From Up on Poppy Hill

Good product

As expected, the definition on the Blu-Ray was high. Those who know Studio Ghibli for works like Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro will notice extremely different vibes to this movie. There are elements of friendship, grief, and romance that are for a more mature audience (though not lewd and not at all as traumatic as Graveyard of the Fireflies). There is a twist - spoiler ahead, so please stop reading here if you care - where the main characters have romantic feelings for one another and must wonder if they are siblings because of uncertainty around their parental lineage. I thought this was very odd and later learned the plot-line is based on a manga so it was not entirely written by Studio Ghibli.

This is more a slice of life than an epic adventure. Once again, another ghibli masterpiece. I literally felt like I took a journey to Japan while watching this film. We prepared some Japanese dishes and enjoyed them while we watched and it helped to avoid the hunger pains at the yummy food scenes.

Arrived in excellent condition!So excited to watch this movie again!

This makes absolutely no sense. All of the other Steelbook editions of Studio Ghibli releases have fully functional options for setup of sound and subtitles. The new release appears not to. It is locked into English only even though the setup page shows original Japanese and English subtitles as an option. I simply cannot select anything on the page: the English Audio is pre-selected. Any attempt to select another option kicks me back to the Menu bar at bottom. This will likely be going back. If I wanted to hear the English version I could simply watch it on Prime for free. Very disappointed as it ruins the Steelbook collection which up until now has been handled brilliantly. I should have known there would be a problem when USPS nearly lost the package and shipped it everywhere but my address before making good.EDIT 10/04/2021: I tried the disc in both 4K players I own, a OPPO 103D and a Sony X1100ES for the zillionth time and finally got it to work in the Sony. It appears the selection changes the shade of gray in the audio listings in a very subtle way (I have to stand right in front of my 75" Sony to see it change) and then one selects the OK button. Only then does the Dot marker moves to your choice ... instead of the other way around. *ss backwards IMHO but at least workable. Still having trouble getting it to work in the OPPO but it does switch about 40% of the time on first try.As I have never encountered any issues with the other Steelbook editions the rating will be upgraded to reflect the new found operability. There was never any other issue with the onscreen content as expected with a Studio Ghibli. The sound and picture are perfect with no stutters or freezes. And as always, the beauty of the film animation and the gentleness of the Love story within are classic Studio Ghibli.

Gorō Miyazaki’s 2011 film, “From Up on Poppy Hill,” adapts a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa based on Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsurō Sayama’s manga, “Coquelicot-zaka kara.” The story takes place in 1963 Yokohama, Japan amid the backdrop of increasing student activism and local dissatisfaction at the U.S. Navy impressing local merchant mariners to support U.S. military activity in Southeast Asian, particularly with residual bitterness from the Korean War. The plot begins when Umi Matsuzaki and Shun Kazama meet when Coquelicot Manor, the local school clubhouse, faces demolition amid renovations to the city’s Latin Quarter as part of a modernizing effort in the postwar era, particularly with the upcoming 1964 Summer Olympics. A great film exploring a unique era in history. Fans of Anton Yelchin and Gillian Anderson will particularly enjoy this as they provide the English-language voice dubbing.

It is another fantastic Ghibli production. Thus is my 2nd favorite of all time anime, (after Kiki’s Delivery Service): stunning images and fantastic story. This would be a good gift for kids also

I really liked this movie (and was SO HAPPY with the twist). The classic Miyazaki art was so soothing to watch, along with the soft and romantic storyline. Really hit me in the feels. I only wish it was a little bit longer. It felt too short for me!