Thanks, everyone for your answers + additional conversation.
Quite helpful!
Heck, most times 'real' people's speech doesn't have any semblance to movie character's dialogue-especially when it's well written!
While not attempting to learn Japanese through anime, I did think it might be fun to see how much of the language I could pick up on while watching Ponyo.
I wouldn't refer to my parents as Mr.__or Mrs.__, but as steven alluded, 'sir' is more respectful than calling them by name. In America, the only time I've heard one call his parents by name is when the parents are divorced or the kid is adopted. The attempt to represent everyone as distinct-although perhaps a little confusing at first-makes sense.
Thanks, Nyororin. You explained it beautifully. =)
Man, there's so many awesome ways to use 伝説 in daily conversation...it would just take someone like Jack Black to find out what they are.
And 伝説の魔法スポンジ sound like an amazing product...Is it really as legendary and magic as advertised?
..Since the subject was (albeit vaguely) mentioned, is it more masculine to refer to ones' self as わたし、ぼく、or おれ？ Sosuke called himself ぼく several times, and from what I've read (from some sources) it's considered rather little-boyish. I did quite a bit of research, but found so many different views on the subject.
Thanks again, everyone!