Kiki's Delivery ServiceThere's no roadmap for making your own way in the world. Take, for example, the thirteen year old witch, Kiki, who sets off upon her mother's broomstick for a year long (or more) quest to develop her skills as a witch, only to find that she doesn't have any direction in the first place. In one fortuitous moment, a woman named Osono--the owner of a bakery in the new city where Kiki's landed--is in need of swiftly returning a pacifier to the infant child of a customer. In an act of kindness, Kiki offers to deliver it via broomstick, setting into motion an enterprise for the young girl she could not have foreseen in any crystal ball.
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Part of the beloved, family-friendly Studio Ghibli film library, Kiki's Delivery Service is a charming film with lovely animation, and with a few celebrity voice actors for the English dub, including Kirsten Dunst as Kiki. More than this, the movie is a splendid tale of finding one's place in the world and overcoming self-doubt. Despite her young age, Kiki boldly sets off for adventure, leaving her parents behind. Her mother is also a witch, specializing in potions, and this journey of self-discovery has been the tradition in her family for centuries. The world of Kiki's Delivery Service is fantastical, not just in the sense that there are witches, but that they appear to be generally accepted as a part of society. That said, they still appear to be exceedingly rare, and aside from Kiki's mother, the only other one she meets is a snooty fortune-telling girl en route in the skies overhead. Despite the obvious presence of magical flight--apparently reserved exclusively for flying via brooms--the thrill of aviation still lingers for others, like a young and earnest boy named Tombo. This joyful lad obviously has a crush on Kiki, but Kiki hides her own interest in getting to know him better behind a cool exterior. Kiki's only confidant is her cat named Gigi, with whom Kiki can magically converse. (It's unlikely that Gigi is a familiar per se, but that Kiki's status as a child witch must afford her some ability to understand her cat.) Tombo is trying to get his own garage-built aircraft off the ground (literally), and enthusiastically beams at Kiki's seemingly effortless way of flying without such a contraption. Tombo makes multiple attempts to befriend Kiki, but either by pride or circumstance, it takes a great deal of time before Kiki can build up the nerve to accept. She is self-conscious about her drab witch's robe, and sets her eyes on a pair of ruby slippers (yes, really) in shop window. When she is preparing to accompany Tombo and his friends to see a zeppelin docked off of the shore of their coastal town, and Kiki catches sight of a spoiled granddaughter to whom she delivered a pumpkin and herring pie to once (...eww...) among Tombo's pals, she runs off. Why? Because Kiki believes that she isn't as "good" because she's doesn't dress prettily nor does she have a lot of money. She begins to feel that she isn't as worthwhile, and as the doubt creeps in, her powers wane, including losing her ability to understand Gigi--perhaps a nod to the Fifties romantic comedy, Bell, Book and Candle. Kiki faces a crisis of faith in herself and her abilities, and it takes a near disaster for her to summon up the wellspring of her own talent once more to help her overcome this.
One of the things that makes Studio Ghibli movies so accessible is how it not only avoids objectionable content (on the whole), but manages to still address important and universal themes without condescending to its audience. Adolescence is something that everyone has endured, but seeing Kiki experience it in combination with trying to start her own business in a city with precious few resources, all while coping with loneliness and complicated feelings makes her struggle one that will find a home with sympathetic viewers. What's telling about Kiki's journey, however, is how she finds support in unlikely places, predominantly from independent women who presumably see much of themselves in her. Osono is the first, who kindly offers her both a place to stay and a phone for her business--their business phone, as it happens--in exchange for helping out a little at the shop. A very reasonable arrangement, one that benefits Kiki predominantly. This continues with her first client, a woman who wants her to deliver a stuffed animal--a replica of a cat that looks eerily like Gigi--to her spoiled nephew. When Kiki accidentally loses the doll and has Gigi act as a surrogate, it is an artist named Ursula living in a cabin who repairs the toy in exchange for some light housework. When Kiki loses her powers, it is Ursula who makes the comparison to "artist's block", and helps clear away Kiki's proverbial cobwebs with some worldly wisdom. Even one of Kiki's clients, an older woman who baked said pumpkin and herring pie (yeah, still gross sounding) offers to pay her for her time even though the pie isn't done. But by this point, Kiki has come to understand the value of generosity and reciprocity, and out of the pure goodness of her young heart, she only accepts payment after helping the elderly woman finish baking the pie. This leads to Kiki missing a date with Tombo in the process and getting sick due to flying in the pouring rain. So even though Kiki may have set off for parts unknown without a plan, she begins laying the foundation for a business--one where there is a real need for her clients, unlike that snooty fortune teller. The hard part for Kiki, however, comes back to that saying about not being able to "see the forest for the trees". She begins to doubt that she is special, even though she has clearly shown to so many people that she is. She has the support of many kind souls who like her. I believe that this is the real reason why at the climax of Kiki's Delivery Service that she is able to call forth her powers once more. She realizes how significant she is to others--like Tombo--and rises to meet the challenge. It's a crucial message for anyone--at any age--to hear.
Recommended for: Fans of a sweet and joyful animated feature with a fun and light-hearted story, yet one with an important statement about life to share. Kiki's Delivery Service is a wonderful entry point for anyone looking to get into Studio Ghibli movies (or anime in general), and is a magical tale suitable for just about everyone.
One of the things that makes Studio Ghibli movies so accessible is how it not only avoids objectionable content (on the whole), but manages to still address important and universal themes without condescending to its audience. Adolescence is something that everyone has endured, but seeing Kiki experience it in combination with trying to start her own business in a city with precious few resources, all while coping with loneliness and complicated feelings makes her struggle one that will find a home with sympathetic viewers. What's telling about Kiki's journey, however, is how she finds support in unlikely places, predominantly from independent women who presumably see much of themselves in her. Osono is the first, who kindly offers her both a place to stay and a phone for her business--their business phone, as it happens--in exchange for helping out a little at the shop. A very reasonable arrangement, one that benefits Kiki predominantly. This continues with her first client, a woman who wants her to deliver a stuffed animal--a replica of a cat that looks eerily like Gigi--to her spoiled nephew. When Kiki accidentally loses the doll and has Gigi act as a surrogate, it is an artist named Ursula living in a cabin who repairs the toy in exchange for some light housework. When Kiki loses her powers, it is Ursula who makes the comparison to "artist's block", and helps clear away Kiki's proverbial cobwebs with some worldly wisdom. Even one of Kiki's clients, an older woman who baked said pumpkin and herring pie (yeah, still gross sounding) offers to pay her for her time even though the pie isn't done. But by this point, Kiki has come to understand the value of generosity and reciprocity, and out of the pure goodness of her young heart, she only accepts payment after helping the elderly woman finish baking the pie. This leads to Kiki missing a date with Tombo in the process and getting sick due to flying in the pouring rain. So even though Kiki may have set off for parts unknown without a plan, she begins laying the foundation for a business--one where there is a real need for her clients, unlike that snooty fortune teller. The hard part for Kiki, however, comes back to that saying about not being able to "see the forest for the trees". She begins to doubt that she is special, even though she has clearly shown to so many people that she is. She has the support of many kind souls who like her. I believe that this is the real reason why at the climax of Kiki's Delivery Service that she is able to call forth her powers once more. She realizes how significant she is to others--like Tombo--and rises to meet the challenge. It's a crucial message for anyone--at any age--to hear.
Recommended for: Fans of a sweet and joyful animated feature with a fun and light-hearted story, yet one with an important statement about life to share. Kiki's Delivery Service is a wonderful entry point for anyone looking to get into Studio Ghibli movies (or anime in general), and is a magical tale suitable for just about everyone.