It occurred to me today that you can use Miyazaki films as a really quick way to explain the difference between urban/modern fantasy and magical realism.
Kikiâs Delivery Service: takes place in the regular worldâ albeit at some nebulous point in timeâ but also magic is real and witches are a thing. Witches exist in this world because itâs fun and we like them. Itâs fantasy elements in a familiar settingâ essentially urban or modern fantasy.
Porco Rosso: takes place in an extremely specific place and time and contains exactly one fantastical elementâ Marcoâs pig headâ which is never given an explanation and is never questioned as a biological impossibility. Itâs clearly a metaphor and commentary on a real world issue but itâs also very much literal. This dude 100% has a pig head. No other mentions of magic are made. This is magical realism.
This story brought to you by the fact that Iâve never seen a fanfic on ao3 tagged magical realism that wasnât actually modern fantasy.



















