Product Info

Studio

Studio Ponoc

Director

Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Genre

Adventure, Animation, Family

Rated

PG

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Jan 19, 2018

Film Length

1h 42min

Purchase From

Amazon

Best Buy

Target

Mary and the Witch’s Flower is vibrant, whimsical and while this is not a Studio Ghibli film, it’s a solid start for Studio Ponoc.

About Studio Ponoc

Studio Ponoc is a Japanese animation studio that was founded in 2015 by Yoshiaki Nishimura. When Studio Ghibli decided in 2014 to stop producing films (only to start back up again in 2017), some of the workers, including Yoshiaki wanted to continue with their work. Yoshiaki, who produced two films with Studio Ghibli along with a few animators, began to collaborate on the first film for Studio Ponoc, Mary and the Witch’s Flower.

The Little Broom

Mary and the Witch’s Flower is based off of Mary Stewart’s The Little Broomstick. The main character, Mary Smith, a self-conscious redhead and klutzy girl, is residing at her Great Aunt Charlotte’s home out in the English countryside while her parents are out of the country. One day, Mary follows a black cat named Tib into a forest, and uncovers a small, unique flower called “Fly-by-Night”. This flower only blooms every seven years. Mary, being very intrigued with the plant, snaps a piece off of it and takes it home with her.

The next day, Mary encounters Tib again and follows him into the forest, but into a different area where she encounters an old broom stuck behind vines. After taking the broom out, Tib squishes one of the pieces of flower in Mary’s hands. While holding the broom, it wakes up from a deep slumber, and colorful magical powers absorb into Mary’s hands. The broom, having a mind of its own, abruptly flies into the sky with Mary and Tib on board, and they visit a magical school called Endor College.

Endor College is a school for magic, and is run by headmistress Madam Mumblechook. The college resembles a mixture between Harry Potter’s Hogwarts and Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, though not as enchanting. The visual appeal when Mary visits the school was fascinating with regard to the whimsical magic, but the studio didn’t develop that aspect of the story so it left a lot to the imagination.

Mumblechook and Doctor Dee believe Mary is a prodigy because of her red hair and magical abilities, which when paired together make for the most powerful kind of witch. While the circumstances Mary has encountered have been everything she could ever dream, things begin to take a dive. The teachers discover that Mary’s abilities are from the flower, and it puts her in imminent danger along with her friends Peter and Tib. With her teachers being obsessed with the “Fly-by-Night” flowers, Mary has to confront many obstacles that are thrown at her to keep it from being used in the wrong way. 

While the story isn’t as strong and memorable when compared to other Japanese animated films, it does successfully deliver life messages: Staying strong when things are hard, and acknowledging that your faults could be your biggest asset.

Colorful World

One of the first things noticeable about the movie is how vibrant the world is. Bright, colorful, and when magic is involved it looks even more energetic.

With animators coming from Studio Ghibli, the character designs look very similar, which is no surprise. Madam Mumblechook resembles Zeniba from Spirited Away with regards to the visual aspect and some personality traits.

Since the film’s creators were once part of Studio Ghibli, it’s hard to prevent comparing Mary and the Witch’s Flower to popular films such as Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service. You’ll want to keep in mind that Studio Ponoc is an entirely different entity that may create similar styles to Studio Ghibli, but it still holds their own.

Let it Be Heard

The film’s soundtrack was orchestrated and captured the tone well. The ending theme, “Rain” performed by Sekai No Owari was one of the best vocal tracks, with a gentle, catchy melody that makes the listener feel a plethora of emotions.

Overall

Mary and the Witch’s Flower is a strong start for Studio Ponoc, filled with magical adventures and colorful visuals. Those who have interest in animated films should visit this magical world.