Anime World

Plot Synopsis

In a place like a Europe of the 50s, untouched by the ravages of war, where witches aren't bad (as a matter of fact, they're just like the rest of us, and everybody knows about them), Kiki is a young witch just coming into her own. Having reached the age of 13, she follows tradition and sets out into the world to make her way, accompanied only by her knowledge of magic, her trusty flying broom, and her familiar, a cat named Jiji. Kiki finds her way to a good sized town, and is taken in by a kindly baker. Soon, she sets up shop as a one-girl flying delivery service (think the pizza guy only cuter and with a flying broom). While making her rounds and living on her own in the big city, Kiki meets interesting folks of all types, and runs into a number of adventures and misadventures.

Review

Rating: 5 / 5
Reviewer: Marc
Review Date: 2003-07-04

Miyazaki is known for creating fanciful and entertaining tales filled with beautiful imagery and endearing characters, and Kiki's Delivery Service does not disappoint--it is a simple and wondrous movie that, although targeted at a relatively young age group (by anime standards), will almost certainly be enjoyed by anyone who has even a little bit of a kid inside. It is a deceptively simple movie, but one crafted with such subtle beauty, imagination, and care that it is a joy to behold, the sort of movie that causes reviewers to run out of worthy adjectives when attempting to describe it.

The storyline is mild in tension, but filled with everyday excitement (particularly for the younger viewer) and plenty of interesting situations. There are also some lessons about responsibility and self reliance to be learned, but unlike some of the message-heavy animated movies frequently produced by Hollywood, this one is handled with far more tact, and is way too much fun to call it any kind of a lesson.

Actually, although the back of the box hypes it as a story of how to rely on yourself (Kiki has to deal with life without her magic), that's as much marketing than the actual story. The real "moral" has to do more with trusting in your own abilities, even when you feel like a failure. Kiki's magical abilities are portrayed more like an artist's skills than anything else; I'm guessing that this wasn't the message Disney wanted to plug. Regardless of the moral of the story, the real heart of Kiki's Delivery Service is the childlike (but not childish) sense of wonder and whimsy that Miyazaki captures so perfectly. Within the framework of Kiki's magic and the quaint world she inhabits, there is ample room for literal flights of fancy, whimsical contraptions, and a general sense of a world full of excitement and possibility that is both fantastic and yet so concrete you can almost believe it's a real place somewhere or somewhen.

That sense of realism, in fact, is what distinguishes this film from much of the standard kids' adventure fare, and also what makes it a joy to watch even for people well past the age that you'd think would enjoy the story. Part of this feeling of realism comes from how "real" the world seems; everything from the way in which bystanders react to Kiki's flight--mostly surprised, some dismissive, rarely shocked--to the look and feel of the towns and houses, which could easily be taken from a National Geographic article on a rustic European town or a history book. Not only do you believe that this place might exist, but you can even believe that a young witch could live there, and that belief is what makes the whole story hold together so well.

That believability is very important to the story, because the plot contains a subtly crafted peek into a near-idyllic place and the human faults and tribulations that lie beneath it--despite the whimsical nature of the world, most of the adventures are the sort that we encounter in everyday life. For example, in one sequence Kiki helps an elderly woman stoke a fire in an old stove to finish a pie for her granddaughter's birthday. This pie, created with so much care and effort, is entirely unappreciated by the preoccupied girl. But instead of talking about this emotional defeat extensively, or having everyone come around to the error of their ways by the end of the film, the episode just passes. No resolution or tidy endings, just a subtle reminder that not everyone is sensitive or sees things the same way.

That little episode also illustrates the sort of characters that populate Kiki's world; although they are generally painted with broad strokes, there is still a definite sense that these are real people, and even minor characters are distinct and interesting. From a Tom Sawyer-esque artist to the old woman with the pie, Kiki runs into a wonderful variety of folks and each character brings their own bit of adventure. Even Jiji, the talking cat, is far from the standard Disney sidekick; although his pragmatic attitude provides comic relief at times, even he is a real character in his own right.

All that said, probably the best parts of any Miyazaki movie are the art and animation. True to form, beautiful locations, fine art, and absolutely gorgeous animation abound in this film. The character designs are generally along the lines of all of Miyazaki's other works, but aside from Kiki, the characters are among the most distinct and varied of any of his films. There's action, too--wild and absolutely enchanting flights through town and across the countryside, a fanciful bicycle ride, and toward the end, a spectacular airborne rescue scene (surprisingly tense and not for the acrophobic).

But even in the case of its action scenes, one of the things that really must be appreciated is that, like the story, the visuals aren't flamboyant--everything has a distinctly down-to-earth and surprisingly realistic feel to it. This makes the scenes in which Kiki is flying over the pastoral countryside and quaint, vaguely Austrian-style towns all the more beautiful and fun, and a refreshing departure from the wild antics and massive dance numbers of Disney characters and their kin. Speaking of which, although the opening scene has Kiki flying along set to music on her radio, there isn't a single musical number in Kiki's Delivery Service--a boon to parents tired of hearing "Hakuna Mataata" five thousand times.

In fact, the background music is worthy of the highest praise by itself--it has a number of classically-inspired themes that are lively, playful, and simply beautiful--I daresay it may be the best of any Miyazaki movie, which is praise of the highest order. The background themes complement the story and setting perfectly, but there are also two vocal pieces--one each during the opening and closing credits--which are old Japanese pop songs and are quite pretty. In the dub, these were replaced by decent but somewhat more generic English songs written specifically for the movie, although the words have more to do with the story.

The acting is interesting, because this is the first of Miyazaki's films to be released in both subtitled and dubbed forms, and it fortunately isn't the last. The English version makes some minor changes in the dialogue, but is generally well written. The casting is good all around--colorful, but not overly exaggerated. Kirsten Dunst did well as Kiki, but Phil Hartman made the most distinctive character Jiji, with a not-so-catlike voice and a never-ending string of worried comments and sarcasm. I can't say that this performance quite fit with Jiji's look, but it worked well enough and was quite funny at times.

The English Jiji was, however, something of a change from the original, in which Jiji had a cuter voice and was much quieter, although he did still have an amusingly pragmatic personality and quite a few mildly sarcastic comments. All around the Japanese version is acted and cast extremely well, with lots of distinctive and character-filled performances. On a slight down note, the subtitles weren't terribly accurate (see the notes for the reason).

Kiki's Delivery Service manages to be fun, fanciful, and thoroughly enjoyable without being the slightest bit inane. Any kid should love it, but don't dismiss it as a children's movie just because it's suitable for them; nearly anyone will find themselves so drawn into it that they're unable to stop watching, regardless of age. Most highly recommended to absolutely anyone with anything even resembling an inner child, Kiki's Delivery Service is the sort of movie with a subtle richness and sense of wonder that must be seen to be truly appreciated.

For some more thoughts, check out this reader's comments.

Related Recommendations

Any of Miyazaki's films share some elements, and the quality, of Kiki's Delivery service, though they are targeted at a wide range of ages. My Neighbor Totoro (targeted at a slightly younger audience) and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away are probably the most similar, but Castle in the Sky and the more mature Princess Mononoke are also worth the time, as well as the as-yet untranslated Porco Rosso. The Castle of Cagliostro was also directed by Miyazaki, and is worth a look (even though it is a completely different kind of movie).

US DVD Review

The DVD, is similar to the rest of Disney's Miyazaki DVD flood, and equally good. The basics are thoroughly covered; the video is a clean, beautiful anamorphic widescreen transfer, and the audio gives you the choice of an English Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, crisp 2-channel Japanese, or a Spanish dub. You also have the choice of English captions based on the dub (which is enough different that it's useful) or subtitles (which unfortunately aren't terribly accurate, though they are closer). The video even includes both the untouched Japanese version, with the title and credits in the original language, or an English version; these appear automatically depending on which language you select in the menus, although it's unfortunate that it won't let you switch languages or subtitle tracks while playing the film.

The 2-disc set includes a 2nd DVD (in a flippity case, so the package is normal thickness) filled entirely with extras; complete storyboards, the original Japanese trailers, and a making of feature with Kirsten Dunst and Phil Hartman. There's also an introduction by Pixar's John Lasseter before the movie, as with the other Miyazaki DVDs.

My only complaints are relatively minor nitpicks: As I said, you can't switch languages while playing, and the Japanese version does not include a translation of the cast anywhere or most of the credits anywhere, nor does it have subtitles for the songs. In the annoying department, the disc automatically starts out playing Disney's trailers for Spirited Away et al, though these can be skipped, and when you play the feature it starts with the John Lasseter introduction, though again a quick chapter skip gets rid of his entirely unnecessary introduction.

Content Guide

Rated G. Has some scenes of mild stress, but nothing noteworthy.

Violence: 1 - A bit of excitement here and there, but nothing serious.

Nudity: 0 - 0--Zip.

Sex/Mature Themes: 0 - 0--Nada.

Language: 0 - None.

Notes and Trivia

A theatrical movie by master animator Hayao Miyazaki and his legendary studio, Ghibli. Only the second of Hayao Miyazaki's films to make it to America (Warriors of the Wind does not count), and the first to be subtitled, it was released by no less than Disney. (Keep in mind that Disney did nothing more than buy the rights, translate it, and hire some high profile dubbing talent--they had nothing to do with the production). It was heaped with praise by mainstream reviewers, including being selected as Entertainment Weekly's Best Video of 1998

Note that the original title, Majo no Takkyuubin (lit: Witch Delivery Service), doesn't have any of the negative connotations that the word "witch" has in English. Majo no Takkyuubin is loosely based on a children's book of the same name by Kadono Eiko (with illustrations by Hayashi Akiko that look very different from Miyazaki's vision). There is also a sequel to that book.

The English translation is an interesting case; apparently, Carl Maceck (best known for his work on Robotech) was involved in the creation of an English dub that was never released in the US. The script from this dub was the one that Disney used for the subtitles in their releases (explaining some of its relatively minor dialogue differences), and Disney's dub script seems to be based loosely on this translation as well. The Disney dub adds many lines to Jiji's dialogue, but does not change the plot significantly from the original.

One relatively minor but notable change in the English dialogue (and subtitles) is that it was never expressly stated in the original Japanese that Kiki would only be away in training for a year--only that it was a tradition for witches to set out on their own when they turn 13. Kiki did say at one point that she would be in training in whatever city she found for one year, and the witch she runs into while flying says that her training period is almost over so she can go home proudly, implying that a one year period away from home is the tradition.

Last, a note about the music. Though Disney replaced the opening credit song in the dub, the original was "Ruuju no Dengon" ("Message in Rouge"), a popular song in Japan from several years ago by Arai Yumi (now Matsutouya Yumi, thanks to a marriage). The full lyrics in Japanese and English are available at this site. There are also original words to the instrumental theme song, though the song version never appears in the movie (it is, however, quite beautiful).

Availability

Available in the US from Disney on bilingual DVD (buy from RightStuf or AnimeNation). Was previously also available on dubbed or (impressively well-done) subtitled VHS.

Looking to buy? Try these stores: RightStuf (search) | AnimeNation | Akemi's a(nime)Store

Working girl: Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

When Kiki flies into town on her broomstick, black cat in tow, what’s surprising is that the city isn’t particularly surprised. In fact, she’s considered passé. She’s clad in a plain black dress and wears a big red bow. She’s a country bumpkin unused to city life. Her entrance into town backs up traffic and nearly causes several wrecks, simply because she doesn’t know how to navigate the streets. (It’s possible that she’s never seen a stoplight before.) City social codes elude her as well—she doesn’t talk to boys unless they’ve been properly introduced to her. The girls her age (she’s thirteen) talk with the latest slang, wear the coolest clothes, and ride around in convertibles. Kiki, meanwhile, is so unhip that she could be your grandmother.

No one in the big city—a dream-world vision of a European city, with German architecture rubbing up next to French bakeries and pastry shops, all overlooking a sea that feels more Mediterranean than anything in the interior—is shocked by the arrival of a witch-in-training. (It’s the offhand bemusement that New Yorkers and Angelenos have—“Seen it all, wrote the TV special.”) She’s considered antiquated, part of a folklore and lineage that’s centuries out of date. She’s not special to them. Witches exists. Magic exists. Talking black cats exists. These things are part of daily life, like the aroma of fresh bread in the early morning, or the ebullient yells of garbagemen making their daily rounds, or newspaper pages whipping around on the sidewalks, or a bee alighting on a blooming flower. No big deal.

As a result, the heroine of Kiki’s Delivery Service has to adjust and do the unthinkable—get a regular job, find an apartment, pay the bills. She sets up a delivery service above a bakery. It’s the perfect job, as it allows Kiki—no, forces her—to learn the city. And that’s really it for the plot.

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Brian Camp

A coming-of-age tale about a 13-year-old witch, this English-dubbed version of one of Japan's most beloved animated features is rendered with imagination, whimsy, and heartfelt care.

Kiki (voiced by Kirsten Dunst) follows family tradition and settles for a year in a foreign city to serve as resident witch. She makes friends, finds room and board, and uses her broom-flying ability to launch a delivery service. A boy her age, the aviation buff Tombo (Matthew Laurence), develops a crush on her.

As she approaches puberty, Kiki begins to lose her powers. She strikes up a chance friendship with an older girl, the artist Ursula (Janeane Garofalo), who helps Kiki weather her loss of confidence. When a dirigible accident puts Tombo in danger, Kiki must summon up all of her powers to save her friend.

A huge box office hit in Japan, Kiki's Delivery Service is the first film by celebrated animator Hayao Miyazaki to become available in the U.S.; it's part of a deal struck between Disney and Miyazaki's studio. This English-dubbed version, released straight-to-video, benefits from well-cast celebrity voices, including Phil Hartman (as Kiki's wisecracking black cat Jiji) and Debbie Reynolds.

Kiki is set in a large European metropolis (an amalgam of Stockholm and other cities) in a time period suggesting the 1950s. The attention to detail, particularly in the scenes of Kiki flying over the city streets, rivals that of many a bigger-budgeted Disney feature. Such detail provides important background as small-town girl Kiki gradually acclimates herself to this new, bewildering environment.

The film also realistically treats Kiki's growing pains, as she copes with the twin problems of independence and peer group relations. This accounts, in part, for the film's enthusiastic reception by so many young viewers.

The Disney version's only serious flaw is the replacement of the Japanese original's delightful opening and closing songs with new, less catchy English-language ones.

Fans of this one should immediately seek out an earlier Miyazaki release in English; My Neighbor Totoro offers a gentle and lush tale of two sisters who move to the Japanese countryside and encounter a family of mythical forest creatures. Spirited Away also shows a young girl finding her way in a mystical and sometimes scary land.