by Hayao Miyazaki’s animated movie “Porco Rosso” will be broadcast on Nippon Television’s “Friday Road Show” on the 14th. It is one of the undisputed masterpieces released in 1992, but it also raises why the main character is a pig.
“Porco Rosso” is an adventure drama that depicts the activities of a male Porco in the shape of a pig who rides a flying boat and defeats thieves to earn prizes, set in the Adriatic Sea in Italy. Gina, a childhood friend of Porco, a girl, Fio, a flying boat mechanic, and Curtis, a flying boat rider who burns rivals to Porco. The relationship with them will be the highlight.
Works for “middle-aged men.”
Speaking of Ghibli works, there is an image that “you can enjoy it regardless of age or sex,” which is the same for “Porco Rosso.” But the main target is middle-aged men. It is described as “Porco Rosso Memo Directing Memorandum” in Miyazaki’s book “Starting Point” (Tokuma Shoten) and movie pamphlets.
This “Porco Rosso” is a work that can be enjoyed by businessmen who are exhausted from international flights, even if their heads are dull due to lack of oxygen. It must be a work that boys and girls and aunts can enjoy, but first of all, forget that this work is a “manga movie for middle-aged men who are tired and their brain cells have become tofu.” It doesn’t become.
Certainly, the “Porco Rosso” story is simple and easy to understand. At the same time, Porco’s setting also looks like a middle-aged man’s desire. I will not boast even if there is a brilliant past (Italian Air Force ace). And a lone wolf who has established himself without relying on the organization. In addition, even though it is a pig, ladies and young children like it. Still, it behaves hard-boiled while being shy.
“Why is it a pig in the first place?”
On the other hand, there are some ambiguities. Porco is a pig not clearly explained in work. Of course, the same comics were included at the time of production.
According to producer Toshio Suzuki’s book “Thinking of a Genius” (Bunshu Shinsho), when Mr. Suzuki saw the first storyboard, a pig character suddenly appeared from the beginning, and it was a pig in the work. It seems that he felt uncomfortable about not touching it. And he asked Miyazaki, “Why is this a pig in the first place?” Then, Director Miyazaki was angry, saying, “I will try to clarify the cause and effect immediately. Isn’t it just the result?”
And persuaded Mr. Suzuki? Director Miyazaki will add scenes one after another in the form of receiving, and it will become the current form.
And that fuzzy aspect also influenced the promotion. In another book by Mr. Suzuki, “Working Dora New Edition” (Iwanami Shinsho), after Mr. Suzuki made a splendid copy of “The story of a man who cast magic on himself and became a pig,” Miyazaki’s ally.・ Director Isao Takahata said, “Where is that in this movie? It’s beyond the realm of advertising.”
However, it is inevitable that “Porco Rosso” is interesting where such an interpretation and imagination work, which gives depth to the simple story. In the first place, “not writing” something is just as important as expressing something. And that salt plum is complex and has plagued many creators.
Will you become a pig in middle age?
The movie pamphlet also asks why the main character is a pig. However, in the beginning, “Why did Porco become assign-the mystery should be solved at the end,” but in an interview with director Miyazaki at the end of the book, Porco said, “Why is a pig?” I’m not going to mention a single word. ” This “contradiction” also pierces the essence of the work and is an exciting place.
And in an interview, Director Miyazaki asked, “Why is the hero a pig?” “Isn’t there a law that pigs can’t be the hero? People get older and become pigs in middle age. (Laughs) “, the answer is blurred. Some people are middle-aged, but Porco dared to think, “a pig is fine.”
Not a dog, not a cat, not a mouse. I was in trouble because I made a pig, which has a negative image, as the main character. The production of this work started with Japan Airlines (JAL) because it was related to airplanes, but there was concern about the title. It is also revealed that the president of JAL did not know the title until he saw the preview. If you know that much, it seems that you can have various perspectives.
Why did Porco become a pig after all? However, even if I carefully present the circumstances, I do not think the recipient will be convinced, and it will be relatively unsophisticated. If so, it would be desirable to capture each idea.
