From Up On Poppy Hill ... Creepy, Yet Endearing

"We're ... WHAT!?" Umi Matsuzaki and Shun Kazama share a
semi-tender moment in Studio Ghiblis', From Up On Poppy Hill.

From Up On Poppy Hill ... Creepy, Yet Endearing


Boy meets girl.

Boy and girl fall in love.

Boy and girl find out they might be brother and sister (EEEEEW! That's disgusting! Creep factor kicks in.).

Boy and girl later confess their love for one another anyway (EEEEEW! That's even more disgusting! Creep factor climbing.).

HENTAI TIME!

Uh ... no ...

Boy and girl later find they're NOT related.

Happy end.

Still no hentai.

I'm fine with that.

Now go away sick boy.

You're creepy too.

And NOT endearing.

Actually, the movie is much better than my above summation would have one think.

From Up On Poppy Hill is a heartwarming film about the emotional confusion stemming from such a situation. Set in early '60s Japan, we're given a sincere, non-prurient story wherein the two young protagonists struggle in dealing with their conflicting feelings. In the end, things turn out just fine.

I at first thought that, since there was nothing fantasy, mystical, or science fiction related, why this couldn't have been done live action. But then, it probably would have been a lot more expensive trying to recreate a Japan (Early '60s.) that doesn't exist anymore. Contrast this to "present day" anime with their all paved roadways, super sanitized streets, and ultramodern architecture.

Kyu Sakamotos' song, "Sukiyaki"/I Look Up When I Walk is "aired" at least twice, adding to the period feel.

All in all, get this film. While it doesn't have the giant robots, tropes, tsunderes and other etcetera one usually associates with anime, one will find From Up On Poppy Hill worth a view.


Wikipedia article for From Up On Poppy Hill here.

Kyu Sakamotos' song "Sukiyaki"/I Look Up When I Walk, with translated lyrics, here.

Film related Anime Music Video, sung by Rina here. As it says at the end: "Be sure to watch the film if you haven't already!"


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