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Historical Context
The story is set in Northern Italy, including Milan, the Italian and Croatian Adriatic Sea east coast. Some locations resemble certain islands of the Italian Lakes. The concealed beach Porco uses as a hideout bears a strong resemblance to Stiniva Beach, on the southern side of the Croatian island of Vis. Miyazaki shed light on the political context of the making of the film in an interview with Empire. He reflects that the conflicts that broke out during the film’s production (such as those in Dubrovnik and elsewhere) made Porco Rosso a much more complicated and difficult film.
The "Piccolo" Aircraft Company
The fictional “Piccolo” aircraft company depicted in the film is based on the Italian aircraft manufacturers Caproni and Piaggio. The jet shown in the last scene is very similar in concept to the Caproni C-22J, an aircraft designed by Carlo Ferrarin, a designer for Caproni, whose name is notably used in the film for Marco’s Air Force pilot friend. The jet-amphibian also has a V-tail, slightly reminiscent of the Magister jet trainer. The Savoia-Marchetti S.55, Fiat C.R.20 and Macchi M.39 are featured in the movie.
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Homage to Italian animation
Porco's air-force friend Ferrarin was inspired the Italian Air Force pilot Arturo Ferrarin who flew with an Ansaldo SVA.9 from Rome to Tokyo in 1920. Additionally, the Caproni Ca.309 light reconnaissance aircraft is known under the name "Ghibli", the same name as Miyazaki's and Takahata's animation studio.
Character References
Porco's air-force friend Ferrarin was inspired the Italian Air Force pilot Arturo Ferrarin who flew with an Ansaldo SVA.9 from Rome to Tokyo in 1920. Additionally, the Caproni Ca.309 light reconnaissance aircraft is known under the name "Ghibli", the same name as Miyazaki's and Takahata's animation studio. The character of Curtis is likely to have been named after the American aviation pioneer Glenn Hammond Curtiss who, along with the Wright Brothers, founded the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Curtis’ airplane is a Curtiss R3C, which was built for the 1925 Schneider Cup race (which Porco refers to when he first meets Curtis). His character is also an oblique reference to Ronald Reagan, in that his ambitions lie not only in Hollywood, but also the Presidency.
Characters
Porco Rosso / Marco Pagot
(ポルコ・ロッソ / マルコ・パゴット, Poruko Rosso / Maruko Pagotto)
Shuichiro Moriyama (Japanese), Ward Sexton (JAL), Michael Keaton (Disney)
The protagonist of this film, a man in the form of a humanoid pig with a mustache. According to the film's promotional booklet, Porco refused to return to the army and cast a spell on himself. The name "Porco Rosso" means "Red Pig" in Italian. He was born around 1892 - 1893 and is roughly 36 years old. He has been flying since he was 17 years old, and was promoted to captain after joining the Italian Air Force where he was active as an ace pilot during World War I. He retired and began working as a bounty hunter. He pilots a red Savoia S.21 prototype combat seaplane. He is known in the Adriatic for helping a downed enemy pilot who was caught in a stormy sea, and is a popular among women as a showboat. He is called "Porcellino" by Fio's family.
Madame Gina
(マダム・ジーナ , Madamu Jīna)
Tokiko Kato (Japanese), Faith Bach (JAL), Susan Egan (Disney)
A widowed businesswoman who runs Hotel Adriano. In her youth, Gina formed a "Flying Club" with her friends and Porco. Thrice married to seaplane pilots, each ended in tragedy. As a widow, she goes by "Madame", which means "Mrs." in French. Gina is a beautiful woman, known as the Madonna of many seaplane riders, including air pirates. It is said that "every seaplane rider in the Adriatic Sea falls in love with Gina at least once."She has known Porco his whole life, and still calls him by his real name, "Marco". She is looking for a way to solve the magic that turned him into a pig.She becomes friends with Fio through her relationship with Porco. She has a personal seaplane.
Fio Piccolo
(フィオ・ピッコロ , Fio Pikkoro)
Akemi Okamura (Japanese), Lynn Eve Harris (JAL), Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Disney)
Born around 1912 - 1913, and is 17 year old. Grandpa Piccolo's granddaughter and an airplane design engineer. Her father, who was also an engineer, was a former Air Force pilot and belonged to the same unit as Porco's during the war. Fio has had training experience in the United States and was entrusted by Porco with the redesign of his Savoia S.21. She accompanies Porco, who is forced to leave Milan without giving his newly repaired plane a proper flight test. She explains, "I want to take responsibility for my work to the very end". She is courageous enough to scold the entire Air Pirates Union, and even helps set up a rematch between Porco and Donald Curtis. Gina becomes a close friend following their rematch and she later takes over the Piccolo family business.
Donald Curtis
(ドナルド・カーチス , Donarudo Kāchisu)
Akio Otsuka (Japanese), Greg Dale (JAL), Cary Elwes (Disney)
An American born in Alabama, his grandmother is an Italian quarter (Immigrants from Southern Italy that settled in the United States in the 1850's). The American version released by Disney changed his origins to Texas. His personal aircraft is the fictitious Curtiss R3C-0, a non-public surface fighter modeled after the Curtiss R3C-2 . He's a mercenary hired by the Air Pirates Union and a rival to Porco. A highly skilled pilot that even Porco acknowledges. He falls in love with Gina at first sight.Following his rematch with Porco, he returned to the United States and became the leading actor in a western drama. Becoming an air pirate mercenary and a movie actors were just stepping stones to his ultimate goal of life. The film poster which starred Curtis follows the layout of an actual movie that starred President Ronald Reagan.
Capo/"Boss
(マンマユート・ボス , Manmayūto Bosu)
Katsura Bunshi (Japanese), Clay Lowrey (JAL), David Ogden Stiers (Disney)
The "Boss" of the air pirate group Mamma Aiuto, who fly around in a Dabohaze seaplane. He has a large red nose, a beard, and a flying cap and goggles. The literal translation of Mamma Aiuto "Help Mom", but according to The Age of the Flying Boat comic, it meant "Mama Scary Group". While "Boss" possesses a gruff exterior, he has the integrity to admit whether he's wrong and is beloved by his subordinates. He is also one of the few people who knows of Porco's past.
Grandpa Piccolo
(ピッコロのおやじ , Pikkoro no Oyaji)
Tsunehiko Kamijō (Japanese), Brad Garrett (Disney)
Fio's grandfather and the owner of Piccolo S.P.A., a seaplane manufacturer in Milan, Italy. He's an old friend of Porco. He's aware of Porco's predicament and offers to help repair his plane, for a price. He recognizes the enthusiasm and skill of his granddaughter, and has her brought in to redesign and repair Porco's Savoia S.21. He also has three other sons, who were absent due to being migrant workers. He then calls in all his female relatives to help operate his factory.
Plot
Bygone Days
“Mr. Rosso. We've got a job for you. They're attacking a charter ship from Venice.”
The film begins with the main character Porco Rosso responding to an alert over an airborne pirate attack on a ferry liner. Having successfully defeated the pirates, Porco retires to the Hotel Adriano, which is run by his long-time friend Madame Gina. At the restaurant, an American pilot named Curtis proposes to Gina, but she rebuffs him. Porco goes off to eat alone, but shortly Gina sits and talks to him.
To the Adriatic Sea
“Marco, you're going to end up as roast pork someday.” Gina “A pig who doesn't fly is just an ordinary pig.” Porco Rosso
After Porco Rosso leaves to Milan, to make repairs to his plane, he is shot down by Curtis, who wants to achieve fame by killing Rosso. At Piccolo S.P.A., Porco Rosso asks Mr. Piccolo to rebuild his plane. Piccolo’s sons have emigrated so the re-design will be done by his young granddaughter Fio. The Fascist government attempts to hunt them down because Rosso won't fight for his government. After escaping from Milan, Porco flew to his hideout island. Porco and Fio are ambushed by the pirates, and Curtis challenges Porco to a duel.
The Aerial Dog Fight
"I've grown up with stories about flying boat pilots since I was a small child.” Fio
The next day, a festive crowd gathers on an islet. Many people have come by sailboat to see the duel. During the aerial dogfight, Porco's guns seemingly jam and for a brief moment, the two go back and forth across the sky avoiding each other's line of fire. They land in the water next to the islet where the crowd is gathered. The dogfight devolves into a boxing match. Gina arrives and warns that the Italian air force is on its way, and invites everyone to regroup at her hotel.
Porco e Bella
“The Italian air force arrived to find nothing.Instead, I became good friends with Gina.” Fio
Porco volunteers to lead the air force away and invites Curtis to join him. As they walk to their planes, Curtis catches a glimpse of Porco's face and says he has changed; he asks to get a better look and is refused. As she flies in a jet seaplane, Fio narrates the epilogue: Porco outflew the Italian air force and remained at large; Fio became president of the Piccolo aircraft company; Curtis became a famous actor, and the pirates continued to attend the Hotel Adriano in their old age.