The secret world of arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty

SINQ Popular Culture Jessel Galiza, Rebecca Hall, & Soonah Kim

TopicHow Does It End?

Contribution Jessel-Overview to film, Topic, Style of filmRebecca-Theme(s), IntroductionSoonah-History on Film/Director, Cultural aspect, Video aspects All-Character analysis, Powerpoint presentation, Discussion questions, References

OverviewThe Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

History of the Film The Secret World of Arrietty is a Japanese animated fantasy film released in 2010, directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi and scripted by Hayao Miyazaki. The film was based on children’s book, The Borrowers (1952), by Mary Norton, an English author on children’s books. The original story is about a family of miniature people that live under the floorboards and “borrow” supplies from the humans whose house they live in. Adapted by the infamous anime production company Studio Ghibli, the Japanese title is The Borrower Arrietty. Enormously successful, this animated film became the highest grossing Japanese film at the Japanese box office in the released year. It was also awarded at the 34th Japan Academy Prize award ceremony. There have been two English dubbed versions released since by Studio Canal as well as Walt Disney Pictures.

About the DirectorHiromasa Yonebayashi is a Japanese animator and director for Studio Ghibli. He joined Studio Ghibli as an in-between animator in 1996 as it’s youngest member to date. After the join, he worked again as an in-between animator to create Princess Mononoke in 1997 as well as two other animations. Before directing The Secret World of Arrietty, he worked as a key animator to create famous Japanese movies such as Spirited Away (2001), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008). At 38, he is still the youngest animator the studio has allowed to lead the creation of one of its films. The Secret World of Arrietty was Yonebayashi’s directorial debut and because of it’s success, he is now considered the promising new beacon for the future success of Studio Ghibli.

About the writer/producerHayao Miyazaki is a famous Japanese film director, animator, and manga artist. In his twenties, he joined an animation studio as an in-between animator. In 1984, he was a founded Studio Ghibli with friend and fellow animator Takahata Isao. Some of his famous works are My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001). Today, Spirited Away still holds the record for Japan’s highest grossing film of all time. Prior to the creation of The Secret World of Arrietty, he had been wanting to create a animated film based on Mary Norton’s “The Borrowers” for some time.

StyleThis film was created by using traditional hand drawn animation (cel animation) and anime techniques. Anime is not actually a genre of film, but rather a very distinct style of animation hailing from Japan. Cel-animation is a popular anime technique done by tracing drawings onto a cellulose acetate sheet which are then painted on animation frames, then photographed. The result is characters with the signature anime traits (big eyes, large heads, exaggerated facial expressions, etc) telling out their stories in the foregrounds amidst lush still backgrounds, an effect Studio Ghibli has perfected over the years. Like many of their films, the story tells the efforts of a brave young girl who will overcome all obstacles to achieve her goals.

Cultural Aspect Miyazaki and Yoneyabashi created The Secret World of Arrietty fusing both elements from their culture with that of the English, reflecting both the Studio Ghibli style and the culture from which the story came from. The narrow streets and packed buildings are reminiscent of a typical Japanese setting. The characters look distinctly like anime characters which have also become synonymous with Japanese culture. During the movie, Sho’s g aunt introduced the exquisitely crafted dollhouse that was made for little people. She says that her parents ordered it from England and was carefully made by famous British craftsman. Their home and dress also closely represent English culture.

IntroductionThe Clock family are part of a rare race of miniature people who secretly live off of

“borrowed” household items from humans. Arrietty is the brave daughter of Pod and Homily Clock who longs to help her family by going along on the borrowing expeditions. When the sickly young boy Sho arrives to the house to rest before his heart surgery, he quickly discovers their existence in his aunt’s home. He and Arrietty soon form a close

friendship in which she provides him companionship while Sho gets her supplies for her family. In the meantime, another miniature person, Spiller, comes from far away to tell the Clocks of a place with more people just like them. Soon after, the housekeeper Haru

learns of the little people and their lives are immediately endangered as she begins a hunt for them as though they are common house pests. Despite Sho’s efforts to save the Clocks from Haru’s rampage, he only succeeds in saving their lives and cannot persuade them to

stay in his aunt’s home.

Clips of The Secret World of Arrietty

Arrietty’s first borrowing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jiRiRKCvhg

Sho and Arrietty formally meet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SwkENhJ4uY&list=PL275C53B8EDDC02FB

Characters

Characters Arrietty

a

Arrietty is a 14 year-old girl who is brave, curious, and adventurous. She was first spotted by Sho in the garden and again on her first borrowing adventure. Although she is warned by her father to stay away from the humans, she makes contact with Sho and learns that some humans are harmless and even friendly. Arrietty and Sho become friends but their friendship puts their family in danger. Her mother, Homily, eventually gets captured and it is up to Arrietty to save her with the help of Sho.

Characters cont. Homily ClockHomily is Arrietty’s mother. While Pod goes out on borrowing expeditions, she runs the home by cooking, mending, and taking stock of all their borrowed goods. She is often worrisome and is hesitant about Arrietty joining her father. Her jumpiness and tendency to be overprotective come from her love for her family and desire to keep them alive and intact.

Pod ClockPod is the brave father of Arrietty. Like Homily, he too is skeptical about her involvement in his expeditions. However, he knows that at some point he must teach her his ways so that they both may provide for the family. With his creative contraptions, they sneak out bring back items for their home. Although stoic, he also cares deeply for his family and will do anything to protect them.

Characters cont.

ShoSho is a young boy with a heart condition who comes to stay with his aunt as he awaits heart surgery. His frail state leaves him bedridden often and he remains lonely with only his cat for company. When he catches Arrietty and her father in the kitchen one night, he delivers her the sugar cube she left behind as a gesture of friendship. Sho and Arrietty become great friends and he makes many efforts to help her and her family. He ultimately saves them from the housekeeper Haru and tries to build a better house for the Clock’s. Although the family eventually leaves, he is grateful to have met them.

Characters cont.

HaruHaru is the housemaid of Sadako and the caretaker of Shô. She is skeptical about the “little people” under the floorboards, therefore, she is considered the antagonist in this film. One day when, when Sadako and Sho are out of the house, she finds that the floorboards have been moved. Haru pokes around the floorboards, discovers Homily, Arrietty’s mother, and captures her and places her in a jar. She calls up an exterminator to catch the rest of the “little people” alive; however she has no intention of harming them. When the “little people” escape, she feels crazy or insane.

Characters cont. SpillerSpiller is a neighboring borrower who is inexperienced in expression but thoughtful and brave. He rescues an injured Pod while on a mission. He informs Arrietty and her family that there are other small people like them left, but they are slowly becoming extinct. Later on, he helps Arrietty’s family to move safely to different place.

Themes

SurvivalThroughout the film, the Clock family refers to their taking of possessions from humans as “borrowing”. On their missions, they collect small things like single sugar cubes, loose buttons, tissues and empty bottles to bring back to their home. While generally this would be considered stealing because all of these items would undoubtedly hardly be noticed once they’re missing and are their loss is of such small consequence to the family whose home they inhabit. Though they don’t seek to cause harm or mischief, they do what they need to do in order to survive, even if it means risking their lives and taking from others. Sho too is dealing with survival, as he is initially weary about the success of his impending heart surgery. When we first meet him, he is However, through his friendship with Arrietty he realizes that he must gain the strength to go on and discovers does that he want to fight for his life.

CompanionshipFor most of their lives, the Clock family has had only themselves as companions. It is through their love of each other that they are able to bravely go on borrowing expeditions and create a beautiful secret home from the objects they gather.

The friendship between Sho and Arrietty is of great importance to both which they both grow and learn much from. While Sho offers her and her family help, Arrietty shows Sho that he is worthy of friendship and that the many wonders of the world should force him to gather strength in the battles he faces with his health.

IdentityWhen we first meet the Clock family, we learn that they have lived undetected in Sho’s aunt’s house for generations but without people like themselves. Once Spiller is introduced, he tells them about neighboring miniature people who exist in neighbouring areas, but their race is becoming extinct. This peaks the Clock’s interest, but they continue to stay in their secret house unwilling to leave because of their attachment to their home. However, Pod is determined to move and eventually the family follows suit despite having a new protector in Sho and the dangerous journey they now face. Their decision to leave is motivated by the need to be among others such as themselves which they are willing to sacrifice their safety and their home in order to gain.

How Does It End?

At the end, Pod Clock informs the family that they must leave their current home and reside in a new one. Arrietty feels guilty for putting her family in danger and causing them to move to a different residence. At their departure, the Clock family are accompanied by Spiller to help them search for a new home possibly with other miniature people like themselves. The audience is also unaware of what will happens to Sho after his heart surgery. The film ends in a hopeful manner, yet allows us to draw our own conclusions.

Ambiguous ending

Sources Basile, Nancy. “Animation Techniques”. about.com. 2013. Web. 11 August 2013. Hayao Miyazaki. Lee Stan. Time 0040781x. Vol. 165. Issue 16Jackson, Paul. The Borrowers Abroad: Arrietty. Metro. Autumn2012, Issue 172, p60-63. 4p. 10 Color Photographs.Kehr, David. "Anime, Japanese Cinema's Second Golden Age." New York Times 20 Jan. 2002: n. pag. Ebscohost. Web. 17 July 2013. Maughan, Tim. "Studio Ghibli Reaches a Turning Point with The Secret World of Arrietty." Tor.Com. N.p., n.d. Web.“Motion Picture Producers Assoication of Japan Report for Year 2010”. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. January 23, 2011. Yonebayashi, Hiromasa, dir. The Secret World of Arrietty . Writ. Norton, Prod. Miyazaki, and Niwa. Studio Ghibli, Tokyo, Japan, 2010. Film. 31 Jul 2013.