The Borrower Arrietty

The Borrower Arrietty (Japanese 借りぐらしのアリエッティ Hepburn Karigurashi no Arietty), also known as The Secret World of Arriety, or simply Arrietty, is a 2010 Studio Ghibli film directed Hiromasa Yonebayashi and written by Hayao Miyazaki, in what marks the former's directorial debut. It's based on Mary Norton's series The Borrowers. The film was released to critical acclaim, and won the Animation of the Year award at the Japanese Academy Prize. The film grossed nearly $150 million, and is one of the highest grossing anime films not based on an existing anime franchise.

I'm fourteen years old, I'm pretty
I am a teeny tiny girl, a little lady
I live under the kitchen floor
Right here, not so far from you

—Arrietty's Song

Arrietty is a young member of a race known as the Borrowers. As one might suspect from that name, they make their living stealing items (borrowing, in their parlance) from the giant "human beans." Their primary rule is to avoid ever being seen by these terrifying creatures, regardless of how friendly or supportive they are. One day, a boy moves into the house Arrietty's family borrows from, and on her first borrowing trip, she is spotted by the boy. The rest of the film focuses on Arrietty's both internal and external struggles after being seen, and her interactions with the boy.

The film hit UK cinemas in the summer of 2011 under the shortened title Arrietty, in Australia in the summer of 2011, and was released in February of 2012 by Disney in the US, retitled as The Secret World of Arriety. The film has a Disney dub and a separate UK dub.

Tropes used in The Borrower Arrietty include:

Actor Allusion: This is not the first time real-life couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler had roles in the same movie! ... One of them playing a "tiny person raising a child!"
Action Girl: Arrietty, natch.
Alternative Foreign Theme Song: During the ending credits, in the Disney's English dub a cover of the Thematic Theme Tune "Arrietty's Song" is used for around two minutes. Then, Disney switches to the specifically composed "Summertime" by Bridgit Mendler. In the UK dub as well as the original Japanese track, "Arrietty's Song" is played for the entirety of the end credits.
Animated Adaptation: The Film of the Book of The Borrowers by Mary Norton.
Animation Bump: Apparent with the close-ups and Scenery Porn sweeping shots, especially with the flora and fauna, which move rather realistically with the wind.
Arcadia: Even though the film takes place in a mansion in a city, the characters all live calm and relaxed lifestyles. Sho frequently lies in the garden and reads books. Arrietty likes to explore the neighbouring plants and wildlife. Greenery plays a huge part in the film, as Arrietty hides behind it or climbs up it.
The Archer: Spiller, though the audience never sees him use it in action. The first time was really just to show off to Arrietty and to show how the bow is used. The second time around, he aims for Sho when he sees the latter conversing with Arrietty, but realizing that they're saying their farewells, he backs off.
Audible Sharpness: Arrietty's pin/sword.
Badass Adorable: Arrietty. Spiller when he's trying to show off for Arriety.
Badass Cape: Spiller has a fur cape that doubles nicely as a hang glider. In a shot, audience members gets to see Spiller use it to glide across the sky and moon from Arrietty's perspective down below.
Balcony Escape: When Haru locks the door to Sho's room, he climbs out the window and moves along the rooftop to an adjacent window. Arrietty then unlocks the window, and he climbs in.
Bamboo Technology: The Borrowers' technology mostly consists of scraped together things they collected from humans. This doesn't stop them from creating advanced and powerful tools, though.
Beauty Equals Goodness: All of the good characters are drawn to be normal and decent-looking. Haru, on the other hand, looks rather toad-like half of the time. She starts out looking acceptable and noble, but as her antics goes on her appearance slowly becomes more ugly.
Big Creepy-Crawlies: Any bugs when drawn in comparison to the Borrowers. Ants are the size of rats to them, and crickets are as big as dogs. Arrietty uses a pin to scare them off, and it's portrayed as a heroic and exhausting act.
Big Fancy House: Almost every scene in the film takes place in the house, which is filled with serene and ornate grass and trees. In the house, it's difficult to tell that it's actually in the middle of a big city, due to its size and the abundance of wildlife.
Bittersweet Ending: Arrietty and her family ultimately move away from the house, the Borrowers never ended up using the doll house like Sho's great-grandfather hoped, and Sho soon faces his operation. However, Arrietty and Sho tenderly part ways, exchanging tokens to each other, and it's implied that Arrietty and her family will live in a more hopeful and safe place. In the Disney dub, Sho's operation was a success. He was basically preparing to die beforehand, but the ending narration reveals that he's still alive a whole year later.
Bland-Name Product: We briefly see a bottle of "Ivori Soap".
Blush Sticker: Arrietty gets a severe case of them once Sho first sees her.
Boy Meets Girl: In this case, the trope is used in an interesting way. The size difference between Arrietty and Sho, as well as the Borrowers' rule to never be seen, means that Arrietty is embarrassed and slowly walks away. Sho, however, is persistent in trying to speak to her, even leaving the cube of sugar she dropped while retreating close by her house.
Butt Monkey: If anything bad happens, it's always to Homily. She gets captured by Haru, and has to watch her house get taken apart when Sho places the doll house kitchen in her home.
Cats Are Mean: Played straight at first--Sho's cat Niya is a mean predatory thing. Ultimately subverted when he makes his peace with the Borrowers. Near the end of the film, he closes his eyes halfway -- a display of affection from real cats.
Character Title: Arrietty herself appears on all English titles and the original Japanese version, but not in the title of the book the film was adapted from.
Chekhov's Gun:
- The pin, which is later used to free Homily.
- Averted with the dollhouse.
- "Don't look down."
Creative Closing Credits: The credits sequence is imposed over a fully animated epilogue involving Arrietty and her family floating down a stream on a teapot. Its animation quality is just as great, if not greater, than the rest of the film. When that sequence is finished, the credits transition to a background with more detail than most paintings.
Creepy Cockroach: Arrietty tries to fight one to show off her bravery, but Pod discourages her, saying a borrower shouldn't go looking for trouble.
Cultural Translation: Unlike many Ghibli films in the past, some names where changed in the dub as well as flipping some scenes to make it seem like it's set in America, although the backgrounds make it clear where it is actually set.
Disproportionate Retribution: The Borrowers only takes a few scraps of things that humans will not miss if they're gone. Haru responds by capturing one of their members and calling pest control.
Distracted by the Luxury: Homily by the shiny tea sets in the doll house kitchen.
Dramatic Wind: When Arrietty climbs to the top of the Big Fancy House and wipes sweat off her forehead, the climbing ivy sways in the wind as the camera pans out to an aerial shot of the garden.
Dub Name Change: Sho to Shawn, Sadako to Jessica and Haru to Hara in the Disney dub, to be more reflective of American names rather than Japanese ones.
Dueling Dubs: There are two English dubs, one produced by Disney, and another produced by the British StudioCanal, possibly because the source material was written in Britain. The British dub is more faithful to the original material, avoiding the Dub Name Changes brought about via the Disney one, and keeping the ending "Arrietty's Song" intact.
Dying Race: The Borrowers, at least allegedly. Borrowers live so far away from each other (in comparison to their size) that they have very little contact, so they can't be sure how many other Borrowers still exist in the world. Sho makes Arrietty angry by discussing this topic, before his Wham! Line.
Expressive Hair: A Ghibli staple. Usually used with Arrietty and Homily.
Expy: Nearly every major human character has a counterpart in the original books. Sho/Shawn is The Boy, and Aunt Sadako/Jessica is basically Great Aunt Sophy.
Facial Markings: Spiller.
Fainting: A monster faint, of sorts, when Homily sees Shawn put the doll house kitchen in their home.
Forbidden Friendship: Between Arrietty and Sho. Borrowers are not supposed to be seen by humans, and when it happens they move away. Thus, their interactions and exchanged dialogue are forbidden by the very behaviour and existence of Borrowers. This is not helped by Sho's condition, and his instructions to avoid rigorous activities or exercise.
Foreign Language Theme: Downplayed. The opening songs "The Neglected Garden" and "Our House Below" are available only in English, even in the original Japanese tracks. The ending "Arrietty's Song", however, is available in both English and Japanese.
Foreshadowing: In the beginning of the film, when Sho gets out of the car, a crow swoops down and attacks a cat, creating turbulence and fighting. This alludes to the crow's later attack on Arrietty.
Gaslighting: Sho pulls a minor case of this on Haru, moving the dollhouse kitchen back to the dollhouse when she's not looking to convince her that she's imagining the Borrowers.
- He also appears in front of her after she locks him in his room, visibly startling him.
GASP: Arrietty when she realises that she has was seen by Sho.
Gentle Giant: Sho would be this from Arrietty's point of view; his heart condition makes him unable to do much, so he instead chooses to sit in the garden and quietly observe the environment around him, and to read.
Good Parents: Pod is a stern yet fair version. Homily may be a bit more easily hysterical and anxious when it comes to the safety of her family, but she cares very much for Arrietty and wants the best for her daughter.
Gratuitous English: Both the English and Japanese versions of "Arrietty's Song" opens with the line "I'm fourteen years old, I am pretty", before continuing in their respective languages.
Hair Decorations: Arrietty and her little clothespin hairclip. She gives it to Sho/Shaun in the end.
Happily Married: Pod and Homily.
Hate Sink: Haru. Unlike most other Ghibli antagonists, her motivation — that Borrowers are thieves and stealing what doesn't belong to them — is Hand Waved, and she becomes an external source of conflict in a film mostly driven around internal sources.
Housewife: Homily is the only non-action one in the family, preferring to stay at home.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Exaggerated. Justified as Arrietty is a Borrower, who, by their very definitions as Lilliputians, are meant to be small. Sho is by no means a large boy, but he is a giant relative to the Borrowers.
Humans Are Cthulhu: Their size makes Sho and his aunt intimidating, although they respect the Borrowers and take care around them. Borrowers are not supposed to be seen by humans, making them more intimidating.
Important Hair Accessory: Arrietty gives away her little hairpin before moving away and parting with Sho.
Ill Boy: Sho, who was always a weak boy and will be getting an operation on his heart.
It Was Here, I Swear: Haru tries to show Sadako/Jessica the Borrowers' home, as well as the kitchen which they Sho put inside their house. When Haru checks where it is supposed to be, the kitchen is missing. When she checks in the doll house that the kitchen has come from,
I Will Protect Her: Sho to Arrietty.
Kindhearted Cat Lover: Sho, with a special affinity towards Niya the cat and Arrietty.
Last of His Kind: Arrietty's mother references this, fearing that she and her family were the last Borrowers. Later proven not to be the case with Spiller's existence.
Left Hanging: The film does not answer whether Sho survives his operation or not, leaving it to be a Riddle for the Ages, and what Arrietty does after she moves away. The fact that Sho survives his operation is vaguely hinted at in the Opening Monologue, which is in past tense, implying that he lived to tell the tale after the operation. The Disney dub adds an Happy Ending, implying that the Borrowers have found a new home as things are going missing, and that Sho returns the house the next summer, implying that he has survived his operation.
Letting Her Hair Down: Arrietty during the ending credits, meant to symbolise her growth and Coming of Age after removing her Important Hair Accessory. She also lets it down in her house, when no humans are around.
Lilliputians: The entire race of the borrowers, and perhaps the trope the film depends on the most (other than Scenery Porn) due to its core premise revolving around it. Without this trope, the entire film will fall apart.
Lying on a Hillside: Sho does this while reading a book, and petting Niya. Arrietty walks up to him to say goodbye.
Memento MacGuffin: Before they go their separate ways in the ending, Arrietty gives Sho her clothespin hairclip.
Mouse World: Well, more like a single dwelling, but the Borrowers' houses are still quite small. Spiller does hint that there are other families of Borrowers, but they are never depicted in the film.
Named by the Adaptation: In the original The Borrowers, Sho was simply called "the Boy" and was not given a name.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Sho's effort to do Arrietty and her family a kind turn by giving them the dollhouse kitchen not only traumatizes Homily and forces the family to prepare to move, but it also leads to Haru discovering their home and capturing Homily. Though Homily, as predicted, really likes that kitchen and is heartbroken to part from it.
Noble Savage: Spiller certainly looks the part.
Non-Action Guy: Sho, due to his heart condition. Even running for a short distance wore him out. Instead, he is frequently seen engaging in quiet activities such as reading a book.
Officially Shortened Title: In some regions, the film is simply known as Arrietty, instead of the Japanese title The Borrower Arrietty. In the USA, this trope is inverted and the title becomes the much longer The Secret World of Arrietty.
Opening Monologue: Downplayed with its brevity, and the fact that this is the only narrated part of the film. The trop is used in both English dubs as well as the original Japanese track.

Sho: I'll never forget that summer. I spent a week in the old house where my mother grew up.

Outdoorsy Gal: Arrietty. She is outdoors and running among the grass when audiences are first introduced to her, barely dodging a running Niya. She likes to climb, and isn't afraid to talk to Sho despite it being prohibited. This is best exemplified in the ending credits, where she floats down a steam on a teapot, looking into the distant horizon.
Parental Abandonment: Sho's parents are divorced; he rarely sees his father and his mother is often working.
Parents in Distress: Arrietty and Sho team up to rescue Arrietty's mother Homily from Haru.
People Jars: Or rather, a Borrower jar. Homily is put in one, by Haru, and Arrietty has to rescue her.
Playing Against Type: Comedic actor Will Arnett voicing the Harrison Ford-esque Pod.
Plucky Girl: Arrietty, of course, yet another Ghibli staple. Arrietty deals with breaking one of the core laws that guard her peoples' interactions, and seeks out the boy who she once met. She has to save her mum in a people jar. The second to last shot in the film has Arrietty looking into the distance, hopeful for what her future brings.
Pragmatic Adaptation: The film saw a setting update from England to Japan to reflect the location of its production studio. It mostly adapts the plot of the first book, but it introduces a character from the second book, and its ending sequence is from the third book. In the original book, Arrietty was keeping a dairy, but the element is removed in this adaptation, which emphasises an outgoing and adventurous personality.
The Quiet One: Pod and Spiller even more so.
- Sho isn't very talkative either.
Ravens and Crows: A crow attempts to catch Arrietty, only to crash and get stuck in a window screen.
Soap Opera Disease: Sho has a heart condition ever since he was a child.
Scenery Porn: It's Studio Ghibli. Were you expecting anything else? It's even more prevalent in the film than their usual works, with sweeping shots of plants and the garden. Shots of what the locations and settings which would appear normal to a human is shown to be vastly different from the perspective of Lilliputians. Greenery is abundant throughout the entire film.
Ship Tease: There are a few hints dropped here and there that Spiller likes Arrietty.
Shout-Out: Spiller's costume and facial markings are very reminiscent of San's wardrobe and make-up from Princess Mononoke, which is an earlier Studio Ghibli film.
- In the photo of Sho's mother and aunt as children, they look similar to Satsuki and Mei from My Neighbor Totoro. In addition, their mother resembles the mother of Satsuki and Mei.
- The title character is a young woman in her early teens belonging to a mythical race. She wears a mono-colored one-piece dress, has dark(-ish) colored hair, has a bow-like hair ornament, and she befriends a cat. Sound familiar?
- A rude, spotted fat cat who fights with a crow? That's new.
Shown Their Work: The way the liquids behave on small-scale. They all have surface tension, so water beads from their teapot in droplets, and melted cheese forms big round balls, among other things.
- When Arrietty first enters her room through a window, the curtains sway slightly, representing realistic airflow. This also happens when she closes the same window. Doesn't seem that impressive, but remember that this film is animated, meaning someone has to draw this detail.
- Niya slowly blinks while looking at Arrietty, a gesture used by real cats to display affection.
- The flora and fauna are animated in a rather realistic manner, right down to the dew that forms on top of them.
Sleep Mask: Arrietty's mother wears one in bed.
Staring Down Cthulhu: Arrietty and Niya at the end of the film, when the Borrowers are moving away. Niya is portrayed as a huge figure which takes up most of the screen, with Arrietty framed at the centre of the shot. The shots that focus on Niya has the cat's face take up the entirety of the screen, the shots that focus on Arrietty shows a lot of background scenery. Arrietty's back is shown, and Niya's eyes are clearly visible.
The Stoic: Pod. Sho/Shawn may also count to a lesser extent, since he never really shows any extreme emotions.
Surprisingly Functional Toys: The doll house, which serves as a fully functional residence for the Borrowers, complete with a working kitchen. Justified, as it is specifically built for little people.
Surprisingly Good English: Inverted with Cecile Corbel and the Japanese version of Arrietty's Song, which she sings herself. It works. Also played straight with the English version of the song. She's French.
Theme Music Withholding: "Arrietty's Song" is only used twice in the film: when Arrietty is seeking out Sho after being spotted by him, and in the ending credits. This maximises the power of the theme when it actually comes on, and adds to the adventurous atmosphere. Similarly, the tracks "The Neglected Garden" and "Our House Below" establishes Leitmotifs that are only used two times.
Timmy in a Well: Sho's/Shawn's cat leads him to Arrietty's departing family.
Trailers Always Spoil: The U.S. trailer reveals the Clocks in the teapot on the river, Arrietty befriending the cat, Arrietty and Sho/Shawn saying goodbye, and Arrietty rescuing Homily.
Villainous Breakdown: Haru, when she finds that all the evidence of the Borrowers has disappeared.
Wham! Line: When Shawn and Arrietty first have a conversation: "I'm sorry for upsetting you. I'm actually the one who's going to die."