This is a contentious question in Ghibli fandom. The respectful answer is: It depends on what you want.

Set against the backdrop of the Adriatic Sea during the rise of Fascism, Porco Rosso is arguably Studio Ghibli’s most "Western" film. The protagonist, Marco Pagot, is an Italian World War I fighter pilot transformed into a pig. The scenery—ranging from the pristine waters of the Adriatic to the romanticized streets of Milan—is inherently Italian. Consequently, the Italian dub does not feel like a foreign import; rather, it feels like a restoration of the film's true identity.

Kalamera passed away in 2023, and upon his death, Italian social media was flooded with tributes to his Porco Rosso. Many Italians confessed they cannot separate Kalamera’s voice from the image of the Savoia S.21 seaplane.