Screenwriters: Melissa Mathison, Hayao Miyazaki

Producer: Toshio Suzuki

When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a powerful sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.

An endlessly enthusiastic Miyazaki fan, Doug penned the following: 

In anticipation of the upcoming release of Ponyo, Hayao Miyazaki agreed to make a rare visit to America. As if making up for all the times he didn’t come to the States, such as when he skipped the Academy Awards the year Spirited Away won Best Animated Feature, Miyazaki managed to do a lot during his time here. His first stop was the San Diego Comic-Con, where he received a standing ovation from Hall H’s 6500-strong audience. Next, it was up to the Bay Area, where he accepted an award from the Center for Japanese Studies at University of California: Berkeley. Then, he traveled to Los Angeles, where he hosted a screening of Ponyo at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and endured a day of press conferences. “I’m sorry, but I don’t really like these sorts of events,” Miyazaki told a small room full of journalists in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, he was mostly gracious, answering questions and accepting accolades wherever he went. I was lucky enough to be present for two of his stateside appearances—Comic-Con and the Los Angeles press conference.  -Doug Jones