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
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