From Up on Poppy Hill is a 2011 animated drama film produced by Studio Ghibli, directed by Goro Miyazaki and written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa. The film tells the story of a group of high school students who come together to save their school's clubhouse, which holds a lot of memories and sentimental value for them. The students are from Coquelicot Manor, an all-girls school in Yokohama, Japan.
The story is set in 1963, a year before the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. The students' clubhouse, which is a dilapidated old building, is set to be demolished to make way for new development projects for the upcoming Olympics. Umi, the main character, is a hardworking and responsible young girl who lives with her grandmother, siblings and cousins. She takes care of them while her mother is away studying in America.
Umi meets Shun, a charismatic and charming boy who is one of the leaders of the clubhouse preservation campaign. The two gradually fall in love, but their relationship is complicated by a sudden revelation that links their pasts. Meanwhile, the students' campaign to save the clubhouse faces various challenges, including opposition from their own school administration and the wider community.
As the story unfolds, the film addresses themes of identity, tradition, generational differences, and the impact of modernization on society. The characters' struggles and dilemmas are portrayed with sensitivity and nuance, and the film's beautiful animation and music create an immersive and emotional viewing experience.
Overall, From Up on Poppy Hill is a poignant and nostalgic coming-of-age story that celebrates the power of youthful idealism and determination in the face of adversity.
