An animated feature film directed by
Hayao Miyazaki, Porco Rosso is set in 1920s
Italy, and revolves around the
adventures of the Red Pig (
get it?), an retired Italian
Air Force pilot who's become a
bounty hunter. He's a
pig, too. No, really, his
head is a literal pig-head. He tells the story of how he became the Red Pig - it essentially boils down to the
moment when he gave up on being
happy. (That's my interpretation, and I'm not at all certain I'm right.)
He's got a stereotypically gruff exterior, but is a really kind and gentle man, bending over backwards to save the orphanage kids and make a teenage girl happy. Porco is a really likeable character - a swashbucking ace pilot who thwarts the burgeoning fascist government and wins the day.
But don't let it's innocence fool you - there's another level to the story of Porco Rosso. It's in the Red Pig's relationship with Gina, a beautiful but melacholy singer who was the lover of Porco's late comrade.
Another winner from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, Porco Rosso debuted in Japan in 1991. Disney owns the rights to distribute it internationally, but has not announced an English version yet.
Miyazaki has suggested that of all his works, this is the most "adult" -- and despite the bright colors of the Adriatic setting and the high-flying action, I feel that his assessment of his own work is right on. He also mentions that it works better dubbed in French than in its original Japanese; thanks to the magic of DVDs, one can watch it this way and retain the English subtitles.