A Film by Hayao Miyazaki

Ghibli Fest 2023 is chugging right along, and the fourth showing is 1989’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. The film was adapted from the 1985 novel Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, which is something I need to check out one of these days. It has actually been an extremally long time since I’ve seen this, despite owning it multiple times on home media and access on the Max Streaming Service, so a first-time theater screening is exactly the perfect way to re-experience such an awesome film. Much like with Ponyo, which was the third showing in this series, Kiki largely does not have a real antagonist as much as you can apply that moniker to human nature. Fitting in, finding a place in the world, dealing with burnout and thoughts of inadequacy, and even depression are the main foes found in Kiki’s Delivery Service, and as many can attest, those are the worst demons one can have at times.

“It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation. Don’t miss this delightfully imaginative and timeless story of a young girl finding her way in the world, featuring the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, and Debbie Reynolds.”

A lot of anime fans may not realize this, but Kiki’s Delivery Service is likely the primary reason we still even have a Studio Ghibli in 2023. After the success of the somewhat thematically similar Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1985) and Castle in the Sky (1986), filmgoers were not so keen on the next two films the fledgling studios put out. In order to win over financiers, My Neighbor Totoro was slapped into a double feature with Grave of the Fireflies, and went on to become a huge double box office flop. While both films are highly regarded, and My Neighbor Totoro eventually went on to smash television records in Japan to become a surprise hit (kind of like A Christmas Story in the US), the intended goal of funding did not coalesce.

NOTE: I cannot imagine a more intense whiplash than watching those films back-to-back. I sincerely hope Totoro went on last!

Kiki was their next film, and rather than courting guys in stuffy business suits, the marketing targeted young women this time around. Their idea was that women would see themselves and their struggles in the titular heroine, and the film could help them work through problems like burnout and depression. Hayao Miyazaki once said: “true independence girls must now confront involves the far more difficult task of discovering their own talents,” This statement is a central theme in the film, and goes to show that Ghibli has a mission with Kiki, and it definitely paid off.

I remember as late as the year 2000-2, Ghibli fandom basically WAS a love of Kiki’s Delivery Service. The film was still a hot commodity at anime clubs and conventions, and it really wasn’t until later films like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle were released that the new generation of fans shifted the scales.

The English dub is pretty good for a mid-90’s Disney dub, I truthfully have never watched the original Streamline dub, and won’t likely seek it out because Carl Macek (of Robotech fame) had a knack for hacking huge chunks of film from any Ghibli film he touched (Nausicaa comes to mind). A dark specter hangs over the dub’s production a tad, keeping in mind when this was released should give you a hint. May 28, 1998 marked the day that one of the main actors in this film, Phil Hartman (the voice of Jiji), sadly passed away due to a tragic murder/suicide attack by his spouse. One week earlier, the Disney English dub of Kiki’s Delivery Service premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 23, 1998, making it one of the last things Hartman ever lent his acting talents to.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service still holds up even after all these years because of how timeless the story is and always will be. It has gorgeous animation, even now, and is full of magic and whimsy that can only come from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki. For a film that delves so heavily into the darker side of growing up, namely teenage angst and depression, the film never becomes “sad”. The audience watches Kiki get to her lowest point only to help her pull herself up and keep on fighting. It’s yet another perfect children’s film, as well as something the full family can enjoy. If you have not seen this movie and you call yourself an anime fan, it’s time to change that.

Knowing this was one of the “bigger ones”, Fathom Events scheduled a three day run for this film, which was a good idea because the weekend showing I attended was pretty packed. As with all of these showings, there was a small clip of a documentary called 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki, as has been standard so far, and some trailers for features from GKids which is the Disney anime distribution arm that puts out most of the anime you see with Fathom Events.

Overall, Kiki’s Delivery Service has never been my favorite film from Studio Ghibli, but nonetheless it holds a lot of sentimental nostalgic value to me. This is largely because my prime years of anime fandom were when this was one of the hottest films out there. It was great to be able to see it as intended, on the big screen, and to take my family along for the ride. My son has grown to really enjoy the films from Studio Ghibli, and you can’t imagine how happy that makes me. Ghibli Fest 2023 has been a big hit in my house, and I can’t wait for the next string of showings.

That’s it for this month, join me again in June for my reviews of Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky!