Studio Ghibli’s Most Iconic Line Hits Harder Now Than Ever Even After 34 Years

Studio Ghibli films have never shied away from heavier themes, but some works stand out more than others for including ideas that are better grasped by an adult audience. This is particularly true for its 1992 film, Porco Rosso, a film that stands out as a politically charged narrative that explores how disillusionment and resistance shape the protagonist’s journey.

Most impressively, it’s a single quote that fully encapsulates the film as well as what Studio Ghibli and the creator, Hayao Miyazaki, stand for. Even decades later, the film and its meaning stand out for their expression of defiance and freedom in ways that continue to resonate more strongly today than ever.

Porco Rosso Is One of Studio Ghibli’s Greatest Films

Porco Rosso is a film that centers on Marco “Porco” Pagot, a former World War I ace pilot who now works as a freelance bounty hunter over the Adriatic Sea as an anthropomorphic pig. Set in the early 1930s, the film depicts the Great Depression and the rise of Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime.

Porco Rosso captures the simmering tension of postwar Europe during the Interwar Period as well as a romanticized vision of the Golden Age of Aviation (1919-1939). Despite the underlying tension in the film, the story also heavily focuses on freedom, wonder, and the joy of flight. While the film handles heavy themes, it’s largely a light-hearted adventure.

However, it’s always been the film’s deeper themes that attracted my attention. Porco Rosso may be directed at all ages, yet its mature exploration of regret, survivor’s guilt, and the pursuit of freedom is what makes it so powerful and emotionally resonant. Porco’s values and morals, while often cynical, are rooted in his desire to live on his own terms.

Studio Ghibli’s Greatest Quote Hides in Porco Rosso

Beyond its engaging storyline, Porco Rosso is also home to one of Studio Ghibli’s greatest lines, establishing a distinctive identity for both the studio and Miyazaki’s beliefs. Porco delivers the quote, confidently stating, “Better to be a pig than a fascist,” with an assuredness that leaves no room for debate.

By the time the line is spoken, the film has already established the reality of its time and setting. Porco Rosso exists in the shadow of Mussolini’s rising fascist regime, even if only as an off-screen antagonistic force that threatens to turn independent pilots like Porco into outlaws, forcing him to either join the Italian Air Force or face arrest.

However, Porco doesn’t bend to this threat and continues to reject fascism through his refusal to participate or comply. In doing so, Porco may be choosing life as an outcast; however, by taking a stand against nationalism and the glorification of war, he also preserves his autonomy while honoring his own experiences and the realities of war.

Porco Rosso’s Rejection of Fascism Still Resonates Today

Porco’s rejection of authoritarianism was a rejection of all the things that he experienced firsthand, including the dangers of extreme nationalism and blind obedience to ruling powers. His most iconic line mirrors this as he actively chooses isolation and personal compromise over submission, preserving his freedom and values rather than conforming to a fascist regime.

Though the film is nearly three and a half decades old, Porco Rosso is perhaps more relevant than ever. Porco’s deliberate refusal to take part in fascist regimes sends a strong message about maintaining personal integrity and how moral resistance always starts with deliberate choices. These underlying anti-fascist, anti-authoritarian, and anti-war messages are still powerful even decades later.

Given that authoritarianism is defined by restriction of freedoms, unchecked and blind obedience to authority figures, and state-sanctioned violence used to maintain power, suppress opposition, and enforce social or political conformity in ways that use armed groups to act on behalf of a government to intimidate or murder citizens and force displacement, Porco’s defiance is a bold, unwavering stand.

By focusing on how Porco chooses resistance over compliance, the film sets an ethical standard in which the protagonist is driven to pursue personal integrity rather than blind conformity. Yet, rather than positioning Porco’s stance as outright heroic, the film instead makes it clearly a personal decision rather than a performative one.

Porco Rosso’s Anti-Fascist Message Offers Powerful Takeaways

On the surface, Porco Rosso is a film about a cynical World War I ace pilot who has a rivalry with sky pirates, has a complicated relationship with Gina, a singer and close friend, and his climactic battle against an American pilot, Donald Curtis. However, it’s the moments in between that show off a deeper, thought-provoking story.

Despite stating that he’d rather be a pig than a fascist, Porco’s anthropomorphic form is a result of his self-loathing and survivor’s guilt, leading to his rejection of any society that engages in war or fascism, which has historically been linked to causing war, such as during Mussolini’s Italy or Nazi Germany.

Porco’s declaration was an act of courage that was portrayed as something that was simply just right. It came with no fanfare and was even met with discontent from Ferrarin, Porco’s friend. Even so, Porco held firm in his statement and beliefs by refusing to compromise, maintaining his independence, and continuing to resist the fascist regime.

Through this single line, Porco Rosso shared that it's better to reject oppressive systems and maintain one’s selfhood and integrity, especially in a world where it’s easier to conform than resist.