Ponyo and Sasuke, the young leads in Miyazaki's enchanting 'Ponyo'

Credit: Walt Disney/Studio Ghibli

We just posted the details of our special Comic-Con screening of Hayao Miyazaki's magical new film "Ponyo," and I couldn't be more pleased to be part of the event.

It's been ten years since Hayao Miyazaki came to America to promote "Princess Mononoke," the first of his films to get a major push theatrically here.  That was through Miramax, back when they were a Disney company, and since then, the Studio Ghilbli deal has moved over to the Walt Disney label, where they've been slowly but surely putting out most of the Ghibli library on DVD with new English-language dubs.  Honestly, I can't think of any anime library that's been better treated overall, and I'm sure a big part of that is because of John Lasseter and his boundless respect for Miyazaki.  At this point, when Lasseter talks, Disney listens.

"Ponyo" is going to get the widest release yet of any of the Ghibli/Disney titles, and it's one of the youngest-skewing of their films.  This is a family movie in every sense of the word.  It's about family, it's for families, it celebrates the importance of family.

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Fittingly, my family is planning to come down to San Diego to enjoy some of Friday with me, and then Saturday, they're going to Legoland while I'm working at the convention.  So on Friday night, I get to introduce Toshi to the man who created Totoro and Kiki and Nausicaa and Porco Rosso and, yes, Ponyo.  The idea of Miyazaki himself introducing the film for that audience is amazing to me, but realizing that I get to introduce him?  Bliss.

I know many of you are attending parties that night.  That's cool.  I understand.  But I also know there are a lot of families that are at Comic-Con, and if one thing's become clear in my writing since moving to HitFix, I'm all about mixing the family and the movies and the enjoyment, and this seems to me to be a really solid bet for something your kid will remember and that you'll treasure as well.  Please... come on by, see the film with us, bask in the glory of one of cinema's current giants in a rare US appearance, and say hello.

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