LU OVER THE WALL

Ponyo: the dance remix

released out NOW! 2017 | PG | Blu-ray & dvd (dual format)/blu-ray/dvd

Director Masaaki yuasa Cast Kanon Tani, shota shimoda, Minako Kotobuki, shizuka Ito

While the poster, plot summary and character design might scream, “Ponyo knock-off!”, Lu Over The Wall has a quirky vibrancy all its own. Sure, it homages Studio Ghibli (there are echoes of Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away) but only in a similar way to how Stranger Things is in thrall to Spielberg movies of the ’80s.

In a sleepy coastal town where myths of mermaids abound, withdrawn loner Kai creates music on his computer. This draws the attention of not only a couple of classmates who want him in their band, but also an adorable, fun-loving mermaid, Lu, whose fish tail turns to legs when she wants to get down and groove. The band try to keep her secret but the locals soon learn of her existence, with half the town wanting to exploit her for tourism and the other half sharpening their pitchforks, fearful of tales of mermaids feasting on humans.

Hailing from the current enfant terrible of anime, Masaaki Yuasa, Lu is far more traditional than you might expect from the guy behind the punky, idiosyncratic visuals of Ping Pong and The Tatami Galaxy – though occasionally it does go a little “pink elephants on parade”. But his style brings an off-the-wall vibe to a story otherwise packed with Ghibli charm. It’s also rammed to the gills with J-pop, which can be a Marmite issue, but the songs are intrinsic to the story.

Don’t think of Lu Over The Wall as Ghibli Lite. Think of it more as a Ghibli alternative.

Extras An obsequious half-hour interview with director Masaaki Yuasa, plus trailers. Dave Golder

Has a quirky vibrancy all of its own

Shinichi Shinohara (who voices Lu’s dad) won two gold medals at the 1999 World Judo Championships.