From up on Poppy Hill

  From up on Poppy Hill is a Japanese animated  romance film first released on July 16, 2011.
The film is based on the manga series written by Tetsuo Sayama and Chizuru Takahashi.
From up on Poppy Hill was directed by Miyazaki Hayao's son, Miyazaki Goro. And produced by the Studio Ghibli.

Characters

Umi Komatsuzaki

A 16 years old high school student.  Umi has a nickname called "Meru". That was came from French word,"La Mer", means, "ocean".
Her mother went to United Stated to work. But her younger sister and her stay at Japan, helping her grandmother runs a lodging house.

Everyday morning, she will raises a signal flag to pray for her father, who has been missing during the Korean War. After met Shun Kazama and join the same school club with him, she immediately fell in love with him.

Shun Kazama

A 17 year-old high school student. He is the president of school newspaper club. Shun have potential that being a leader. He is very active at school. He likes Umi.

Everytime he saw the flag that Umi raised up when he was on his father tugboat, he would also raised a flag, like giving response.

Shiro Mizunuma

Student council president. He is also Shun's best friend.

He started the school protest event of "Preserve Quarter Latin" with Shun to prevent the old building being destroyed.

Although appearance looks stuffy, but as a matter of fact he is good at deal with girls.

Quarter Latin

The building of the school Culture Club. 

School decides to take apart the building. So Shun, Shiro, Umi and other students start a activity to protect the building.

Plot

  Umi Komatsuzaki is a 16 years old high school student.  Everyday morning, she will raises a signal flag to pray for her father. Although her father has been missing during the Korean War.
Umi and her sister live in a lodging house which is runs by their grandmother. She have to deal with the housework and prepare breakfast and dinner for everyone.

  One day, during the school lunch time, Umi met Shun, school newspaper club's president at the first time.
  After that Umi accidentally joined the newspaper club, she got to know more about Shun.
  In the times, students started an event called, "Preserve Quarter Latin". Umi and Shun both of them joined the activity and gradually have fell in love with each other.
  One day, Umi's house hold a party, she invited to Shun to come.  In Umi's house, Shun saw a family picture. After took a look, he found out that he and Umi may be siblings......

Reflection

  The story background is set in 1963 in Yokohama, Japan. That was the year before Tokyo Olympics, the whole Japan was prepare for this big event.
  The film tell us an important meaning that is, "Past accomplish present".
At that time, people belief that to abandon all the old things, only new things are valubale. So that might lead to the event of protecting old building in this story.

  But the old things in our life sometimes are more valuable. Because they have memories, culture and historical values inside. Without creations in the past, we won't have achievements now.
So I think that what this movie want to tell us.

  Also in the movie, the times was an age that people were poor and have hope. That was also the time without much development of technology. Life was still simple which I really look forward to. 

   
  The main theme of From up on Poppy Hill is the love between Umi and Shun.
  Different from now we have values of instant love, at that times, the way people express their love was more reserved. The film portraits this values of love successfully. Umi and Shun both of them are innocence but forthright. They respect and yearn for each other.

 
 The most touching things that the movie gave me is, even Umi and Shun facing certain trials, they still faced briefly. For example, Umi's father died and her mother was far away at the America, she still very strong. She cares for her younger sister and do all the housework.
  Also, when both Umi and Shun knew they may be siblings, in the end, they still crossed the obstacle, decide to love each other. Their love overcome trials in their life. That really left me a great impression after watched this movie. And I am really appreciate of that.

Soundtrack & Trailers

From up on Poppy Hill ~Summer of Goodbye
  

by Aoi Teshima +Trailer

Second Trailer