From Up on Poppy Hill (Japaneseコクリコ坂から, HepburnKokuriko-zaka kara) is a 2011Studio Ghibli film by director Goro Miyazaki, son of the acclaimedHayao Miyazaki based on a 1980smanga of the same name by Tetsuo Sayama and Chizuru Takahashi. It is Goro Miyazaki's second film for Studio Ghibli. In contrast to his first work,Tales From Earthsea, his second effort was rather well received.

The heroine, Umi Matsuzaki, is a high school girl in Yokohama of 1963. From her home overlooking the bay, she raises flag signals every morning meaning "I pray for safe voyages". One day, she receives an answer, as it turns out, from Shun Kazama, one class above her.

In preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and generally with the developing economic miracle, Japan is quickly modernizing, often razing the old to make way for the modern. At Umi's school, the old building of the Culture Club, nicknamedQuartier Latin by the students, is decided to be torn down. The film follows the students' efforts to reverse this decision, and, being aSlice of Life film, the students' day to day activities.

• Bilingual Bonus:
  • When Umi's mum visits her, after staying in America, she brings back beef jerky. The phrase "ORIGINAL BEEF JERKY" is visible on the package.
  • The name of the boarding house,Coquelicot Manor, withCoquelicot meaningcorn poppy in French. Also theQuartier Latin written above the entrance of the titular location reflecting the spelling in French, although it is worth noting that the English subtitles useQuarter instead.
• Blush Sticker: Umi gets them in a brief scene just before hopping on Shun's bike.
• Brother-Sister Incest:Both averted andZig Zagged. It seems that Umi and Shun share the same father, as they possess the same photograph. However, when Umi's mum visits from America, she reveals that Shun — who was adopted — has a different biological father than Umi. This is further confirmed at the end of the film where they board the ship of another man in the photograph, and are free to pursue their relationship.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: TheSailor Fukus of female students in Umi's School. They have different colours (green, red, blue) depending on which of the three year levels they are in.
• Creative Closing Credits: The credits sequence involves Umi and Shun sailing back to shore from a boat, Umi putting up flags and looking at the sunrise, and apan over a painting.
• Cue the Rain: TheSecond Act Breakup is backdropped with rain. Shun walks ahead of Umi, even though he doesn't have an umbrella, moving on from Umi'sTogether Umbrella.
• Disappeared Dad: Shun's father.
• Establishing Character Moment: Umi is established to be independent and a care taker of the house when, in the opening sequence, she dresses herself, turns on a stove, and raises flags.
• Everyone Can See It: Between Umi and Shun, even though there's aSurprise Incest invoked (and later subverted).
• Family Theme Naming: The characters Umi, Sora, and Riku, who all live at the boarding house, have names which meansea,sky, andland, respectively.
• Gilligan Cut: Near the end of the film, Umi and Shun are rushing to a ship. The ship's captain is on the photo that they both share, and can provide some answers. Unfortunately for them, the ship is departing soon and they must rush to it. They catch a ride, and the driver remarks that he'll "get you there with time to spare"... then they're stuck in a traffic jam.
• Gratuitous French: EspeciallyQuartier Latin and "Kokuriko" (from "coquelicot" - corn poppy).
• Girlish Pigtails: Umi has them.
• High School: Where theQuartier Latin — which serves as housing for after school clubs — is located. It is worth noting that many of the tropes associated with a high school, such anAlpha Bitch andSadist Teacher, are averted, as the film only uses the school as a backdrop to its events.
• Land, Sea, Sky: Riku, Umi, and Sora means "land", "sea", and "sky", respectively. The trope isIn Name Only, and the characters don't behave the way expected for their name. They don't possess superpowers as this is aSlice of Life work.
• Large Ham: The philosophy club guy. Quite literally too, he's at least a head taller than everyone else.
• Mad Scientist: Some of the students at theQuartier Latin is this, with accompany shots ofStuff Blowing Up.
• Meaningful Name:Umi meanssea in Japanese, reflecting the crucial role the ocean and boats play in this film.
• Men Can't Keep House: TheQuartier Latin (occupied by only men) is utterly squalid. One of the plot points is regarding women helping clean out theQuartier Latin to make it more appealing.
• Morning Routine: The film opens with Umi's morning routine placed over the opening credits.
• Nice Girl: The protagonist Umi Matsuzaki, who is supportive for residents in the boarding house andQuartier Latin, playing a huge part in the students' efforts to stop it being demolished.
• No Antagonist: As is usual with Ghibli productions. The conflict revolves around trying to save theQuartier Latin and romance. It contains a mixture of internal and external conflicts, but none of them are caused by an antagonist.
• Opening Narration: In the English dub, Umi does this to introduce audiences to the setting and time period.
• Opposite Gender Protagonists: Umi and Shun. The two work together to save the Quartier Latin clubhouse. The clubhouse is set to be demolished, making way for a new generation and moving on from the past, giving them something to work towards. They take a trip to Tokyo to convince the head of the school board to let it stay. Umi is called the "Goddess of Good Luck" by other students, so she and Shun make a powerful combination while doing this. These events are backdropped by a romance blooming between the two characters, adding intrigue to their character dynamics.
• Parental Abandonment: Neither Umi's nor Shun's birth parents are around, most are dead. Umi lives with her grandmother, Shun with his foster father.
• Real Song Theme Tune: "Summer of Farewells", concluding the film, is released in 1976, although the track has become largely associated with the film.
• Sailor Fuku: The uniform worn by the female students at the Umi's school.
• Scenery Gorn: TheQuartier Latin is absolutely filthy before it is cleaned, becauseMen Can't Keep House. This is drilled in with many shots of the mess and dust left there. Because this is aStudio Ghibli production, the trope is much more effective due to additional details the studio painstakingly painted.
• Second Act Breakup: Umi and Shun goes through one of these once they realise they might be related.
• Slice of Life: The film is set in 1964 Japan starringOrdinary High School Students, and unlike most other Ghibli productions, features no supernatural elements.
• Surprise Incest: When Umi and Shun discover that they share the same photo, they believe that they share the same parents and thus cannot pursue their relationship.It turns out this is not the case, and Shun is just adoptedby a man in the photo, as his biological father is dead.
• Team Chef: Not in a five man band, but Umiis the chef at the boarding house.
• The Song Remains the Same: All three Japanese songs (the ending "Sayonara no Natsu", the inserted "Ue o Muite Arukô", and "Dawn ~ Breakfast Song") remain in Japanese in the English dub.
• Stuff Blowing Up: The chemistry club causes an explosion as anEstablishing Character Moment.
• Shipper on Deck: When Umi and Shun are rushing and leaving theQuartier Latin near the end of the film, one of the students remark that they are "the perfect couple".
• Together Umbrella: Umi and Shun stand under one of those. This trope is partially inverted, as it is used whilethey are discussing the possibility of them being related, and during theSecond Act Breakup.

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