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 "Quarter Latin" by the students, is decided to be torn down. Can the students, including Umi and Shun, really do anything against this decision?


 * Blush Sticker: Umi gets them in a brief scene just before hopping on Shun's bike.
 * Brother-Sister Incest:
 * Gratuitous French: Especially "Quartier Latin" and "Kokuriko" (from "coquelicot" - corn poppy)
 * 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.
 * Theme Naming: The characters Umi, Sora, and Riku means sea, sky, and land, respectively.