Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s “Howl’s Moving Castle” present to us a film containing a curse, a world at war, and an exceptionally gifted wizard. Throughout it, we learn about the importance of self-love and selflessness, and how it can be used to strengthen not only our lives, but the ones’ around us.
By Catalina Sainz
Following a cruel attack by the Witch of the Waste that turned her into an elderly woman, young Sophie makes the risky decision to leave everything behind in order to set out on a perilous journey to track down and beg for assistance from the powerful mage Howl, who resides in his Moving Castle. She is unaware that the one who will actually need her assistance is none other than Howl himself.
“Howl’s Moving Castle” presents a story in which the female protagonist, Sophie, is in charge of guiding us through a world full of magical elements that, in addition to surprising the young woman herself, also leave us with our mouths open.
Already recovered from the first impression, we see that in Howl’s universe nothing is what it seems; the good guys are not so good nor the bad guys so bad. Proof of this is the magician himself, who, although very subtly, undergoes a clear evolution throughout the film, just like the young Sophie; she goes from being a shy and unmotivated young woman to becoming a brave and courageous woman, willing to do whatever it takes to save what she loves most.
The film also presents us with a war conflict in which all the local magicians are expected to participate for the cause of the most powerful.
The story of Moving Castle is clear, concise, giving each character a closed ending so that there are no loose ends. Likewise, the narrative perfectly intersperses the slower moments with the busiest ones and also with those that present a great deal of humor (which cannot be missing for our joy).
The animation of the film is spectacular, just as those responsible for Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki himself are accustomed to. The landscapes, the cities, the design and movement of Howl’s castle itself… Everything is done showing the smallest details, creating a harmonious whole that does not clash at any time. Likewise, the fluidity and naturalness of the movements of both humans and magical creatures surprises for the better, giving them a life of their own, an identity.
Finally, another of the film’s strong points is its soundtrack. Composed by Joe Hisaishi, this is beautiful, unique. Each of the themes that make up this section matches perfectly with the images that appear on the screen. Sometimes it even magnifies what we see even more.
Hi, society 