Hayao Miyazaki's slice-of-life fantasy remains essential to his filmography over 35 years later. Its solid storytelling, memorable characters, and relatable message make for a great watch for both children and adults alike.
A Young witch named Kiki has reached the age when she (along with her cat) must leave home and find a town to work her magic in as all witches must do. She eventually finds a town and is taken in by a couple who run a bakery. She decides to start a delivery service using her broom to deliver items for clients.
From the start, what Kiki's Delivery Service does well is making sure the magic in the movie doesn't upstage the very human story upfront. Within the first few minutes, we know everything about witches and magic and how they relate to the world. There is no drawn-out explanation or deep dive into any history, all you need to know is witches are a thing, and the rest of the world is well aware of this fact. Miyazaki has always been very good at letting the setting of his stories explain themselves and letting the audience go with the flow of his unique worlds, which is no different here.
Going back to the human aspect of this movie, the main character Kiki is a lively and likable protagonist. Her desire to prove herself and the work ethic she displays pull the audience towards her. This makes us actively root for her success and feel for her in the good and bad times. At the age of 13, Kiki is right at that line between childhood and adolescence. She displays various things that one expects from a girl her age. This includes a desire for independence, insecurities about how others view her, trouble with boys, etc. But the aspect of growing up that the film nails is how the transition naturally changes your mindset. As children everything seems so open and possible to the point where it's so easy to say we can do anything we set our mind to, but as we grow up, we lose much of that mindset. This takes center stage right before the film's climax as Kiki develops depression and self-doubt. This affects her magic as she can't fly on her broom or understand her cat. She befriends a local artist, and she relates this loss of magic to her scuffles with artistic block. She tells Kiki that rather than re-discovering her purpose, she needs to find something new. This goes along in giving Kiki her confidence back and allows her to fly again. It is a bittersweet lesson for some, and it's an aspect that I wish more children's films addressed.
Another aspect of the film that I love is showcasing the importance of community. We see throughout how beneficial this is to Kiki. While Kiki has a desire to be self-reliant, she sees that there is nothing wrong with getting a little help along the way. When she first leaves her home, her mother insists that she take her broom rather than the one Kiki made, not because she doesn't believe in her daughter, but because she knows from experience her broom is more reliable. She gets further assistance and advice when she arrives in town, and it often occurs without her even asking for help. If not for this support, Kiki would have had a harder time getting out of her funk, which goes to show you that it really does "Take a Village to Raise a Child". Speaking of the community, the animation used to bring this world to life is the typical beauty you expect from Miyazaki. It takes inspiration from real locals you would see in real life, but it still has a setting that feels unique. It's especially captured well when Kiki is flying as it allows you to get a full scope of it all.
While Kiki's Delivery Service is smaller and simpler than some of Miyazaki's other work, it still works just as well as them. With great characters, great animation, and a great message, it's an easy recommendation for parents to show their kids, or even discover for themselves.
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