By Narayan Saimbi
When most of us think of Studio Ghibli, films such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro come to mind. We think of childlike wonder and exploration, with some darker themes within the main story as well. However, I want to highlight one of the best, yet one of the most underrated Studio Ghibli films, that tackles more mature themes whilst maintaining that standard Miyazaki charm. Introducing: Porco Rosso.
Image Credits: Porco Rosso (1992), Netflix
Porco Rosso (1992) takes place after the First World War during the rise of fascism in Italy. We follow the main character Porco Rosso, a “pig-headed” fighter pilot turned bounty hunter as he fights seaplane pirates around the Adriatic Sea. His headquarters is a remote island and he spends his free time dining in the Hotel Adriano, a hotel owned by his friend Gina.
As fascism continues to rise in Italy, the government begins to work with the pirates Porco pursues, putting Porco out of a job and making him an outlaw in mainland Italy. Regardless of this, Porco is forced to venture into Milan after his plane gets severely damaged by an American pilot hired by the pirates to eliminate Porco. Through this dangerous escapade, we are introduced to Fio- the fiery engineer who repairs Porco’s plane and is his companion throughout the rest of his adventures throughout the rest of the film. The remainder of the film follows Porco and Fio’s adventures fighting pirates and escaping from fascist Italy.
Themes in the Film
Whilst the film’s dialogue does have an overall jovial tone, the use of war as a focal point of the movie hammers home some more mature and realistic themes that other Ghibli films don’t put forward. The main reason why Porco is cursed to look like a pig is due to his survivor’s guilt, caused by him being the sole survivor of a dogfight during the First World War. Loss is also a constant theme throughout the movie, with Gina having lost all of her husbands, whilst Porco has lost almost all of his friends as a consequence of war.
Unsurprisingly, fascism is also a major theme throughout the film. There is a pivotal scene in the film, where Porco meets up with his old aviation partner Rory in a crowded cinema. Rory asks Porco to join the Italian Air Force and fight in Europe, in the hope that Porco will no longer be pursued by the state as an outlaw. Porco states that he’d “rather be a pig than a fascist”- a clear indicator that Porco would rather remain outside the world of man than within it. Porco is an evident believer in freedom- freedom to fly where he wants, freedom to come and go as he chooses. Ultimately, he believes in the freedom to live. And fascist Italy just doesn’t quite do that for him.
Image Credits: Porco Rosso (1992), Netflix
Love is the other major theme but it manifests itself in different ways. Of course, you have the typical Ghibli romantic love. The slow-burn between Porco and Gina is constantly in our minds as the film progresses, with the climax of the film centering around this. However, there is another type of love that manifests itself. That is, the love for humanity and the art of living.
As Porco spends more time with Fio, he slowly begins to have faith in humanity again. After the First World War, Porco was emotionally distraught and rejected any notion that the world was a good place to be and that humans were good people. But during his time with Fio, his faith in humanity is restored. Whether it’s her unweathered determination to get Porco’s plane up in the sky again, or her insistent desire to accompany him on his adventures, or even the fact that she puts her own neck on the line to save Porco from pirates, Fio’s role in Porco’s life rejuvenates him and allows a love for the world to blossom inside Porco once more.
Image Credits: Porco Rosso (1992), Netflix
That’s Porco Rosso for you. A delightfully charming Studio Ghibli film, but one that delves a lot more into more mature and complex themes than some of Miyazaki’s other works. Porco Rosso is a classic and one that I highly recommend you to check out.
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