Arrietty

Based on the book 'The Borrowers' by Mary Norton, 'Arrietty' is a Japanese retelling of the children's tale set in 2010. It is directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi for Studio Ghibli with the help of Miyazaki scripting. Narration is provided at the start of the film by a boy, Sho, who is used as a device to help the viewers understand the exposition. The story is fantastical and tells the tale of a species of minuscule people, who 'borrow' goods from humans to sustain themselves. They live in fear of detection or capture.

The target audience is clearly children, as it is a literary adaptation of a classic novel. The protagonists are young and relatable to a young audience, and we feel sympathy for the trials and tribulations they face. Arreitty takes the role of brave and smart young heroine that is common to Ghibli films. The film operates to a dramatic deadline, as Sho is dying of a fatal illness and must receive treatment. The fantastic elements speak to one's imagination, and the relationships between the characters are heart-warming. We leave the film feeling refreshed and cheered. It is not as heavily-laden with serious subject matter as the likes of 'Princess Mononoke.' Even though humans are mildly destructive here, it in no way matches the scale of the former, and does not contain any of the allegorical nature.
It is a great adaptive take on the re-narration of a story. It is formal in its narration style and features a maturation story at its heart.
The different scale of many of the characters give the audience a view of their own world, but from a different perspective, adding a new element of visual interest. Perspective is used to make you feel a sense of largeness of the outside world. The animation is hand-drawn, and ravishingly coloured and textured.

I personally did not enjoy this as much as other Ghibli features, probably because of the lack of adult subject matter and heavier themes. I did enjoy the animation a lot however, but I just felt that the childishness and lack of dimension of the characters was not enough to draw me in fully, so I would not invest in watching it again.