Characters of Howl's Moving Castle

The characters of Howl's Moving Castle are loveable, funny, and overall characters to become invested in.

As a young woman, Sophie is intelligent and concerned about being responsible. She wants to do what her father would have wanted for her and wants to make her family proud. Though she is responsible, she also seems to be a pushover, letting others do what they want - mainly her sister.

She is harassed by two guards one day on her way to see her sister, but she is quickly rescued by Howl.

He takes her to her sister (with a small mishap) by walking on air. She is in a daze after that and tells her sister what happens.

Soon after, she heads home. The Witch of the Waste knows she has been with Howl and when Sophie doesn't give up any information, the Witch changes her into an old woman. That's when everything about her starts to change.

When Sophie is changed into an old woman, at first she couldn't believe it. She was hurting and creaking and cracking in places she never thought she would, and she has a hard time moving around. She knows the only person that can help her is Howl. So she packs a few things and heads off to find him.

Upon arriving in Howl's castle, she immediately runs into Calcifer, a fire demon.

He isn't sure what to make of Sophie, but the two quickly become friends - or at least frienemies. He doesn't trust Sophie at first, but after begging and threatening him to let her work there, he slowly warms up to her. Sort of.

She also meets Markl, a young boy who wants to become a full fledged wizard one day. He works for Howl as the chef and cleaning boy, but he doesn't do that great of a job.

He thinks that Sophie is just some crazy old lady who can't do anything, but Sophie shows that she can. She cooks, cleans the entire castle, and is truly kind to everyone there. Although, she does end up mixing potions in Howl's bathroom, causing his hair to change color.

It soon grows on him though (and it looks better on him). Howl, himself, is a wizard and fights alongside the king of his country to take down the rivaling country. It's a hard battle, and Howl transforms into a bird to do it. If he doesn't cool it down, though, his entire self would be lost to that bird creature. He did give up his heart, after all.

Each character grows and develops as people (or creatures) and discover what their true meaning and calling is for the time. They all grow together. They learn each others likes and dislikes, what it means to be in love, and what it takes to release someone from a curse. Each character develops as an individual, but each depends on another character in the movie.

The characters of Howl's Moving Castle are all a bunch of silly, loveable, growing characters that you can't help but feel something for. I personally love all the characters - even the Witch, who was the villain, but she soon grows on you. I know I didn't talk a lot about the characters individually, but I truly believe that you should experience this movie for yourself to see just what I mean. It is a fantastic movie and you'll want to watch it over and over again. Eventually you'll probably be like me and memorizing and repeating lines as you watch it.

Howl's Moving Castle

This is by far one of the best films by Hayao Miyazaki and by Studio Ghibli, in my opinion. It has action, adventure, romance, characters to fall in love with, to pity, and to hate. It's got a lot all wrapped up into one, and it's definitely one to see if you haven't seen it already.

This story follows a young woman named Sophie, who lives during a time when war is about to take place. She tries to act wise and smart, when really she's rather frail inside. Her mother is more excitable than she is. The story starts out with Sophie having to meet up with her sister, Lettie, but as she's walking down an alleyway she's hassled by two guards who probably would have taken advantage of her had Howl not come around. He uses his magic to make the guards leave, but then the two are quickly followed by henchman of the Witch of the Waste. They manage to escape, even barely, but Howl takes Sophie to her sister - by walking on air!

Though she's not seen by anyone, she tells her sister what happens and Lettie warns her that Howl is dangerous and she shouldn't go near him anymore.

When Sophie arrives back home, she locks the door to the hat shop, but the Witch of the Waste comes in and puts a curse on her when she "defies" the Witch. Sophie is then turned into an old woman of about 80 years old, and can't believe it. She goes off to find someone who can help her - Howl. Along the way she meets Turnip-Head and manages to get into Howl's Moving Castle.

The story plays itself out by Sophie claiming to be the new cleaning lady, while Markl and Calcifer try to dissuade Howl from letting her stay there. But Howl lets her anyway because the castle really could use a good cleaning.

During her time there, Sophie slowly starts to break the spell over her and ends up falling in love with Howl. There are a lot of mishaps and things that go wrong along the way - like Howl using magic that transforms him to fight for the war and he'll soon turn into that creature unless he stops. At one point he turns into a giant beast that Sophie tries to tell she loves despite everything going on, but Howl won't hear of it - and the spell on her was almost broken, too!

You learn about Howl's past, about how he gave up his heart to Calcifer, and about how the Witch of the Waste desires it.

The group - Sophie, Markl, Calcifer, and Howl - all grow closer together as time passes, working with each other and learning from each other as they go. Even though trials face them, they manage to pull through in the end.

As I said before, there are characters to love and hate, to pity and laugh with, or at. But as I don't want to give too much of the movie away, you'll just have to determine for yourself whether or not you want to see this fantastic film. The movie is rated PG.

The Characters of Kiki's Delivery Service

There are many great characters in Kik's Delivery Service that have a lot of personality and just overall great characters to know and love. Let me start with Kiki, our heroine and main female character!

Kiki is a young teenage witch who just turned thirteen and has to go off for a year on her own to train to become a full-fledged witch! Though her parents - particularly her mother, also a witch - isn't thrilled with the idea of Kiki going off on her own, she knows that Kiki has to do it in order to become a full-fledged witch. From the very beginning you get a sense that Kiki is a very outgoing, outspoken girl. She's not afraid to go out into the world and do whatever she needs to to become a great witch.

As soon as Kiki takes off from home on her mom's broom, she has trouble flying, runs into a mean girl, and gets stuck in a rainstorm. She has to sleep on hay on a train in order to get away safely from the storm. She ends up getting to the ocean with Jiji complaining all the way. When she notices everyone staring at her as she flies over their heads, she tells Jiji to smile because they're being watched. She then almost causes a traffic accident and almost hurts herself in the process.

This is around the time when she meets Tombo, and doesn't like him much. She then meets Osono and her husband and helps to deliver a pacifier to a woman who forgot it at the bakery. This goes to show that Kiki isn't afraid to help a stranger in times of need, either. Kiki is a very brave girl, and even though she loses faith in herself after some very rude people and a storm during one of her deliveries, she still manages to find that spark in her that drives her to become a full-fledged witch after all!

Next up: Jiji

Jiji is Kiki's cat companion who isn't afraid to voice his opinions to her. He is very skeptical and very cautious when it comes to their safety, but he also isn't afraid to insult someone when they're being rude to either him or Kiki.

At one point Jiji has to take the place of a stuffed cat being given to a child as a present during one of Kiki's deliveries, and a dog lives at the house. Naturally, Jiji panics, but he quickly makes friends with the dog and is rescued by Kiki after all.

When Kiki loses her magic, Jiji doesn't talk to her anymore and ignores her. She can't understand what she says, and I'm assuming since the magic left her, Jiji no longer feels drawn to her to stick around. Plus he meets a fluffy white lady kitty whom he becomes very sweet on.

Jiji is still a very loveable character and provides some comic relief in the movie.

Next: Tombo

Tombo is a very curious teenage boy who loves to invent. He has some friends that are very stuck up that aren't very likeable, but Tombo himself tries his best to becomes Kiki's friend (and possibly boyfriend!) when she first arrives to town to make her feel welcome. Plus he's just very interested in flying that he can't help be drawn to her to find out just how flying works.

Tombo is very friendly, too, and knows how to clean up when he can. Though he gets himself into a bit of trouble at one point, Kiki comes to his rescue and it seems to be the starting point of their great friendship.

Next: Ursula

Ursula is a woman who happens to meet Kiki when Kiki is attacked by some black birds and the toy cat that she had to deliver to a young boy's house falls down to Ursula's cabin. She offers Kiki to fix up the toy as long as Kiki does a few chores around Ursula's cabin. It works out because then Kiki also gets to become a model for Usula's next painting. She's a great painter and seems to hold a big sister wisdom when it comes to talking to Kiki. She's a fun character, and even though she doesn't stick around long, you still can't help but like her.

Last, but certainly not least, Osono and her husband:

Osono is pregnant through the majority of the movie, and so she asks Kiki and her husband to do a lot of the deliveries and baking, but she still is very useful when around the shop. She's also like another mother figure to Kiki. She loves to laugh and has a very maternal attitude toward things.

Her husband talks maybe once in the whole movie, but just his expressions and gestures make him a great comical point in the movie. He tries showing off to Jiji and acts like a worried father when Kiki is out on a delivery. He seems like a great guy, though.

All in all, there are no "villainous" characters in this movie, but the conflict Kiki has with her magic ends up making her very vulnerable and cranky. So in a way, she's the villain. But still, all the characters are fun and hilarious and the movie itself is great. If you want to see just what these characters are like, you'll have to watch the movie yourself! It's a great one to see, for sure. It might just become one of your top three favorite Studio Ghibli films like it did for me.

Kiki's Delivery Service

This is probably number two in my top three Studio Ghibli movies. Kiki's Delivery Service is about a young teenage witch who has to go out on her own for a year and learn all she can about becoming a witch - as well as finding her special talent. Along with her best friend, a cat named Jiji, Kiki makes her way out of her parents' house and heads to a city near the ocean.

Along the way she gets into some trouble, but is taken in by a couple, Osono (the wife) and the Baker (the husband, whose name we don't know), who are expecting their first child. She and Jiji make their home in the attic above the bakery shop that the couple own and she then takes up the job as their delivery girl since she can fly on her broom and get the job done faster than walking.

Kiki meets a young teenage boy named Tombo and at first doesn't like him, but they become friends over time as Kiki helps him with his flying bicycle. Along the way she also meets a woman by the name of Ursula and stays with her when she loses her magic for a period of time - and when she loses a present she has to deliver!

There are many misadventures that Kiki and Jiji get stuck with, and eventually Kiki loses her magic! She doesn't believe in herself anymore, and so her magic reflects that. She eventually can't talk to Jiji anymore, either! It's up for her to be able to find her inner strength and be able to do what she's meant to do - and set out to do - becoming a witch.

Now, I love this movie. It has a lot of great characters that you can't help but fall in love with, and like all of Hayao Miyazaki directed films, the scenery and characters themselves are very detailed and beautiful, drawing you in even more. The details for every person that is shown is remarkable as you usually see "cookie cutter" characters being used in anime, but each person had their own individual look.

The characters, especially Kiki and Jiji, are very easy to love and connect with. She goes through typical struggles any teen girl goes through: boy troubles, looking nice, getting things done, and following your dreams. Jiji is just her loveable cat companion who she talks with (he can speak to her like another human would, but not to others) and provides much comic relief in the movie.

Tombo, Osono, and even Osono's husband, who doesn't talk much, are loveable characters with much personality to go around. The character, Ursula, is also good to connect with because she keeps a firm stand on the ground and helps to bring joy back into Kiki's life when she loses hope.

All in all this is a great movie for any age to enjoy. The movie itself is rated G. Check out the trailer below to see if you'd want to see it yourself!

A Look at Characters from Castle in the Sky

Let's take a look at some of the main characters from Castle in the Sky. Let's start off with Sheeta, our heroine and the main female character in the movie.

 

Sheeta is a young teenage girl who starts off having been kidnapped at the beginning of the movie, and at first she's really quiet. As the sky pirates, Dola and her boys, start to raid the airship, Sheeta is in the room with Muska and hits him over the head with a champagne bottle that had been dropped on the floor, showing that she has some guts and is willing to do whatever it takes to get away from her captors.

As you find out more about Sheeta you realize that she is very cautious when it comes to the people she's around and knows who can and can't be trusted. She quickly becomes friends with Pazu and is helped by him to escape from the pirates, but is then recaptured by the military and Muska. She cares deeply for Pazu even though they've only known each other for a short amount of time and is willing to cooperate with Muska just so that Pazu can be released from the military prison.

Sheeta has a gift, and a secret name: Lusheeta Toel Ul Laputa. Meaning she is royalty! And from Laputa, the floating castle in the sky! She knows this from an early age and tells Pazu about it. She isn't exactly thrilled with this gift as she doesn't want any part of the death and destruction that comes with it, but she knows that she has to do what she can to rescue her home.

She also seems to have this gift of communicating with the robots of her land. She knows what they say even though all the say are beeps! It's a cool concept to know that she really is from the bloodline of Laputa. She becomes very brave in the end and is also extremely caring and useful as a cook.

Next: Pazu

Pazu is a young teenage boy working in the mines of his hometown in the valley. He is very quick and active, and also very helpful. You get the sense from the beginning that he is very useful when it comes to fixing pipes and machinery (considering he works in a mine with a lot of machinery). He is head strong and quick to act, but he has the best intentions. As soon as he rescues Sheeta he goes to finish up work and then takes her back to his place so she'll have an actual comfy spot to rest before she wakes up. You can also tell he is caring at the beginning when he talks to the flock of doves he has on the roof of his house.

Pazu, even though just meeting Sheeta, wants to do everything he can to help her with whatever she needs. He tries to help her escape and stick up to the pirates with his boss, and then he wants to help Sheeta find Laputa even when she tells him to forget about it. He is a very passionate young man when it comes to Sheeta and his interests.

When they are taken in by the pirates, he is instantly made the assistant to Pop and helps with the machinery to make it work. He is also the first willing to go into the massive thunderstorm with Sheeta to be able to get to Laputa itself. He also reminds me of a monkey the way he's able to climb and move into certain spaces.

Pazu is an inspiring character and a great hero for this story.

Next up: Muska

 Muska is the villain of this film - the villain to hate. He wants Sheeta's amulet etherium crystal's power for himself. He wants to be able to rule Laputa once they find it and then rule over all the world if he succeeds. He's unlikeable from the very beginning. He's vindictive and rude and just overall... bleh.

Anyway, Muska also has his own dirty secret: he's also royalty blood of Laputa! When you find this out it's almost like, "Why!?" It makes for a good plot twist, though. Though he's very evil and kills many people for his own gain, I'm just glad that he gets his "just desserts" in the end.

Next: Dola

This is Dola, the other "villain" in the movie. She's head of the air pirates that she has with her family (who I'm sure not all of them are her family) and wants Sheeta's etherium crystal, too. She has a very wild spirit and a mind of her own, for sure. She isn't afraid to speak her mind and she isn't afraid to tell people like it is.

She also has some compassion because she allows Pazu to go with them to rescue Sheeta and then allow Sheeta and Pazu to join the crew. She also isn't afraid to help them out of tight spots - just as long as she gets her treasure! She's a very fun and loveable bad guy, and you'll definitely love her, too!

There are other characters in the movie that don't play as big of roles as these main four, but they are still interesting, fun characters. If you want to check out more about them, you'll just have to see the movie yourself!

Stay tuned for my next blog post on Kiki's Delivery Service! This is one of my top three favorites, so it'll probably be more in depth. Also stay tuned for the summer because that's when I'll hopefully start doing some amigurumi figures of some of my favorite Studio Ghibli characters! If anyone has any suggestions for some amigurumi characters, comment below!

Laputa: Castle in the Sky

The next film I'll be reviewing is Studio Ghibli's Laputa: Castle in the Sky, or more commonly known as Castle in the Sky. This movie was made in 1986, one of the first films Studio Ghibli put out, but it is also one of the most beloved.

 

This movie is about a girl, Sheeta, who possesses a magical stone called etherium, and she is caught between two groups that want to steal her and her stone away: the army and air pirates. When she escapes from the army, she falls to her certain death but is rescued by the stone itself. It helps her to float safely down into the arms of a miner boy, Pazu, who spots her glowing from a good distance away.

Pazu helps her out by taking her back to his place and keeping her safe out of the reach of the pirates and army, but only for a little while. Throughout their adventure, they learn what it truly means to have the etherium stone and how powerful Sheeta's true name really is. They even manage to befriend the pirates who help them reach Laputa.

When they reach Laputa, though, it's up to Sheeta and Pazu to save it from the evil clutches of Muska, who also has his own little secret to share. Can the two really save Laputa, the floating city in the sky, before Muska tries to take over?

Well, you'll just have to watch to find out.

This movie is rated PG. I believe kids should watch this movie because there are deep meanings within the movie that will help a kid, and even an adult, to understand the relationship we humans share with nature and how we aren't doing what we can to understand that relationship.

This movie is one of my favorites, to be sure. It has a simple romance between the main characters Sheeta and Pazu that doesn't go beyond the two just wanting to be there for each other and save each other, no matter the cost. There is no kissing or anything like that, but I think that makes the relationship between the two even that much stronger. Plus, they're only teenagers probably no older than 13 or 14, so I'm not expecting much.

There are characters to fall in love with, a villain to hate - and a villain to love. There are goofy characters, and characters that you just can't help but feel sorry for. There are deep meanings in this movie as well as scenes that you can't believe that just happened. Then there are times when you question what this movie, this story, has to offer us in return.

I definitely recommend seeing this movie. If you're not looking deeper into the meanings, than this movie is also just great to watch. Check out the trailer below to see what you think.

For my next blog post I'll discuss some of the characters from Castle in the Sky. And then I'm also going to try my hand at amigurumi - possibly Teto from Nausicaa: Of the Valley of the Wind or Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service. Either way, stay tuned!

The Characters of Arrietty

The characters of Studio Ghibli's The Secret World of Arrietty are as diverse as the world itself. I'm going to talk about each of the characters before giving my own two cents about them. Let's start with the main character (and who the movie is about): Arrietty.

 

Arrietty is what you would call a "Borrower." The Borrowers are little people (really little people) that live in houses made from the many items they borrow. They don't steal, but rather they borrow things people won't miss - such as a single sugar cube, a single tissue, a missing pin - and use it for themselves to survive.

Arrietty, herself, is a very independent 13 year old Borrower who just wants to be like her father and go out into the world to start her first borrowing. She is also not afraid to take risks, as at the beginning of the movie she is out collecting herbs from the surrounding foliage and she is seen by the main male character, Shawn. Though she is told not to trust humans by her father, she can't help but be curious.

She meets with Shawn, even though her father has told her that humans are dangerous, and tells him to leave them alone. She also can't help but be a little amazed at how Shawn saves her life when a blackbird tries to attack her.

Arrietty is a relateable character because she is how we would imagine a 13 year old to be - ready to grow up, takes risks, unafraid of the world. But she grows up during this time as she has to rescue her mother and use Shawn's help. I feel like she is able to grow up a lot in this movie because she faces "real life" trials and troubles, and she makes a friend doing it.

Next up: Shawn.

 Shawn is a sickly character that is introduced at the beginning of the movie - his heart is weak. And so we see him mostly in his bedroom during the movie. He is very kindhearted and is willing to do whatever it takes to help out Arrietty. He's fascinated by them, of course, but knows he can't reveal them to anyone in the household. Shawn is also very soft-spoken and doesn't show much emotion, but toward the end he shows that he can be sneaky, caring, and unafraid to do whatever it takes to help a friend - even if it means dying.

I think that Shawn is very mature for his age (I believe it's 13, too), and knows when and when not to speak or act. I think that maybe he should have had a different voice actor or have shown more emotion, but alas, there isn't much to do about that. I like how helpful he is to Arrietty, and even though he's genuinely trying to be helpful, Arrietty, at first, doesn't see it that way.

Next: Hara.

Hara is the crazy maid of the house who claims that she knows the little people (Borrowers) live in the house, but can't find any proof. She's very sneaky, nosy, and very... annoying. I don't like her. But anyway, Hara ends up finding Arrietty's house and even captures her mom to show to the rest of the world. Even when she captures Homily (Arrietty's mom) she calls the pest control guys to come over and look for more. You think she's crazy by the end, even though you know the truth, and wish she would just get fired. At least I did. I don't like her.

Next: Homily and Pod

These are the parents of Arrietty, and are quite the opposite of one another. Homily is the "stay-at-home mom" who is constantly worried for the well being of her daughter and husband, constantly over reacting (in a goofy way) about their whereabouts and just what is going on in the world around them.

Pod, on the other hand, is very self-controlled and confident, only trying to protect his family and do what he can in the outside world to help them survive. The two are quite opposite but go well together perfectly. Though they don't have an overbearing presence in the film, Homily is captured by Hara, and since Pod's leg was sprained, it makes it much more difficult to help.

There are several other characters in Arrietty that make a presence, such as Nina, the cat, Spiller, another Borrower (the first they've seen in a long time), and Shawn's Aunt Jessica. But they are more background characters.

Pretty much, I feel that the characters are stereotypical of what we would expect to find in a story like this: the heroine is independent and ready to do whatever it takes to save her mom; the hero is ready to help the heroine no matter the cost, even his own life; the maid is nosy, conniving, the antagonist; the over-protective parents just trying to give their daughter the best life they can in the world. But it still makes for a good story. I enjoyed this film, and even though the characters a little cookie cutter, I find myself loving Homily, Arrietty, Shawn, and even Jessica (who is rarely seen during the movie). If you want to make your own conclusions of the characters, you'll just have to watch and see for yourself!

The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty is about a family of "Borrowers," or otherwise known as "the little people," who live in their own tiny house in the basement of Shaun's (the main male character) aunt's house. The story starts with Shaun having to stay at his aunt's house because of his weak heart, and when he arrives he sees Arrietty, the young borrower who is gathering various herbs and plants from the yard. Over time, Shaun and Arrietty become friends, even though Arrietty was told that "beings" are dangerous.

Eventually Arrietty's mother gets kidnapped by the maid of the aunt's house, and the woman calls the exterminators to have a look and catch the "special pests" in the house. Arrietty and Shaun work together to save Arrietty's mother, even though they face many potentially dangerous and troublesome trials along the way.

I feel that this movie was actually a really good one. I guess it's based off of "The Borrowers" series by Mary Norton - with a touch of Studio Ghibli! When I watched this movie I once again couldn't get over how amazing the details of the background are and I wonder how much time is actually put into each scene of these amazing animated movies.

In terms of the characters I felt that Arrietty was definitely a teen that probably most people could relate to: she's adventurous, out-spoken, and just itching to go explore the bigger world beyond her own home. She's pretty much ready to grow up, which is something probably all teenagers can relate to at one point in their lives. Shaun is a decent character, but I'm not really sure his voice actor, David Henrie, did a great job of it. I felt Shaun was too quiet too often, as he didn't really talk much above a hushed tone. But other than that, the other characters were either loveable (Arrietty's parents) or unlikeable (the maid... during certain moments, anyway).

There are plenty of scenes where you'll find yourself laughing, scenes where you'll be in suspense, and scenes that you just want to watch over and over again.

The movie is rated G. I do recommend this movie, but don't get your heart set on a definite romance if that's what you're hoping for.

Click the trailer below to watch!

The Characters of My Neighbor Totoro

So let's take a look at the character's of Studio Ghibli's "My Neighbor Totoro." There are a plethora of loveable characters in this movie, but let me start with Totoro himself.

 

Totoro is a spirit of the forest who dwells in a very large camphor tree on the Kusukabe's  new property. He is the largest totoro that lives there and is very...loud. Totoro is an easily loveable character that grows on you from the very beginning with his eyes closed in sleep. He snores and only wakes up when Mei starts to tickle his nose. But soon he goes right back to sleep.

Totoro is a fun character because of his goofy personality. He'll always have a big grin on his face when he wants to do something or he's ready to do something, otherwise he'll have a very curious expression as he figures out what he's doing or how things work (like the rain drops hitting an umbrella). He also helps to create the wind over the grass and helps trees to grow.

Totoro may be a semi-quiet (he roars) character, but he's also one of the most loveable characters in any Studio Ghibli film. I love the fact that he helps nature grows and flourish and that he'll be seen by people he wants to be seen by. It's great that not everyone can see him because otherwise it wouldn't be as great of a movie as it is; it wouldn't be able to strike up the imagination like it does.

Next up: Satsuki

 

Satsuki Kasukabe is a young girl (probably around 10-13 years old) who is very mature for her age. She thinks she has to be because her mom is sick in the hospital and she is the older sister. She knows how to cook and clean, but she's also full of a lot of energy. Even at the very beginning you see her doing cartwheels and running around the house at a fast pace.

One thing that's very noticeable is how much she cares for her sister. Like all sisters, they fight, but she does everything she can to try to find Mei. And even though she doesn't believe in Totoro at first, he decides to reveal himself to her and she can't help but look amazed. She even goes to Totoro for help when Mei gets lost. She grows immensely as a young lady, and you also get to see how she's been having her emotions well up for a long time. She tries to be strong, but she's still a young girl worried for her mom.

Next: Mei

 

Mei Kusukabe is a small girl, probably no older than 4 years old, who loves to do exactly what her big sister does. At the beginning of the movie she's like Satsuki's shadow, following her around and doing exactly as she does. Mei is an adorable character who is the first to see the small white totoro, the blue totoro, and then meet Totoro himself.

Like all little girls, she can also be a cry baby when someone does something she doesn't like. She especially gets upset with Satsuki when she tells Mei to stop acting like such a baby. In fact, she runs away to go visit her mom in the hospital, but ends up getting lost. Though the two have their differences, they do have one thing in common: Totoro.

Next: Catbus

 

Now there isn't much to know or say about the Catbus other than this is probably the most easily recognizable and unique character in the movie. Catbus has 12 legs (6 pairs), two mice for red lights at the top, yellow eyes that glow like headlights, and a big, bushy tail. But what makes him so awesome? Just the fact that he's a CatBUS. The door to the bus open with a funny sound and the interior is all fur. Must be comfy. Though he isn't really a main character, I wanted to give him some honorable mention. 

Even though Granny, the girls' father, and a few others are secondary characters, I won't be mentioning them here in much detail. Yes, they all have their own important roles to play, but the movie was definitely more about Totoro, Satsuki, and Mei. I feel as though the characters, and the voices behind them, truly act their age and show a development as Totoro makes more of an appearance in their lives. Whether or not he'll appear in their lives all the time is another question all together, but that's for a different time.

My Neighbor Totoro

Many of you may have seen this as a kid, but perhaps not. Studio Ghibli's "My Neighbor Totoro" is definitely a classic and one that kids should definitely see!

 

This movie is about a family that moves out to the country because of their ailing mom at the hospital. When they move there, they find out that they're house is haunted with soot sprites and there are acorns all around the floors and out in the yard. The father and two young girls, Satsuki and Mei, laugh their fears away and the soot sprites move out. Later, the youngest girl, Mei (in the picture above), discovers a small "totoro" (troll) that is transparent, and as she chases him around her yard, she discovers another, larger totoro carrying a bag of acorns. As she chases them into the woods, she then enters into Totoro's (the big furry troll in the picture above) home - inside a very large camphor tree!

After tickling Totoro awake and falling asleep on top of him, Mei finds herself awake in a grove of trees where her sister, Satsuki, and her father find her. The story goes on where Satsuki is then able to see Totoro herself and the two girls have several adventures with him, including waiting for their dad at a bus stop in the rain, riding a catbus, making a forest grow in their yard, and making the wind rush by.

This story is a very adorable plot line filled with some heart warming and funny moments. The movie is rated G. If you have kids, this would definitely be something to show them! It allows the imagination to grow, in my opinion, and sets out a belief that there are amazing things out there to discover - only if they want to be!

I love this movie, personally, as it was actually one of my first anime films I watched as a child. The graphics are simple, but perfect, and like always, the scenery is beautiful! The characters are ones that you can relate to on a personal level and think about how you were as a kid. There are real life struggles that don't seem so far out of reach, but there is also hope in them. And then there's the fantasy, the magic, that spreads throughout the story as it introduces Totoro himself!

This is actually one of the most famous characters, and Totoro is also Studio Ghibli's logo that shows before every movie of theirs! (It's also my background on the blog!)

If you're interested in a good kid's movie with adventure, fun, and laughs, this is definitely one to watch!

Click the trailer below to take a peak at what this movie has to offer!

A Look at the Characters of Spirited Away

So let's take a look at the characters of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. There are several main characters that play an essential role in the movie that really develop (or not) throughout the story.

First up: Chihiro.

She is the main hero in this story, a young girl who at first is a crybaby, but as she goes through the many hardships from working at the bathhouse to having her parents turn into pigs, she grows into a mature young lady.

Chihiro, at the beginning of the movie, is very whiny. She's also very dependent on her parents for everything. But when her father decides to take a "short cut" to their new house through the woods, they come across what looks to be an old train station.

As they walk through to the other side, they discover a large open field that they didn't know existed. The dad smells food and decides to go across the river (which is where the magical world lives) and the parents eventually get turned into pigs when they decide to eat the food. Chihiro seems to be the only smart one, though, as she doesn't eat the food at all.

She's scared, of course, and she has help from Haku, a "henchman" for the witch that manages the bathhouse. With the help of Haku and others, Chihiro is then able to get into the bathhouse and get a job. Her name gets taken away by Yubaba, the bathhouse witch, but Haku has her hold onto her name from a card a friend had given her before she moved.

So, at the beginning of the movie, I feel like Chihiro will never grow up, that she'll just be stuck in that world forever, but as the movie plays on I start to really see a development in her that I don't even know where it started. She has manners, she does good work (even if she's slow at first), and she tries to help out as many people as possible.

Toward the end I have a real liking for Chihiro. She grows up immensely and isn't afraid of anything. She's willing to risk it all to save her parents, Haku, and No Face (a spirit) in different instances. All of this can happen from a little girl like Chihiro. It's truly amazing.

Next up: Haku

Haku is a very complex character, I think, in the movie. He first appears after Chihiro wanders from her parents when they're stuffing their faces and she sees the bathhouse and she goes onto the bridge leading to the bathhouse. He's shocked that she's there (everyone from the world that see Chihiro knows she's a human) and tells her to leave. But as night falls, he has to help her out. When she can't get back across the river, he gives her food so she wouldn't disappear from the world and helps her to escape and get a job.

Haku also runs a lot of the "errands" for Yubaba. He's sort of the henchman, but he's also a good guy. It's a hard situation to figure out at first when he treats Chihiro coldly, but he ends up being a really good guy.

Later on, you also find out he's a dragon.

He tries to take a golden seal from Yubaba's twin sister, Zeniba, but ends up getting poisoned by it (as well as chased by paper figures that Zeniba charmed and attacked him with). Chihiro not only breaks the spell from Zeniba's seal with true love, but she also breaks (squishes, actually) the curse that was put on him by Yubaba.

As Chihiro and Haku (as well as Yubaba's bird-turned-mini-bird and son-turned-rat) leave Zeniba's place, Chihiro remembers when she was a little girl how she fell into the Kohaku River and was saved by Haku himself! He hadn't remembered his true identity until then, and they both cry because they were so happy.

And yes, I totally ship them.

Next: Yubaba.

 

Now, Yubaba isn't very likable from the start. She's a witch that runs the bathhouse and is very cruel indeed. She has a very strong magic, and a baby she loves to death, but otherwise she's not very likable. Her twin sister, Zeniba, is much more likable (which is astonishing considering they look the same but have such different personalities). I don't have much to say about her other than she doesn't develop much as a character and she's really mean.

Next: No Face

 No Face is a spirit that has, well, no face, and there is a lot of mystery that surrounds him. He ends up being, what I think to be, a greed spirit that tries to draw others in by duplicating things that they want (such as gold or bathhouse tokens). He turns into a monster when he devours three of the workers from the bathhouse, as well as a lot of food that the workers provide because he gives out "gold" by the handfuls.

Chihiro is the only one that can really save him, and he ends up going back to his normal self. He travels with Chihiro to Zeniba's and ends up staying there as her assistant. There isn't much to say of him other than he's a secondary main character, but very loveable toward the end because he's a misunderstood being.

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So, those are just some of the main characters that reside in the world of Spirited Away. They're all very different and very complex in their own way, but they're still loveable (except Yubaba, but I'll leave that to you to decide).

Spirited Away

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been busy moving into a new apartment and getting acclimated with it. Anyway, onto the blog post.

So I watched Spirited Away by the director/producer Hayao Miyazaki. Any Studio Ghibli fan knows this man by name as he has created many of the wonderful films that the Studio has produced.

In the movie, a young girl, Chihiro, is moving to a new house with her parents when, on the way, they take a "short cut" and end up on the other side of a river where magical things take place. Her parents get turned into pigs when they eat the food and Chihiro is left all alone to find someway back. That's when Haku, a young boy her age, comes to help her. She almost manages to get free, but is then discovered and has to ask for a job so she wouldn't also be turned into a pig. Along the way, she grows immensely as a person and makes new friends as well as discover what true love really is.

The movie is rated PG.

This is one of my favorite films by Miyazaki, simply because of the detail and thought that is put into his works. Spirited Away is a fine example as to what it's like to go through hardships in life, only to grow up and find that there is much more than just being a spoiled little kid.

I think that the details shown in this movie, from the many intricate details of the bathhouse to the characters' personalities as very well drawn out and portrayed in the film.

Click below to watch the trailer.

If you love fantasy movies, then this is definitely a movie to watch. It has romance, drama, action, blood... What more can you ask for?

What Is This?

This is my blog where I will talk about, give my opinions on, assess, and review the various films from Studio Ghibli. I will also provide any material reviews of any of the various Studio Ghibli items based off of the characters or movies that I may have.

This is purely a fan-based blog as I have no association with Studio Ghibli.

I have been a fan of Studio Ghibli since seeing my first film by them back in the early 1990s. The film was Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro. Since then I have seen various films such as Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and more.

So I hope you find my view points on the films to be helpful if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli, or if you are just discovering the films for the first time.

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Any and all pictures that are official works of art from Studio Ghibli will be credited in each post. 

The current background of this blog is ©Studio Ghibli. It is their official logo.