Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

The Studio Ghibli film, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is an animated fantasy tale like no other. Set in a remote, traditional fishing village, this is the tale of a friendly young boy named Sosuke who rescues a goldfish he finds drifting in a glass jar by the shore. The goldfish is actually Brunhilde, the fish child of a scientist-wizard father named Fujimoto and a goddess mother, Granmamare. She had wandered away from the safety of her underwater home due to a curious desire to see the world. Once found by five-year-old Sosuke and renamed Ponyo, the adventure for the duo is set to begin, but their friendship is cut short when her father has her retrieved.

Separated from Sosuke, Ponyo decides that she wants to be human and begins to conspire to return to land. Through magic, her wish to transform results in a metamorphosis which Fujimoto is, at first, able to counter. Not wanting to give up, the determined Ponyo breaks into her father's potions, accidentally spilling them. This barrage of magic causes the ocean to be inundated with large waves and a massive tsunami that affects fishing vessels, roads, and the many inhabitants of the island, but through it all, Ponyo is able to become human, find Sosuke, and meet his strong-willed mother, Lisa, who takes the two children home to wait out the storm.

Once home with Sosuke, Ponyo experiences the delights of the world. Unfortunately, the imbalance of magic and nature starts to have an affect on more than just the ocean current, so it's up to the bravery, adaptability, and love of young Sosuke to make things right again. Not only is Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea a story about love, friendship, and determination, it's about the relationship between parents and children, respect of nature, and the magic of wishes.