Kiki's Delivery Service Recommended

Director
Hayao Miyazaki
Production
Nippon TV, Studio Ghibli, Tokuma Shoten
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
102 mins
Year
1989

Kiki's Delivery Service

By Sam Shutt
19th May 04

Kiki's Delivery Service has to be one of Miyazaki's best movies with its great characters, storyline and music by Joe Hisaishi. The story involves Kiki a 13 year old witch whose family tradition is that when a witch turns 13, you have to leave home and train a year away from home, finding a new town or city to settle down in that doesn't already have a witch living there. Kiki Decides to leave home on the 'perfect night' with a full moon coming up she leaves home with her black cat Jiji ,barely knowing how to fly her parents aren't to sure about her leaving but she leaves very bumpily to find her dream town next to the sea.

After finding such a town called Koriko she tries to make a good impression but people there don't want a witch fly about the place and she thinks of leaving to find another place but Osono a kind bakery woman lets Kiki stay with her and Kiki sets up her new special delivery service. Tombo a boy who lives in Koriko is fond of Kiki and slowly becomes her friend. After Kiki gets tried of fly as she does it for a living she realizes that she is losing her witch powers and she is unable to fly. So she goes to stay with Ursula a friend she meets along one of her deliveries. Ursula tells her to forget about her problems and soon again she will be able to fly again.

Kiki's Delivery Service has a great soundtrack with two main songs by Sydney Forest; Joe Hisaishi does his usual great job at making the music fit in with the scenery (if you know what I mean). As with most of Miyazaki's films it's aimed at the younger audience but it has such magical characters and storyline its one for all. Kiki's Delivery Service is another Ghibli Classic everyone should have it.

10/10

-- Sam Shutt 19th May 04

Kiki's Delivery Service Images