In July 1929, during the golden age of seaplanes, an Italian flying ace named Marco Pagot roams the skies of the Adriatic Sea with the face of a pig. This is the world of "Porco Rosso" (Kurenai no Buta), the fourth feature film by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, released in Japan in 1992. It's a world brimming with Italian atmosphere: its protagonist is an ex-pilot of the Regia Aeronautica, and the screen is filled with Italian writings, songs, names, and breathtaking views of the Adriatic. Given this deep connection to our country, one might think that the Italian dub of the film was created immediately. But that's not the case. The journey of the Italian-language version of "Porco Rosso" is a story in itself, marked by delays, lost opportunities, and a final, triumphant arrival that gave Italy's favorite pig pilot a voice only many years after his debut.
, you’re missing the most authentic version of Marco Pagot’s story. The Mystery of the "Lost" Dub The history of Porco Rosso
in Italy is as legendary as the Crimson Pig himself. There is a fascinating "lost" dub that was originally intended for a 1997 home video release but was canceled for unknown reasons. This version remains a holy grail for collectors.
In 2010, the distribution rights shifted to Lucky Red, a company renowned for bringing the complete Ghibli library to Italian theaters with fresh localizations. This version was adapted by Gualtiero Cannarsi, a translator famous for his hyper-faithful, philological approach to Japanese texts. porco rosso italian dub
, known for his deep, gravelly tone that fits the "weary veteran" persona of the lead character. Donald Curtis : Voiced by Fabrizio Pucci Madame Gina : Voiced by Roberta Pellini Fio Piccolo : Voiced by Joy Saltarelli Mr. Piccolo : Voiced by Armando Bandini Mamma Aiuto Boss : Voiced by Paolo Buglioni : Voiced by Massimo De Ambrosis The Dubbing Database Cultural Impact & Authenticity
Joy Saltarelli brings to life the energetic, intelligent, and determined 17-year-old mechanic. She infuses Fio with the right amount of youthful exuberance and professional competence, making her a delightful and unforgettable character.
The translation was handled with care, preserving Italian place names, local expressions, and historical references, avoiding the "generic foreign accent" trap common in some English dubs of the era. In July 1929, during the golden age of
The first attempt to dub the film into Italian dates back to 1997. At that time, the company Buena Vista (the historical distributor of Disney, which also distributed Studio Ghibli's works in many countries) started working on an Italian version. The person in charge of this project was none other than Gualtiero Cannarsi, a name that would become central to the tale of "Porco Rosso." Cannarsi was entrusted with directing the dubbing and adapting the dialogues. It seemed that the wait would finally come to an end.
The film features real Italian aircraft models (Macchi, Savoia Marchetti) and local landmarks that "catch the soul" of the region in a way that resonates deeply with Italian speakers.
Surprisingly, Italian audiences had to wait a very long time to see the film officially dubbed in their native language. 1. The Unreleased Cult Dub (Early 2000s) Given this deep connection to our country, one
When Hayao Miyazaki directed Porco Rosso , he filled every frame with meticulous historical details of interwar Italy. The narrative tracks , a former captain and ace pilot of the Italian Regia Aeronautica during World War I. After witnessing his friends die and watching fascism corrupt his beloved country, Marco becomes disillusioned. He places a curse upon himself, turning into an anthropomorphic pig, and takes up the moniker Porco Rosso ("Crimson Pig") to work as a freelance bounty hunter.
Gina is the elegant and melancholic singer who owns the Hotel Adriano. She is the only woman who knows the secret of Porco's curse and has loved him for years. Roberta Pellini lends her mature, sensual, and sophisticated voice to the character, conveying a sense of nostalgia and unspoken passion.
In the 2010 dub of Porco Rosso , Cannarsi utilized archaic Italian syntax, obscure vocabulary, and literal translations of Japanese idioms to stay as faithful as possible to Miyazaki’s original text.