"Howl's Moving Castle" Review: The charm of magic and adventure

"Howl's Moving Castle": Hayao Miyazaki's world of magic and adventure

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

November 20, 2004 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho

■Frequencies

119 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Diana Wynne Jones "Howl and the Fire Demon"

■ Director

Hayao Miyazaki

■ Production

・Produced by Studio Ghibli

■Works

© 2004 Studio Ghibli・NDDMT

■ Story

Born and raised in a town at the foot of the wasteland, 18-year-old Sophie runs her late father's hat shop. One day, she meets a handsome young man in town and is invited to take a short walk in the air. Sophie is captivated by this dreamlike event, but that night she is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and transformed into a 90-year-old grandmother. Unable to live like this, Sophie leaves her home and decides to stay as a housekeeper in the wizard Howl's moving castle.

■Cast

・Sophie/Chieko Baisho・Howl/Takuya Kimura・Witch of the Waste/Akihiro Miwa・Markl/Ryunosuke Kamiki・Calcifer/Tatsuya Gashuin・Lettie/Yayoi Kazuki・Fanny/Mayuno Yasogawa・Cub/Yo Oizumi・Saliman/Haruko Kato・Hin/Daijiro Harada

■ Main staff

- Original story: "Howl and the Fire Demon" by Diana Wynne Jones
Produced by: "Howl's Moving Castle" Production Committee. Scriptwriter and director: Hayao Miyazaki. Animation directors: Akihiko Yamashita, Takeshi Inamura, Kitaro Kosaka. Key animation: Atsuko Tanaka, Ai Kagawa, Kenichi Yamada, Hideaki Yoshio, Eiji Komori, Kazuyoshi Onoda, Makiko Suzuki, Mariko Matsuo, Atsushi Tamura, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Masashi Okumura, Masashi Yokota, Masaru Matsuse, Makiko Niki, Seiko Shinohara, Katsuya Kondo, Satoshi Sugino, Hiroomi Yamakawa, Awata Tsutomu, Takeuchi Nobuyuki, Kimijima Shigeru, Masuda Hiroshi, Osugi Yoshihiro, Hashimoto Takashi, Masuda Toshihiko, Yazaki Kenji, Tanaka Yuichi, Hamasu Hideki, Ohira Shinya, Konishi Kenichi, Shigeta Atsushi, Yamada Katsuya, Otsuka Shinji - Animation cooperation: Anime Toro Toro, Nakamura Productions, Studio Takuranke, Studio Cockpit, Oh Productions, Doga Kobo, Sakuraku Create, LIBERTY SHIP, Madhouse, Production IG
・Video checker: Hitomi Tateno, Rie Nakagomi ・Assistant video checker: Kaori Fujii, Mariko Suzuki, Masaya Saito ・Color design: Michiyo Yasuda ・Assistant color designator: Kanako Takayanagi, Fumiko Numahata, Kazuko Yamada ・Art director: Yoji Takeshige, Noboru Yoshida ・Digital animation director: Mitsunori Katayama ・Music, conductor, piano: Joe Hisaishi ・Performance: New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra ・Trumpet: Miroslav Keimal (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra)
・Sound Production: Kazuhiro Hayashi ・Sound Production: Tokyo Television Center, Toru Kadokura, Michihiko Iwana, Takeshi Imaizumi, Jiro Miyazawa ・Sound Editing: Hideji Inoue ・Sound Effects: Toru Noguchi (Anime Sound)
・Sound production / Fonisia, Yoshinaga Nobue ・Editor / Seyama Takeshi ・Editing assistants / Uchida Megumi, Matsubara Rie, Kimura Yoshiko ・Production manager / Watanabe Hiroyuki ・Production desk / Kamimura Atsushi, Mochizuki Yuichiro ・Production managers / Imura Kenji, Saito Junya, Ito Gohei ・Assistant directors / Kiyokawa Ryosuke, Toba Hironori ・Producer / Suzuki Toshio ・Assistant producer / Ishii Tomohiko ・Production / Studio Ghibli

■ Main Characters

・Sophie Hatter The eldest daughter of the millinery shop. After being cursed by the Witch of the Waste and turned into a 90-year-old grandma, she ends up in Howl's Moving Castle. ・Howl The master of the Moving Castle and a wizard. A beautiful young man with great powers who does not respond to the invitation from Emergency and lives every day in vain. ・The Witch of the Waste The witch who is after Howl. She was chased by Emergency 50 years ago and is hiding in the wasteland. ・Calcifer The fire demon who lives in the fireplace in the Moving Castle. Calcifer controls the castle. He seems to have made a contract with Howl and is tied to the fireplace. ・Markl A disciple of Howl. He has no relatives and lives in the castle. He greets citizens who come to the castle to visit Howl and messengers from Emergency. ・Scarecrow Turnip A turnip-headed scarecrow that Sophie saved in the wasteland. Wanting to repay her kindness, she follows Sophie around. King King of Kingsbury Hin A mysterious dog who has become attached to Sophie for some reason Saliman The royal wizard of Kingsbury. He was Howl's former master, and with his great power, he holds the real power in the immediate future.

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・Promise of the World・Lyrics by Shuntaro Tanikawa・Music by Yumi Kimura・Arrangement by Joe Hisaishi・Singer by Chieko Baisho

Appeal and Evaluation of "Howl's Moving Castle"

Howl's Moving Castle is a 2004 animated film produced by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The film is based on the novel Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and depicts a world of fantasy and adventure. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of this film.

The appeal of the story

The story of Howl's Moving Castle begins when 18-year-old Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and transformed into a 90-year-old woman. She lives in Howl's Moving Castle and works as a housekeeper, while also interacting with Howl, Calcifer, and other characters as she embarks on a journey to find a way to break the curse. The story centers on themes of growth and self-discovery, and is a mix of visual beauty and deep emotion.

The character of Sophie is particularly appealing, and her growth and change deeply moves the audience. At first, Sophie lacks confidence and has a passive personality, but through her encounters with Howl and other characters, she gains courage and confidence, which resonates with many people. Howl's character is also appealing, and his beauty and mystery, as well as his inner conflict, are depicted. The relationship between Howl and Sophie is a central element of the story, and their growth and deepening bond enriches the story.

Visuals and animation

As a Studio Ghibli production, Howl's Moving Castle is known for its beautiful visuals and animation. Hayao Miyazaki's unique art style is able to realistically depict a fantasy world and draw the audience in. The design of the moving castle in particular is very impressive, with its fusion of mechanical structure and biological movements providing a visual surprise. The background art is also very detailed, with realistic recreations of wasteland landscapes and cityscapes.

"Howl's Moving Castle" has also been highly praised for its animation techniques. The characters' movements and facial expressions are detailed, and the flow of each scene is very smooth, providing an immersive experience for the audience. In particular, the scene where Sophie turns into an old woman and the scene where Howl uses magic show the high level of animation technique.

Music and Sound

The music for "Howl's Moving Castle" was composed by Joe Hisaishi, and his beautiful melodies add excitement to the story. In particular, the theme song "Promise of the World" fuses Baisho Chieko's singing voice with Tanikawa Shuntaro's lyrics, deeply expressing the theme of the story. The background music also enhances the atmosphere of the story, and is used effectively in the adventure scenes and moving scenes.

The sound design is also excellent, with realistic sound effects and environmental sounds, especially the moving castle and magic sound effects, which combine with the visuals to leave a strong impression on the audience.

Characters and cast

The characters in Howl's Moving Castle are unique and fascinating. Baisho Chieko, who plays Sophie, naturally portrays both the young and old Sophie, realistically expressing the character's growth. Kimura Takuya, who plays Howl, also skillfully portrays his beauty and inner conflict. Miwa Akihiro, who plays the Witch of the Waste, brings out the terrifying power of his character with his strong presence and voice. Gashuin Tatsuya, who plays Calcifer, also charmingly portrays the fire demon character.

The other characters are also unique, such as Ryunosuke Kamiki who plays Markl and Yo Oizumi who plays Kabu, and each character adds depth to the story. The acting ability of the cast combined with the charm of the characters leaves a strong impression on the audience.

Theme and Message

Howl's Moving Castle depicts themes of growth and self-discovery, as well as love and connection. Sophie's growth teaches us to find our own values ​​and act with courage. Howl and Sophie's relationship also shows the importance of love and understanding. Additionally, the film depicts themes of war and peace, depicting the horrors of war and the resistance against it that are the backdrop of the story.

This work has the power to convey a deep message to the audience and make them think. It has especially resonated with a wide range of people, from young people to adults, and is loved by many people.

Recognition and Awards

"Howl's Moving Castle" has received high praise both in Japan and overseas. In Japan, it grossed approximately 19.6 billion yen, ranking first in the 2004 box office rankings for Japanese films. It has also received high praise overseas, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2006. It has also won many other film awards, acknowledging the high quality of the work.

The film has also been highly praised by audiences, with many fans loving it. In particular, the depth of the story and the beauty of the visuals have been highly praised, leading to many repeat viewers. It is also popular with a wide range of viewers, from children to adults, and is a film the whole family can enjoy.

Recommendations and related works

I highly recommend "Howl's Moving Castle" to anyone who likes fantasy and adventure, and who wants to enjoy a deep story and beautiful visuals. Also, for those who want to enjoy other Studio Ghibli works, I recommend "Spirited Away" and "The Wind Rises". These works also allow you to enjoy Hayao Miyazaki's unique worldview and beautiful animation.

In addition, by reading the original novel "The Wizard Howl and the Fire Demon," you can gain a deeper understanding of the background of the story and the details of the characters. In addition, many related books and goods are on sale, so fans can enjoy collecting them.

Conclusion

"Howl's Moving Castle" is a masterpiece that depicts the magical and adventurous world of Hayao Miyazaki. The depth of the story, the beauty of the visuals, the wonderful music, and the charm of the characters all combine to leave a strong impression on the audience. This work is highly recommended for those who like fantasy and adventure, and those who want to enjoy a deep story and beautiful visuals. Please try to experience Hayao Miyazaki's magical world at least once.