From Up on Poppy Hill

From Up on Poppy Hill (Japanese コクリコ坂から, Hepburn Kokuriko-zaka kara) is a 2011 Studio Ghibli film by director Goro Miyazaki, son of the acclaimed Hayao Miyazaki based on a 1980s manga of the same name by Tetsuo Sayama and Chizuru Takahashi. It is Goro Miyazaki's second film for Studio Ghibli. In contrast to his first work, Tales From Earthsea, his second effort was rather well received.

The heroine, Umi Matsuzaki, is a high school girl in Yokohama of 1963. From her home overlooking the bay, she raises flag signals every morning meaning "I pray for safe voyages". One day, she receives an answer, as it turns out, from Shun Kazama, one class above her.

In preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and generally with the developing economic miracle, Japan is quickly modernizing, often razing the old to make way for the modern. At Umi's school, the old building of the Culture Club, nicknamed Quartier Latin by the students, is decided to be torn down. The film follows the students' efforts to reverse this decision, and, being a Slice of Life film, the students' day to day activities.


 * Bilingual Bonus:
 * When Umi's mum visits her, after staying in America, she brings back beef jerky. The phrase "ORIGINAL BEEF JERKY" is visible on the package.
 * The name of the boarding house, Coquelicot Manor, with Coquelicot meaning corn poppy in French. Also the Quartier Latin written above the entrance of the titular location reflecting the spelling in French, although it is worth noting that the English subtitles use Quarter instead.
 * Blush Sticker: Umi gets them in a brief scene just before hopping on Shun's bike.
 * Brother-Sister Incest:
 * Creative Closing Credits: The credits sequence involves Umi and Shun sailing back to shore from a boat, Umi putting up flags and looking at the sunrise, and a pan over a painting.
 * Family Theme Naming: The characters Umi, Sora, and Riku, who all live at the boarding house, has names which mean sea, sky, and land, respectively.
 * Gratuitous French: Especially Quartier Latin and "Kokuriko" (from "coquelicot" - corn poppy).
 * High School: Where the Quartier Latin — which serves as housing for after school clubs — is located. It is worth noting that many of the tropes associated with a high school, such an Alpha Bitch and Sadist Teacher are averted, as the film only uses the school as a backdrop to its events.
 * Large Ham: The philosophy club guy. Quite literally too, he's at least a head taller than everyone else.
 * Meaningful Name: Umi means sea in Japanese, reflecting the crucial role the ocean and boats play in this film.
 * Men Can't Keep House: The Quartier Latin (occupied by only men) is utterly squalid. One of the plot points is regarding women helping clean out the Quartier Latin to make it more appealing.
 * Opening Narration: In the English dub, Umi does this to introduce audiences to the setting and time period.
 * Parental Abandonment: Neither Umi's nor Shun's birth parents are around, most are dead. Umi lives with her grandmother, Shun with his foster father.
 * Slice of Life: The film is set in 1964 Japan starring Ordinary High School Students, and unlike most other Ghibli productions, features no supernatural elements.
 * Stuff Blowing Up: The chemistry club causes an explosion as an Establishing Character Moment.
 * Together Umbrella: Umi and Shun stands under one of those. This trope is partially inverted, as it is used while