Kiki's Delivery Service

Next in “Studio Ghibli Month,” we come to the first movie that I had seen, “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” released in 1989.

Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) is a smart and lively 13-year-old girl who lives with her mother (Kath Soucie), who is a witch, and her father (Jeff Bennett). She is a fragment of a dreamer and a responsive kid as shown at a part where we see her lying in a field watching the clouds go by. However, it is time for her to find her own way in society as a witch: Where a lot of scared parents currently wouldn’t even fathom the thought of letting their teenage child travel far away without adult supervision, Kiki’s parents are happy with the idea of her coming to terms with her powers and testing her abilities. Her dad says goodbye to his “princess” while her mother demands that she take her special broom for flying.

On the travel to her unknown location, Kiki scares her black cat Jiji, voiced by the late Phil Hartman in his final role, with her rocky liftoffs. They have conversations with the cat saying funny lines to everything. Kiki meets a snobbish young witch on her way from her year’s training, voiced by Debi Derryberry. Then there is a storm to fight with and an unplanned landing in a train car where she sleeps for the night.

In the morning, Kiki flies into a busy and beautiful port city where she instantly loves as she spots it. After making a discouraging start by causing several car accidents, this determined young witch is given a job at a bakery by Osono, voiced by Tress MacNeille, who is impressed with her flying abilities. She lets her have the room in the attic above the bakery and she says she can start a delivery service.

Kiki is excited with the new life that she starts in this new town. Her delivery service with her broom is successful except for one incident where she loses a toy. However, that also has a good outcome. Kiki meets Ursula, voiced by Janeane Garofolo, a very creative and independent artist who lives alone in the woods. Kiki also becomes friends with Madame, voiced by Carrie Fisher’s mom, the late Debbie Reynolds, who is impressed with her kindness and good nature. Tombo, voiced by Jack Hunter from “Boy Meets World,” Matthew Lawrence, a creative young boy, falls in love with Kiki and despite that she doesn’t make it to a party he invites her to, they start a great friendship.

Even though every good thing happens to Kiki during this training process, she still feels like an outsider. Part of her wants to be normal like everyone else. This is the thought that makes her lose her power to fly and be able to talk to Jiji. When Ursula finds out about Kiki’s trouble, she takes her away to her artistic home so she can rediscover the inspiration she needs to complete her apprenticeship.

This wonderful and amazing animated film is a classic directed by the master himself, Hayao Miyazaki. Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat said in their review, “He has again delivered a rounded and appealing young heroine who is coming of age in a strange new place.” Instead of making the usual magical power of witches to put spells or mix potions, Miyazaki shows how Kiki’s character develops as she finds work, meets new people and tries to help anyone she meets. Her kindness and enthusiasm gets her many new friends and allies. Brussat said, “Her fearlessness is one of her best qualities; it comes to the fore in her heroism when a dirigible crashes over the city and Tombo's life is endangered.”

There are very few animated movies out there that talk about the growing of a teenager into adulthood. Make sure you watch this masterful film and recommend it to others.

As I had stated yesterday, this was a film that I hated when I saw it. Bear in mind, I was only nine-years-old…or maybe ten…or was it eight…young enough! Then again, the reason why I say that Elementary School kids should not watch Studio Ghibli films is because they would not be able to understand and grasp the meaning of the films. I know I didn’t when I saw “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” We saw this at the library when we were kids and rented it, and everyone loved it but I didn’t like it because I was annoyed by Kiki. Everything else I loved, but Kiki irritated me. Then again, I didn’t understand what a teenager goes through until I went through it myself. I refused to watch this movie for six, seven, maybe eight years. Then one day, I was on my summer vacation after my junior year of high school and I was bored. I thought of watching the film again, since we own it after buying it off of Amazon, and I was laughing from first minute to last. This went from being the one Studio Ghibli film that I hated and didn’t think it was worth watching to one of my absolute favorites. It’s in my top five, I can assure you that. Thank goodness I was able to fully understand it at the age of 16.

This is also another film that I think everyone should go out and see if they haven’t. You will absolutely love this film, because I know I learned to understand and enjoy this film when I saw it again at 16. Like I said before, this is another one of my favorite Studio Ghibli animated films. I think this one is better than “My Neighbor Totoro,” but that’s because I saw this movie before I saw Totoro. That’s just my opinion, please just understand. If this is anyone's favorite Studio Ghibli film, I get it.

Look out tomorrow for more excitement in “Studio Ghibli Month.”