From Up on Poppy Hill Synopsis
From Up on Poppy Hill is a Japanese animated drama film directed by Goro Miyazaki with a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa. The movie is based on a manga series of the same name written by Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsuro Sayama in 1980. Masami Nagasawa plays the lead role of Umi Matsuzaki, a high school student who manages a guest house named Coquelicot Manor in Yokohama. Meanwhile, Junichi Okada plays the character of Shun Kazama, a high school student and the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper who falls in love with Umi.
The Storyline
The story takes place in 1963, a year before the Tokyo Olympics. Umi is a 16-year-old high school student who is living with her grandmother and younger siblings at Coquelicot Manor. Her father, a sailor, died when Umi was still a child, and her mother Ryoko is studying medicine in America. Umi starts every day by raising flags in honor of her father, and one day, Shun, who is sailing on a boat, sees her doing this and also raises his flag. Afterward, they begin to notice each other, and Umi finds out that Shun is the author of a poem about the flag-raising ceremony that she read in the school newspaper.
One day, Umi takes her younger brother and sister to the Latin Quarter, a club building at their school, to get Shun’s autograph. There, she discovers that he is part of the student newspaper staff, and he invites her to become a writer for their paper. Working together, they grow closer and start to develop feelings for each other. However, they are separated after Shun discovers something that threatens their relationship.
As they work together to save their beloved school building, Latin Quarter, Umi and Shun gradually learn about the mysterious connection between their families.
The Cast
From Up on Poppy Hill features an impressive cast that includes Masami Nagasawa as Umi Matsuzaki, Junichi Okada as Shun Kazama, Keiko Takeshita as Hana Matsuzaki, Jun Fubuki as Miki Hokuto, and Yuriko Ishida as Ryoko Matsuzaki.
Conclusion
From Up on Poppy Hill is an animated drama that tells a story of love and mystery, set against a backdrop of the 1960s in Japan. The storyline is captivating, and the character developments are excellent. Goro Miyazaki and Hayao Miyazaki have created yet another masterpiece that showcases the beauty of the art of animation.
