Which Studio Ghibli film features a pig who is a World War I flying ace?

Which Studio Ghibli film features a pig who is a World War I flying ace? The answer is Porco Rosso. The 1992 film follows Marco Pagot, an Italian former fighter ace who has been transformed into a pig and now works as a freelance bounty hunter over the Adriatic Sea.

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Porco Rosso is set in the late 1920s, amid the romantic world of seaplanes, air pirates, and interwar Italy. Porco’s red aircraft and nickname mean “Red Pig,” reflecting both his appearance and his independent, defiant personality.

The film grew from Miyazaki’s 1989 manga Hikōtei Jidai, or The Age of the Flying Boat. It was initially planned as a short in-flight film for Japan Airlines before expanding into a feature. Its detailed aircraft designs draw on real aviation history, including the Macchi M.33 and Savoia-Marchetti S.55.

A common mix-up is The Wind Rises, another Miyazaki aviation film. That story centers on aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi, while Porco Rosso is the one featuring the flying pig and World War I veteran.