About:

Title: Howl’s Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城)
Released: 2004

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Class Superlative: 
Chameleon

 

Source Material
Title: Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle #1)
Author:
Diana Wynne Jones
Published:
1986
Series:
Howl’s Moving Castle

In a Land of Pure Imagination

After a curse transforms young hatmaker Sophie into an old woman, she finds herself living at the aforementioned moving castle of the wizard Howl. And wouldn’t you know it — the castle just might hold the key to breaking her curse.

Adorable Child Alert

Markl has his brekkie routine DOWN.

Lovable Anthropomorphic Sidekicks

Calcifer sometimes veers a little too close to annoying for my liking, but he’s still way lovable.

The only thing that can match the greatness of a mouthy anthropomorphic sidekick is one that’s king of the deadpan — Heen!

And Turnip Head, OBVS.

Wait, WTF?

Why’s Howl freaking out about being a ginger!? Gingers are so hot right now.

Famous Voices

Class Superlative: Chameleon

I’m not just talking about Howl’s hair styles (although that’s certainly applicable as well), but how I feel about this movie. At first, I was lukewarm about it, and I didn’t think it lived up to the hype. But I’ve grown to appreciate it more upon rewatches. Howl’s still hasn’t captured my heart, but it’s at least memorable. Plus, that score is THE BOMB DOT COM (composed by Ghibli heavy hitter Joe Hisaishi, obvs). Like that main theme song? Anyone who’s seen the movie: you can already hear it, right? SO GOOD.

Exploring the Studio Ghibli Vault

Mandy (she/her) lives in Edmonton, AB. When she’s not raiding the library for YA books, she enjoys eating ice cream (esp. in cold weather), learning fancy pole dance tricks, and stanning BTS. Mandy has been writing for FYA since 2012, and she oversaw all things FYA Book Club from 2013 to 2023.