Sōsuke

This article is about a character from Ponyo. For information about the Pom Poko character with a similar name, see Sasuke. And My Neighbor Totoro character:Satsuki

Sōsuke (宗介) is the five-year-old protagonist of the film, Ponyo.

Appearance

Sōsuke is a 5-year-old boy who wears a sunshine yellow t-shirt and chocolate brown shorts, and white slip-on shoes. His hair is walnut brown with his hair shaven underneath. Also, he sometimes wears a sailor hat and binoculars.

Personality

Sōsuke is intelligent, smart, loyal, cute and heroic. He is willing to protect his friends (including Ponyo, starting from when she washes up on the shore near the house, stuck in a glass jar), even if doing so gets him in trouble with his mother or Ponyo's father (whom they hate).

He is interested in the sea, especially since his father is the captain of a ship. He also knows that Kōichi does his best for the family, as seen when Lisa gets angry at Kōichi and chides him for abandoning her family on a cliff.

Relationships

Kōichi (Father)
Lisa (Mother)
Ponyo (Adoptive sister; lover)
Granmamare (Adoptive mother)
Fujimoto (Adoptive father)
Ponyo's Sisters (Adoptive sisters)

History

Sōsuke is first seen when Lisa calls Sōsuke to come back home and he discovers Ponyo. He uses a rock to break her free from the jar she's stuck in, but cuts his thumb in the process. She licks the cut, shocking him as he runs up the hill to Lisa.

After getting in his mom's car to drive to school, Sōsuke offers a piece of bread to Ponyo, but she refuses to have any. So, he tries to offer her some ham, but she takes the entire piece. Sōsuke decides to name the fish Ponyo, and promises to take care of her. After getting to school, he hides Ponyo in his bucket into the bushes, then goes to see her again when school is over. Relieved to see Ponyo awake, he shows his pet to Kumiko, who insults the fish. She responds by spraying her, and Sōsuke runs off.

Quotes

"Don't worry, Ponyo. No matter what, I will protect you. I promise."

—Sōsuke promises that he will protect Ponyo.

"That was weird."

—Sōsuke's response to the sight of the sea monsters.

"There's dad. Turn off the lights mom. Don't you want to signal him?"

—Sōsuke when he sees his dad signaling his family.

Etymology

The name Sōsuke is written in hiragana (そうすけ), which has no special meaning.

Gallery

Trivia

The "U" in his name is not pronounced.
He appears similar to Kanta from My Neighbor Totoro when he wears a sailor hat.
After Ponyo is taken from him, when Sosuke cries in the US dub, his voice is the same as in the original Japanese version.

Ponyo
Characters
Main Cast	Ponyo \| Sōsuke
Ponyo's Family	Fujimoto \| Granmamare \| Ponyo's Sisters
Sōsuke's Family	Lisa \| Kōichi
Retirement Home	Toki \| Yoshie \| Kayo
Others	Karen \| Kumiko \| Junior \| Junior's Parents \| Bridge Guard \| Newscaster \| Sea Monster
Miscellaneous
Locations	Sōsuke's House \| Himawari Nursery School \| Koganei Maru \| Underwater Harbor
Objects	Green Bucket \| Jellyfish \| Sōsuke's Boat
Music	Soundtrack \| Gake no Ue no Ponyo

V • T • E

Studio Ghibli

Animated features

Feature films	Castle in the Sky (1986) • Grave of the Fireflies (1988) • My Neighbor Totoro (1988) • Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) • Only Yesterday (1991) • Porco Rosso (1992) • Ocean Waves (1993) • Pom Poko (1994) • Whisper of the Heart (1995) • Princess Mononoke (1997) • My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) • Spirited Away (2001) • The Cat Returns (2002) • Howl's Moving Castle (2004) • Tales from Earthsea (2006) • Ponyo (2008) • The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) • From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) • The Wind Rises (2013) • The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) • When Marnie Was There (2014) • Earwig and the Witch (2020) • The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Short films	Nandarō • On Your Mark • Ghiblies • Film Guru Guru • Ghiblies Episode 2 • Imaginary Flying Machines • The Invention of Imaginary Machines of Destruction • The Whale Hunt • Koro's Big Day Out • Mei and the Kittenbus • Looking for a Home • The Day I Bought a Star • The Night of Taneyamagahara • Water Spider Monmon • Iblard Jikan • A Sumo Wrestler's Tail • Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess • Treasure Hunting • Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo • Boro the Caterpillar

Documentaries

The Story of Yanagawa's Canals (1987) • Miyazaki and Kurosawa Fireside Chat (1993) • Ghibli Was Born This Way: A Birth Story Spelled Out With Reproduced Images (1998) • World Journey of My Memory / Journey of the Heart (1998) • How Princess Mononoke Was Born (2001) • Lasseter-San, Arigato! (2003) • Hayao Miyazaki Produces a CD (2004) • Yasuo Otsuka's Joy of Motion (2004) • Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum (2005) • Ghibli: The Miyazaki Temple (2005) • The Work of Toshio Suzuki (2006) • Scenery of Ghibli (2006) • A Ghibli Artisan – Kazuo Oga Exhibition – The Man Who Painted Totoro's Forest (2007) • How Ponyo Was Born (2009) • Poppy Hill - 300 Days of War Between Father and Son (2011) • Ghibli's Bookshelf (2011) • The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013) • Until The End of The Creation of When Marnie Was There (2015) • Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (2016) • NHK Image File: I Want To Meet This Person - Isao Takahata, Animation Film Director (2018) • 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki (2019) • Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron (2023)

Television series

The Blue Seed (1992) • Ronja, the Robber's Daughter (2014)

Concerts

Joe Hisaishi in Budokan • Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert: The Music of Studio Ghibli

Video games

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Video Game) • Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu • Jade Cocoon 2 • Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color • Ni no Kuni (Series) • Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn • Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch • Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Printed works

Animage • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga) • Starting Point: 1979-1996 • Turning Point: 1997-2008 • Kaze no Kaerubasho • People of the Desert • The Age of the Flying Boat • Hayao Miyazaki's Daydream Data Notes • To My Sister • The Journey of Shuna • Studio Ghibli's Trajectory as Seen on Animage (1984-2011) • The Art of My Neighbor Totoro • The Art of Castle in the Sky • The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service • The Art of Porco Rosso • Princess Mononoke: The First Story • The Place Where Totoro Was Born • The Bountiful Food of Studio Ghibli • Children's Picture Book Ghibli's Dining Table Earwig and the Witch

Co-Productions

Flying City Plan • Shiki-Jitsu (Studio Kajino) • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence • Nasu: Summer in Andalusia • Nasu: A Migratory Bird with Suitcase • Portable Airport • Red Crow and the Ghost Ship • Space Station No. 9 • The Red Turtle

Pre-Ghibli works

Hustle Punch (1965) • Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968) • Animal Treasure Island (1971) • Lupin the Third Part I (1971) • Panda! Go, Panda! (1972) • Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974) • Dog of Flanders (1975) • Future Boy Conan (1978) • Anne of Green Gables (1979) • Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) • Chie the Brat (1981) • 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1981) • Gauche the Cellist (1982) • Sherlock Hound (1984) • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Ghibli-related labels

Animage • Animage Home Video • Ghibli ga Ippai Collection • Ghibli Museum • Ghibli Museum Library • Ghibli Park • Totoro no Furusato Foundation • Totoro no Mori

Unproduced projects

Border 1939

Related productions

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind • Mary and the Witch's Flower • Modest Heroes • Natsuzora • World Masterpiece Theater