Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo makes an appearance at the Osaka Aquarium

by Chris MaGee

While us anime and Japanese film fans here in the U.S. and Canada are gearing up for the August 14th theatrical release of Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo" Japanese audiences are getting ready for the film's DVD release on July 3rd. Leading up to Miyazaki's 10th animated feature landing on Japanese video store shelves its title character, Ponyo, the little goldfish who longs to be transformed into a human girl, has been spotted swimming through Osaka's famous Aquarium Kaiyukan. Okay, it's not the real Ponyo, just a plastic model being pulled by wire through the aquarium, but visitors to the aquarium that also houses giant manta rays and one of the only whale sharks in captivity are going nuts to catch a glimpse of the finned and flippered heroine. I just hope that poor little Ponyo isn't mistaken as a meal for one of the aquarium's larger inhabitants. It would be bad for the DVD publicity campaign and a chunk of vinyl and plastic couldn't be good for a big fish's digestion.

Thanks to Ghibli World for the details on this and to Sankei/ MSN for the above images of Ponyo on her daily swim above the crowds.