The Surprising Impact of a Studio Ghibli Quote on the Spanish Election

Highlights

A quote from Studio Ghibli's Porco Rosso became a viral campaign slogan in the Spanish general elections, with Twitter users creating fan art related to the election.

The phrase "Better a pig than a fascist" accurately represents the movie's anti-war theme and its connection to the inclusion of the far-right party Vox in the election. The successful Twitter campaign might have played a role in the decline of Vox's government seats, proving the continued influence of Porco Rosso. Miyazaki would surely be proud.

The Spanish general elections on July 23rd received unexpected attention when a quote from the Studio Ghibli film Porco Rosso became a part of a campaign slogan. The quote quickly became viral due to a surge of fan art on Twitter related to the election in Spain. Álvaro Ortiz, a Twitter user and artist, was the first to make the connection and share it on social media, which led to a widespread trend on Spanish Twitter.

Originally released in 1992, Porco Rosso tells the story of Marco, a pilot who embarks on a mission to combat "air pirates" over the Adriatic Sea. However, Marco is not an ordinary pilot; he is cursed and transformed into an anthropomorphic pig. The film depicts his journey as a bounty hunter and his attempts to avoid the imminent threat of war in Italy.

The well-known quote "Better a pig than a fascist" ("Mejor ser un cerdo que un fascista" in Spanish) was utilized in the English language. Set during World War II, Porco Rosso embodies the Studio Ghibli tradition of promoting an anti-war message. The protagonist, Marco, is a war veteran from WWI within the narrative. Upon his friend Rory's warning about the National Fascist Party's attempts to recruit them for flying, Marco responds with this memorable line - which gains further significance due to his porcine nature.

This quote found resonance in modern-day Spain's election due to the inclusion of both the center-right party Partido Popular and the far-right party Vox. The presence of these political parties, coupled with the quote from Porco Rosso, served as inspiration for an online art movement. A pivotal moment occurred ten days prior to the election, on July 10th, when Álvaro Ortiz shared the first piece of art inspired by Porco Rosso. It depicted Marco in his airplane, simply urging viewers to "vote" in Spanish.

Following the original post, the quote quickly gained traction on Twitter, leading to a number of other artists joining in the fun. They all recreated Ortiz's picture, featuring Marco giving a thumbs up from his plane and urging people to vote. What made it particularly fascinating was that each artist brought their own unique style to the picture, resulting in a multitude of Marcos dominating Spanish Twitter just in time for the election.

As of now, there is still no definitive outcome for the election in Spain, and a clear winning party has yet to be declared. However, it is evident that the far-right party Vox did lose seats in the government, suggesting that the Twitter campaign may have had some impact, even if just a small one! Hayao Miyazaki himself, renowned for his staunch anti-war beliefs, would undoubtedly be proud to see that Porco Rosso continues to inspire even today.

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork