Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) User Reviews

Loved the message.

[manendra-lodhi · 9/10 · 5 July 2012]

The film is again a treat for animation lovers. It is very nice in every sense. In the middle though I felt that everything is happening nicely and so it felt like monotonous. But I must say that the film delivers a very important message in the end, which is the essence of the whole film. The supporting characters are all very nicely inserted. What I liked the most in the film was the positive vibes all the time of viewing which makes an optimistic environment around you. And the character faces trouble also, but in such a way that you will never feel angered on any character. The antagonist type thing is not present in the film and that is an important reason why I felt nice during watching it. The film teaches you about hope and self-belief.

"A must watch for everyone."

Amazing

[tanis_38 · 9/10 · 16 October 2001]

I happened to catch this movie on The Disney Channel last night. I had heard good things about it from my friends, but it's overall theme just seemed too kiddie for me to watch. But since Princess Monoke happens to be my all time favorite Anime, I decided to give it a chance.

Wow! I was blown away. Hayao Miyazaki is a genius and a true master of his craft. The animation is beautiful. Miyazaki adds so many little details to the animation that other movies don't bother with, that really sets his movies apart and gives them an amazingly real, natural feel to them. I was amazed by the scenes of Kiki flying on her broom; you really get a sense of flight unsurpassed by any other movie I've ever seen.

I was surprised I enjoyed this movie as much as I did. If you judge it from its cover you aren't giving it a chance. A story about a 13 year old witch who leaves her home to begin her training. Alright, that sounds like a great plot for a target audience of girls in the 6-13 year range. I'm a 24 year old male and I can't recommend this movie enough.

Go out and rent this movie as soon as possible. I saw the dubbed pan&scan version on t.v. and I thought the dubbing was actually pretty good. And I'm a die-hard subtitled anime fan. So do yourself a favor, rent this movie, and enjoy the experience. You won't regret it.

lovely story

[like_cc · 8/10 · 17 April 2020]

We want ourselves, even all children, to grow in this environment. Growth is not easy for everyone, will be frustrated, will doubt, will lose the original friends, such as Kiki 's cat left her, but in addition to personal self-adjustment and adaptation, growth A harmonious external environment is needed to tolerate this pain, so that the connection between individuals and society can be smoothly transitioned. From this perspective, Miyazaki portrays an ideal world for the growing people. This world seems to be able to tolerate all the setbacks and hardships ...

A beautiful and introspective masterpiece

[mahlersoboes · 10/10 · 21 June 2005]

Having already been familiar with and a great admirer of some of Miyazaki's other Ghibli films, including Princess Mononoke, I turned to Kiki's Delivery Service on the recommendation of someone who suggested it as "light-hearted" fun. Being an eighteen-year-old male, I didn't think it would be much more than that—a guilty pleasure to indulge in once in a while, something I could watch and then say, "Aw, what a cute film!" But Kiki's Delivery Service is so much more than "light-hearted fun." For one, it is a beautifully animated work of cinematic art, with Miyazaki's usual flair for gorgeous landscapes and astonishing detail. As in his recent films Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, Miyazaki's brush paints a beautiful world.

There is not much to be said about the plot itself: Kiki is a 13-year-old witch who has just left home to begin a year of training on her own, and she moves to a seaside European town, befriends a husband and wife baker, and sets up a flying delivery service.

What sets Kiki's Delivery Service apart from many of Miyazaki's other works is the personal, rather than epic, nature of the story. It wonderfully captures the day-to-day life of an aspiring 13-year-old girl moving into the life of a bustling town. While there is plenty to please the thrill-seeking adventurous spirit, the film's real beauty lies in its ability to portray the more introverted aspects of life. Most Western animated cinema centers around loud, pop-influenced music and a bad-guy-fighting action-oriented plot, but Kiki's Delivery Service has a charming and understated musical score, and lacks a traditional antagonist. Life isn't all excitement and fighting bad guys—something that this film seems to get across more than any Disney, Pixar, Fox, or other Western animated film I've ever seen. In fact, the doldrums of life are what form the heart of this film, as Kiki finds that she begins to lose her witch's abilities and can no longer fly.

Kiki's Delivery Service is a masterpiece, one of my all-time favorite films, and Kiki's search for the heart within herself is a tale that adults may appreciate more than their children. Indeed, Kiki is one of the most appealing characters that Miyazaki ever brought to life, which is certainly saying something. One of Miyazaki's great arts is in never talking down to his audience, and this fantastic story is no exception.

uplifting movie

[danny666 · 10/10 · 26 January 2005]

Another great Miyazaki film. A young witch, with a good heart, leaves her mom and dad on her 13th birthday with her black cat, as all witches are supposed to do to complete her training and make it on her own. She looks for a city in need of a witch and finds a city near an ocean. She meets some other good hearted people who help her along the way.

There really isn't a villain in the movie and it's mainly a slice of life type of film. In the end of the film it all comes together and she performs a heroic act.

I tried to watch the dubbed version. Dunst was fine, but I just couldn't stand Garofolo and Hartman. So set the DVD audio to the original Japanese soundtrack and used English subtitles.

If you watch the dubbed version. Turn on the subtitles and you will see all the additional dialog they added. They just couldn't help padding their roles, especially Hartman.

A wonderful movie for all ages!

[JeffG. · 10/10 · 5 July 1999]

I kept hearing about how good this movie was, but I put off renting it for the longest time because I dismissed it as some dumb kid's film. Boy, was I wrong! This is a movie that appeals not only to kids, but to teens and adults as well. This is the kind of stuff Disney should be producing nowadays. I own my own copy now and whenever I pop it into my VCR, it always puts me in a good mood.

The greatest movie ever made

[panicwatcher · 10/10 · 13 April 2001]

Kiki's Delivery Service is my favorite move. I have seen it at least 10 times and I laughed and cried each time. The animation by Hayao Miyazaki is wonderful, as always. The flying scenes and scenery of the generic European city are totally convincing. I think I really got a feeling of what it would be like to fly in on a broom over and through a European city. In each city scene, I feel like it is some place I have visited in my trips to Europe.

What I really appreciate about this movie is the simplicity of the characters and the plot. There are no robots, no psychotic megalomaniacs, no monsters, no superheros, no bratty smarty kids that are smarter than adults, no evil moron adults, and no fight scenes. No one is kidnapped or seriously injured. Even though the movie a about a witch, the only supernatural acts in the movie are Kiki flying on a broom and talking to her cat.

The movie is about a young girl witch who leaves home with her cat Jiji, moves to a new town, and starts a delivery service. In her business she has some adventures and meets mostly nice people who help her out. In the process she meets a boy named Tombo. Tombo does not have any special powers. He is just a nerdy guy who is trying to build a bicycle that can fly. Tombo gets in to some trouble and Kiki helps him out.

That sounds very dull, but by avoiding the supernatural and monsters, the story is much more easy to relate to. It is a story about leaving home and starting anew, meeting people, helping people, and have people help you when you get into trouble. It is very upbeat, even when things look bleak, they work out with a little help from friends. I liked Tombo's problems trying to be friends with Kiki because they seem like the problems people really have. One of the most beautiful scenes in the movie is Tombo silently waiting in the rain for Kiki who never shows up.

This movie is full of silent beauty. When the baker's wife invites Kiki to move in above the bakery, you get the impression that the gruff but silent husband does not care for Kiki. But in a later scene you see that he has baked a loaf of bread shaped like a girl riding a broom and mounted it in the bakery window. Nothing is ever said about it, but you see how he appreciates her.

I have both the dubbed and subtitled version of the movie. They are both great. This movie is one of the best dubbed I have seen. The dubbed version has a lighter, funnier tone because of the wise-cracking Jiji. I felt I could appreciate the animation better in the dubbed version because I did not have to focus on reading the subtitles. In general the voice acting in the dubbed version is excellent. The subtitled version is also the letterbox version, so you get to see the full beauty of the animation. In some of the flying scenes, Jiji is humorously complaining about the flying conditions in the dubbed version, where the subtitled version lets you silently appreciate the beauty of flying. Due to licensing problems the dubbed and subtitled versions have different theme songs. I think both songs are great. I recommend getting both versions.

fantastic.

[lakenstein · 8 November 2004]

i've only seen the dub, but I must say this movie is superb, fantastic, wonderful and worthy of all the praise it gets. it's heartfelt, funny, and all in all a wonderful movie. the plot, characters, everything about this movie is perfect. it makes me feel oh so good when i watch it. I honestly see nothing wrong with this movie, not a thing. it's quite possibly the greatest coming of age story ever. This movie is too damn good for a review written by me out of complete bordem, so i'll end it by saying if you can a copy, dub or subtitled, rent/buy/steal it. i don't think you'll be disaponited. So go on and get a copy before I beat you. GO NOW.

Beautiful Artwork Highlights This Young Girl's Story

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 2 August 2008]

This is a nice story for small girls but even an old man like me could appreciate the fabulous colors in here. Man, this is one of the prettiest animated films I've seen. Hundreds of shots in here reminded me of beautiful paintings, from the pastel-colored roofs on the city houses to the great rural scenes.

The story is a simple one: a 13-year-old witch takes off on her broom for a year of training. We follow her as she learns the ropes and goes to several towns where people befriend her, and she learns the importance of friendships herself, particular with a young boy who has a crush on her. Like I said, it's young girl stuff, but there are no villains, no scary parts, no language problems.....just a nice story, and there's nothing wrong with that! The only major change I would have made would be to make Kiki a more likable kid. She's downright cold and nasty, for no reason, to the boy, until the end. I didn't find her to be a character you could really care about, and that shouldn't have been.

Which version to use: Japanese with English subtitles, or the dubbed American Disney version?

I went back-and-forth with this and wound up with the dubbed. The major difference was Phil Hartman was much more effective as the cat and made that character much funnier. Both little girls' voices were almost like chalk on a blackboard for me, tough to take. Also, I've never liked Jeneane Garofolo or her voice. Nonetheless, I think most North Americans will pick the dubbed version, and that's okay.

Beautiful, uplifting, and yes, magical.

[JTurner82 · 10/10 · 20 March 2005]

I used to believe that Anime was nothing but sex and violence -- stuff for grown-ups only. However, I take it back. And I owe it to this cute little gem called KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE that really turned me around for the better. It introduced me to arguably one of the greatest animators of all time, Hayao Miyazaki, who happens to be dubbed as the Walt Disney of Japan. Having since seen virtually ALL of his films, from THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO to SPIRITED AWAY (and eagerly awaiting HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE), I can see why he is such a highly acclaimed artist -- his works (and I mean every one of them) are a stroke of genius.

KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE may have been my first real exposure to Miyazaki, but this happens to be the director's fifth film, which was the highest grossing movie of its year in Japan. Adapted from a children's book by Eiko Kadono (recently released in America), the film is not a typical good-versus-evil conflicted, dysfunctional story but a gentle, character-driven story with endearing characters, beautiful artistry, and a strong, positive message about confidence and independence that are quite encouraging for all, from the youngest of children to the oldest at heart. (On a side note, it persuaded me to get some exercise! The "fat, fat, FAT!!!" line did it for me.) The story is about 13-year old Kiki, an adorable witch-in-training, who, on one moonlit night, leaves her hometown to seek her independence and fortune. She's accompanied by her wisecracking and hilarious pet black cat, Jiji, and a little wobbly when it comes to takeoffs and landings while maneuvering her broomstick. Kiki arrives at a luxurious town with an ocean view where she eventually finds work at a bakery run by the generous Osono and her silent, gruff husband. There, she starts a high-flying delivery service which opens up many new relationships for the budding witch -- including a friendly painter, Ursula, a kind old woman, Madame, and a boy named Tombo, who dreams of flying.

The above synopsis may sound dull, but KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE certainly is not. It is a joy to watch from start to finish as we see Kiki slowly grow up and learn to have faith in herself, especially when her powers begin to fade away toward the end of the movie. It's engrossing enough to keep one's attention and there are a number of tear-jerking moments that make it more than just a movie. This is a characteristic you'll only be able to find in Miyazaki, and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE "delivers" a wonderful movie which shows that movies don't have to be about overcoming evil or action-packed or angst-ridden to be entertaining.

The movie was originally dubbed into English by Carl Macek of Streamline Pictures. I have not seen that version, but this Disney dub features an all-star cast who do a truly excellent job with their roles. Thirteen-year-old Kirsten Dunst is perfect as Kiki, eliciting just the right touch of cuteness, spunkiness, independence, and poignancy to her role. The other actors, which include Debbie Reynolds (Madame), Tress MacNeille - of Tiny Toons and Animaniacs fame - (Osono), Jeanane Garofolo (Ursula), and Matthew Lawrence (Tombo), give similarly superb performances. Of the actors, however, it is the late Phil Hartman's witty, sarcastic take on Jiji that steals the show. I understand that some folks were offended at Hartman's performance and added-in lines, but if you have no such issues, then this is only extra icing on the cake -- especially when he does it so well. I swear, I just cannot get enough laughs every time I hear his lines. "First, don't panic! Second, don't panic! And third, did I mention not to panic?!?" The opening and ending songs were replaced by two gorgeous, rollicking numbers from Sydney Forest, but even they seem to suit the story wonderfully. In fact, I find myself bouncing to them every time they pop up over the opening and closing credits of the show. For you purists, the Japanese language track features the original songs (though there is a continuous debate about the subtitles being inaccurate, that's a very minor complaint) and credit presentation.

All in all, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is a gem that should not be missed and deserves to be well-known in America as it is in Japan. I highly -- and I do mean VERY HIGHLY -- recommend it.

very cute but light as a feather

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 3 November 2016]

Tradition is that a witch leaves home at thirteen for a year. Kiki is eager to leave with her talking black cat Jiji. She wants to see the ocean and arrives at a large seaside town. Tombo is a boy infatuated with Kiki and flying machines. Kiki is befriended by Osono who gives Kiki a job in her bakery and a place to stay. Kiki uses her only skill flying to create Kiki's Delivery Service.

Kiki is exceedingly cute. The problem is that there is no continuous drama. Her journey is a series of meandering friendships. There is no villain and no quest or purpose. It's sorta like a single gal sitcom in the city. It has a puppy love element but it's a thin thread to hang a romance. There isn't any tension until she loses her flying ability. A coming of age movie would be better served with something more dramatic. This has a similar theme to Spirited Away but it doesn't have that exuberance or danger. It floats in the air like a feather but its drive is little more than blowing in the wind.

One of the greatest children's films ever made

[zetes · 10/10 · 29 July 2000]

This ranks up there with Pinocchio as the greatest movie for children ever made. One huge problem with most animated children's films are that the plots are so conventional and often contain very 1950s ideals for society that they become detrimental to society. One's childhood is the most impressionable time in their life, so movies that are directed towards them teach them what places different sorts of people play in society. There is a very humorous, but also very serious bit of dialogue in a film called The Last Days of Disco where characters discuss the effects Lady and the Tramp could have on little girls, depicting a young female dog falling for a vagabond Tramp. This, they muse, sets young women up to fall for rebellious men later in life. This may seem like a humorous idea, but it's absolutely true. Even good Disney movies give children these standards. As nice as The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella or Snow White and the Seven Dwarves may be, they basically teach that it is the woman's place to grow up and get married, prefereably to a handsome rich man (perhaps the rich part is never said, but both the main male characters in these films do happen to own castles). The writers of these films probably had no idea that that is what they were doing, but it is.

That is why Pinocchio is the best Disney movie. It is probably the only Disney animated film that I can think of that actually concerns the predicament of its target audience: children. I can hardly think of a single (American) animated film besides it that has a child as its main character (oh, the Jungle Book, which is also excellent).

Then comes Kiki's Delivery Service. It is an absolutely perfect movie about a young girl out on her own trying to handle the responsibilities of life. It is, in my opinion, the best movie that a child can watch. And not only will it teach children, it is also marvelously animated, directed, and written. There is a plethora of great characters, exciting moments, and imaginative situations. It should also expand a child's mind, not only because of the imagination involved, which will help to break children away from conventions in their film experience, thus making them more intelligent, but because it comes from another culture. It doesn't overtly show its Japaneseness, unless you count the imagination involved (though you should count that as a credit towards Hayao Miyazaki, who is the greatest genius of animation as far as I'm concerned). But it may spark an interest in children old enough to understand that someone from another country made it. Also, for younger kids, Miyazaki's fantastic, equally good My Neighbor Totoro. 10/10

(ps: I have only seen the dubbed version of this film. I find it perfectly acceptable and great. Nothing made me cringe, anyway. I think Kirsten Dunst did a very good job characterizing Kiki, a much better job than Claire Danes did characterizing San from Princess Mononoke.)

A well-regarded Ghibli classic

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 27 April 2018]

KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is another well-regarded classic from Japan's Studio Ghibli, the purveyors of the finest animation on Earth. This one tells the simple but oddly moving story of a 13 year old witch striving with responsibility and the need to grow up in a world largely devoid of magic. It reminds one of classic fantasy literature like that written by J.K. Rowling and Terry Pratchett, but is more refined and carefully-constructed than either of those authors. Truth be told, this is a simple story and one that's well told. Kiki herself has a depth of characterisation very rarely seen in this genre which makes this a worthy watch for kids and adults alike. I love the way the plot is grounded in reality and the magical elements are sparingly used. Kiki's relationship with her pet cat Jiji is very well portrayed and things build to a suitably grand and exciting disaster-fused climax. It's a film really worth watching in high definition, where the quality of the animation and in particular the colours are stunning.

SilverRating

[Chris_Silver · 5/10 · 9 April 2014]

Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) -Japan 1989

Boy, how I wish I could take playful animations more seriously.

Although I admire Hayao Miyazaki and his beautiful BEAUTIFUL animation technique and his resilience and his ability to continue spitting out these great animation and fresh stories, this one was just another alright cartoon. Kiki and Jiji are a cool duo. They can be funny, and I could sense the jokes when they were told, but they weren't funny, so I didn't laugh. They were cute and fun to watch, I enjoyed Kiki's personality more than I did that of Chihiro of "Spirited Away". Kiki develops, but there is no reason to it. She just... changes, and I don't see why. Her character makes new decisions or tries something different but I saw no reasoning behind it. Maybe (again) I am that close-minded-American and I couldn't see the cute and cuddly kiddy decision on why she was making these decision. And I would understand if she made these decision out of pure fun or "because she was a kid" but she kind of just, did.

1989, this is a great, this is a great achievement for 1989 technology in animation. But... I'm not insulting Mr. Miyazaki, I am pointing out a talent yet also a fault. But this movie has so many production similarities to "Spirited Away" and "Ponyo" that all I can see is... the same, no improvements. I didn't see improvements or progress, it's the same faces and same animation as his other films, just with a different story or plot.

I don't really know what else to say about this movie, it was alright.

SilverRating: 6/10

A tribute to Japanese Animation!

[Fiss · 10/10 · 17 March 1999]

Many people can claim to be fans of Anime, or Japanese Animation. It's been forced into the North American public by companies like Manga, US Corps and now, even Disney.

Movies like Akira shocked the people...bringing surreal story and amazing animation to the screen. Many others followed that simply blew away the animation and realism of American cartoons.

But then they started to suck. Bad. Over-produced to feed the masses.

And so, when I rented Kiki's Delivery Service, I was kinda expecting to be let down. Knowing it would probably be some spoon-fed animation to appeal to the 3-6 year olds.

Boy, was I wrong. This movie was simply amazing. The animation was wonderful. Not too cartoony, but not too jagged and harsh. Everything flowed smoothly and looked great. The story was AMAZING. It was what really shone. Subtle lessons at life that even got me, a nineteen-year-old computer engineer, cheering for Kiki. It is intelligent, thoughtful, and sweet to the max.

Though this movie is the near exact opposite from all those mechanoid blood-baths and samurai show-downs that populate most of the Anime world...this simple little movie...with the great voice of Phil Hartman I might add...actually got me interested in Anime again.

Check it out. Even if you're just in it for the cats, you won't be disappointed. ^_^

Simply magical

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 11 June 2007]

This is an amazing movie that seems to get better with repeated viewings. Both my kids loved it so much, that we watched it many times, but oddly I didn't become tired of this cheery and unusual full-length cartoon.

When the film began, one of the first things I noticed was the strange parallel world style of the artwork. It was if it was some OTHER planet Earth, where many of our towns are somehow merged into a mythical land that looks like Earth yet isn't. While there were many Japanese references, the towns looked rather European as well--like Denmark perhaps. Plus, in this parallel world, inventions of the early 20th century like zeppelins live on and people are NOT that amazed or scared at the prospect of a witch moving into town! As for the quality of this film, the animation, voices and story are terrific and exciting. While I have heard many refer to director Miyazaki as "the Japanese Disney", this isn't very accurate, as the style of his films is so very different from American animation--not better, not worse--just different.

So overall, this is about as good as you'll get for an anime movie and it should appeal to all ages provided they are open-minded enough to give a foreign film a try.

Beautiful film; Disney version pretty good.

[StudentDriver · 10/10 · 9 September 1999]

This may seem a rehash of the previous comments, but I only now got to see the Disney dubbed release.

I owned a bootleg copy of Kiki while it was still in Japanese theaters; I fell in love with the movie after first seeing the spectacle of the dirigible crash near the tail end. I learned to worship this movie because of the grandeur, because of the simplicity...

I lost my bootleg copy, and after the American release, began hunting down the laserdisc. A year of searching, I finally found it... was it worth the wait? Yes, with reservations...

I am (overly) familiar with the Japanese version, and did not want to be burdened with the "star" American voices; my wife doesn't like foreign-language film, though, so I needed the English version. With the LD, I got both benefits without having to purchase 2 VHS versions, and got to do some interesting side-by-side comparisons- switching between languages, watching the Japanese language version with the sub-titles for the English version, etc.

First off- this *is* Miyazaki, and *this* is animation. It is utterly beautiful, and the story is a wonderful one for both children and adults. There are very few people who will not be charmed by this... except maybe teenage boys, who don't want to be caught liking something so sweet. Otherwise, I can safely recommend any version to anybody.

Miyazaki films often prefer to paint a scene with pictures and music, not words. The English translation is an egregious offender here; what in the Japanese version are vignettes and scenes that are wordless become in the English version open chances for Phil Hartman and Kirsten Dunst to wisecrack, chat, or what-have-you. I feel that this is due to Disney's belief that children in America must be entertained for every second of a movie, lest their minds wander off.

Just as many people find Japanese dialogue to be grating on the ears, so do I find the English language voice actors to be grating. Actually, mainly just (the late) Phil Hartman. His nasal, loud voice just does not fit JiJi, a cute, diminutive cat. Kirsten does an okay job, although her voice sounds a wee bit older than Kiki's 13.

Already being familiar with the film, I have to admit being disappointed with the English version... it's a necessary evil, and I'm glad that my wife can enjoy the film now; but I feel that no matter how well-intentioned, Miyazaki's vision was dimmed somewhat in the Americanization. If the only version to come out had been an English version, I honestly would have rather imported a copy from Japan than support Disney.

All that being said, though, I would place the English-language Kiki far above most Disney efforts, and especially above Disney's modern efforts. I sincerely recommend that everyone watch Kiki once; if you like it, try the Japanese-language version (Buena Vista has released a VHS, widescreen, sub-titled Japanese version. Thank you, Disney!) And if you are a Disney film fan, you owe it to yourself to see what the Japanese can do.

My favorite Ghibli

[GeneralSurprise · 10/10 · 24 October 2005]

Why?

Pay attention, because you won't hear many guys my age say this: It's adorable. Yeah, I said it. I'm not ashamed. This movie is fantastic!

While it may be a rehashed version of a popular Japanese book, our buddy Miyazaki gave it an excellent treatment. Production costs for this movie almost broke Ghibli's bank in 1989, and it shows. It looks great, it sounds great, and it feels great.

We start with a young witch named Kiki. She's closing the gap on 13, which is the time when young witches must leave home and forge a life of their own for one full year. After a bittersweet "goodbye," she finds herself in a beautiful oceanside town. At first, she's treated with bewildered looks and sneers (after all, how crazy would it be if some random little girl on a broom started buzzing around YOUR house?). But before long, she institutes a flying delivery service and becomes a local star.

Every bit of this movie is worth watching. I have nothing negative to say at all. From first frame to last, it's a classic. No, a legend.

A Charming Story Of Innocence, Kindness And Stamina

[Chrysanthepop · 26 February 2009]

I have loved all of Miyazaki's films that I've seen so far. He is one of my favourite directors and I believe one of the best out there. While the animation is amazing and the characters are colourful, the best thing about his films is that they have heart.

Miyazaki's beautiful 'Majo no takkyûbin' tells the story of a young witch who travels to a new city in order to make it on her own. The sheer beauty of this film lies in its simplicity, subtlety and detailed animation. It is truly a solid example of cinematic art. There is nothing complex about the story and the characters are very easy to relate to. They are wonderfully drawn. There is an innocence and purity about it that shines through. The vivacious European city is stunning to look at. Miyazaki's attention to detail is positively astonishing. There's always something happening in the background. The music flows beautifully with the story and setting as it adds to the mood.

Needless to say 'Majo no takkyûbin' is another gem from the Studio Ghibli factory. It's one of those movies I never tire of revisiting and one that draws a smile on the face. Those in search of something uplifting should give this one a chance otherwise you don't know what you're missing.

The simplicity of the story is part of its charm

[cricketbat · 7/10 · 31 December 2018]

Despite the fact that not much happens during this movie, it's hard to dislike Kiki's Delivery Service. It features beautiful animation, a fun soundtrack and interesting characters. There's something magical about this world Hayao Miyazaki has created, and the simplicity of the story is part of its charm.

Ghibli is impressive as always

[Lupercali · 8/10 · 24 September 2004]

First of all, 10 points to Ghibli for Variety. Producing this and 'Grave of the Fireflies' inside a year of each other would be like Disney doing 'Mary Poppins' and 'Judgement at Nuremberg' back to back.

Words that spring to mind after watching Kiki include 'delightful', 'light', 'bouyant', and so forth. It's obvious Miyazaki has refined his craft considerably from the early movies, which somehow seemed a bit... I don't know - stuttery. Kiki, though just flows effortlessly. Combine this with the beautiful use of lighting and colour to produce that summertime, Mediterranean sort of feel, and Kiki is a movie that is just thoroughly uplifting, never getting bogged down in complexities or dark intrigues.

Unfortunately - and this is the only thing holding it back from 4 stars from me - what it does get slightly bogged down in, is its own lightness. There were just a few sections where the lack of a villain, of any real action, of anything other than people being nice to each other, took the top 10% off what was otherwise a masterful movie. I suppose there were a few other flaws, too: some characters and situations which came into it were just not developed at all. And there was one moment that teetered on real poignancy - the old dog with what he thought was a stuffed toy - but it sort of didn't happen. Also allowing the cat - sorry, forgotten his name - to drop out of proceedings for most of the latter half the film, definitely removed a spark from the film (I can't believe I just complained about the LACK of a comic sidekick)

BTW, as someone who lives in Tasmania, which is allegedly the inspiration for much of the setting of this film, please come here by all means, but don't expect it to look like that. The bakery in Ross (central Tasmania) which supposedly inspired the one in the film is in one of the few Tasmanian towns that you _can't_ see the ocean from, and the general look of the movie is distinctly southern European, though I guess some of the rural shots look a bit Tasmanian.

Whatever the case, Miyazaki's attention to detail is, as usual, stunning. The town may have been cobbled together from his favourite bits of Italy, France, Tasmania and wherever else, but its nothing less than a labour of love nonetheless.

Anyway, 8 out of 10.

Nice, but pointless

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 19 June 2005]

While I understand all of Hayao Miyazaki's work cannot be heavy, 2 hour-plus epics, this is the lamest of all his films. Don't get me wrong, I like it. But there isn't really a lot of story or character to make a feature length film out of.

I watched the English dub with Kirsten Dunst doing the voice of Kiki and the late, great Phil Hartman doing her talking cat Jiji. Much like Sabrina The Late-Thirties Teenage Witch, Jiki is black, cynical and funny. He provides most of the film's laughs and is impossibly cute.

As I have said, the film is very light. So light it could float in the air without the need for a broomstick. Nothing is really made a big deal of and no real story develops. What gives the film class is Miyazaki's attention to detail and gorgeous production design. Kiki exists in a perfect, transethnical European town with wonderful architecture and scenery. The flying scenes look brilliant and the colors are always bright and cheerful.

Still, no-matter how pretty and easy-going, it doesn't have that long-lasting appeal of Nausicaa or Castle of Cagliostro.

An Enchanting Witch's Tale

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 4 April 2008]

It is hard to find any faults with this film, which isn't surprising given that it was made by Hayao Miyazaki. The film is beautiful from start to finish and suitable for all ages; there is no violence or offensive language, there isn't even a villain. The only character that isn't nice is an ungrateful child.

While it might sound excessively sweet it never feels that way. Likewise the plot might sound a bit boring it is in fact utterly enchanting.

The film starts with Kiki leaving home with her cat Jiji for a year's witch training that must be done somewhere that there are no other witches. The problem for Kiki is that she can't cast spells or make potions, her only skill is being able to fly so when she gets to a city she starts up a delivery service. The film shows her delivering various items and making friends along the way in particular a baker who lends Kiki a spare room, Ursula, an artist and Tombo a boy who admires Kiki but whom she initially isn't too keen on.

Later on she begins to lose what skills she has and starts to worry that she will never get them back but when they are needed she finds she can fly once more.

This review is based on the Japanese version with English subtitles, as I've not watched the English dub I can't say if it is as good.

An OK film but I don't recommend the English version of this film (at least the former)

[goc6283 · 6/10 · 3 November 2014]

There happens to be 2 different dubs of this film. The most recently released English dub happens to be a lot more true to the Japanese story. Regardless of this, I highly don't recommend the English dub of this film. The voice acting is probably my least favorite of all of his translated films.

Anyway: This film does not have a lot of the plot of Miyazaki's other films. It is a bit too whimsical for it's own good. Not much is learned by the main character and a lot of the environmental issues from his other films have been toned down. It just doesn't have the impact of his other films. No major lessons are learned and if anything this is the most Disney like of Miyazaki's films.

I'd give the English dub a 3/10 and the Japanese version a 6.4/10. As the Japanese dub is more important, I'll rate it a 6.

Rarely have I been so fooled by a movie

[Rallemauz · 5/10 · 13 February 2020]

I was enticed to watch this movie from the beauty of its appearance. And sure enough the movie was incredibly beautiful with nice details from several recognizable styles of European architecture.

The plot seemed to develop nicely as well - especially in the beginning, where Kiki arives to the town. She's not allowed to fly her broom over the city - ooh, what will happend because of this? She meets this "find Waldo"-kid who claims his grandmother was a witch too and even earlier some other stranger's mention of a witch(es) who used to live in the town. Is there a connection between the two? Is this town against witches under the friendly surface?

And what about that mysterious artist living out in the forest? She must be connected to some sort of exciting backstory about how she had to escape the evil hands of the city. Right? RIGHT?!

No. Kiki builds an okay successful delivery service, but suffers from burnout when her talent becomes a job, and therefore loses her ability to talk to her cat and to fly her broom. This is however easily fixed by a friendly chat with her artist friend and the sudden need to rescue Tombso... well, that got her ability to fly a broom back - the cat however never spoke again.. poor Jiji (Japanese version)

I was baffled when the credits were presented at the end. Was this really it? And yes.. yes it was.. a masterpiece of drawings and designs wasted on a too shallow of a story...

Good message, but with a lot of missed opportunities story-wise.

Poor Jiji...