In Early 1930's era Italy, air pirates, bounty hunters and high flyers of all sorts rule the skies. The most cunning and skilled of these pilots is Porco Rosso, a man cursed with the head of a pig after watching the spirits of the pilots killed in the last air battle he fought in rise to the heavens. He now makes a living taking jobs, such as rescuing those kidnapped by air pirates. Donald Curtis, Porco's rival in the air and in catching the affections of women, provides a constant challenge to the hero, culminating in a hilarious, action packed finale.

Was originally planned as a 30-45 minute in-flight movies for Japan Airlines. Director Miyazaki eventually expanded it into a feature-length production.

Porco Rosso:
A pig that doesn't fly is just a pig.

Anachronisms: During the crowd scene before the challenge between Curtis and Porco, one of the pirates throws a stick grenade into the crowd. Porco comments that it should have been a "10 ton bomb" (at least, that's how it reads in the English subtitles). However, this movie is set in 1929, and 10 ton bombs were only invented in 1944.

(theme song)
Written and Performed by Tokiko Katô