Kara Dennison
May 31, 2025 
Thanks to the film comics of Studio Ghibli‘s classic films, fans have many ways to enjoy their favorites. Whether a film is currently inaccessible or you just want to sit and enjoy the art, it’s a great addition to your library. And this summer, the Ponyo film comic is coming together in a 592-page all-in-one edition!
We’ve got an early look at this upcoming release. How well does it adapt the movie? What are the ups and downs of sharing this title with young readers? Read on and find out!
Tiny Little Fish
For those somehow not in the know, Ponyo is a 2008 anime film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The Studio Ghibli production follows the magical goldfish named Brunhilde as she befriends a human boy named Sosuke. After he renames her (hence the film’s title) and she heals his wounded finger, she begins to want to live in the human world. Her father, a magician named Fujimoto, is very much against this. But, because she loves both Sosuke and ham, the young fish pursues her new human life.
The magic involved in this quest throws nature out of alignment. To save his new friend and set the world right, Sosuke will have to pass a test. If he fails, the young fish-girl will turn into seafoam. But, of course, most of us know how this movie really ends.
Reading Time
The film comic of Ponyo is a wonderful release for several reasons. Most obviously, fans can enjoy hundreds of pages of art from the film. The book is assembled in traditional manga formatting, meaning each screenshot is a panel. So don’t expect huge glossy reproductions. This is for reading comic-style, and thus the layout approximates the pacing and flow of a manga.
This is also great, for the most part, for young fans. Kids can read on their own or with a parent, reliving moments from a favorite film. And it makes a lovely gift for young fans who might already have the movie on Blu-Ray!
Things to Consider
The major downside of the Ponyo film comic is the same as the downside for other Ghibli film comics: the sound effects. Rather than being translated on the page, a special index at the back translates them by page and panel. While there’s really no tidy or aesthetically pleasing way to handle this, since we’re dealing with color screenshots, this does pose a problem. Long-time manga readers can likely muddle through the katakana or won’t mind flipping back and forth. But it could pose a slight problem for younger readers.
Even with this issue in mind, the Ponyo film comic is great to have available in English. Moreover, it’s great to have it all collected in one place. Whether as a novelty or as a family read, this is one to pick up for the summer.
The Ponyo Film Comic All-in-One Edition goes on sale July 22.
