Sōsuke

''This article is about a character from Ponyo. For information about the Pom Poko character with a similar name, see Sasuke.''

Sōsuke (宗介) is the five-year old protagonist of the film, Ponyo.

Appearance
Sōsuke is a 5-year-old boy who wears a sunshine yellow t-shirt and chocolate brown shorts. His hair is walnut brown with his hair shaven underneath. Also, he wears a sailor hat and binoculars.

Personality
Sōsuke is intelligent, smart, loyal, cute and heroic. He is willing to protect his friends (including Ponyo, starting from when she washes up on the shore near the house, stuck in a glass jar), even if doing so gets him in trouble with his mother or Ponyo's father (whom they hate).

He is interested in the sea, especially since his father is the captain of a ship. He also knows that Kōichi does his best for the family, as seen when Lisa gets angry at Kōichi and chides him for abandoning her family on a cliff.

​History
Sōsuke is first seen when Lisa calls Sōsuke to come back home and he discovers Ponyo.

Quotes
""Don't worry, Ponyo. No matter what, I will protect you. I promise.""

- Sōsuke promises that he will protect Ponyo.

Etymology

 * The name Sōsuke is written in hiragana (そうすけ), which has no special meaning. However, when written in kanji (颯介, 颯佑, 颯輔, 聡介, 聡佑, 聡輔, 奏介, 奏佑, 奏輔, 創介, 創佑, 創輔, 蒼介, 蒼佑, 蒼輔, 宗右介 or 惣右介), it could possibly mean:
 * 颯介 - "sudden, sound of the wind" (颯) (sō) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).
 * 颯佑 - "sudden, sound of the wind" (颯) (sō) and "help, assist" (佑) (suke).
 * 颯輔 - "sudden, sound of the wind" (颯) (sō) and "help" (輔) (suke).
 * 聡介 - "intelligent, clever, bright" (聡) (sō) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).
 * 聡佑 - "intelligent, clever, bright" (聡) (sō) and "help, assist" (佑) (suke).
 * 聡輔 - "intelligent, clever, bright" (聡) (sō) and "help" (輔) (suke).
 * 奏介 - "play music, complete" (奏) (sō) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).
 * 奏佑 - "play music, complete" (奏) (sō) and "help, assist" (佑) (suke).
 * 奏輔 - "play music, complete" (奏) (sō) and "help" (輔) (suke).
 * 創介 - "wound, begin" (創) (sō) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).
 * 創佑 - "wound, begin" (創) (sō) and "help, assist" (佑) (suke).
 * 創輔 - "wound, begin" (創) (sō) and "help" (輔) (suke).
 * 蒼介 - "blue, pale" (蒼) (sō) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).
 * 蒼佑 - "blue, pale" (蒼) (sō) and "help, assist" (佑) (suke).
 * 蒼輔 - "blue, pale" (蒼) (sō) and "help" (輔) (suke).
 * 宗右介 - "religion, sect, denomination, main point, origin, essence" (宗) (sō), "right" (右) (u) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).
 * 惣右介 - "all" (惣) (sō), "right" (右) (u) and "help, assist" (介) (suke).

Trivia

 * The "U" in his name is not pronounced.
 * He appears similar to Kanta from My Neighbor Totoro when he wears a sailor hat.

Sōsuke 崖の上のポニョ