for trusting her little kid to do the right thing.

4. Fujimoto

Ponyo once called him the evil magician and he’s tricky to figure out at the beginning of the movie. But later it’s evident that he only wishes the best for his daughter. Once upon a time, he too was a human, now he’s a wizard. A wizard who dresses up in a quirky striped blazer and pants and has the funkiest hair.

5. Granmamare

Ponyo’s mother and Fujimoto’s wife, Granmamare is the Sea Goddess who is shiny, huge, and full of magic! She has the ability to read minds and heal the earth.

She comes to the rescue when Ponyo is going through this transformation & decides that it’s best for Ponyo to permanently turn into a human if she lets go of her magical powers.

The movie ends on a happy note, Sosuke accepts Ponyo as she is. She lets go of her magical powers and turns into a human forever. What I loved most about the ending, was Fujimoto’s goodbye to Sosuke. He shakes hands with him and asks him to take good care of Ponyo. That, I think goes to show how he thinks of him as someone who is caring and loving, not just a little boy.

Ah, What a delightful anime movie!