Just watched Arrietty yesterday (latest Ghibli animé - same studio that produced Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbour Totoro, Ponyo etc etc.) -- absolutely brilliant! The story is a loose adaptation of Mary Norton's The Borrowers, and in that context it's reasonably faithful to the basic plot and spirit of the original story, but there are notable changes (the Clocks and Spiller are the only Borrowers - we don't see any others). Fantastic music from Cécile Corbel (listening her sing Arrietty's song in English/Japanese w/ a French-Bretonne accent is interesting ).

The special features disc was a tad disappointing - they play the entire movie in storyboards (which is great for film buffs) and they show every single variant commercial and there are a few trailers for other animé titles... but that was it. Nothing on the making or behind the scenes stuff or even a music video for Arrietty's Song which I would have loved to see.

But the film itself I cannot really fault - absolutely brilliant viewing pleasure. The behaviour of Niya is a bit odd for a cat toward the end, but you just have to suspend disbelief and lose yourself in the fantasy and believe that the cat is more kind-hearted or intelligent than the average cat who would've just eaten the Borrowers when he could've - but I guess they needed a plot device to reunite Sho with Arrietty at the end.

The film marks the directorial debut of Yonebayashi Hiromasa who has previously worked as an animator on previous Ghibli works and other non-Ghibli animé like Serial Experiments Lain; he's also the youngest person to direct a Ghibli animé - and I dare say I prefer his directing over that of Miyazaki Hayao's own son, Miyazaki Gorou (directed Tales of Earthsea - which is still a very nice film in its own right, but I enjoyed Arrietty a lot more). Arrietty stars Shida Mirai as the story's protagonist Arrietty Clock (the film doesn't provide their surnames so she's just called "Arrietty" in the movie); a relatively unknown actor (she's had some minor roles in other anime and tokusatsu titles). Fellow child (well, they're both 18 now) actor Kamiki Ryuunosuke plays Sho who previously voiced the baby Boh in Spirited Away and Markl in Howl's Moving Castle - and he's had supporting roles in several other anime/tokusatsu titles (including the Overlord of Darkness in Kamen Rider Agito). Ootake Shinobu plays Arrietty's mother Homily Clock - who is primarily a stage actress. Established Japanese film actor Miura Tomozaku plays Arrietty's father Pod Clock (he was the dub-voice for Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible in the Japanese dub of The Incredibles) and film/TV actress Kiki Kirin plays Haru (based on the character of Mrs. Driver in the book). Dreadful Spiller (who is just called "Spiller" in the film) is voiced by Fujiwara Tatsuya whom some of you may remember as Light Yagami in the Death Note live action films.

Highly recommended, absolutely wonderful viewing for all ages.