If there are any deeper themes to Ponyo, they lie in the film's portrayals of parenthood.
If there are any deeper themes to Ponyo, they lie in the film's portrayals of parenthood. Hayao made the movie as an apology to his son, and much of the film is about how kids deal with absent or eccentric parents. Mostly, though, Ponyo is content to be painfully cute for the eyes and ears.