Mary and the Witch’s Flower

For the young, ever eager Mary Smith, the last thing she ever expected to discover after moving to the English Countryside…was a sparkling blue flower with magical properties.  Now she can ride a broom and enter a world where those who want to learn magic go to Endor College.  Little does Mary know, this is all just the beginning of the ultimate adventure.  Soon she’ll be chased by wizards after her source of power, looking to change the world.  But these magical pros have underestimated the girl with red hair and just as Mary’s world has been changed by magic, Mary is about to show the magical world just what she’s capable of too.

As the debut film from Studio Ponoc, Mary and the Witch’s Flower puts to the test the skills of a group of animators who honed said skills in one of Anime’s most legendary houses: Studio Ghibli.  The end result is a film that is littered with elements from many of Ghibli’s most memorable films but still manages to stand strong on its own thanks to a strong story of courage, great animation and an endearing lead girl. 

I’ll admit, the Ghibli nods made me a little uncertain about the film at times.  There are shades of Naussica, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle just to name a few within the opening act of the movie.  It’s already hard enough trying to distinguish Mary from any of those films mostly cause the gorgeous artwork feels very Ghibli.  However, the more you look at it, the more you see that the movie never tries to get by on those references.  It’s almost a message in a way, Ponoc letting you know they love the films they helped bring to life before they moved on to make their own.  As such, I looked at the nods and refs as friendly waves, letting me know that the studio is starting off on a good foot and even if it feels familiar, it can still be a joy to watch.

Besides the great animation, the strongest element of the film for me was the titular Mary herself.  I was tuned in almost from minute one.  I enjoyed her energy, her determination to do something exciting and helpful only to mess up accidentally.  It told me she was going to have a bit of a blast once the story really got going.  Discovering a world of magic and the ability to use said magic would freak anyone out at first.  Mary is no exception but I always had a feeling that her will to work out a problem and always give things her all would keep her alright in the end.  I never got bored with or lost faith in this girl.  If Naussica was Ghibli’s flagship heroine to kick off its legacy, I really hope the world comes to see Mary as the same for Ponoc.

By the end of the movie and trying to think of things to cover in this review, I found myself not really wanting to focus on things I didn’t like about the movie.  Or rather, it was hard to think of what I didn’t like.  Maybe I could have asked for more from Endor College, or maybe a spin off set within it (a prequel maybe?).  I could admit that the college title did make me shake my head with a smirk…if you’re a nerd you cant hear “Endor” and not think that Ewoks are going to show up at some point doing a parade or something.  Maybe we could have sped up the introduction of the magical elements which led to Mary’s first flight to Endor itself.  Or perhaps a little more focus on the blossoming friendship between Mary and Peter.  In the end, anything I have to say beyond the earlier initial reactions to all the Ghibli shoutouts is really just a bunch of nitpicks.  I really liked this movie.

Stepping out from the shadow of a legendary Anime studio can be tough, but it can be done.  Like Studio Trigger emerging from Gainax to create Little Witch Academia and Kill La Kill, Studio Ponoc has proved solely with Mary and the Witch’s Flower alone that theyre ready to make their mark.  Their film is infused with the same magic and wonder and heart of any Miyazaki or Takahata directed feature.  The art, the brilliantly painted sequences and a really likeable and strong heroine are a solid start for Ponoc.  It sets the bar high for them to make a follow up.  But if the studio is anything like Mary herself, I think they’re gonna be just fine.

9/10