Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Kiki's Delivery Service 魔女の宅急便

 Released Year: 1989
Directed by 宫崎駿 Hayao Miyazaki

Voiced by:
高山南 Minami Takayama & Kirsten Dunst as  琪琪 Kiki
佐久間玲 Rei Sakuma as 吉吉 Jiji
三浦浩一 Keiko Toda as 歐其諾 Osono 
 Story:
Kiki is a 13-year-old witch-in-training living in a village where her mother is the resident herbalist. Traditionally, witches live a year alone when they reach the age of 13. One night, Kiki takes off for the big city with her best friend Jiji, a loquacious black cat.

Kiki settles in Koriko, a port city. After a hard start, mostly because of her own insecurity, Kiki makes friends and finds a place to stay. However, she discovers that her only skill as a witch is her ability to fly on a broom, at which she is still not fully proficient. To support herself, she begins a delivery service at Gütiokipänja Bakery, a bakery owned by Osono and her husband Fukuo.

During her time in Koriko, Kiki experiences setbacks, and she must contend with adolescent worries. She is pursued by Tombo, a local boy crazy about aviation who has developed a genuine respect for her flying power and a strong liking for Kiki as a girl in general. Kiki eventually warms up to him, but after a brief encounter with Tombo's friends, some of whom she had met earlier under unfavorable circumstances, Kiki loses her powers to fly and speak with Jiji, devastating her. However, one of her friends, a young painter named Ursula, invites her to stay in her forest cottage, where she analyzes Kiki's current crisis as "some form of artist's block." Since many things had not gone as hoped for, Kiki is experiencing such a period, which resulted in the loss of her powers; but if she finds a new purpose, she will be able to reclaim what she has lost.

Heartened, Kiki returns to the city. While visiting one of her customers, she witnesses an dirigible accident on the television. A strong and sudden gust of wind blows in the area. Tombo is lifted into the air and blown away hanging from the dirigible. Kiki pushes herself to regain her flying ability and uses a street-sweeper's push broom. Kiki is able to regain her power and rescue Tombo.

Kiki becomes comfortably part of the life in Koriko as its own local celebrity and flying in formation with Tombo on his human-powered aircraft, a propeller-rigged bicycle. Kiki sends a letter to her parents about gaining confidence through difficulties and that she has decided to make Koriko her new home.
L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:
Love this animation of Hayao, the idea of a witch going around to gain experience is something like Harry Potter, i wonder whether Harry Potter copy this storyline or not? As this animation has won multiples awards for Best Animation in USA & Europe countries...

2 comments:

  1. Loved it! Even years back, one of my favourites from Studio Ghibli!

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  2. Really? Tats good :) r u a big fans of studio ghibli too?

    ReplyDelete