Kiki's Delivery Service: Special Edition - 2-Disc DVD
004 4 When this movie came out on video , I had heard that it was an animated classic from Japan . Since I had just recently gotten into anime , I decided to check it out . What I wound up seeing would turn out to be one of my favorite films of all time ( and , believe me , that's no small order ! ) ! The film is about a young witch-in-training ( Kiki ) who goes out into the world to learn her craft . Along the way , with the help of her trusty black cat ( Jiji ) and the many people she meets , Kiki learns that magic comes from the heart . The animation on this production is , in my opinion , simply the best there is , even compared to more modern , domestic releases . The English dub for this version ( Kirsten Dunst , Phil Hartman , et al . ) is incredible . And , most important , the story is absolutely PERFECT for anyone ; the child , the child-at-heart , the full grownup , you name it ! Since I first saw this film , I've been recommending Kiki's Delivery Service to just about everyone I know ; even my parents ( I think Mom is leaning towards my side ! ) . This is my first introduction to the works of Studio Ghibli and of director Hayao Miyazaki ; more of their creations are supposed to be released in the future , including a theatrical release of Princess Mononoke next year . If you get the idea that I'm all set for these to come out , YOU'RE RIGHT ! In the meantime , Kiki's Delivery Service is way , WAY Up There on my play list !
063 4 i REALY LOVE THIS MOVIE BECAUSE IT PROVES THAT EVERYONE HAS A DREAM ABOUT BEING ALL THAT THEY CAN BE AND i REALLY LIKE HER BLACK CAT JIJI AND i HOPE TO GET A FULL BLACK CAT AND BE ABLE TO FEEL LIKE A WITCH .
088 4 This one was my FAVORITE ! It's a cute , lighter story . The animation is INCREDIBLE ! I love the little girl in this and her cat is SO CUTE ! There are so many adorable details to look at . I think this is a wonderful story , especially for girls . The voices are so cute sounding . And again , the details are just AMAZING to look at . Great movie to start with ! : - )
104 4 No Violence , no sex , no bad languages , a perfect treasure for children . Even Disney has violence or some notion of sex in their films , but not this ! A fun and enchanting film with actually REAL characters , like KIKI . Usually children's films have very two dimensional characters , be it , adventurous and fun , or just downright strict and boring . But KIKI is very real in her character . I'm 16 , but I still enjoyed this and anyone from 1 ~ 100 will probably enjoy this .
128 4 I admit this movie is REALLY cute and intended for a younger audience , but it speaks to the inner child in me . It has a real nice spin on kids gearing up to go be on their own . I was alos surprised ( and elated ) to hear the late , great Phil Hartman as the voice of GiGi .
154 4 Before I saw this , I thought ALL anime was { lousy } . I really am starting to like it ! This movie has a great story with great ( and famous ) voice actors . I was thrilled to read the book . . . after I saw this wonderful movie . GREAT for people off all ages ! !
013 4 I have a confession to make . I'm 40 years old and my wife bought this for me for my birthday because I love animation , and because Roger Ebert spoke well of it in his reviews . My wife and Roger Ebert were not wrong . I sat spellbound for the whole film . There is so much to like about this film that it is hard to know where to begin praising it . The animation is exquisite , with attention to tiny details in every scene . The characters are believable and appealing . The American voice actors are exactly right for the parts they play , in particular the late Phil Hartman as JiJi the cat and Janeane Garofalo as the artist Ursula . Of course Kirsten Dunst voices Kiki exactly the right way . The storyline is as strong as the animation , and this video will reward multiple viewings on all levels . Note the details in the animation , as in the dust blowing off the street when Kiki takes off , or Kiki using her feet to bounce her off buildings when she tries her unsteady flying skills . Pay attention to Ursula , the independent , strong and yet kind female artist , who manages to be a great character and a terrific role model , as is Kiki herself , capturing the experience of being 13 without cloying sentimentalism or straining the imagination . Look at the town she settles in and note the details of this mix of all the cities in the world . Wiccans and pagans can also note that this video presents a very positive view of witchcraft and witches , unlike so many other movies that attempt to deal with magic . The storyline is involving and compelling , and oddly enough , quite realistic in the way the characters interact and express themselves . No matter whether you're 4 , 14 , 24 , or 40 , this is an unqualifiedly great movie and a masterful work of the animator's art . I would recommend this movie without hesitation to anyone . Any movie that has both witches and zeppelins in it can't go wrong with me , but I know that this movie will appeal to anyone with heart and imagination .
027 4 This is one of those rare video finds , a children's animated video without fast cuts , heavy metal soundtracks , cyber-mutants or the undead ! Or nauseatingly cute , politically over correct , safe as milk pablum that panders to the lowest common denominator . Kiki's Delivery Service is a wonderful , timeless tale beautifully told with some of the finest animation I have ever seen . This truly has something for everybody in the family . After seeing it just once I already know what my neices are getting for Christmas . Smart , touching , funny , with a great sense of style , you'll find yourself cheering for Kiki ! One of the best things about this video is that it doesn't talk down to kids . As someone who has been performing in children's theatre for 9 years I have found that children are not dumb , children are up for a challenge . And Kiki delivers . Oh , I should probably mention that Kiki will entertain and enchant all who watch , young and old alike ! Enjoy !
047 4 When I saw this movie on Disney , I was totally shocked.I never thought a movie could be produced so fresh unique.The storyline is amazing , the characters fit in perfect with the basic story . The idea of this story is about a girl who has a talent of flying.She uses this talent to create a delivery service , but when she loses her confidence in herself , she loses her talent in flying.Kiki found out that all you need is a little faith to accomplish a big dream.Kiki had proven that she accomplished that dream , she had gained her confidence back.This story has plenty of romance , fun , entertainment for the whole family.You'll never get bored , because it reminds you that the only thing you need to accomplish a dream is faith.It also reminds you that the only thing you need to steer you in the right path is your heart.This movie is a classic , I recommend this for everyone.Who knows , it might give you a answer you've been looking for so long.You can buy it today !
067 4 I am a painter and the artistry of this animation really satisfies me . The characters look like pretty standard Japanimation , but the way they move , the way their clothes and hair move feel very real , and the settings are very convincing . The representation of light and air and motion , as well as the details of both natural things like birds or trees and manmade things like cities and buildings feel so real it's almost like taking a trip to Europe yourself . The story has special appeal for an artist as well . Kiki's search for enduring inspiration is compared to that of an artist in the movie , and the parallels drawn are meaningful and restorative to me as an artist . I've watched this movie many times and continue to see new treats in it . My three year old loves it , too .
085 4 Kiki's Delivery Service invokes the sense adventures and the innocence of childhood rite . It's a family fun film , which I have come to enjoy . I did not discover Hayao Miyazaki till Disney TV aired this piece of film years ago , and became an instant cult favorite of mine . I could watch this every day and not grow bored of it ! And now I'm an avid collector of his films , its so super addicting !
103 4 What a movie ! The quality of the animation is typical of Hayao Miyazaki ; Outstanding ! The story is captivating , drawing you in at once , as you follow Kiki on her journey to self discovery , and through the many adventures she experiences . This is a perfect movie to watch when you are feeling down , because the absolute sweetness , and happiness of this film can't help but bring a smile to your face over and over again . While not quite the epic adventure of Mononoke Hime , the simple charm of this movie makes it a fantastic anime to watch . Highly recommended !
124 4 Hello , there ! I'm Japanese . This is my first review to amazon.com . I often use amazon.co.jp . This time I would like to get some audio books , I happend to find this DVD . I also looked for a good English movie for my daughter . This DVD is a famous Hayao Miyazaki's story in Japan . So my daughter and I know this story very well . It is easy to understand the story even in English ! But main theme music is different from Japanese one . And the region code is different , so some DVD players can't access this DVD .
134 4 What we love about this movie is simple - no bad guys , no violence , yet still enjoyable and engaging for my 3 year-old . There is some excitement at the end , when Kiki's friend is in danger , but of course , everything turns out okay . The animation is lovely .
137 4 I've long loved this movie and just finally went ahead & bought myself a copy . Kiki is a fantastic little witch who's struggling to find her place in the world . A very real dilema for all , witch or not ! I love the animation on this . I love the setting of the town she's in . Just a fantastic little movie that certainly shouldn't be saved for Halloween alone .
147 4 This film is plan and simple perfect . It will delight both young and old . This is the perfect film to gather you and your family around on some rainning day just to simple enjoy . Children will be inthralled with Kiki's adventures , while parents will see the story for what it is . A childs ' first steps into adulthood . This is a work of pure magic that will be fond a memory to both children and adults alike .
024 4 I rented this with some hesitation and was happily proved wrong . It's a great movie , nothing scary , and very enjoyable for parents as well . The whole movie just has a great feeling about it-and you can't beat the late Phil Hartman as GiGi , Kiki's pet cat . Far and beyond most childrens ' entertainment that is currently available .
041 4 When witches turn 13 they leave their home to live by themselves for a year . Kiki has just turned 13 and must now master the broom and face her own fears in order to be a successful witch . She must also build a strong belief in her own abilities and face love for the first time in her life . Kiki's best friend Jiji , a black cat , travels with her on her year long journey and often interjects with hilarious comments on the things and issues they face . Kiki's Delivery Service is a remarkable film with many valuable lessons to be pondered by both young and old . In addition , the film offers both humor , drama , and suspense , which in the end has been put together into a superb cinematic experience .
059 4 Kiki is 13 of age who is training to be a witch . By tradition , it is for Kiki to leave her home to spend a year alone in a new town to establish herself as a full witch . Kiki sets herself on her mother's broom with her closest companion , Jiji , a loquacious black cat . She flies off to her new life .
092 4 Kiki , a 13 - year-old witch , leaves home with her black cat , Jiji , to carry out her apprenticeship , which consists of living on her own for a year . She settles down in a picturesque seaside village , makes some friends , starts her own delivery service , and learns the true nature of her power . This wonderful family film features no violence or conflict between characters , yet there isn't a dull moment in it . Kiki's struggle with herself provides plenty of drama , and the flying scenes provide the excitement . Writer / director Hayao Miyazaki has crafted something special .
069 4 This movie is one of the most delightful pieces of film you will ever see . The animation is bright and beautiful , the story is fun , funny and exciting , the characters are wonderful , the voice casting ( in the english dubbed version ) is absolutely perfect . There is not one bad thing to say about this movie . On a personal note , as a 24 year old male with no children , I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite movies . It has such a fun , positive message , such wonderful dialogue , I find myself putting it in when I'm feeling down on rainy days just to get cheered up ! Buy this film , say it's for your kids , but one night when they're sleeping over at a friend's house , watch it yourself and discover the genius of Hayao Miyazaki .
050 4 No matter how many times I see this film , it never fails to fill my heart with such warm feelings . . . For that I'm very greatful . What a fortunate person I am to own a copy of this wonderful masterpiece . It's amazing how it affects my feelings - by the end of the film , I always get the urge to hug everyone I know . Kiki's Delivery Service reminds me that there are good things in life .
065 4 This movie far surpassed my expectations ! It was very funny and entertaining . Yet thought provoking and sad at the same time ! It was an epic adventure that I have watched over and over and over . . . Even without my daughter ! : ) If you love animated movies and or stories about witches this is the movie for you . Don't pass it up it is a classic in the making !
070 4 One of the few films that our children watch ( age 2.5 ) which keeps them engaged and actually makes them laugh out loud . The animation is superb - - remarkable , really , almost painterly . The story contains NO VIOLENCE , yet is dynamic enough to keep everyone interested . Maybe Disney should take note ! It is sweet , thoughtful , funny , exciting , and beautifully executed . I highly recommend this .
091 4 This is a wonderful story with beautiful graphics . . . I bought it for my god daughter ( age 2 ) & naturally I checked it out before giving it to her & I loved it so much I bought one for myself ! Oh . . and she loves it too ! This book is for all ages !
156 4 I first saw this movie when I was 6 or 7 , and I still love it ! Jennae ( spelling ? ? ? ? ) Garafalo ( more spelling ? ? ? ) was great in this movie ! I'd rate it at least 7 stars if I could !
119 4 This was a wonderful and uplifting anime about a young and powerful 13 year old witch who moves in a new town with her magical cat to embark on a new life . At first she recieves a frosty reception when she tries to befriend the locals . Over time , she is taken in by a caring woman who is about to become a mother and owns a bakery with her husband . Kiki starts her own delivery service and eventually makes friends and connects with some of the people in the story on a deep spiritual level . Along the way , through her challenge of temporarily losing her power to fly she discovers that the key to her power lies in trusting her spirit and believing in herself . This is also a very happy and uplifting movie . I am very happy to have found out about this movie through amazon and I would highly recommend this magical gem of a movie if you love to watch anime that will help give you an emotional boost and feelings of joy and upliftment .
064 4 After reading all of the critiques of this DVD presentation , I am amazed that I still enjoy watching this film . Instead of thinking too much about the technical aspects of translation , try sitting down with this movie and let its beatiful story roll over you . It will make you wish that you were 13 years old again , when your innocent view of the world was both shaken and renewed by the acts of others . If you are a parent , you must buy this for your jaded , modern children . Mine were entranced , presumably by the idea that Kikki could live on her own whle still maintaining her dignity and sense of responsibility to her new friends .
141 4 This is a great movie ! ! ! One of the best ! ! ! If you like animated family films this is a must , one you can watch over and over and never get bored with.A joy from start to finish.A fascinating movie for all ages.Easily a 5 Star movie ! ! ! !
048 4 You'd have to be one big iceberg not to love this film . I own it and pop it in the video a few times a year . I never fail to laugh or cry . The voice of the late Phil Hartmann is perfect as her cat Gigi . Lovely , lovely film .
139 4 Girl witch , magic , talking cat , what's not to love . Another great film from Studio Gibli . If they like this , they'll also love Totoro and The Cat Returns .
144 4 Maybe not the best of Miyazaki's films , but nevertheless an enjoying experience . Good for al the family , beautifully drawn as always , a very light non-complicated movie full of moral values .
090 4 Yet another great story from Miyazaki-one of his best ! A great family movie .
Castle In The Sky , My Neighbor Totoro , and Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind ( which was retitled Warriors Of The Wind , shorn of a full twenty minutes of footage ) all preceded it - - but it was one of the few treated with any decency , and more to the point , it had an OK dub . Yes , a few lines were added , just to make sure that we all knew what we were seeing and to make sure hitchhiking wasn't encouraged , and some new music cues were overlaid over parts of the film by its original composer , Joe Hisaishi , because silence is apparently bad , but it's far from the butchering Nausicaa got , so let's all try to have a sense of perspective , shall we ? It's not worth worrying about , now that the Japanese audio is on this DVD .
Kiki isn't a great film , the way that Miyazaki's other family films ( Totoro and Spirited Away ) are , but it's an awful lot of fun . Based on a Japanese children's novel called Majo no Takkyubin ( usually translated as Witch's Delivery Service ) by Eiko Kadono , it's the story of a fairly clumsy and unskilled young witch , Kiki , whose only real skill is that she can ride a broom ( and she isn't very good at that in the beginning , either ) . She's reached the age where young witches have to travel to another city for one year in order to learn a trade using their skills , and she departs with her cat , Jiji . That's all I am going to tell you ; any more would spoil the story .
Suffice it to say that this is a gorgeously well-animated film , a nice story , and very entertaining . The subtitles provide a better watching experience than the dub ( and , yes , they aren't good at conveying the nuances of the dialogue , but this is something any non-native Japanese will struggle with - - I certainly do - - and hardly Disney's fault ) , but the dub is good enough for anyone who isn't a film geek or animation buff . Kirsten Dunst did a good job capturing Kiki's personality , Phil Hartman played a Phil Hartman character and did it entertainingly ( although the character he plays can't really be called Jiji because of that ) , and Tress MacNeille gave the best performance as Osono .
My complaints here are limited mostly to the DVD itself . Disney may call it a spectacular 2 - disc special edition , but the extras are extremely underwhelming . What do we get ? On disc one , we get a bunch of . . . trailers ( including ones for Castle In The Sky and Spirited Away which do a terrible job of giving you an idea of what those films are supposed to be about ) that do nothing but waste bit space . I assume this is what Disney considers synergy these days . Next , there's a boring little Electronic-Press-Kit-type featurette about the voice bubbing , obviously done in ' 98 , since Phil Hartman is alive and well here ( sadly , he wouldn't be for long ) , that runs for all of about five minutes and tells you zero about the film . To round it off , there's a few minutes of trailers for the film itself . Whee .
The film itself is presented decently , although there are some serious quality-control issues involved . Push Play and you'll get a five-minute introduction from John Lasseter . Once that's done , the movie starts , and we've got some problems . First , the opening and ending credit sequences in the dub version look worse than they did on the videotape . They're so grainy they look like TV commercials that had been stored in someone's sock drawer for thirty years . Second , while the balance of the film is fine ( a little soft , some edge enhancement , but better than most anime DVDs ) , there are a few instances of print damage ( including one that wipes out a couple frames near the end of the movie in a haze of blue ) and the color balance is off - - Kiki looks a little too pale . Actually , she looks like she's dead at times . The credit sequences , at least , look much better in the Japanese version , thanks to the miracle of seamless branching , and have obviously been better taken care of . Finally , some [ one ] decided that this 100 - minute-plus feature needed a grand total of 16 chapter stops , making it near-impossible to find some of my favorite sequences . Thanks , Disney . At least it's in anamorphic widescreen .
But wait ! There's a whole second disc to consider !
And it's a waste of time . Disc two consists entirely of another version of the feature presented entirely through storyboard sketches , with either the Japanese or dub track as accompaniment ( but no subtitles for the Japanese version ) . I like this sort of thing when it shows up as a multi-angle feature during a film , or as a gallery item , but this is just absurd . To make a bad idea even worse , it's divided into the same old 16 chapter stops as the regular movie - - only this version doesn't get the luxury of a scene select menu . So , the only possible value this could have had is completely thrown away .
So , with all that , is it worth a watch ? You bet . It's fun just to watch the animation , admire the lovely backgrounds , and wish you could live in a city like that . The story isn't bad , either . Now if only someone could clear up all the rights issues with Nausicaa and give that a proper home video release on DVD , we'd be all set .
003 4 It's great that Americans are finally discovering the dazzling animation of Japanese genius Hayao Miyazaki ( whose film Spirited Away won the award for Best Animated Film in 2003 ) , and that Disney has started to release excellent DVD editions of his films with both Japanese and English language options . Miyazaki's 1989 film Kiki's Delivery Service ( Majo no takkyubin in Japanese ; literally Witch's Express Mail ) is his most easily accessible and the best place to start in watching his movies . Kiki's Delivery Service is an honest-to-goodness ` family ' film . Children will adore it , and adults will find themselves enchanted with its charm , delightful characters , and the sheer beauty of the animation . I once watched the film with a room of twenty and thirty year-olds , a few young children , and an 84 year-old woman , and everybody LOVED it and cheered the heroine on at the end . Simply put , there are few films out there that are as loveable and likable as this .
In terms of story , it's an odd film : there's not much in the way of ` plot . ' The film depends strongly on its heroine and the way she learns from the world and the people around her as she grows up . Kiki is a thirteen-year-old witch in training who leaves her home to start her required period of living on her own to discover her talents . Kiki and her cat sidekick Jiji jet out on her broom to a city ( vaguely European , with traces of Paris , Copenhagen , and Amsterdam ) and settle down at a friendly baker's shop , where Kiki establishes her own broom-powered delivery service ( look out , Fed-Ex ! ) . The story follows her troubles and joys , such as her friendship with a local boy inventor Tombo , her meeting with nature-loving artist Ursula , the tricks and difficulties of making deliveries , and the possible loss of her powers when she starts to lose belief in herself . It all climaxes in a thrilling action sequence that Superman would be proud of .
The movie leaps from wonderful sequence to wonderful sequence : Kiki's passionate farewell to her parents , her first flight over the city , Tombo's wild ride on his experimental flying bike , a dangerous flight through a flock of birds , the action-packed finale , and the many terrific meetings between Kiki and other charming characters . Watching Kiki learn and grow will have an affect on children young and old : everybody can take something away from the lessons Kiki learns about herself . And of course , the animation is dazzling ; not only the sweeping visuals , but the nuances of the characters ' expressions and movements .
The DVD offers the film in English and Japanese ( oh , and Spanish too ) . If you watch the film in Japanese , you have the choice to watch it with two different sets of subtitles . One set is a literal translation of the Japanese script . The second are taken directly from the English version , and therefore have a distinctly American feel to them . I recommend when watching the Japanese version to stick with the literal subtitles . Since the English dub of the film often adds extra lines to characters ( especially Jiji ) , it can be confusing to see subtitles pop up when nobody is speaking .
The Americanized dubbed version , however , is fantastic as well , and done with great respect and intelligence . The voice cast is superb : Kirsten Dunst as Kiki , Janeane Garofola as Ursula , and Debbie Reynolds as sweet old Miss Dora . But the scene-stealer is the late Phil Hartman as Kiki's smart-aleck cat companion , Jiji . Hartman is hysterical in every scene , totally nailing down the character , and his performance is a bittersweet reminder of what a great comedian we lost with his premature death . If you're going to watch the film with children or a large , general group of people , stick with the English version . It's quite an achievement , and just as enjoyable as the Japanese version .
There are some extras , although a lot less than you would expect for a 2 - DVD set . John Lassiter ( director of Toy Story ) introduces the film , and there's a short documentary about the English language actors . The second disc contains the whole film in storyboard and rough sketch form : this will really only be of interest to animators and hardcore Miyazaki fans .
Every family should have Kiki's Delivery service in their library , although the adults may find themselves returning to it as much as the children ; and it's a great introduction to Miyazaki . Make sure you also watch Castle in the Sky , Spirited Away , and Princess Mononoke ( the last one isn't really for kids , however ) .
021 4 First off , don't let anything I say after this discourage you from buying this movie . We own it on VHS , and now , DVD . It's a very fun movie - it proves that you can do a great story that kids ( and adults ) will love , without following the formula and having paper-thin , 2 - dimensional bad guys .
However , apparently Disney doesn't think people will get it unless spoonfed ; even after pushing the Menu button to skip the previews they try to ram down your throat , and hitting Play Movie , they have a Pixar director come on and tell you what the movie is going to be about , and that you're going to love it . Gee , thanks . I guess us amer-cuns must be too dum to figgur it out for ourselves .
Those of us with DVD recorders will certainly want to create movie only discs for our kids so they don't have to endure even more dumbing down at the hands of Disney .
Disney , if you're listening , in the future if you feel you must explain the movie to the audience , do it off the main menu , not at the beginning of the movie .
Despite all this , expecially if you have kids , PLEASE buy this movie , you won't regret it .
029 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
One of the most incredible things about the filmography of Hayao Miyazaki happened in 1988 when they released delightful ' My Neighbor Totoro ' as part of a double feature in Japan . ( The other film was ' Grave of the Fireflies ' and these films had to wait a while to gain deserved popularity they have now after repeated showings in theaters and re-runs on TV . ) You believe that ? double feature program of new films , one of which is Miyazaki's !
One year later , in 1989 , things suddenly changed when ' Kiki's Delivery Service ' was released theatrically . I clearly remember watching it the first show of the first day , which started very early in the morning , and the theater was already full-packed . Since then , Miyazaki and his films have been Japan's household name .
' Kiki's Delivery Service ' which is based on a children's book by Kadono Eiko shows what a good animation film can do without violence , CGIs , or obligatory musical scenes . It's about a girl Kiki who must leave her house flying on a broomstick in order to live alone among the strangers . Kiki , warm-hearted , strong-willed , but still a novice witch , must learn many things in this town where she gets a job at a kind baker's - - and of course her job is delivery service of the film title .
There is one hair-raising big action sequence , but the film ' charms are all based on credible characters including Jiji a talking cat , Tombo ( meaning dragonfly in Japanese ) a boy who dreams of flying , and Ursula , an artist living in the woods . Even minor characters are memorable not because they are eccentric but because they are realistic , like someone among your relatives or friends you no longer meet but still remember .
The film is entertaining and fun for kids and adults alike , and is strongly recommended , as well as Miyazaki's ' Totoro , ' another favorite of mine .
[ ENGLISH VERSION ] English-dubbed versions of non-English films are often criticized for many reasons , but I didn't find anything wrong with this version featuring the voice of Kirsten Dunst as Kiki's . Interestingly in Japanese original version the voice of Jiji is played by actress Sakuma Rei while in American by Phil Hartman . The voices sound considerably different with Sakuma's high-pitched voice . If you have a chance to see the original version , compare them .
[ JAPANESE VERSION ] Just one trivial thing about this original version which I hope might interest you . ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW is that in the original version , the voices of Kiki and Ursula were played by same actress Takayama Minami . The casting is intentional , suggesting that independent woman Ursula shows the image of younger Kiki in the future . This clever idea is not somehow used in the English-dubbed version , in which Janeane Garofalo provides Ursula's voice .
But whichever version you see , one thing I am sure : ' Kiki's Delivery Service ' is beautiful , immaginative , and most of all fun . You will love it , trust me .
037 4 This is the kind of movie that has you leaving the couch smiling ear-to-ear . It's that kind of movie that you watch when you have a bad day , because it puts you in such a good mood . Kiki's Delivery Service is a phenominal creation for all ages . I am 13 , and I love all of Miyazaki's works . Some , such as Princess Mononoke , I love for the all-around great-ness of the storyling and the message that they send . Others , like Kiki's Delivery Service , are just plain cute fun . I find that most of Miyazaki's movies tend to have some violence , not a lot but enough so that some parents might not want very young kids watching them ( i.e . Spirited Away , the bloody-dragon scene , the boy's gun in Castle in the Sky . . . . ) . Fear not , conservative parents ! Kiki's Delivery Service is great for little kids , with no violence . This is a movie I would suggest in a heartbeat for little kids , especially girls . But this isn't just for young children , of course . It's such a cute movie it appeals to all ages . Be sure to see it when you have the chance !
042 4 We got Spirited Away from the library and enjoyed it so much ! When I saw Kiki at the video store , I knew that it was a hidden treasure and grabbed it ! The family watched it that night and several times over the next couple of days . It is a film for the whole family with lessons of courage and finding one's own path . We are a Christian family and I had a few reservations at first , but after watching this movie , I am a true Miyazaki fan ! We will be buying the three pack for Christmas this year !
051 4 I first saw this movie when it had its belated VHS release in 1998 or ' 99 and was pleasantly surprised . It wasn't the first Miyazaki film to be released as a dub in the US - - The Castle Of Cagliostro , Laputa : Castle In The Sky , My Neighbor Totoro , and Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind ( which was retitled Warriors Of The Wind , shorn of a full twenty minutes of footage ) all preceded it - - but it was one of the few treated with any decency , and more to the point , it had an OK dub . Yes , a few lines were added , just to make sure that we all knew what we were seeing and to make sure hitchhiking wasn't encouraged , and some new music cues were overlaid over parts of the film by its original composer , Joe Hisaishi , because silence is apparently bad , but it's far from the butchering Nausicaa got , so let's all try to have a sense of perspective , shall we ? It's not worth worrying about , now that the Japanese audio is on this DVD .
Kiki isn't a great film , the way that Miyazaki's other family films ( Totoro and Spirited Away ) are , but it's an awful lot of fun . Based on a Japanese children's novel called Majo no Takkyubin ( usually translated as Witch's Delivery Service ) by Eiko Kadono , it's the story of a fairly clumsy and unskilled young witch , Kiki , whose only real skill is that she can ride a broom ( and she isn't very good at that in the beginning , either ) . She's reached the age where young witches have to travel to another city for one year in order to learn a trade using their skills , and she departs with her cat , Jiji . That's all I am going to tell you ; any more would spoil the story .
Suffice it to say that this is a gorgeously well-animated film , a nice story , and very entertaining . The subtitles provide a better watching experience than the dub ( and , yes , they aren't good at conveying the nuances of the dialogue , but this is something any non-native Japanese will struggle with - - I certainly do - - and hardly Disney's fault ) , but the dub is good enough for anyone who isn't a film geek or animation buff . Kirsten Dunst did a good job capturing Kiki's personality , Phil Hartman played a Phil Hartman character and did it entertainingly ( although the character he plays can't really be called Jiji because of that ) , and Tress MacNeille gave the best performance as Osono .
My complaints here are limited mostly to the DVD itself . Disney may call it a spectacular 2 - disc special edition , but the extras are extremely underwhelming . What do we get ? On disc one , we get a bunch of . . . trailers ( including ones for Castle In The Sky and Spirited Away which do a terrible job of giving you an idea of what those films are supposed to be about ) that do nothing but waste bit space . I assume this is what Disney considers synergy these days . Next , there's a boring little Electronic-Press-Kit-type featurette about the voice bubbing , obviously done in ' 98 , since Phil Hartman is alive and well here ( sadly , he wouldn't be for long ) , that runs for all of about five minutes and tells you zero about the film . To round it off , there's a few minutes of trailers for the film itself . Whee .
The film itself is presented decently , although there are some serious quality-control issues involved . Push Play and you'll get a five-minute introduction from John Lasseter . Once that's done , the movie starts , and we've got some problems . First , the opening and ending credit sequences in the dub version look worse than they did on the videotape . They're so grainy they look like TV commercials that had been stored in someone's sock drawer for thirty years . Second , while the balance of the film is fine ( a little soft , some edge enhancement , but better than most anime DVDs ) , there are a few instances of print damage ( including one that wipes out a couple frames near the end of the movie in a haze of blue ) and the color balance is off - - Kiki looks a little too pale . Actually , she looks like she's dead at times . The credit sequences , at least , look much better in the Japanese version , thanks to the miracle of seamless branching , and have obviously been better taken care of . Finally , some [ one ] decided that this 100 - minute-plus feature needed a grand total of 16 chapter stops , making it near-impossible to find some of my favorite sequences . Thanks , Disney . At least it's in anamorphic widescreen .
But wait ! There's a whole second disc to consider !
And it's a waste of time . Disc two consists entirely of another version of the feature presented entirely through storyboard sketches , with either the Japanese or dub track as accompaniment ( but no subtitles for the Japanese version ) . I like this sort of thing when it shows up as a multi-angle feature during a film , or as a gallery item , but this is just absurd . To make a bad idea even worse , it's divided into the same old 16 chapter stops as the regular movie - - only this version doesn't get the luxury of a scene select menu . So , the only possible value this could have had is completely thrown away .
So , with all that , is it worth a watch ? You bet . It's fun just to watch the animation , admire the lovely backgrounds , and wish you could live in a city like that . The story isn't bad , either . Now if only someone could clear up all the rights issues with Nausicaa and give that a proper home video release on DVD , we'd be all set .
052 4 This is by far my family's favorite movie . It is a tender yet exciting story that is full of adventure . My kids like it because it doesn't have any bad guys . Beautifully animated ! !
053 4 this is a very nice film by our favorite Japanese film maker . I am so glad that Disney has offered these to the American audience . You will want to watch Spirit Away and My Neighbor Totoro All are good family films Your family will watch them over and over again .
057 4 The story of Kiki ' delivery service is interesting and the view of point is optimistic . My kids watched this DVD several times and enjoyed . Especially , my daughter-eleven year old girl likes this DVD .
066 4 This is a fantastic movie . My kids love to watch it over and over and over and over , and the most surprising thing is , I don't mind ! That's how good it is . A great family movie .
071 4 Ok just to let you know , this movie happens to be I think one of the greatest anime movies EVER made ! I mean the first time i saw this i was babysitting my 2nd grade brother and he HATES everything unless it is pokemon . Yet when we started to watch it he was glued to the tv as was i and we sat and watched the whole time . Never arguing once or yelling at eachother or anything ! My mom bought Kiki's delivery service the next day and so far i am having alot better time babysitting . : ) This also grabs a TON of people ages 3 - parent age to sit and watch waiting for people at my ballet studio . Miyazaki has to truly the most brilliant man to produce such a wonderful movie . Any of his movies are sure to delight , Castle in the Sky , My Neighbor Totoro , and of course Princess Mononoke ! And for all you older kids out there , ages 13 - up , you absolutly HAVE to see his masterpiece Princess Mononoke or Mononoke Hime !
075 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( Widescreen Edition ) [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
I watched this video with my twelve year old daughter ( who adores anime ) , and within minutes the two of us were laughing out loud at Kiki and her infectious enthusiasm for finding her place in the world as a young witch-in-training . Although Kiki does not use much magic except to fly on her broom , the animator , Miyazaki ( The Castle of Cagliostro , Princess Mononoke ) uses all the magic available to him . You must see the way the wind ruffles Kiki's hair , the expressiveness of Jiji the cat's saucer eyes , the attack of the angry crows / magpies . There is motion in every frame , and all it of rings true . The true magic lies in the characters , however . Every one is well drawn ( and not just visually ) , with distinctive characteristics and roles in the plot . The best of all is Kiki , with her fresh-faced energy and her longing to fit into her new town . So much is conveyed here with a well-timed blink of Kiki's eyes that it's hard to believe her part is not acted but drawn onto a cel .
You MUST get this video . It puts Disney to shame . It's appropriate for young children and adults alike , unlike much of the anime available today .
082 4 this movie is in my list of most watched movies . its about a witch who loses her power to fly and has to struggle with herself to find who she is to be able to fly again . every witch has a special power that she does best , like her own personality manifested . when kiki loses her power , its like the struggle a lot of young girls ( and boys ) go through to find out why they're here and who they are . i first saw this movie when i was in grade 7 , and her not knowing what her power was at first , finding it , loosing it and then how she gained it back by realizing what was truly important really touched a chord in me . i thought to myself ' hey ! i go through that all the time ! ' and watching her rise out of her inability always made me feel better about myself when i was feeling a bit sad . showing a light at the end of the tunnel if you will . i recommend this movie to all young girls as its a truly touching movie of finding your own way in the world , your purpose , which is to be the best you you can be .
125 4 I never was into anime until I saw Spirited Away . The writer of that is also the writer / director of Kiki's Delivery service . It is an awesome , clean Anime ' for family enjoyment . My son love's it too . The creator really pays attention to detail it is amazing .
135 4 Just plain fun . People like to nit pick and say well this Miyazaki film is better than this one , which I understand . But to be honest , you can't really go wrong with any of them ! This is and Totoro are great for young girls ( young boys will enjoy too though they'd never admit it . ) But for young boys City in the Sky , Lupin III are great Miyzaki works . Adults can enjoy them all !
136 4 My daughter watches Spirited Away and Howls Moving Castle over and over again . Thinking this DVD would be on par we purchased Kiki's Delivery service . Very nice but doesn't come close to the richness and quality of Spirited or Howls . It won't get completely forgotten in the DVD stack just a little dusty .
140 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
This is a great movie ! ! ! One of the best ! ! ! If you like animated family films this is a must , one you can watch over and over and never get bored with.A joy from start to finish.A fascinating movie for all ages.Easily a 5 Star movie ! ! ! !
148 4 I adored this movie . It was charming , though not as great as Sprited away or Castle in the Sky , but is defantly worth the buy .
152 4 I loved this movie . It looks lovely on DVD . The full storyboard with the finished film's sound is a subtle revelation , but the film itself is another Miyazaki gem , not as ambitious as Spirited Away , or Princess Mononoke ; rather it's the highly sympathetic coming of age portrait of a young witch in her first venture into the world . Witches must mature early ; she leaves home at 13 . This English dubbed version is very well done , with a wonderful performance by the late great Phil Hartman as Kiki's cat / familiar Jiji . Sweet spirited , good hearted and ideal for all ages .
153 4 One of Hayao Miyazaki's great animes has now been released on this new Disney 2 - disc set . The 1 : 85 anamorphic widescreen picture is generally very good and the new 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack is full of life .
For those of us who have waited years for this film to be available on DVD the wait is over . However , a couple of problems blemish what could have been a very nice event .
First and foremost , the picture runs slightly ( about a 1 / 2 second ) out-of-sync behind the sound . Many won't notice it or will blame the effect on poor dubbing . But , those ( like me ) who have closely watched this film on VHS will see that a sync problem does exist ( at least ) on Disney's initial run of Kiki's Deliver Service on DVD . Because , this film ( like the other Miyazaki offerings ) was carefully and successfully dubbed to avoid the dreaded lip-flap effect . Unfortunately , the problem is apparently on all three language tracks as well .
Another less important ( but still annoying ) defect is found in the Japanese trailers that accompany this film . Most of them are mis-flagged in anamorphic and the result makes them look like they're squished in Cinemascope , when they should just be 1 : 85 letterboxed widescreen . They can be manually corrected , but shouldn't have to be .
I do hope Disney finds it in their hearts to reissue Kiki with a fixed soundtrack in the near future as this true gem should be seen as good as it can be .
At least , Miyazaki's other two recently released animes ( Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky ) look and sound right . Disney has done a good job of offering both English and Japanese versions in not only sound but picture as well . So , the Japanese versions contain their original titles and music tracks . Very nice to see this Master's work in R1 indeed . . .
Kiki's Delivery Service is presented in widescreen ( 1 : 85 : 1 ) - enhanced for 16 × 9 televisions . Similar to My Neighbor Totoro , Studio Ghibli continues its beautifully painted scenery with detail galore . With Miyazaki inspired with a variety of cities and mishmashing European and Japanese architecture , Studio Ghibli was able to create this beautiful city with so much detail when it comes to the bricks that make up a building . The plants and flowers that cover certain buildings . There is a lot of detail and for the animation , capturing that feeling of flight when Kiki rides her broom through the air . Absolutely well-done animation for a film back in 1989 .
As for the audio , audio is presented in remastered English Dolby Digital Surround Sound and comes with English , Japanese and French language tracks . Dialogue is clear and understandable for each of the soundtracks . The sound of the wind and the leaves rustling can be heard quite clearly . I preferred to have my home theater receiver's audio set at stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundscape but for the most part , dialogue and Joe Hisaishi's beautiful musical score can be heard clearly through the front and center channels .
For those who watch the Japanese soundtrack will love the pairing of Ranma 1 / 2 voice actress Minami Takayama ( Kiki and Ursula ) and Kappei Yamaguchi ( Tombo ) , interesting enough that Ranma 1 / 2 voice actress Noriko Hidaka was also the lead in Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro . For the English dub , Kirsten Dunst did a very good job as the voice of Kiki and Phil Hartman as Jiji , one of his final acting roles before his death in 1998 .
Subtitles are in English and French .
SPECIAL FEATURES :
Kiki's Delivery Service comes with the following special features on a second DVD disc . Included are :
* An Introduction by John Lasseter - Intro by PIXAR's John Lasseter ( note : This intro . is on disc one ) .
* Original Japanese Storyboards - Watch the entire film but this time with the video showcasing the original storyboards .
* Creating Kiki's Delivery Service - ( 2 : 26 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of Kiki's Delivery Service and how he ended up being the director and the cities that inspired the creation of the village .
* Kiki & Jiji - ( 3 : 28 ) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about Miyazaki before the making of Kiki's Delivery Service while Miyazaki talked about his inspiration for the character of Kiki .
* Flying with Kiki & Beyond - ( 2 : 50 ) Miyazaki talks about the challenges of creating the animation for the flying sequences and trying to make the scenes look natural .
* Producer's Perspective : Collaborating with Miyazaki - ( 1 : 48 ) Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki talks about working with Miyazaki .
* The Locations of Kiki - ( 28 : 34 ) An excerpt from a Japanese documentary on the scenery of Kiki's Delivery Service
* Scoring Miyazaki - ( 7 : 17 ) A featurette about Joe Hisaishi's scoring Miyazaki films and more .
* Original Japanese Trailers - The original Japanese theatrical trailers for Kiki's Delivery Service .
* Behind the Microphone - ( 5 : 00 ) Featuring the English dub voice talents talking about their role , their appreciation for Miyazaki and his films . Also , behind-the-scenes of the talent recording their voices .
* Ponyo - Creating Ponyo - ( 3 : 56 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of Ponyo and wanting to create a film for young children .
* My Neighbor Totoro : Creating My Neighbor Totoro - ( 2 : 57 ) Hayao Miyazaki discussing the creation of My Neighbor Totoro .
* Castle in the Sky : Character Sketches - ( 2 : 37 ) Miyazaki talks about the characters of Castle in the Sky and discussing how his audiences are loyal to his films over time .
* Enter the Lands - Visit the land featuring various small animated Studio Ghibli characters ( from all films ) . Click on a character from that film ( note : only Ponyo , My Neighbor Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky are available ) to get a Q & A or a small video info . of that film and its characters .
EXTRAS :
Also , included is a postcard featuring Kiki flying high in the air ( similar to the image used for the cover ) .
JUDGMENT CALL :
Similar to My Neighbor Totoro , I first watched Kiki's Delivery Service back in 1993 during a Japanese animation club screening at a local mall . Granted , the film was in Japanese but during that time , many people would gather and watch a lot of animation in Japanese but for Miyazaki films , they were absolutely magical and just beautiful to look at . I can easily remember not knowing too much of what was being said but you can easily understand the storyline .
Here we are over 15 - years-later when I first watched the film and even now , I still find Kiki's Delivery Service to be a very magical and beautiful film . The coming of age storyline of Kiki trying to get her life as a witch started in a bigger city and dealing with life challenges and personal insecurities is the main theme of this film and a theme that everyone can relate to .
Although , the film is not exact to Eiko Kadono's original novel and at one point she was very unhappy with the direction of how the film was going , fortunately Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki was able to convince her of why he included these personal obstacles in the film ( it's important to note that the novel was written episodically and the film covers just a few episodes ) .
I am aware of the DVD's reception back in 1998 when Disney originally dubbed the film . Bare in mind that anime fans were not as easily encouraging towards English dubbing of their favorite Japanese animation during that that time period , compared to today . There are slight differences in dialogue between the Japanese and its English counterpart in that Jiji in the Japanese version featured a female voice actress and also with certain dialogue which Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki did approve .
Overall , Kiki's Delivery Service is a Studio Ghibli classic that is such a lovely and magical tale . Featuring gorgeous animation and painted backgrounds , the storyline is heartwarming and captivating . If you are wanting to catch up on Hayao Miyazaki films , definitely give Kiki's Delivery Service a try . It's definitely recommended !
001 4 I used to believe that Anime was nothing but sex and violence - - stuff for grown-ups only . However , I take it back . And I owe it to this cute little gem called KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE that really turned me around for the better . It introduced me to arguably one of the greatest animators of all time , Hayao Miyazaki , who happens to be dubbed as the Walt Disney of Japan . Having since seen virtually ALL of his films , from CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO to SPIRITED AWAY , I can see why he is such a highly acclaimed artist - - his works ( and I mean every one of them ) are a stroke of genius .
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE may have been my first real exposure to Miyazaki , but this happens to be the director's fifth film , which was the highest grossing movie of its year in Japan . Adapted from a children's book by Eiko Kadono ( which is to be released in America as of this writing ) , the film is not a typical good-versus-evil conflicted , dysfunctional story but a gentle , character-driven story with endearing characters , beautiful artistry , and a strong , positive message about confidence and independence that are quite encouraging for all , from the youngest of children to the oldest at heart . ( On a side note , it persuaded me to get some exercise ! The fat , fat , FAT ! ! ! line did it for me . )
The story is about 13 - year old Kiki , an adorable witch-in-training , who , on one moonlit night , leaves her hometown to seek her independence and fortune . She's accompanied by her wisecracking and hilarious pet black cat , Jiji , and a little wobbly when it comes to takeoffs and landings while maneuvering her broomstick . Kiki arrives at a luxurious town with an ocean view where she eventually finds work at a bakery run by the generous Osono and her silent , gruff husband . There , she starts a high-flying delivery service which opens up many new relationships for the budding witch - - including a friendly painter , Ursula , a kind old woman , Madame , and a boy named Tombo , who dreams of flying .
The above synopsis may sound dull , but KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE certainly is not . It is a joy to watch from start to finish as we see Kiki slowly grow up and learn to have faith in herself , especially when her powers begin to fade away toward the end of the movie . It's engrossing enough to keep one's attention and there are a number of tear-jerking moments that make it more than just a movie . This is a characteristic you'll only be able to find in Miyazaki , and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE delivers a wonderful movie which shows that movies don't have to be about overcoming evil or action-packed or angst-ridden to be entertaining .
In 1996 , Disney struck a deal with Studio Ghibli , Miyazaki's studio , to distribute the director's movies worldwide . KIKI was their first release . It proved to be a very successful release when it was released to video on September of 1998 ; it sold over a million copies in the US - a record for any Anime video . But since then , the movie has been out of print , and there was never a DVD release . Recently , however , Disney has given this movie its first ever DVD release in America ( debuting alongside CASTLE IN THE SKY and SPIRITED AWAY ) .
The movie was originally dubbed into English by Carl Macek of Streamline Pictures , but Disney redubbed the movie when they struck a deal with Miyazaki's Studio Studio Ghibli ( for worldwide distribution of his movies , starting with this ) with an all-star cast whose performances hold up well even today . Thirteen-year-old Kirsten Dunst is perfect as Kiki , eliciting just the right touch of cuteness , spunkiness , independence , and poignancy to her role . The other actors , which include Debbie Reynolds ( Madame ) , Tress MacNeille - of TINY TOONS and ANIMANIACS fame - ( Osono ) , Jeanane Garofolo ( Ursula ) , and Matthew Lawrence ( Tombo ) , give similarly superb performances . Of the actors , however , it is the late Phil Hartman's witty , sarcastic take on Jiji that steals the show . He added in some new dialogue and proved to be so good at his role that he actually expanded the character . I swear , I just cannot get enough laughs every time I hear his lines . ( First , don't panic ! Second , don't panic ! And THIRD , did I mention not to panic ? ! ? ) The opening and ending songs were replaced by two gorgeous , rollicking numbers from Sydney Forest , but even they seem to suit the story wonderful . In fact , I find myself bouncing to them every time they pop up over the opening and closing credits of the show .
Recently , however , Disney has given KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE a second DVD edition , which offers a lot more extras than its previous edition did ( there's newly recorded interviews with Miyazaki and a half-hour long documentary on the locations Miyazaki and his staff visited in order to get ideas for the film's settings ) . Controversially , though , the new edition also makes some significant edits to the English dub - - all the extra dialogue for the dub is gone ( which includes much of Hartman's one-liners for Jiji : although one of them omitted - - the last in the film which alters an important plot point - - is beneficial ) , and so are the Forest songs . In fact , the entire sound mix has been reverted to the original Japanese music and sound effects , but the vocals aren't as well mixed - - there are times when the actors sound like they're talking into a fan . Whether the extras warrant a double-dipping of this revised special edition is up to the customer .
002 4 Face it : any kids ' video you buy will be watched over and over , mostly in your presence . You want to choose carefully , since you will be spending so much quality time with this video . Kiki's Delivery Service won't disappoint you . This sweet , gentle movie is a coming-of-age story about Kiki , a 13 - year-old witch-in-training . As part of said training , she is required to spend a year away from home practicing her craft . Her subsequent adventures are the subject of this endearing film by Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki . The animation is splendid , the casting mostly inspired ( Kirsten Dunst , Janeane Garofalo , Debbie Reynolds , and even the late Phil Hartman as the voice of Kiki's companion cat ) . Unlike the standard Disney fare , this movie has no violence , no sex , no profanity , and not even a dysfunctional family .
The themes of Kiki's Delivery Service are noble ones . There are far worse ways to spend a few hours ( or a few dozen ) than watching a young girl make friends and gain self-confidence , especially one as appealing as Kiki . Buy yourself an extra copy of this video . When you wear the first one out watching it by yourself , you'll need the spare to placate the kids .
005 4 Hayao Miyazaki ( better known in America for Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away ) produced Kiki's Delivery Service before either of those films , and by their standards , it might seem tame . However , I rank this at the top of the list of children's films I have seen ( a long list , with a 3 year old ! ) , for a myriad of reasons . It is appropriate for even the youngest kids , although its gorgeous animation style and well-paced story will keep adults intrigued as well .
The 13 year old witch Kiki must , in accordance with tradition , set out for a year on her own to hone a special witching skill . She departs her hometown and her family with her best friend , the traditional black cat Jiji , and finds herself in a seaside city that is reminiscent of both Europe and Japan . This acultural locale is just the first of dozens of breathtaking imaginative achievements ; Kiki faces trials along the way that are neither fantastical nor pedestrian . If you accept Miyazaki's universe at its face value , nothing that happens in the film seems the least bit unlikely .
Owning the film on DVD really opened my eyes - both to the incredible detail in the art , and to the original film as compared to its Disney-produced American version . Kirsten Dunst and Phil Hartman provide the voices of Kiki and Jiji in the American version , and they both do extremely well - but the traveler and sidekick Disney formula has been applied to something where it did not originally exist ! I saw the film first on the Disney channel and thoroughly enjoyed Hartman's performance as the somewhat neurotic Jiji . However , the DVD contains the original Japanese language track with English subtitles , and the Jiji of Miyazaki's film is a calm and sparingly-employed counterfoil to Kiki's experiences . Note how rarely Jiji is in the frame when Hartman is speaking , or the occasional cases where Jiji speaks but his mouth does not move - all additions of Disney .
One of the most beautiful things about this film in its original version is its willingness to be silent - to be about a young girl and her cat , alone in a new place , without a constant patter of dialogue . They are allowed to simply be . Later adaptations of Miyazaki's work for American audiences have been more respectful of this element of his stories . Finally , with this DVD , we have the opportunity to see Kiki as she was meant to be seen .
006 4 As a fan of Japanese animation in general , I own alot of anime movies that are not child friendly . Being the mother of 2 , I wanted to find an anime that would expose my children to the beauty and wonder of Japanese style animation , but with a story that had appropriate content for thier ages . Kiki's Delivery Service does that .
It's a wonderful story about a young girl who happens to be a witch . It's about how she must discover herself , through the kindness of others , and find that her strength and confidence come from within , not from her magic .
This is a truely magical story , with stunning animation . If you've never seen the original Japanese version , you won't miss anything . Having never seen the original version , my children and I have fallen in love with this movie , and never tire of watching it . And as an added bonus , unlike American made animated flicks which only give you an hour and a half , Kiki's Delivery Service is a full two hours of quality entertainment !
Enjoy ! ! !
007 4 Since no one has reviewed the DVD yet , I'll chime in and say that this film has instantly become one of my favorite animated films of all time . Hayao Mayazaki is the real deal - everything about this film shows how bankrupt Disney and other animated films have become . And the real proof of it is in the Disney English version - everything is made crass and obvious ( the voice talent is fine - it's the adaptation that's the problem ) , every sequence where Mayazaki has let silence be as beautiful as his animation has been rescored by Paul Chihara ( who should know better ) , they've added an insipid pop song and they've made cuts in the film . All the scenes where they've Americanized the onscreen text look like like tenth generation dupes . Phil Hartman was a very funny man , but what they've done to the cat in the American version is reprehensible - it's just typical Disney and not anything to do with Mayazaki . So , the trick is , watch the film in Japanese with English subtitles - you will be moved to tears by the end of it , you will be enthralled with its subtleties and you will be in awe of its gorgeous imagery . Then watch the Disney version and you will know exactly what I'm talking about . Anyone who has only seen the American version , doesn't have a clue about the wonders of this simple , heartfelt and wonderful film . Buy it , watch it , but first in Japanese . Trust me on this .
008 4 Okay I'll admit it . I've never really been into anime . Although I recognize it as a good form of art and I often admire some of the illustrations I've seen , it's just never been my thing . TV series such as Pokemon just make me roll my eyes and I find the more adult-oriented programs to be a bit too violent . Since I had never really liked the anime I've been exposed to , I thought that I wouldn't be into any kind of anime . Kiki's delivery service proved this little theory wrong .
Kiki is a witch and like all witches , at 13 she decides to leave home and create a life for herself using her magic . Unfortunately things don't go as smoothly as she plans . When it comes to flying on her broom she's not too good at landings and takeoffs . People aren't all that accepting of witches away from home . And she doesn't have any real special talents as a witch , besides of course flying . Still she had her little black cat Jiji , are going to hit it big . She comes up with the idea of creating a delivery service where she will fly deliveries on her broom . This of course is easier said then done . And as she fumbles through her delivers Kiki faces other problems . She's dealing with her first crush on a unique boy named Tombo that lives in the city she's come to . And she's also dealing with the fact that , as a witch , she doesn't really fit in with the rest of the kids her age . What will happen to Kiki ?
I've always been a fan of kids movies and I found Kiki's delivery service to be great . The idea is original and I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the things that inspired JK Rowling to create the wizard phenomenon , Quidditch . The characters are all very amusing , especially Jiji the black cat . I'm not sure if I will ever really get into anime , like I said it's not really my thing , but I wouldn't say no to seeing another film by this talented director Hayao Miyazaki . I would recommend this book to movie goers of any age and also to people who are into anime , and people who , like me , aren't really . It's a five star movie !
009 4 This classic animated film is the kind of movie that will be treasured for years to come by the whole family . I was enchanted by it's fun-loving , kind-hearted spirit and outstanding animation . The plot of this film revolves around the coming-of-age of a young girl witch named Kiki , who flies away from her parents to make a go of making a living in a village far from her home .
With only her pet cat coming with her , Kiki's adventure provides girls and boys with a positive message about having confidence in oneself . Kiki meets new friends when she arrives in her new town where she must figure out what kind of work she can do that people need . She creates a magical delivery service ( bringing things fast by broom ) , and faces the kind of real-life ups and downs we can all relate to . Best of all , Kiki finds out that people love her for just for who she is , even when she's not feeling her best .
The cinematography in this film is first-rate , and the easy-going pace of the story is a real treat . There aren't any real villains in this film , and so watching this movie is a lot like taking a relaxing vacation .
010 4 Kiki's Delivery Service , by my favorite anime creator Hayao Miyazaki , is excellent and perfect for carrying a hidden message underneath the light weight action and drama . Kiki is a thirteen year old witch-in-training . As is customs , she is sent to live by herself in a city . Kiki chooses a delightful European city bustling with buzz . She makes an impression on the townfolk by blowing in with a broomstick , along with her wisecracking cat , Gigi . She searches for a job , and finds one as a delivery girl for a local bakery . Kiki encounters what all teenagers go through : insecurity , loneliness , boredom , and eventually loses her greatest talent - - flying . From that experience , she learns from a former struggling artist that you need to do what you love from the heart .
Voice acting is brilliant . Kirsten Dunst sounds believable as Kiki , and Phil Hartman is hilarious as Gigi . Unlike other animes , the voices aren't too squeaky or sound really stupid .
Also , there is a great message , as I mentioned earlier , underneath this movie . There are wonderful role models and rememberable characters that will stay in your heart , whether you like it , or not .
011 4 I'm a japanese Miyazaki's fan , and I watched this movie in English today . . . I was really surprised by Jiji's voice which is like old guy , and he speaks too much . He is not like that in Japanese version . Who chose that voice for Jiji ? Who changed his lines ? That was really terrible . Another thing that i noticed was music and lines . I don't know why Disney put a lot of additional music and lines , which don't exsist in original . some lines are completely changed . I believe the one of best things of Miyazaki's movie is silent , so I felt those music and lines disturbs many good scenes . I thought this movie ( I mean English version ) is too much Americanized . If you want to watch real Miyazaki's work , please watch in Japanese with English subtitle , and also you will know additional lines in English ver . However , unfortunately , subtitle is not good enough to show Japanese expression . Those are all Disney's problems . Anyway , I just wanted tell evertbody that English version of Kiki's delivery service is different as original .
012 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is another masterwork in the canon of the greatest animation director in the world , Hayao Miyazaki . Disney's DVD presentation gives the picture an absolutely beautiful transfer , but is extremely spare in terms of extras . The film is a wonderful family film filled with innocence and charm . Someone said cynicism is the death of art and Kiki is a breath of fresh air to the cynical sarcasm of today's entertainment . The only drawback to the film is that some might find the film a ridiculous fantasy in regard to our violent modern world . As a college student I have found it hard to sell a film to my peer that concerns a teenage witch delivering gifts to friendly townspeople . Much of my generation will be turned off by the content . Even fans of Miyazaki might be put off in the difference between Kiki and Mononoke or Spirited Away . Others including myself love the film and continue to be touched by the universal feelings and details that Miyazaki evokes .
Picture quality on the DVD release is amazing . The gorgeous print of Miyazaki's breathtaking animation makes this one of the best looking DVDs in my collection . It has to be seen to be believed . The picture's aspect ratio is kept in 1 : 85 : 1 , giving limited black for small tv users .
I'm not a sound expert but it sounded just fine . I don't have a home theater set-up , so I can't judge the audio . The Japanese track is vastly superior if only for the original Japanese version of the catching opening and the extremely different vocal performance of Jiji . This track is not in 5.1 . The english dub features several celebrities and is fine , but stick with the Japanese . I guess there is Spanish , but I don't remember it being an option on the storyboard disc . The menu design is annoying in that you cannot switch the audio or subs on the fly . You have to go back to the menu and then resume play . Yellow subs are within the frame , not in black . This is good for widescreen tvs , but on my regular tv , it tends to blend with the image and cover stuff .
Extras is the weak spot on the disc . Lasseter's intros were cool the first time I heard one , but get tiring after more than one Miyazaki film . The film starts with Lasseter's comment if you change to Japanese and select resume film to start . The english cast interviews are nothing special , accept for a brief appearance of Toshio Suzuki and a very very young and cute Kirsten Dunst . Be sure to pause and catch the Jiji robe she wears in one scene !
I didn't finish watching the Japanese trailers , they run one after another , mostly clips with limited Japanese ad flair . Disc Two only has the storyboarding of the whole film with both soundtracks . The storyboards are more completely drawn then other Miyasaki films , but you cannot switch angles to a film comparison which made the Spirited Away disc interesting .
A total masterpiece of animation , Disney's disc has a mind blowing picture transfer with limited extras .
Highly recomended .
014 4 This older film by Japanese animator Miyazaki tells the story of Kiki , a cute 14 - year old girl about to begin her training in witchcraft . In Kiki's family , witching appears to be a family tradition ; her mother mixes explosive potions downstairs from her room , and when the time comes to depart , even passes down her flying broomstick . Those enchanted brooms only have a limited amount of trunk space , however . Enough for a small radio and a talking black cat . As far as clothing , Kiki has to bring what fits on her back , which happens to be the standard uniform of young witches : an oversized , dark-purple dress .
The night Kiki leaves , she encounters a driving rainstorm . She takes shelter in the open car of a train , which drives off while she sleeps . The next morning , she awakens to find herself in a sprawling town beside the ocean . After making sure no other witches live there ( Apparently , each town / city has a maximum witch-in-training quota of one ) , Kiki decides to settle in the bustling port . Unfortunately , the busy pace constantly interferes with her studies . Who has time to master the intricacies of witchcraft , when living costs are so high ? In exchange for a room , Kiki takes a job at a bakery ( the proprietors are a kindly couple , one expecting mother and her mostly non-verbal partner ) . She also starts the titular business , which quickly begins to thrive , thanks to her ability to take parcels anywhere by air .
Despite this rare ability , Kiki's main draw is her everyday girl appeal . She's plucky and sweet , and the way she won't hesitate to perform good deeds for strangers earns her fast friends . At the same time , I hoped no one would take advantage of her naivete . After all , this is her first visit to the big city . Luckily , in this film-as is the case for Miyazaki films I've seen so far-just about every character is good at heart . The nerdy boy who shouts excitedly at Kiki when she first touches down , rubbing her the wrong way , turns out to be nice . He makes wicked innovations to a bicycle . And the nature-loving artist who initially seems aloof becomes a valuable friend . She teaches Kiki an important lesson about how to work through stress .
Even the pals of the glasses-wearing boy , Tombo , don't seem so bad in the end . When they first meet Kiki , they seem unimpressed by her plain style of dress . She's the new girl meeting the cool kids . Trust that by the end credits , however , they accept the young witch for who she is ( in-line with the film's central theme : the importance of being true to oneself ) .
Exactly how does Kiki manage to gain acceptance in the town , without having to give up those traits that make her special ? Let's just say there is a plot occurrence , involving a zeppelin that breaks loose on a windy day . This particular set piece would look spectacular in a live-action movie , but it seems almost quaint in this one , where the main character spends much of her time soaring above the ground like Superman . But at this point in the film , Kiki has become increasingly distracted with her new life , and as a result , her powers have begun to fade . Will Kiki rediscover her focus , and regain use of her abilities , in time to fly to a friend's aid ?
It's a safe bet . After all , this is a cartoon for general audiences . And while a lot of Japanese anime is serious and disturbing on the level of a Coppola film , Kiki's Delivery Service happens to be charming good fun . Hayao Miyazaki , who directed it , has made several great animation masterpieces , including Castle in the Sky ( 1986 ) and Princess Mononoke ( 1997 ) . He has been called the Walt Disney of Japan , and certainly deserves comparison . His films feature fluid , detailed animation , and imaginative designs of characters and backdrops .
Meanwhile , even if a talking cat like Jiji doesn't hurt Miyazaki's chances of scoring with the young children's market , Kiki's Delivery Service also appeals to older audiences . Even those who might not plunk down $9.50 for Disney's Chicken Little come November . Why the wider demographic appeal ? My guess would be the more sophisticated storytelling . By this , I am not referring to the quality of animation , which might have been superior at Disney ( There's amazing visuals in The Rescuers Down Under , which came out roughly the same time ) . What I mean is , there's more substance in a film like Kiki . . . ( And less of those annoying musical numbers , too ) .
Sure , the main character is a witch , and her witchly powers do play a pivotal role . However , the plot of Kiki's Delivery Service is not some operatic rehash of good versus evil , right versus wrong , absolute power corrupting absolutely , etc . Stripped down to its bare bones , the film is really about a young person's first fateful steps into the wide world . It's about entering the world , and learning how to navigate it-not just in terms of paying rent and buying food , but the holding onto of ideals , especially those pertaining to the self , what we think we should be . All this , as a maelstrom of change occurs all around .
Anyone who has ever left home for college , or moved to an unfamiliar new city , can relate to Kiki . Witchly powers aside , she lives a scenario where her struggles and responses feel like those of a real person . Which brings me to another trait I have always admired about Miyazaki : In the vast majority of his films which I have seen , his characters always have unusual depth for cartoon folk . Yes , I know those are two-dimensional drawings cavorting up there on the big screen . But as I watch them , I feel there's a backstory I can detect , something which comes across in every word or action .
Perhaps the best compliment I can give the master animator is that his characters all seem to live real lives . Even in the case of a witch , it's really neither blessing nor curse to be born that way . It's just another kind of living .
015 4 A Film by Hayao Miyazaki
As great as some of his other works are , this is probably my favorite of all the Miyazaki films that I've seen . It is one of the simplest stories , but I think that Miyazaki tells it extremely well . This animated movie is about a young witch who must move to another town to practice her craft as a solo apprentice witch .
Kiki ( Kirsten Dunst ) is turning 13 years old , and it is a tradition that when a witch turns thirteen she must go out on her own to practice in another city . She takes along her cat Jiji ( Phil Hartman ) and flies off on her broom to find a city by the ocean . After seeing a little bit of the town and interacting with some townspeople , Kiki doesn't know where to go or what special skill she has . All she can do is fly on her broom . In exchange for minimal help around the bakery , Kiki is taken in by a kind woman named Osono ( Tress MacNeille ) . While living with Osono , Kiki decides that since her one skill seems to be flying on her broom she should open a delivery service . She does , and runs it out of Osono's home and bakery .
Kiki's Delivery Service is a beautiful , gentle movie about a young girl trying to find her place in the world as well as trying to figure out who she is as a witch and as a person . As I mentioned earlier , this is my favorite of all the Miyazaki films I've seen . It is just an easy going movie that is a lot of fun to watch , and is very engaging . All of the English voice acting is fantastic . I don't know if this movie is as technically proficient as Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke , but it is a very enjoyable movie to watch .
016 4 This movie will make you drteam about it for years . Five stars isn't even close to what I'd give it . It just touches your heart and warms you up when you watch it . It truly is a magical movie that's IMPOSSIBLE to forget . I mean , words can't even describe the marvoulous sceneries and the cartooning is absolutely amazing . I could watch this movie 20 times and still be going strong . It completely enthralled me with it's fantasy world , and it makes you want to jump inside the movie and fly on a broomstick . The story is about a 13 year-old girl named Kiki who travels from her calm village to a beautiful port city by the ocean to train to become a witch . She arrives in the town flyng wildly on her broomstick with her talking black cat , Jiji .
A peaceful bakery shop owner named Osono takes Kiki in and gives her a room to stay in . Soon , she begins a delivery service for the bakery , flying on her broom to peoples houses .
While delivering , she meets a curious boy named Tombo about her age and it's questionable as to whether they like each other or not . She also meets a remote painter in the woods and become great friends . After some time living in this town , though , Kiki finds herself losing her ability to fly . In the end , Kiki has to muster up all of her strength and willpower to save Tombo's life . Find out what happens by watching it yourself !
017 4 This is probley my favorite Miyazaki film ever ! This is a heartwarming movie that anyone can fall in love with.Perfect Anime family film ! ( Anime fans whose parents think Anime is demeaning to women and / or violent porn , show them this film . ) And did I mention , Phil Hartman was the perfect Jiji .
018 4 Most people who are fans of Japanese master story teller and animator , Hayao Miyazaki , are already familiar with Kiki's Delivery Service and his other wonderful films like Nausicaa , Laputa , Cagliostro's Castle , and his latest , Princess Mononoke . I was understandably nervous when I heart that Disney had optioned all of his animated films for distribution here in North America . A part of me was even sure Disney was doing so just to keep them out of circulation here , thereby eliminating competition for their own animated films . I was also worried that they would a rotten job of translating it into English by hiring second-rate actors as so many other companies do . Case in point , Streamline's dubbing of the Nadia Secret of Blue Water was so bad , I couldn't even watch the entire half-hour episode , because not only did the voice acting stink , but they had changed major portions of dialog .
When I was given the chance to watch Kiki's Delivery Service at a friends place , the fear of watching one of my personal favorite anime movies ruined took over . But , I wasn't disappointed , Disney had done an excellent job in their selection of actors for the voices , including Kiki . That is , except , Phil Hartman who performs the voice for Kiki's familiar cat , Jiji . In the original , Jiji is a male cat with the voice of a young , often nervous girl and the voice is high pitched for a reason . Phil Hartman ? Can he do that ? No , what he does is a sort of snide , lippy New Jersey style voice , and BOOM ! The character is ruined . However , once I was past all of that I sat down to enjoy one of the most endearing and charming films ever made .
Set in the 1940 ' s , Kiki is a young witch , who at the age of thirteen , is now old enough to strike out on her own and lay down roots in a new city . She says good-bye to her mom and dad , grabs her broom , Jiji and a radio and takes off into the night . There are some beautiful flying sequences over Italian villages and vistas , ( which would later inspire an episode of the animated Superman cartoon show ) , but like many Miyazaki films , this isn't quite our earth . Kiki arrives in a beautiful sea-side city where she sets herself delivery goods for a local bakery where she befriends Ohsono and Barsa , who take her in and practically adopt the little witch ( Witches are often good people in Kiki's ) . She also meets a boy her own age named Tombo , who is as smitten with her as he is with the fact that she can fly on her own . However , Kiki's inexperience with people , especially the opposite sex causes her behave in ways she isn't used to-suffice it to say she doesn't treat Tombo very well .
Two things that will strike anyone watching this film ; first , there is no villain who has a massive plot to do something nefarious and second , there is no violence-no guns , no people getting killed , and instead the film relies on a zeppelin accident as the focus of the story and the trigger for Kiki's return . One of the film's overriding themes is being true to oneself , which Kiki fails to do as she rebuffs Tombo's boyish advances , and as a result she loses her magical powers after she comes down with a cold . And when Tombo goes to see the zeppelin and becomes ensnared in a tether when it breaks free of its moorings , Kiki must overcome her fears-both of others and of the feelings she has for him to get her magic back .
Like all Miyazaki films there is much within the movie that I haven't mentioned , because I don't want to spoil all of the fun . It is the sort of film that everyone can watch , can marvel at and enjoy . The interplay between Kiki and Jiji is endearing , the other characters , such as Ursula and Ohsono the artist , are charming and memorable . The world in which they live is rich-lavishly depicted in stunning detail as only Miyazaki can while the music has a melodic and playful feel to it . Kiki herself is every bit a strong female character who grows and changes and I found her similar to Nadia ( Secret of Blue Water ) . If you have no time to read the subtitles , then get the dubbed version-this is an ideal children's film , visually stunning and sure to please .
019 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service : Special Edition - 2 - Disc DVD ( DVD )
This 2010 special edition radically changes the music and edits lines . It is probably more elegant and honors the original better , and it is nice to hear Hisashi's other compositions and the ambient noises . But it feels all wrong .
Since our family has always found this to be a perfect movie as is , and bought a replacement for the better sound when the other died from too much love , it really threw us off to expect lines from the same voices that didn't happen , when the music is already altered and changes the pacing . It changes the visceral experience and comfort we depended on .
I would have really appreciated an official warning . A small hint , or the word streamlined in the official description or on the sticker boasting remastered . When I buy something I know very well I don't usually read every personal review to check it . I know the old Jiji interpretation may have been too much for some people , but our family always enjoyed every bit of Phil Hartman in it . Let us know when you make such improvements - like when something says director's cut we know there will be alterations . Sure , sometimes they are better , but we sometimes we like our movies just as we expect them , flaws and all . Or put the older version on there too .
020 4 This 2010 special edition radically changes the music and edits lines . It is probably more elegant and honors the original better , and it is nice to hear Hisashi's other compositions and the ambient noises . But it feels all wrong .
Since our family has always found this to be a perfect movie as is , and bought a replacement for the better sound when the other died from too much love , it really threw us off to expect lines from the same voices that didn't happen , when the music is already altered and changes the pacing . It changes the visceral experience and comfort we depended on .
I would have really appreciated an official warning . A small hint , or the word streamlined in the official description or on the sticker boasting remastered . When I buy something I know very well I don't usually read every personal review to check it . I know the old Jiji interpretation may have been too much for some people , but our family always enjoyed every bit of Phil Hartman in it . Let us know when you make such improvements - like when something says director's cut we know there will be alterations . Sure , sometimes they are better , but we sometimes we like our movies just as we expect them , flaws and all . Or put the older version on there too .
022 4 The Japanese Language audio track has a critical mistake . The final chapter is not in Japanese , but it is in Spanish ! The Spanish track has this chapter also in Spanish , so it is not merely switched . This is the final musical number where the animation describes what has happened to the characters after the main story has completed .
023 4 I'm probably in the minority when I say this , but I think that Kiki's Delivery Service is the greatest of Miyazaki's films . I haven't seen Porco Rosso yet , but I've seen all of his other films . They are ALL great , mind you , but this , in my opinion is the best of them . I'm not a huge fan of anime , but Miyazaki is truly a wonderful director .
I've watched the DVD twice already , in both American and Japanese , and they are both great . The dubbing was done wonderfully , with very talented actors and actresses . And although some of the music and sound is changed , none of the movie was cut or added onto as another reviewer claimed ( considering that when Disney got the rights to Ghibli films part of their contract was that they couldn't add or delete any scenes . ) Either language you watch it in , it's wonderful .
It's a very fun movie with great animation and a great story . There's no violence , and it's a great movie for all ages . I'm 23 , and I have watched it over five times , and my nephews and nieces are between the ages of 3 and 8 and they all really enjoyed it . Highly recommended , even if you don't enjoy anime .
025 4 This is the story of a little girl named Kiki who just happens to be a witch ; once she turns 13 she has to leave home for a year to focus on her training . Which isn't easy since all she can do is fly on her broomstick and talk to her black cat .
So she sets off early , and flies off to a new town and decides to open Kiki's Flying Delivery Service .
This movie is a jewel and is filled with great visual apeal . It also has the feel of a high budget hollywood movie and a story that is filled with adventure , suspence , and fun . The story is one that is really stylish and definatly will not bore the pants of any adult ; and the keep the kids quiet the whole time it's played .
This movie is beautiful and yet heartwarming at the same time . It is a clasic and should be viewed by everyone , especially people who enjoy animation .
026 4 I orginally watched this movie on the recommendation of my neighbor and I'm so glad I did . The simple storyline and gorgeous background animation make this a treat to watch for the whole family . Also , Phil Hartman did a wonderful job as Jiji , the cat . Non-violent , with some intense moments at the end that involve a character potentially getting hurt , this movie did not worry my child . Her older ( 3 - 7 year old ) friends like it too .
030 4 One of the most incredible things about the filmography of Hayao Miyazaki happened in 1988 when they released delightful ' My Neighbor Totoro ' as part of a double feature in Japan . ( The other film was ' Grave of the Fireflies ' and these films had to wait a while to gain deserved popularity they have now after repeated showings in theaters and re-runs on TV . ) You believe that ? double feature program of new films , one of which is Miyazaki's !
One year later , in 1989 , things suddenly changed when ' Kiki's Delivery Service ' was released theatrically . I clearly remember watching it the first show of the first day , which started very early in the morning , and the theater was already full-packed . Since then , Miyazaki and his films have been Japan's household name .
' Kiki's Delivery Service ' which is based on a children's book by Kadono Eiko shows what a good animation film can do without violence , CGIs , or obligatory musical scenes . It's about a girl Kiki who must leave her house flying on a broomstick in order to live alone among the strangers . Kiki , warm-hearted , strong-willed , but still a novice witch , must learn many things in this town where she gets a job at a kind baker's - - and of course her job is delivery service of the film title .
There is one hair-raising big action sequence , but the film ' charms are all based on credible characters including Jiji a talking cat , Tombo ( meaning dragonfly in Japanese ) a boy who dreams of flying , and Ursula , an artist living in the woods . Even minor characters are memorable not because they are eccentric but because they are realistic , like someone among your relatives or friends you no longer meet but still remember .
The film is entertaining and fun for kids and adults alike , and is strongly recommended , as well as Miyazaki's ' Totoro , ' another favorite of mine .
[ ENGLISH VERSION ] English-dubbed versions of non-English films are often criticized for many reasons , but I didn't find anything wrong with this version featuring the voice of Kirsten Dunst as Kiki's . Interestingly in Japanese original version the voice of Jiji is played by actress Sakuma Rei while in American by Phil Hartman . The voices sound considerably different with Sakuma's high-pitched voice . If you have a chance to see the original version , compare them .
[ JAPANESE VERSION ] Just one trivial thing about this original version which I hope might interest you . ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW is that in the original version , the voices of Kiki and Ursula were played by same actress Takayama Minami . The casting is intentional , suggesting that independent woman Ursula shows the image of younger Kiki in the future . This clever idea is not somehow used in the English-dubbed version , in which Janeane Garofalo provides Ursula's voice .
But whichever version you see , one thing I am sure : ' Kiki's Delivery Service ' is beautiful , immaginative , and most of all fun . You will love it , trust me .
031 4 Kiki is a witch-in-training . She has reached the age when her parents cannot teach her anymore , and she has to go out in the word as an apprentice witch and find her true speciality .
It turns out that while she is not a great spell-caster she has the nack of caring for others . The small town she settles in does not have a great need for a witch , but they do need a speedy delivery service ! With her flying broom Kiki fits the job description perfectly .
The story does really deal with subjects close to all our hearts : what is my role in society , what do I do best , and , most important , what is it I really want to do ? !
Too many anime have too much of a dreamlike quality ; this one is surprisingly realistic . It is not escapism - it is reality but softened somewhat . We have the subplot of the old lady abandoned by her family , and other problems that plague real life . This means that everyone can watch it and feel they get something out of it . The animations are top-notch .
European viewers will recognise the town : it is modelled on Stockholm , London , and Prague .
032 4 It is so hard in this day and age to find movies for little girls to watch that have strong female role models . Kiki's Delivery Service is a movie that I am completely happy that my daughter loves to watch . It is about living life with your heart and spirt and learning to love and believe in yourself . This is a WONDERFUL movie , and we love My Neighbor Totoro for the same reasons .
033 4 Ever since I first saw this film in 1998 I've fallen in love with it ! I didn't really think that a story about a girl's experiences as a delivery girl wouldn't be that exciting , but after I found out that this was directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced at Studio Ghibli , I thought ' What the heck ; it must be good ' . And indeed it was .
The beautiful and cute 13 - year old girl , Kiki , runs a delivery service by using her magical power to fly after she leaves her home to train for a year with her cat , Gigi . The setup is similiar to the novel of the same name ( which is now available in america ) , but the events that occur are quite different . For instance , Kiki never loses her power in the novel , nor does the blimp scenario ever happen in the novel either .
But that doesn't keep this movie from being a good film . Hayao Miyazaki usually takes different stories and molds them into a different sort , sometimes making them better . This is one of those cases , in my opinion . As for the DVD , it includes the japanese version ( finally ! ) , which has its ' differences from the english one . Namely , the music . There are long moments of silence , which work really well in some parts . Though Disney went and added some new musical pieces and piano solos . They even REPLACED some of the old music too ! The only thing they added that I liked was the music that was put in when Kiki goes into a forest in search of the cat toy . It made the atmosphere more mysterious .
I enjoyed listening to Disney's newly added songs to the opening and ending credits , though I love the japanese ones better . As for the voice acting , I thought all of the English voices were good . Though I'm a bit mixed on the new direction gave to Gigi's character . I'm fond of the sarcastic , witty Gigi that Phil Hartmen portrays , but then again I also like the japanese ' feminine ' sounding voice too . ' Tis a tradition in most animes to give the sidekick animal character that sortof voice ( ala Sailor Moon , Cardcaptor Sakura , etc . ) . I loved Kirsten Dunst as Kiki's voice ; she managed to sound just about as cute and bubbly as the original . Ursula sounded OK , but it would've been nice if Disney gave her a lighter , sweeter sounding voice like in the japanese version .
Either way , I suggest you get this DVD if you love anime , or a good story . Adults CAN enjoy this as well as kids , if they have an open mind about it . Heck , the superb animation is enough of a reason to see this . That , and Kiki herself . ; )
034 4 This is one of the trilogy of Japanese beautifully animated features that my daughter adores . ( I'll have to add Spirited Away , as soon as we get a copy after its release in April 2003 . )
The other two movies being Totoro , which I like better and Go Panda Go , which does not have the same quality of animation as the other two .
Kiki's Delivery Service is actually complex , with something for adults and children to enjoy and to be capitivated by . Kiki struggles while trying to make her own way during the rite of passage from being a kid , to being a young adult . She's 13 , ( I thought , hmmm , 13 Batmitzvah age ) and ready to try her wings , or in this case , her broom .
No freaky witchcraft stuff here , nothing frightening or creepy . Kiki's powers seem connected with her confidence in herself and her ability to believe in herself . A great message for girls and all kids , and heck , for everybody .
And the animation is amazing . From the bakery , to the clouds , the people , everything , its really lovely to watch and would be worth seeing just for the animation alone . And Phil Hartman as Gigi the cat , he's wonderful , sarcastic , and very funny . An excellent movie for kids that parents don't have to worry about .
035 4 Kiki's ( Witch's ) Delivery Service is my favourite Miyazaki film , and is the best way to introduce newbies to the wonderful world of anime . However . . . Disney has tampered ( badly ) with perfection . If you have a decent fansub , you'll probably be happier sticking with it and passing on this version . The translation is not true to the original - I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and guess they had an inexperienced translator working on it . Better that than the alternative of purposely trying to dumb things down / be PC for the American audience . Words were dropped and nonexistent dialog was added . The English-language version was totally butchered . The opening and ending songs were replaced , and cartoony music was added throughgout the film . I guess Disney abhors silence , but silence is sometimes the correct thing . Most of what's written here applies , as well , to Disney's two other recent Ghibli releases . Why couldn't they leave perfection alone ?
036 4 Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service is based on a series of children's stories by Eiko Kadono . Kiki is a thirteen-year-old witch , and must go out into the world to begin her training . Her mother is also a witch , a vanishing breed . Kiki ( Kirsten Dunst ) and her black cat Jiji ( voiced by Phil Hartman ) set out to find a town to call their very own . After a disheartening evening of meeting up with a snooty witch-in-training and getting caught flying in a thunderstorm , the pair wakes up to a sunny day and new adventures .
Kiki finds herself in Koriko , a beautiful seaside city modeled after Europe's genteel capitals , and in the capable , grateful hands of Osono , a pregnant baker . Her new talent seems to be delivering items on her broomstick , and Kiki's Delivery Service is born . Kiki and Jiji take up lodgings at the bakery and soon are delivering every sort of item imaginable , from fish pies to stuffed cats to heavy boxes , and naturally , get into scrapes along the way . Young Jeff is fascinated by Kiki and her ability to fly ( he is in a young pilots ' club ) , and the two begin a bashful courtship of sorts . But one day , Kiki finds that her magical powers are fading - - she can no longer fly or talk to Jiji . . . .
Many of Miyazaki's films feature strong female heroines , and Kiki is no exception . From Kiki's mother mixing potions , to Osono's successful bakery , to Ursula's career as a female artist and Kiki's own quest for independence , Kiki's Delivery Service promotes a message of girl power and believing in oneself that makes it a good role model for young girls . Part of Kiki's charm is her awkwardness at becoming a teenager , and her magical troubles stem from self-doubt that , when corrected , finds her in flying form once again .
Beautiful artwork , an old world musical score full of Parisian accordion and European charm , and a timeless story are enhanced by Disney's choice of A-list actors for the English dub ( Kirsten Dunst , Phil Hartman , Janeane Garofalo ) . DVD comes in English , Spanish , and the original Japanese dub ( with two choices of subtitles : the literal translation and the captions used in the English version ) , along with several extras ( original Japanese trailers , Behind the Microphone with John Lasseter ) .
038 4 Before the wonderful animated films Princess Mononoke ( 1999 ) and Spirited Away ( 2001 ) were produced , director / writer Hayao Miyazaki co-wrote and directed the very charming 1989 animated film now known as Kiki's Delivery Service . Based upon a book written by Eiko Kadono , the film was originally titled Majo no takkyubin , which translates literally as The Witches Express Mail . As the original implies , the film is about a young , 13 - year-old witch named Kiki , who , like all other witches in the story , is required to spend one year away from home and live an independent life . At the beginning of the film , Kiki ( whose English voice was done by Kirsten Dunst ) is still at home and very excited about her impending year away . On the night of the full moon , Kiki decides that it is time to leave . Her parents ( voices done by Kath Soucie and Jeff Bennett ) watch Kiki rise into the air upon her broomstick with her talking black cat Jiji ( voice of Phil Hartman , 1948 - 1998 ) and travel to a city along the ocean . There , Kiki eventually finds a place to live : a bakery owned by Osono ( voice of Tress MacNeille ) , where she starts her own delivery service . Along the way , Kiki meets an artist named Ursula ( voice of Janeane Garofalo ) , a boy named Tombo ( voice of Matthew Lawrance ) and an elderly woman named Miss Dora ( voice of Debbie Reynolds ) .
Like many of Miyazaki's films , there is no bad guy in Kiki's Delivery Service , but there are some exciting moments and the story tends to focus on self-discovery and interpersonal relationships . The film is very charming and is sure to entertain any child that watches it and adults will more than likely enjoy it too . The quality of animation isn't quite as spectacular as in Miyasaki's later animated films , but like looking at paintings by the same artist , Kiki's Delivery Service is in Miyasaki's beautiful artistic style . Overall , I rate Kiki's Delivery Service with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to everyone .
039 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
Kiki is a delightful character - strong ( mostly ) , friendly ( mostly ) , and successful in the end . This is a real family movie , with enough in it to keep the adults interested .
The animation , of course , is magnificent . The backgrounds are filled with wonderful detail , and the main characters all stand on their own . Gigi is my personal favorite - except maybe for Jeff . Jeff's one brief scene shows more personality than some characters display in a whole movie .
Delivery Service , centered on the hard-working young girl , is an interesting omen of Miyazaki's things to come . Spirited Away centers on the same kind of character . Spirited Away is a much more mature work , where the lead girl faces more complex situations . That difference surely comes from Miyazaki's growth as a director between the two movies . It may also be deliberate , if the two movies are intended for slightly different age groups .
This may be a little young for some viewers , but young viewers need movies too . This is a winner .
040 4 Kiki is a delightful character - strong ( mostly ) , friendly ( mostly ) , and successful in the end . This is a real family movie , with enough in it to keep the adults interested .
The animation , of course , is magnificent . The backgrounds are filled with wonderful detail , and the main characters all stand on their own . Gigi is my personal favorite - except maybe for Jeff . Jeff's one brief scene shows more personality than some characters display in a whole movie .
Delivery Service , centered on the hard-working young girl , is an interesting omen of Miyazaki's things to come . Spirited Away centers on the same kind of character . Spirited Away is a much more mature work , where the lead girl faces more complex situations . That difference surely comes from Miyazaki's growth as a director between the two movies . It may also be deliberate , if the two movies are intended for slightly different age groups .
This may be a little young for some viewers , but young viewers need movies too . This is a winner .
043 4 I know it is aimed for youger kids , but still it's great for all ages .
I think the newer version of this movie is better than the older one , which I rented and immmediatley liked . I was probely 10 when I rented it and I still love it .
I think this version's box is alot cooler , and thhe behind the scene's documentary is great .
This movie about a girl named Kiki . When she turns 13 , she and cat Jiji { I don't know why but they spelled like this in the movie , and Gigi on the box . Or maybe it was vice-versa } , must leave their house for a year so Kiki can train as a witch . And she begins a delivery service . I would advice people to { at least } rent this movie . And if you like it , you would not regret buying it , whether you're an anime fan .
044 4 This is a special film - touching , sweet , exciting , endearing . Kiki , voiced by a young Kirsten Dunst , is one of the most engaging characters of all film . She is one tough witch . Not evil , not the slightest , but tough because she is strong-willed , determined and honorable . She is a great role model for any young girl , and any older guy like me , too .
I've watched this DVD four times in about a month , and it still brings roars of laughters and a stream of tears . The black cat , Gigi , is a brilliant counter to Kiki's sweetness . Voiced by the late Phil Hartman , Gigi is bored and reserved , a cat after all . But he is also just a little wise .
The great director , Hayao Miyazaki , conceived this film with almost no direct conflict , and yet there is real tension . Kiki sets out to become an adult and overcomes obstacles .
The lack of classic cartoon violence is notable - - there's a absolutely wonderful scene between Gigi the black cat and Jeff the old dog . In any other cartoon , they tear each other up . In this film , a wonderful thing happens .
Many wonderful things happen in Kiki . I highly recommend it for people of all ages .
045 4 From watching a lot of foreign films , I always find dubs very distracting because they make me think more about what the characters were really saying ; I've always been a bit suspicious of dubs because it's of small consequence who actually did the film translation , unlike in books . As a small example , Robert Fagles ' translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey shine in comparison to others . I would recommend watching the subtitled version because even if you don't catch the text , there's always the nuances in the tone of voice and the animation itself : Miyazaki's characters have a personality beyond screen presence ; their expressions , body language , and unspoken emotions provide plenty of subtle subtext and this is another on the long list of reasons why Miyazaki is one of the best animators in the world .
Kiki's story is more than simply about hard work , it's also a story about overcoming doubt within oneself . It's about a thirteen-year-old suddenly realizing that failure is a very real possibility and that the world and some of the people in it may not be as nice as she thought . It's about her taking that self-doubt and knowledge of the possibility of failure and rising to the occasion in spite of it all . Thinking in the context of the film and the character , who wouldn't be shaken if at the the age of thirteen , they suddenly met with doubt about who they were and what they were doing in a large , strange town with what they thought were very modest resources ( even if one of those resources is witch magic ) ? In the end , no amount of magic can compare with what's in the heart , with carrying on in the shadow of doubt .
Yes , it takes some thinking to read subtitles and catch all the subtlety in the animation , but I think it's worth the effort .
046 4 . . . I came upon Kiki's Delivery Service . I forgot which channel it was . . . , but something made me stop and look . Here was this little girl in a plain black dress and a ridiculously big red ribbon plopped on her head . She is holding an oversized broom that is obviously too big for her as it towers above her head . How charming and cute , I thought . And her name was Kiki . Oh my . This is way too adorable .
Then something else struck me . This is no ordinary cartoon . Something's definitely wrong here . The animation is too good . The characters are too believable . Oh my , oh my . What is this ?
I watched on , not realizing that I had stopped slouching on my couch . Even the potato chips were left untouched . I finished watching it and I felt sooooo good that I just had to go out and take a walk by the lake . I had to drown myself in that moment .
Oh well . Whatever . This is a lovely movie for everyone .
. . . My favourite scene was at the ending credits , when Kiki was looking at a shop's display in the background , and suddenly a mother walked pass holding her little daughter dressed like Kiki , complete with her own little red ribbon and a mini-broomstick . I can just die of cuteness . T_T
049 4 . . . see Kiki's Delivery Service . In fact , if you see just one anime film in your lifetime , make it this one . There's just so little to hate about Kiki . It's beautifully produced , the flying scenes are awesome , and the music is perfectly suited to the film . One of my friends who's more into action / sci-fi type anime absolutely ADORED Kiki's Delivery Service , even though it's not really his type . This is the perfect film to prove to American laypersons that Japanese anime is more than just Pokemon and Sailor Moon .
Easily the best anime movie of all time , with apologies to Grave of the Fireflies .
054 4 This movie is terrific . I love Kiki and Jiji . Jiji makes me laugh . My parents and I sat down to this movie . They use to think that anime was only for kids and it was all violence and stuff but now they've changed their minds . They have fallen in love with this movie and so I have I . I can't stop watching it .
Kiki is so cute and naive when she strikes out on her own trying to find out her own speical skill It's so much fun watching her meet people and all the trouble she gets into at the same time . I just can't say enough good things about this movie . It's just so great . it's a MUST watch ! ! ! ! !
055 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
We have two little girls and a little boy . A few years ago we found this film in a video store and rented it . It is a wonderful story about a little girl who delivers packages by broom . My children love it and have seen it now more times than I'd like to admit . We are patiently waiting for a sequel to this film .
I recommend getting a copy for young girls . You won't be disappointed .
056 4 We have two little girls and a little boy . A few years ago we found this film in a video store and rented it . It is a wonderful story about a little girl who delivers packages by broom . My children love it and have seen it now more times than I'd like to admit . We are patiently waiting for a sequel to this film .
I recommend getting a copy for young girls . You won't be disappointed .
058 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is that rare species of film - a film that is happy , hopeful , non-cynical , open-hearted and pretty to look at , without being twee , maudlin , dumb or sickly sentimental .
As with all Hayao Miyazaki's animated films , the characters are multi-dimensional and have some positive and negative qualities - Kiki is a mostly a positive , altruistic and focused young girl , but has great lapses of self doubt and occasional intolerance of boys - she acts aloof to hide her insecurities .
The look of the film is great and very high quality artwork ( no CGI ! ) is all hand-painted .
The film tells the fanciful story of Kiki , a young apprentice witch , who leaves home and settles in a big town . There , she makes friends with various characters and starts to discover herself as a young woman . The Delivery angle comes when . . . .
Well , I'd better not spoil the story for you !
The music for this film is very attractive and two charming songs , sung by Sydney Forest , are featured - both relate closely to the story .
I've watched Kiki's Delivery Service many times now and I still get a kick out of it each time .
A carefree and delightful film with many , many good qualities and it's heart definitely in the right place !
060 4 When we are little kids , we believe all people are kind and generous . However , when we grow older , we will find that there is another aspect of this world ; there is cruelty , rejection and prejudice . Some people may reject you just because the way you look , or because the way you dress . Even if we treat other people with kindness , others may not return us with kindness . Facing this reality , we may feel lost and confused , trying to find ourselves in this world .
Kiki is a little witch who has to leave home to live by herself for one year , as this is part of her training . And this is a story about her growing up and facing the reality , and discover her inner-strength . At first she is naive and think that everyone will be kind and nice ; but soon she will be disillusioned . For example , in one scene , she meets an old grandma who wants to make a pie for her grand-daughter as a birthday gift . With eagerness , she helps the grandma make the pie and hurriedly deliver the pie for her ( even though the sky was raining heavily and she was soaking wet ) . Guess what happened next ? That grand-daughter opened the door and look at her with contempt ( because Kiki dressed like a poor kid ) , and harshly asked What is it ? . After Kiki explained to that girl , the girl again replied harshly I hate grandma's stupid pie , and then quickly get the pie and banged the door close . So you see , sometimes this is what you get in return for your kindness . There is no wonder why Kiki lost her confidence . And this is something that most of us will face at some point in our life . And like Kiki , we all will have to find our inner-strength , to find kindness within our heart ; even with full knowledge that there will be cruelty and rejection .
This movie is certainly for everyone , both grown-ups and kids . I think as we grow older and have more experience , we will understand this movie more . I highly recommend this movie to everyone .
061 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is the story of a young witch who leaves home to apprentice in another town . It is a coming of age movie that the whole family will enjoy . Kiki must learn to grow and develop confidence in herself .
While not my favorite from director Miyazaki it is still very good . the Japanese Amine is wonderful and this one is not violent as some other amine .
062 4 Miyazaki's films never disappointed me , this one is not an exception . The movie , like Totoro , is a heartwarming one , it does not involve war , fighting , ghosts , whatsoever , which may be a disturbance to the hardcore war movie fans . . . but learning to appreciate different types of movies is important
This movie is released in Japan in 1989 , a fairly old film if you ask me , but the drawings are no where near the line of old , the background is amazingly detailed , every brick on the roof is drawn with care and attention , which tells you how much work Miyazaki has put into this film . The characters ' facial expressions are reflected perfectly with the animation , even without the voice acting , you can tell how they are feeling by looking at their faces .
The story adds fantasy into reality , in an instrial world where cars and planes dominate , there are still witches and magics , which are believed to exist during the 16th century . . . this is past vs . present , magic vs . science scenario , but with Miyazaki's imagination , these seemingly contradicting factors melt and fuse together , giving the audience an experience they never had before . . . the story presents themes related to stepping into adolescence , living in a new environment independently , making new friends with a sincere heart , etc . As an environmentalist , Miyazaki also portrays the problem with polution caused by factories and car exhaustions in many parts of the film , which is a message people should understand .
The voice acting in the US version is great , some anime fans that prefer original Japanese soundtracks may find the English dub sucked , but keep in mind that English and Japanese are two different languages , you cannot simply expect something in Japanese to be fully translated into English , plus with the cultural differences , what is presented in the Japanese version may not be understood by the western audiences , so a few comments and lines added into the movie in the English dub don't hurt the overall storyline . From what I heard and experienced , I can tell the voice actors in the US version have put their feelings and emotions into the film , unlike some dull dubbings such as Gundam Wing . After all , Disney does not want to ruin its reputation .
068 4 Wait until Disney comes out with a subtitled DVD . Or import a copy fro Japan . Or get a bootleg version . Howevermuch you might enjoy Disney's edited vesion of this flick , you're only cheating yourself of its full potential.At the request of a reader , I've decided to add the following : Parents , your children will love this . Nobody has made a cartoon this good since Walt Disney died . Don't worry about Kiki being a witch . This movie has about as much of a chance of turning your child to witchcraft as the Wizard of Oz . If you can stand to wait though , just rent the tape and hold out for the DVD . You owe it to yourselves ( and I daresay your children ) to hear this in the original tongue and , more importantly , with the original music .
072 4 In 1989 , Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli began work on their fifth film ( their fourth theatrical film ) titled Majo no Takkuybin ( translates to Witch's Delivery Service but known as Kiki's Delivery Service ) directed by Hayao Miyazaki and is an adaptation of a 1985 novel by Eiko Kadono . The film was a winner of the Animage Anime Grand Prix that same year and nearly a decade later , the film was the first Studio Ghibli film released by Disney ( on VHS ) back in 1998 and on DVD in 2003 .
With the release of Miyazaki's latest film Ponyo , Disney is re-releasing DVD's of the Kiki's Delivery Service , Castle in the Sky and My Neighbor Totoro but this time in a special edition format in 2010 which includes more content .
VIDEO & AUDIO :
Kiki's Delivery Service is presented in widescreen ( 1 : 85 : 1 ) - enhanced for 16 × 9 televisions . Similar to My Neighbor Totoro , Studio Ghibli continues its beautifully painted scenery with detail galore . With Miyazaki inspired with a variety of cities and mishmashing European and Japanese architecture , Studio Ghibli was able to create this beautiful city with so much detail when it comes to the bricks that make up a building . The plants and flowers that cover certain buildings . There is a lot of detail and for the animation , capturing that feeling of flight when Kiki rides her broom through the air . Absolutely well-done animation for a film back in 1989 .
As for the audio , audio is presented in remastered English Dolby Digital Surround Sound and comes with English , Japanese and French language tracks . Dialogue is clear and understandable for each of the soundtracks . The sound of the wind and the leaves rustling can be heard quite clearly . I preferred to have my home theater receiver's audio set at stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundscape but for the most part , dialogue and Joe Hisaishi's beautiful musical score can be heard clearly through the front and center channels .
For those who watch the Japanese soundtrack will love the pairing of Ranma 1 / 2 voice actress Minami Takayama ( Kiki and Ursula ) and Kappei Yamaguchi ( Tombo ) , interesting enough that Ranma 1 / 2 voice actress Noriko Hidaka was also the lead in Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro . For the English dub , Kirsten Dunst did a very good job as the voice of Kiki and Phil Hartman as Jiji , one of his final acting roles before his death in 1998 .
Subtitles are in English and French .
SPECIAL FEATURES :
Kiki's Delivery Service comes with the following special features on a second DVD disc . Included are :
* An Introduction by John Lasseter - Intro by PIXAR's John Lasseter ( note : This intro . is on disc one ) .
* Original Japanese Storyboards - Watch the entire film but this time with the video showcasing the original storyboards .
* Creating Kiki's Delivery Service - ( 2 : 26 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of Kiki's Delivery Service and how he ended up being the director and the cities that inspired the creation of the village .
* Kiki & Jiji - ( 3 : 28 ) Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about Miyazaki before the making of Kiki's Delivery Service while Miyazaki talked about his inspiration for the character of Kiki .
* Flying with Kiki & Beyond - ( 2 : 50 ) Miyazaki talks about the challenges of creating the animation for the flying sequences and trying to make the scenes look natural .
* Producer's Perspective : Collaborating with Miyazaki - ( 1 : 48 ) Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki talks about working with Miyazaki .
* The Locations of Kiki - ( 28 : 34 ) An excerpt from a Japanese documentary on the scenery of Kiki's Delivery Service
* Scoring Miyazaki - ( 7 : 17 ) A featurette about Joe Hisaishi's scoring Miyazaki films and more .
* Original Japanese Trailers - The original Japanese theatrical trailers for Kiki's Delivery Service .
* Behind the Microphone - ( 5 : 00 ) Featuring the English dub voice talents talking about their role , their appreciation for Miyazaki and his films . Also , behind-the-scenes of the talent recording their voices .
* Ponyo - Creating Ponyo - ( 3 : 56 ) Hayao Miyazaki talks about the creation of Ponyo and wanting to create a film for young children .
* My Neighbor Totoro : Creating My Neighbor Totoro - ( 2 : 57 ) Hayao Miyazaki discussing the creation of My Neighbor Totoro .
* Castle in the Sky : Character Sketches - ( 2 : 37 ) Miyazaki talks about the characters of Castle in the Sky and discussing how his audiences are loyal to his films over time .
* Enter the Lands - Visit the land featuring various small animated Studio Ghibli characters ( from all films ) . Click on a character from that film ( note : only Ponyo , My Neighbor Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky are available ) to get a Q & A or a small video info . of that film and its characters .
EXTRAS :
Also , included is a postcard featuring Kiki flying high in the air ( similar to the image used for the cover ) .
JUDGMENT CALL :
Similar to My Neighbor Totoro , I first watched Kiki's Delivery Service back in 1993 during a Japanese animation club screening at a local mall . Granted , the film was in Japanese but during that time , many people would gather and watch a lot of animation in Japanese but for Miyazaki films , they were absolutely magical and just beautiful to look at . I can easily remember not knowing too much of what was being said but you can easily understand the storyline .
Here we are over 15 - years-later when I first watched the film and even now , I still find Kiki's Delivery Service to be a very magical and beautiful film . The coming of age storyline of Kiki trying to get her life as a witch started in a bigger city and dealing with life challenges and personal insecurities is the main theme of this film and a theme that everyone can relate to .
Although , the film is not exact to Eiko Kadono's original novel and at one point she was very unhappy with the direction of how the film was going , fortunately Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki was able to convince her of why he included these personal obstacles in the film ( it's important to note that the novel was written episodically and the film covers just a few episodes ) .
I am aware of the DVD's reception back in 1998 when Disney originally dubbed the film . Bare in mind that anime fans were not as easily encouraging towards English dubbing of their favorite Japanese animation during that that time period , compared to today . There are slight differences in dialogue between the Japanese and its English counterpart in that Jiji in the Japanese version featured a female voice actress and also with certain dialogue which Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki did approve .
Overall , Kiki's Delivery Service is a Studio Ghibli classic that is such a lovely and magical tale . Featuring gorgeous animation and painted backgrounds , the storyline is heartwarming and captivating . If you are wanting to catch up on Hayao Miyazaki films , definitely give Kiki's Delivery Service a try . It's definitely recommended !
073 4 According to tradition , when a witch turns thirteen , she must venture out on her own and try to make her way in the world . So Kiki leaves her home in the country with her black cat Jiji for the big city . But what can a young witch with no special skills do to find her place ?
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE , originally released in 1989 , is a charming story told with gorgeous animation and art . It was the first film by Hayao Miyazaki that I saw , and it's still my favorite . I love spending time with the characters in the city , which although a bustling place , retains its village-like atmosphere . I always enjoy revisiting it .
Although all Miyazaki films are generally suitable for the whole family , I'd recommend this ( as well as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO ) for younger viewers especially , as it is not frightening or as intense ( or as heavily-themed ) as PRINCESS MONONOKE or HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE , for example .
The film appears on the DVD in both the original Japanese language , and an English dialogue version . The English dub is fairly well-done ( with voices provided by Kirsten Dunst , Phil Hartman , Debbie Reynolds , Matthew Lawrence and Janeane Garofalo ) but for some reason the American producers felt the need to add an obscene amount of extra dialogue for Jiji ( the late Hartman's role . ) Apparently they thought American audiences couldn't bear scenes where people weren't talking , so the character is saddled with a lot of gratuitous commentary which is intended to be humorous but isn't . I call it Disney sidekick syndrome . It's very distracting , and the film suffers for it . I don't blame the actor - he was just doing his job - but for this reason I don't recommend watching the movie in English .
Apart from that , this is a rather nice package . There is a Behind the Microphone feature with Dunst , Hartman and Lawrence , original Japanese trailers , previews for other Studio Ghibli , Disney and Pixar films , and an introduction by Pixar's John Lasseter . The film is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16x9 television sets . The English soundtrack is in 5.1 stereo . The Japanese is in standard stereo , but the world is so alive you won't notice . The second disc contains the storyboards for the entire film and you can watch them with the Japanese or English soundtrack . I don't think I'd ever view the whole thing from start to finish , but it is interesting to poke around in .
This is a beautiful , magical film , with wholesome lessons for the kids ( if you're concerned about that sort of thing ) that should delight anyone who appreciates the art of animation . Five stars for the original movie , maybe one less for the slightly less than wonderful English version . From someone who has watched a lot of animation , Japanese and otherwise , I can't recommend this film highly enough .
074 4 This is a great story , but I definitely prefer to watch it in Japanese with English subtitles . There are subtle changes in the story between the two versions , and after watching the Japanese version , I find that I can't stand Phil Hartman's sarcastic Jiji . The English version has been dumbed down for American audiences , and Jiji is just one example . In the Japanese version , there is less mood music to tell the audience how they are supposed to feel , and the beauty of the animation is allowed to stand on its own . It's clear that American audiences have little tolerance for silence , but believe me , many scenes in this movie are much better without the added noise . The addition of English language credits ( and text , as in the scene where Kiki's parents read her letter ) to the DVD was poorly done , and these parts of the movie are noticeably fuzzy and lacking in contrast . It seems like Disney was in a rush to get this movie to American audiences , and did a mediocre job in everything . It's a good movie , and well worth watching in either version . Still , it would be generous to give the English language version 4 stars , but the original Japanese version easily deserves 5 stars .
076 4 I watched this video with my twelve year old daughter ( who adores anime ) , and within minutes the two of us were laughing out loud at Kiki and her infectious enthusiasm for finding her place in the world as a young witch-in-training . Although Kiki does not use much magic except to fly on her broom , the animator , Miyazaki ( The Castle of Cagliostro , Princess Mononoke ) uses all the magic available to him . You must see the way the wind ruffles Kiki's hair , the expressiveness of Jiji the cat's saucer eyes , the attack of the angry crows / magpies . There is motion in every frame , and all it of rings true . The true magic lies in the characters , however . Every one is well drawn ( and not just visually ) , with distinctive characteristics and roles in the plot . The best of all is Kiki , with her fresh-faced energy and her longing to fit into her new town . So much is conveyed here with a well-timed blink of Kiki's eyes that it's hard to believe her part is not acted but drawn onto a cel .
You MUST get this video . It puts Disney to shame . It's appropriate for young children and adults alike , unlike much of the anime available today .
077 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is a perfect example of a story idea that is merely decent , but is turned into a brilliant story because it's handled by a master storyteller . It's a literally enchanting story of a young witch who goes out to begin her life as an apprentice witch - - but it's the lovely animation , endearing characters and upbeat message of having confidence in yourself that are really striking .
It's witch tradition that when a young witch begins her training , she spends a year living alone in a strange city . So Kiki ( Kirsten Dunst ) and her grumpy cat Jiji ( Phil Hartman ) for a big city . Despite her iffy flying skills and a sudden storm , Kiki successfully makes it to a seaside town - - and soon she has found a room to stay in , job as a delivery-witch , and some new friends ( as well as an admiring young boy named Tombo , who's crazy about flying machines ) .
It doesn't take long for Kiki's business to start booming , and for the townspeople to become very fond of their resident witch . But when she starts feeling like an outsider around Tombo's friends , Kiki finds that she can no longer fly or hear Jiji's voice . Is her magic gone forever - - or does it need something special to finally make a return ? Will the little witch learn her greatest lesson , or will she fail before she even really starts ?
Personally , most stories that emphasize believing in yourself , doing your best and so on end up being pretty nauseating because it never feels like the filmmakers actually believe it . I can't speak for Hayao Miyazaki's outlook on life , but he is one of the few who actually makes you believe that there's a kind of magic in self-confidence .
The story itself is so simple that it could be summed up in just a couple sentences , but Miyazaki weaves in enough complications and twists that it stays interesting ( such as Kiki losing one of her deliveries ) . Things get rather bittersweet when Kiki loses her powers , but most of the movie is fairly lighthearted and sunny - - and there's some dry humor from Jiji to counterbalance Kiki's earnestness ( Okay , first : don't panic . Second : don't panic . And third : did I mention not to panic ? ) .
And he sketches a truly enchanting backdrop for Kiki's coming-of-age - - a idyllic little village by the sea , framed by the blue sea and rolling green fields . The people are almost unreally kind and generous , leaving you wishing you were in Kiki's place .
And Kiki may be a witch , but she's probably the most realistic kid heroine that I've ever seen in a movie . She worries about what people think of her , works hard to do her best , and feels lonely at times after leaving her loving home - - just what you'd expect of a thirteen-year-old . Jiji is a hilariously sardonic familiar with an eye for the lady cats , and Tombo is an endearing young aviation geek who clearly has a crush on Kiki . And Miyazaki sketches out a supporting cast of lovable characters - - kind old ladies , a forest-dwelling artist , a pregnant baker , and others .
Kiki's Delivery Service is a simple story with a simple message , but it's delivered with such warmth and sweetness that you don't care at all . Truly magical - - and not the kind you need a witch for .
078 4 Along with
Spirited Away
and
My Neighbor Totoro
this is one of my favorite films from director Hayao Miyazaki . All Miyazaki's films are absolutely beautiful , creative , and have such wonderful stories that captivate audiences of any age . Anyone who has seen Kiki , Spirited Away , or Totoro is sure to fall in love with these classic films which go so far beyond the usual Japanese animation . This movie , in particular , is perfect for any creative or artistic young woman , because it highlights the importance of independent and creative thinking along with arts and crafts ( painting , bread baking , etc . ) . And of course , if you love cats you are also sure to love Kiki's little sidekick Jiji .
079 4 KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is a wonderful family film . My entire family - my husband , 11 - year old daughter , 3 - year old daughter , and me - all absolutely love Kiki . We have watched it many , many times , and it is still as fresh and cute and captivating as it was the first time .
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is the story of a 13 - year old witch-in-training ( voiced by Kirsten Dunst ) , who , in the tradition of her people , must leave home for a year , and make her own way in the world . She must find a new city and provide it a service . Her mother , whose talent is potion making , serves her city as a sort of cross between a pharmacist and a doctor . Kiki leaves her family at midnight on a beautiful , warm night with just her broom , her cat Jiji ( voiced by Phil Hartman ) , and father's transistor radio . Once Kiki finds the perfect city , she settles right in to help . Since she has no special gift other than flying by use of her broom , she naturally sets up a delivery service , delivering packages and messages all over town .
Kiki learns about many things over the course of the year : responsibility , how to support herself , trust , belief in herself , loyalty , friendship , and even a first crush . She slowly finds her own way , learning and growing as she goes . By the end she is stronger , more sure of herself , and settled in her new community . She has made a life , through learning life's lessons .
Myazaki's animation is , as always , simply delightful . The rich textures and delicate details bring his characters to life . It is the little nuances that draw you in : the way the wind tousles Kiki's hair , the expressions on Jiji's face , the depth of the background scenery . The pallet is soft and lovely . The entire film is quite gorgeous .
As I said earlier , my entire family is enthralled by Kiki's coming of age story ; none more so than my youngest daughter . For Halloween last year ( 2007 ) , she wanted to be a witch . I asked her if she wanted to be a witch like the one in the Little Einsteins ' Hansel and Gretel episode or one like Kiki . I want to be Kiki , Mommy ! I want to be Kiki ! ! ! She was very definite on that point . So she had a black dress , red shoes , a red hair bow , a small broom , and a stuffed Jiji ( ordered from Japan ! ) . She was so excited and so cute . I think the impression that KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE made on a then 2 year old speaks volumes . This quiet , simple story of learning to be happy with and to trust in yourself is timeless and appeals to all ages and generations .
080 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
It proves you do not need villains or violence to make a great movie . It is entertaining , warm , and family friendly . Enjoy it many times over !
081 4 It proves you do not need villains or violence to make a great movie . It is entertaining , warm , and family friendly . Enjoy it many times over !
083 4 Kiki , a 13 - year-old restless , spontaneous , brave , and kind girl is witch-in-training . She follows the traditions of her craft that require her to fly away using a broom as the means of transportation from her loving family and friends on a yearlong journey to complete her apprenticeship . She will need to find a place where no one knows her and to support herself while becoming a full-fledged witch - just like her mother did when she was 13 . It's a charming as well as highly entertaining story of self-discovery , taking responsibilities , becoming independent and mature , and following and achieving one's dreams . The film is ( I will not be original and just repeat what countless reviews have said already ) breathtakingly beautiful . I've been watching movies all my life , and I've seen thousands but rarely have I wanted to stay and live in the imaginative movie's world . Hayao Miyazaki's kind and magical , lovely and sweet without being sappy or patronizing animation made me dream of the place like Korico . I did not want to leave the romantic magic seaside town that Kiki and her ironic talking black cat Jiji chose to stay , where everyone ( well , almost ) seems to respect , like , and to help to one another , where Kiki established reliable Witch Express Delivery using her flying skills and where the things are sometimes difficult but she is fine . Yes , I wanted to stay in the dreamy sparkling world that Hayao Miyazaki created by the gentle power of his incomparable talent .
I want to join millions of grateful viewers and to thank Walt Disney Company for having introduced the films of Hayao Miyazaki to the rest of the world . They are invaluable treasure and will be enjoyed equally by the adults and the children . I also appreciate the choice Disney Company provided releasing on the same disk the dubbed version and the original Japanese one with the English subtitles .
084 4 Other reviews go into great detail about the plot , and how the voice casting and dubbing are great ( they are ! ) , and how Hayao Miyazaki is great ( also true ! ) so I'll skip all that .
The main point I'd say to prospective buyers of any age is that this is a NICE movie you will enjoy for years , no matter your age . Kiki has troubles and setbacks , but this is not a dark disturbing movie at all , and the animation itself has a kind of light tone .
After viewing this with my kid for I think the 11th time , I'm compelled to observe that not only do I not get tired of this movie at all , but each time I notice new things and enjoy it all over again . I believe you will too .
086 4 For really great reviews of Kiki , see those of Lisa Weaver and Ryan Harvey previously diplayed here . No point in reapeating these , they say all I think , My contribution to the reviews is simply Director Hayao Miyazaki is someone special . All his Anime are becoming classics , all are excellent , I have 2 now and I will be looking for more . All reviews of his other 4 productions I have searched have 4.5 - 5 ratings and I feel I can understand why after seeing those that I have , I cant wait to check out some more ! .
I am reasonablly new to anime , I am also an older person , I find some anime are fairly petty , pretty but sadly lack in storyline and depth . Cant say that for KIKI , It is a great story presented very well , and I recommend it to every one . I can also recommend Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away . ( other favorite Animes are Chobits , NOIR , Samurai 7 , and Voices of a Distant Star )
087 4 Hayao Miyazaki animated feature of a 13 - old year witch leaving his parents and settling in a new town to form a ( broom-based ) delivery service is irresistible . As in many of his movies , the protagonist here is a plucky heroine defying all odds . What I found most enjoyable about the movie - though - is its background details . Miyazaki loves European culture - and the movie is set in neverland Europe - a fantasized Europe that never existed . A lot of the clothes and the technology suggests the 1950s and the 1960s - but filtered through Miyazaki's sensibility ( there are a number of anachronic details that suggest perhaps a mid - 20th century Europe if World War II had never happened ) . Miyazaki uses a lot of different sources in his movies - and they not always coalesce . In Porco Rosso , they didn't ( Fascist Italy + Aviation Aces + Flying Pig ? ) . But here they do .
089 4 This is one of Miyazaki's best . In the vein of ' Totoro ' but a bit more grown-up . It's probably my favourite after ' Nausicaa ' , which is his masterpiece .
There is a quality to Miyazaki's animation and story-telling that is indescribable . You have to experience it to understand it . The attention to detail and the intimacy in his narration is really special . Though it's probably easier ( for English speakers ) to watch the movie with the English dialogue , it's so much better with the original Japanese soundtrack . The English dialogue lacks the softness and subtlety of the Japanese version . This is a great family film ; a film people of all ages can enjoy . I am definitely going to be buying the DVD , ' cos I'm going to want to share this movie with friends and family .
093 4 This is an excellent children's movie . My niece loves to watch it all the time . I recommend it along with My Neighbor Totoro for young children .
I gave it 5 stars , but I do have one grip . I watched it in Japanese , with subtitles ( my niece watches it in english ) , and well , the translations didn't match up . Doesn't matter in english though .
094 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
This is the cutest little story with unbelievable characters , and beauftiful art . I couldn't help but totally love Kiki , and when she was sad , I wanted to cry for her . Gigi , her black cat , is hilarious ! Awesome side-kick !
I have just recently been introduced into Myazaki's animation , and I cannot wait to get more ! ! ! ! Perhaps the fact that she's a witch and she's so much more gifted and special , but still so very sweet makes her so captivating .
Beautiful story that will find it's way into any child's heart !
Well I'm 22 , no child , but I still love it .
095 4 This is the cutest little story with unbelievable characters , and beauftiful art . I couldn't help but totally love Kiki , and when she was sad , I wanted to cry for her . Gigi , her black cat , is hilarious ! Awesome side-kick !
I have just recently been introduced into Myazaki's animation , and I cannot wait to get more ! ! ! ! Perhaps the fact that she's a witch and she's so much more gifted and special , but still so very sweet makes her so captivating .
Beautiful story that will find it's way into any child's heart !
Well I'm 22 , no child , but I still love it .
096 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is an utterly charming , beautifully animated movie , and Hayao Miyazaki is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker everyone should get to know . The Oscar for Spirited Away brought long overdue Hollywood notice for a Japanese craftsman whose films outgross Disney in Japan .
Unfortunately , the shoddy quality control on this Disney-distributed DVD set makes me worry that the other DVDs may contain similar glitches , thus hampering Miyazaki's exposure in America . Not one but two copies of Kiki had the same flaw : the last scene and closing credits did not play . Instead , the film jumped back to the DVD menu .
So . . . highest marks for Kiki and Miyazaki . Back to the drawing board for Disney's DVD effort .
097 4 Here is yet another of master film maker Hayao Miyazaki's films finally released in the U.S . by Disney . I had a chance to see this many years ago after the success of My Neighbor Totoro allowed this film to get the quality Disney dub treatment as well . For some reason , this film which actually made it into a few theatres disappeared into obscurity . The success of Spirited Away prompted Disney to get off their butts and let the world see another of Miyazaki's magnificent films .
When I first saw this film , it didn't leave the same impression on me as any of Miyazaki's other films did . Sure , I felt it was good , but I think I found it too girlish for my taste . Of course , I was younger then ( probably still in high school ) , and seeing it now allows me to have a better appreciation for the film . In all honesty , I do still expect this film to appeal much more to women and girls ; it is a coming of age story about a young girl after all . However , I wouldn't compare it to a chick flick .
I was pleasantly surprised to discover I liked this film more than I remembered . Kirsten Dunst ( who was much younger when this film was originally dubbed ) perfectly portrays Kiki , the films main character , and Phil Hartman brings a lot of charm and personality to the film as Kiki's cat .
This film has all the magic you'd come to expect from Miyazaki . For guys , I recommend checking out Princess Mononoke , Castle in the Sky , and Spirited Away first as you will probably like them more than this film . Girls , I'd recommend Kiki's Delivery Service , My Neighbor Totoro , and Spirited Away before seeing the rest . I recommend anyone see all of Miyazaki's films , but everyone's gonna have favorites . Some of his films appeal more one gender than another , but they are all great films that everyone should enjoy .
098 4 I don't write reviews normally . My son wanted this movie . I resisted , thinking it would be stupid .
I was taken away by the story and animation . I can not say enough good things about this movie . Enjoy .
099 4 I really liked this movie , and I really want to add it to my ( and my daughter's ) collection . I just want it on DVD ! I don't want to buy any more vhs tapes .
101 4 I watched this recently in the Auckland Film Festival , and was absolutely charmed .
I couldn't get over the lovely illustration - the characters are drawn single line , but move in an almost painterly background of a cobble-stoned European-inspired city . And the painting done by Ursula looks like a Roger la Borde .
The story is of a young witch who at thirteen has to leave her family to find her way in the world . Hayao Miyazaki , who has brought the story to the screen , has likened it to a parable of the young Japanese girl's search for independence in Japan today . This is a slightly more serious interpretation of the original story written by Eiko Kadono ( as far as I know only available so far in Japanese , she's looking for a publisher for the translation into English ) . The original supposedly was more episodic and light-hearted , just little incidents happening ot Kiki while she delivers things . This comes through in the film as well , but the film is more thematic , and more serious setbacks happen to Kiki , like losing her magic , and there are more action segments as well when Kiki has to come to the rescue . Its just the way films are constructed and understood at the moment ( a.k.a Mission Impossible ) . However , Miyazaki is an old hand at taking great children's stories and adapting them - he's done Heidi and Anne of Green Gables for example ( Anne is also an episodic tale in some ways ) . Not to mention he is the creator of that big deal Princess Mononoke ( which is not too bad as well ) . I watched Heidi - in Mandarin I think ! Its always a mission to get a translation in the right language , so we are really lucky with Kiki and that Disney has bought it over and brought in some really big voice talents . However , I do worry a little . . . Disney , much as I love it , tends to polish things up too much , and anime's charm is really its edginess ( although Miyazaki's stuff is harldy cutting edge in the genre ) . I mean like , they added a line for Jiji , whe he says Kiki , can you hear me ? which subtly changes our understanding of what happens to Kiki in the end .
Anyway , its a really charming tale . The narrative is a little strange , mainly beacause of trying to be both episodic and filmically conventional at the same time , but its easy to overlook . And keep an eye out for Jiji the wonder cat . He gets some fabulously caustic lines - and gets a girlfriend as well !
102 4 Poor Kiki , alone in the world on her first witches ' apprentice job.Stuck in a town where no one has seen a witch for a while , she descovers that a little magic is just what the doctor ordered ! Along with Jiji ( Phil Hartman , who really did an exquisite job . . . speaking from a fan's piont of veiw ) , her talking black cat , she starts her very own delivery service.Things are going great until . . . . Oops ! Don't wanna spoil it for everyone ! Just watch and you'll see , Kiki is worth every penny you spend !
105 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is an animated masterpiece about a 13 year old witch-in-training who , as a matter of tradition , leaves home to experience life on her own for a year . This movie is such a treasure . Breath-takingly crafted it's a visual experience worth taking time out of your day to enjoy . The story is fresh and surprisingly down to Earth considering the subject matter . It's focus is more on dealing with life as a thirteen year old girl than it is about being a witch . There are two bonuses if you have children : 1 ) There is not one inappropriate moment in this movie such as name calling or mild violence ( which even Toy Story has ) . 2 ) My children like it more than Barney .
107 4 This is a movie to watch and cherish , even if you've never had kids . The animation , color , and English-dubbed performances are all wonderful , but I think the theme of this beautiful story will speak to adults perhaps even more dearly than to children !
We're all like Kiki , trying to find our way in the world and hoping to make a living doing what we love . . . and we also know what it's like to feel like maybe we're not so special anymore , that we may never fit in , that our friends can't understand us anymore or that somehow we've lost our magic . Kiki may lose hers for awhile , but KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE never does for a moment .
An absolute delight and one of my favorite movies EVER !
108 4 My wife and I saw the English-dubbed version first and then just saw the original Japanese one . Both are excellent , but frankly we like the English version better .
More words are inserted in the English version to fill silences and pauses to enhance the visual effects . ( Japanese tend to use more silences and pause during coversations . It is important to fill these not to bore Amercian audiences . )
The translations were not always straight Japanese-to-Engligh conversions only to make the conversations more natural in English .
Janeane Garofalo and the late Phil Hartman were excellent choices for these characters .
Also , Sydney Forest's opening and closing songs are better suited for this particular animation film than Yumi Arai's .
Again , both version are excellent . It is sometimes necessary to make some modifications to make the characters sound natural . The magical power of Hayao Miayzaki is still there .
109 4 Seeing Kiki makes you realize that the usual Disney obsession with some evil , scary antagonist out to totally destroy the hero is probably just educating thier viewers to paranoia , distrust and other emotional sickness . Kiki is a beautiful , natural vision of life - about a kid growing up and learning to function in a society where people care and help each other . Pretty delightful . And beautiful art to boot .
110 4 I took two small children along to see a rare big screen viewing of this film just before the video release - - a thinly disguised excuse for seeing it myself . What wonderful and masterful animation ! and the charming , detailed and fully developed storyline puts most Disney-type cutesy shlock to shame . This is more like an exquisite , gloriously illustrated children's book that has magically come to life before your eyes . . . I can hardly think of another cinematic experience where I spent 90 minutes transported so completely into a state of enchantment . ( By the way , the two children with me - - ages 3 and 5 - - were totally engrossed and silent during the whole film , as was the large auditorium we saw it in filled with kids and parents of all ages - - a real rarity , when many films bore small children and leave them running up and down the aisles . ) The only shame is how few people will have the chance to see this masterpiece on the big screen where it really belongs . I bought the video the second it came out and loudly recommend it to everyone of every age that I know ! END
111 4 I was first introduced to the work of Hayao Miyazaki three years ago , when Spirited Away came to my local cinema as an arthouse feature . I instantly fell in love with his complex and believable characters and his grand animation style , and I've been a devoted fan ever since , having now seen six of the director's films .
Kiki's Delivery Service just happens to be one of my all-time favorite films . I waited a while to see it , dismissing it as a pedestrian Miyazaki film - I thought a G-rated film for teenage girls couldn't possibly have the gravity and realism of his more epic features . I was most pleasantly surprised , therefore , when I finally purchased the DVD , brought it home , and watched it .
KIKI is a beautiful motion picture in every sense . The animation is stunning , as Miyazaki's animation almost always is ; and the characters are as convincing and real as those in a Dostoevsky novel , and much more charming to boot . Kiki is a well-adjusted and intelligent , but average-looking and never sappily cute , thirteen-year-old girl , easy to sympathize with , and watching her grow through experiencing independence is a joy . The attention to detail is nothing short of astonishing - the opening sequence with the wind gently blowing through the grass shows an awareness and love of nature ; and we see perfect reflections in little rain puddles . The story is just as real and engaging : like Spirited Away , it is a film about surviving on your own and believing in yourself , which is such a nice change from the fight the bad guys and rid the world of evil plot that plagues so many American children's films .
The film's only real flaw isn't in the feature itself , but in the translation . I first watched it in subtitled Japanese - the actors give lots of nuance to their characters , and we are able to appreciate the quiet moments in life as well as the more active ones . The subtitles aren't as accurate as they could be - I distinctly heard the word koohii ( coffee ) when the subtitles said hot cocoa - but they sure beat the dubbed version . This edition , like the other Disney / Ghibli films , suffers from Disney's apparent need to fill every moment of the film with dialogue . The character of Jiji , Kiki's faithful black cat , is changed completely , from meek and soft-spoken to obnoxiously chatty . His added dialogue is neither cute nor funny - just plain annoying . None of the English-language voices had any sort of subtlety , but Phil Hartman as Jiji was probably the worst offender . At the risk of sounding like an utter snob , I will admit that I only got through about half of the dub before turning it off . However , I will also admit that the dub is more than acceptable for younger audiences who don't know Japanese and won't be able to appreciate a subtitlted version .
But that is a minor complaint , really ; for Kiki's Delivery Service is gorgeous to look at no matter what language you choose , and the story is the same . If you have young ones , this is a must-have ; and if you are able to appreciate simplicity , beauty , and the slower-paced moments in life , then you will absolutely love it .
112 4 I must agree with several other reviewers who take stars away from Kiki's Delivery Service . Without a doubt , it is not Miyazaki's best ( to this day , among the ones I have seen , that honor goes to Spirited Away ) . Perhaps it's not a coincidence given that it is an adaptation , instead of an original script written by him , as it is usual with him . However , this movie is far from bad . Indeed , it's just a tad less fantastic than most of his other classics , and it doesn't deal with ghosts or spirits , nor does it deal with the traditional environmental topic , which is so common in his movies .
This is the story of a young witch ( Kiki ) who turned 13 , which meant that her time to leave her parents ' home had arrived , so that she could get trained . She finds the place of her dreams in a sea town which reminds every bit of small city by the French Riviera . There she wins the hearts of the townpeople and finds great uses for her magical talents . As with other Miyazaki movies , the music by Joe Hisaishi is fantastic and the animated landscapes are breathtaking . While not his best work , I still loved it and I give it 4.5 stars .
113 4 This movie has it all ; Beautiful , non - adult , non ecchi Anime , and an absolutely charming storyline . Not something seen too often in either American and Japanese animated films nowadays .
Uncle Walt would be proud .
Kikki is a young witch , entering her so called Witch Prime . When witches reach the age of 13 , they leave home , and go out into the world for a year of Training . The storyline takes us into Kikki's rite of passage , as it were , and immedately draws us into it , every inch of the way . We see her joys , pains , and her sadness , as she journeys to the big city to find her way .
The movie is simplistic , yet contains some of the most beautiful artwork and storytelling I have ever seen in an animated film . It never strays too far from it's main character , and in this process we actually grow care for her .
The movie is a little long , at 105 minutes , but it is worth every one of those minutes .
If you want a simple , joyus sample of anime , without the violence or hentai that is so prevelant in the medium , then this film is for you .
115 4 A story your children will want to watch over and over again - the suprising part is that you won't mind watching it with them and may even find yourself requesting it .
Phil hartman does the voice for the cat ( Jiji ) - excellent ! ( I also believe this was his last project before he died - making it special for fans of his work . )
A good time for everyone .
116 4 When enthusiastic young witch Kiki leaves home one full moonlit night to make it on her own , she discovers that more than magic is needed to overcome life's obstacles . Miyazaki has created a wonderful world not that different from our own , wherein lies the movie's appeal . Great characters and voice acting , including the late Phil Hartman as Kiki's cat , make this movie extremely enjoyable and highly recommended . You will root for Kiki all the way .
The flying scenes are especially exhilirating . Like much of the movie , these scenes are slow paced so you can enjoy them . As Kiki wends her way high over ocean , countryside , forest , city , you feel as though you are flying with her . My favorite is when she is flying over the city lights at night .
117 4 First of all , I would like to thank Studio Ghibli , Mr . Hayao Miyazaki , and Walt Disney Studios for bringing us such a wonderful film . Kiki's Delivery service is a charming and magical adventure that I cannot praise high enough .
Synopsis :
Kiki is a young witch-in-training and has reached the age of 13 . According to tradition , all witches of that age must leave home for one year and learn how to live on their own . Kiki , along with her talking cat Jiji fly away from home to seaside town of Korico . After finding a place to stay , she starts a delivery service using her broom to fly around town . Facing unexpected hardships , Kiki's confidence falters and she begins losing her witches power .
Beautifully crafted in all aspects of art , directing , and acting , this coming of age story with Kiki as our heroine is unforgettable . The hidden meaning behind every scene has surprising depth . The endearing nature of the entire film will leave you feeling hopeful for a bright future .
This film is a perfect example of why Director Miyazaki is considered the Walt Disney of Japan .
If you are planning to purchase Kiki's Delivery Service , you should know that this 2010 re-release is different than the DVD from 2003 . The original English dub included songs by Sydney Forest entitled Soaring and I'm Gonna Fly . These songs were especially made for the English release and I was sad that they were not included . The original Japanese songs are quite fitting of course , but I really was disappointed when I watched the film . Also , many of the terrific and comical one liners brought to us from the late Phil Hartman as Jiji were omitted . My family immediately noticed the changes and complained . They clearly remembered those funny moments , reciting them often . Since I did not purchase the 2003 DVD and rented , I bought this edition without reservation . I personally would recommend you buy the 2003 DVD .
Although slightly disappointed with the remastered dub ( without the added lines from the English dub ) , the film itself is still just as magical as ever and still deserves a five-star rating . If you have not seen Kiki's before , in no way will you miss the changes . The 2010 DVD contains more extra features and is worth every penny .
Suitable and enjoyable for all ages - I would rate ten stars of I were allowed .
118 4 I must admit that I love Hayao Miyazaki's film KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE ! Everything from the storyline , the background music , the wonderful animation ( and especially when Kiki and Jiji fly high above the city on her broom ) has captivated me since I first saw it years ago .
The only thing I didn't really like was the English dub with Kristen Dunst and Phil Hartman , but not a problem . The DVD has the option of choosing the original Japanese language track and using English subtitles , so I'm a happy camper .
Anyway , the story is about a 13 - year old witch named Kiki and her best friend , a little black cat named Jiji , who leave their home and move to a new city , which all witches must do at that age , so that she can develop her magical powers and make a home for herself . She meets both good and snooty people in the new city , and like anyone who moves to an unknown place , Kiki is plagued with fears , self-doubt , and homesickness . So great is her self-doubt that she begins to lose her witchcraft and must some how find a way to get it back .
The story is great for all ages and even though it may seem to be a simple story on the surface it deals with issues about trust , the belief in one's self , and about starting over .
The new 2010 release of KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE : SPECIAL EDITION 2 - DVD has some cool extras on it , but I think some of them might also be on the special Blu-ray of
Ponyo ( Two-Disc Blu-ray / DVD Combo )
. The really unique featurette on this set is the Locations Of Kiki - which I'll describe below .
= = = = = = SPECIAL FEATURES = = = = = =
* Creating Kiki's Delivery Service * - - 02 : 28 - minutes - - Miyazaki-san talks about the movie .
* Kiki & Jiji * - - 03 : 28 - minutes - - Producer Toshio Suzuki talks about character development .
* Flying With Kiki * - - 02 : 51 - minutes - - Miyazaki-san talks about the challenges in animating the flying sequences .
* * * Locations Of Kiki * * * - - 29 : 03 - minutes - - This is worth buying the new 2010 DVD release ! It's a featurette where a film crew goes to the real location that inspired the fictional Korico city in the movie . This is fascinating to watch as they compare the storyboards , movie , and the real locations in Stockholm and Visby . It's only in Japanese but has English subtitles . This is part of a Japanese documentary called The Scenery In Ghibli , which profiles the real world locations that inspired Miyazki-san's world .
* Scoring Miyazaki * - - 07 : 20 - minutes - - Producer Suzuki talks about composer Joe Hisaishi , who has scored all of Miyazki-san's films , and Hisaishi talks about creating the music for Kiki's Delivery Service ,
My Neighbor Totoro ( Two-Disc Special Edition )
,
Castle in the Sky : Special Edition - 2 Disc DVD
, and
Ponyo ( Two-Disc Edition )
. This featurette was also on the PONYO BLU-RAY .
* Trailers *
* Behind The Microphone * - - 05 : 00 - minutes - - this is for the English dub with Dunst et al .
* Sneak Previews * - - These are teasers for the special features of Ghibli Worlds on the other 2010 releases of Miyazaki-san's movies : Ponyo - creating Ponyo ; My Neighbor Totoro - creating Totoro ; Castle In The Sky - character sketches .
* Original Storyboards * - - here you can watch the entire movie with just the storyboards . You may select either the English or Japanese language track .
I can't recommend this movie enough ! I hope they put it on Blu-Ray soon ! This is my favorite Studio Ghibli movie and the special features included with this 2010 edition make it well worth buying .
120 4 The story of a young witch out in the world to earn her broom , so to speak ; another beautiful movie from the incomparable Hayao Miyazaki .
Fans of this director will need no introduction , nor even a review to buy this movie . My review title just says it all . The plot of the movie is benevolent , but the main thing about his movies from this period of his work is just that they are all so beautiful . This movie , and others are set in a romantic European-esque period about the turn of the last century . The buildings are stately , the people are beautiful and well dressed and for the most part well behaved , the scenery is wonderful . if I were a cartoon character this is the type of movie I would choose to inhabit too . It's just a real fairytale setting that you would imagine that a later date Cinderella would settle in , and something the polar opposite of Tim Burton .
The plot is nice and fun too , with just the right ingredients , benevolent witch folk , a young witch out to make her way in the world where witches are part of the ordinary world , just like doctors or postmen . She is befriended by a friendly baker , and is given a base from where she embarks on her career and makes new friends .
The dubbing is just great as well and provide just the right feel for the characters . They include the young Kirsten Dunst and the late Phil Hartman . A thoroughly enjoyable movie for the young and old .
121 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
I am a Grandmother of 9 , ages 15yrs thru 6yrs . I first saw this movie several years ago and really enjoyed it and the others by Hayao Miyazaki . As my grandkids were born and matured , I remembered his movies . I recently purchased this movie and ALL of my kids love it ! The movie has different levels in it that makes it appealing to the different age groups that watch it . All of my kids like to watch it time and time again .
123 4 Kiki's Delivery Service / B00005JM2O
* Spoilers *
I absolutely loved
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
,
Princess Mononoke
, and
Spirited Away
, but I have to confess that I found Kiki's Delivery Service a bit slow .
The movie is a delightful and charming ' coming of age ' type film , featuring a kind-hearted little girl ( barely thirteen ) , setting off on her own in an ancient tradition to become a witch , as her mother is . Once you accept the setup , that witches are real , and very normal ( except , apparently , in the charming little seaside village that Kiki eventually takes residence in ) , the movie becomes mostly just another charming day in the life of films , not totally unlike
My Neighbor Totoro
. Which is fine , if you're looking for something relatively slow-paced , charming , and wholesome - I'd recommend this over pretty much any other children's movie that's come out in the past decade - but if you're looking for the action and philosophy of Mononoke or Nausicaa , you won't really find it here , and if you're drawn to the mysticism of Spirited Away , there's not much of that here either - except for flying , Kiki doesn't know any magic or spells to perform .
Not that there's anything wrong with that - not every movie has to be incredibly action-oriented , or deeply philosophical , or stocked with unusual or intriguing monsters . But I found myself mildly irked by Kiki's massive mood-swings - and while they are certainly realistic for a young thirteen-year-old out on her own for the first time , I tend to prefer the maturity of Nausicaa or at least the emotional growth of Sen ( Spirited Away ) . While Kiki ' grows ' in the sense that she finds a purpose in her flying ( although I would have preferred it to be ' saving people ' as opposed to ' saving my crush ' , since that seems a little limiting ) , she doesn't really seem to grow in terms of how she relates to the people around her , and I'm not sure how I feel about that .
Or perhaps I'm being too hard on the movie because , for some reason , I found Kirsten Dunst's voice-acting distracting . I don't know how to explain that except that she sounded too much like Kirsten Dunst , and I kept slipping out of the immersion as a result . That's probably more my fault than anything else , though .
Waffling aside , I enjoyed Kiki's Delivery Service well enough . Adults will find it charming , and I think children will genuinely love the idea of striking out on your own with nothing but a talking cat and a flying broom . I just won't be coming back time and again like I do with some of Takayama's other movies .
126 4 This film is filled with the wonder of childhood , elements of the adventure quest , a girls search for her place in the world , a story of friendship , confidence , trust in yourself . And optimism , that even in the face of hardships Kiki endures and recovers and believes in her self .
Stylistically it is beautiful . A reserved palette , original and quaint small town qualities , even a love of travel is presented with simple pastoral landscapes and a lovely city on the sea .
Such a gem of a film . Hopefully his films will soon be on Blu-Ray .
127 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
I admit this movie is REALLY cute and intended for a younger audience , but it speaks to the inner child in me . It has a real nice spin on kids gearing up to go be on their own . I was alos surprised ( and elated ) to hear the late , great Phil Hartman as the voice of GiGi .
129 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is a very good and cute movie for all ages . The animation and voice talent is very good ( watched it in Japanese , but the English translation is pretty good as well ) . The movie is about Kiki , a witch in training , who moves away from home in order to train . She reaches a pretty big city where she meets people that help her throughout the movie and also sets up a delivery service . Kiki deals with the challenges of the delivery service , making friends and dealing with her magic . The movie was really cute , but I found the ending too abrupt . Overall , it was good .
130 4 Enter a world where witches are kind , but their job can be pretty hard . ' Kiki's Delivery Service ' introduces Kiki , a 13 year old witch that is ready to begin her right of passage by going out into the world to find a town that needs a witch to be it's guide . Excited to go she comes across this big bustling city by the sea and encounters more than she bargened for . Not any monsters or evil sorcerers , but life . Figuring out what her purpose in life must be she learns about earning money , why boys can be so strange and what it really takes to be lady . She should be careful because when you grow up to might start to lose the things that you love . Only by creating the perfect balance can you truly live life to the fullest .
' Kiki's Delivery Service ' is such a delight . A perfect blend of story book fantasy and realism . The characters are so much fun to watch on screen especially Gigi the cat voiced in english by the late Phil Hartman . It's a family film that adults will like just as much as kids . I don't know what it is about Hayao Miyazaki , but he always knows how to deliver a great time with his films .
131 4 This is one of Miyazaki's best . He combines his love for exotic moving landscapes that are a gorgeous visual feast . As well as lovely imagery this movie has a story about the coming of age of a young witch who must grow up , and most importantly gather her courage to be a strong young woman . This movie is truly something that all young girls should watch . Its right up there with the classic Disney movies : Ariel , Lady & the Tramp , Beauty & the Beast . . . This is something you should definitely not miss out .
132 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is a film directed by Hayao Miyazaki . The film is based off a novel written by Eiko Kadono ( but the film only covers what happens during the summer , while the novel covers more time ) . This was also the first film released under the Disney / Studio Ghibli deal .
The film tells the story of Kiki , a 13 - year-old witch in training , and all the adventures she goes through to find her talents as she is growing up .
The DVD has a few special features : the introduction by Pixar's John Lasseter that appears at the beginning of the film , the Behind the Microphone documentary ( which shows interviews and recording footage of some of the American voice cast ) , and ten minutes worth of the original Japanese trailers . While the trailers were interesting , the audio quality was a bit disappointing . The second disc contains the film in a storyboard version ( however , I'm not sure how many people are really going to sit through a version of the film made up of storyboards instead of actual animation ) .
Kiki's Delivery Service is a wonderful coming of age story that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike .
133 4 This review is from :
Kiki's Delivery Service ( DVD )
What we love about this movie is simple - no bad guys , no violence , yet still enjoyable and engaging for my 3 year-old . There is some excitement at the end , when Kiki's friend is in danger , but of course , everything turns out okay . The animation is lovely .
138 4 Fabulous book with incredible illustrations . Talks about the whole process of making the movie and artwork .
At the end of the book , there's the complete screenplay .
This is my son's favorite book ( and mine ! )
142 4 As others Miyasaki films , Kiki's Delivery Service transports us to a land of dreams and beautiful endings . I recommend it highly to kids of all ages .
143 4 1989 production . This animation drama originally titled Majo no Takkyuubin ( Fast Delivery Service by a Witch ) based on Japanese children's literature of the same title reminds me his World Masterpiece Theater days during 70s .
Particularly the first opening scene with beautiful landscape and vivid description of the grass swinging with the wind truly is the extention of World Masterpiece Theater . And the characters and the European-like location reminds me Anne of Green Days era WMT . In 1974 animation drama Heidi , the Girl In The Alps , Miyazaki contributed a lot with his scene cuts so well described that we feel as if we were watching the real ones .
Such toils he experienced during WMT days were much well paid to convert fairy tale like original story to easy-to-believe daily drama . Just like say , Harry Potter series . For many Miayzaki fans who expect fast-paced drama like the others this may be a bit boring but the last dramatic sequence might quench such thirst . Only one thing I do not like about this English version is that sub version and dub version is so much different and confusing if you want to have both . So choose either option of Japanese voice with English subs or English dub alone .
Verdict : Much like the taste of WMT and Miyazaki's friend Takabata but excellently done .
Rating : 93 out of 100 3 points taken from sub-dub confusion .
Recommended for : World Masterpiece Theater fans , Takabata fans and wide range of movie fans .
145 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is one of the best movies I have seen .
It has a great story and lots of enjoyable characters .
I dont want to actualy tell any of the story just in case youv'e never seen it , but if your'e into cute stories this is one that always brings a smile to my face . You'll definitly will want to watch and enjoy this cute story .
146 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is probably Miyazaki's lightest film . There are no forest creatures , no warring nations , no conflicts with nature . All it has is one little girl ( as we all know , this is a Miyazaki standard , having a young girl as a protagonist ) who wants nothing more than to find her place in an unfamiliar setting . In this , Miyazaki shows just how tender his heart is , and also shows his love for the sky and for story-telling in general
Kiki is a thirteen-year-old witch-in-training who is just about to set out on a journey that will not only help her achieve her place as a witch , but to also prove to herself that she's an adult . Leaving behind her witch mother and a doting father , Kiki travels to a distant city at the edge of the ocean , where she is instantly over-taken by the goings-on in the city . Yet she's determined to find her place , and ends up doing so in the strangest of ways : by delivering a lost pacifier to a crying baby . Thus , she gets her job in a bakery as a delivery girl , and goes about finding her place as the city's resident witch . Along the way she meets many people that help her prove to herself that she's a worthy witch , and also meets a potential , future , love interest .
All around , this is a fun and simple movie to watch , one great for an entire family , and probably the absolute best anime to introduce people to the world of Japanese Animation . I personally saw this movie years ago on the Disney Channel . It was my first ever Miyazaki film and one I would remember as the movie that got me back into anime after a few years off . The one problem this movie has is that it's only comparable to other Miyazaki films , so I gave it a four simply because it's neither the best nor the worst Ghibli film out in the states , and definitely something that should be seen by both veterans and new-comers alike .
As an aside , this is also a bitter-sweet movie to watch , as it was one of the last places that Phil Hartman ( Saturday Night Live ) contributed his skills . He plays Kiki's ever present cat Jiji and does so with a gentler Hartman style . As a voice-actor , he was great , but as a comedian , he was brilliant .
150 4 One of the fortuitous results of Spirited Away ( Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi ) winning the Oscar for Best Animated Film for the great anime director Hayao Miyazaki is that his other works are becoming readily available on DVD in the United States as well . A case in point is Kiki's Delivery Service ( Majo no takkyubin , literarlly The Witch's Express Mail ) , which tells the story of Kiki O'Connell ( voice by Kirsten Dunst ) , a young witch who has turned 13 and has to go off on her own for a year of training , accompanied only by her black cat Gigi ( voiced by Phil Hartman ) . Training is actually a misnomer , because what Kiki does is get on her broomstick , fly off towards the ocean and finds a beautiful European styled city that does not have a witch . Instead of serving some sort of formal apprenticeship to an older witch , Kiki has to survive on her own , and when she helps Osono ( Tress MacNeille ) return a pacifier to a customer who left I behind at the bakery , she stumbles upon a job that will help her earn her way .
What makes Kiki's Delivery Service work is that fact that everybody in the city accepts Kiki's presence . It has been years since the city had a witch , and the police think she has to obey the rules just like everybody else and not cause accidents flying around on her broomstick , but everybody accepts Kiki at face value and offers her encouragement and support . Included in this group would be Ursula ( Janeane Garofalo ) , an artist living in the forest , Madame ( Debbie Reynolds ) and her housekeeper Bertha ( Edie McClurg ) , a couple of old ladies who take a liking to the young witch , and especially Tombo ( Matthew Lawrence ) , a young boy who would like to fly just like Kiki . Ultimately Kiki's Delivery Service is not about what others think about Kiki but rather what she thinks about herself , especially when she starts confronting the doubts of adolescence that could ground a young witch who starts doubting herself .
True , this film suffers in comparison to Spirited Away , but then that is going to be true of most animated films . The important thing is that Kiki's Delivery Serivces represents Miyazaki's vivid imagination and his painstaking attention to detail and insistence on putting in as much into each frame of animation as possible . The result is not great , but utterly charming , which is high praise given what most animation is like even today where computers are doing too much of the heavy lifting . Note : I am not sure if this was Phil Hartman's last work before his death , but it should be noted that his Gigi has a lot more lines than in the original Japanese version ( you will notice this and other changes when you watch the film with subtitles instead of the dubbed track , which , of course , is something you always want to do with anime at some point while watching the film again ) .
151 4 Out of all of Hayao Miyazaki's movies , Kiki's Delivery Service is my all time favorite . It's so heartwarming . It's about a young witch named Kiki ( DUH ! ) who turned 13 left home for a year , so she can train to become a good witch . With her is her black cat Gigi , who is always complaining about Kiki not being careful .
After arriving , she meets a young man named Tombo ( his real name is Kapuri , I think ) who seems to like her . She starts working as a delivery girl , at a bakery for a woman named Osono and her husband.Osono is expecting a baby so she really could use Kiki's help . Also she not only let's Kiki work at the bakery , she also let's Kiki live in the attic of their house ( which is the upstairs of the bakery ) . However , after a while , Kiki begins to lose her powers as a witch . Will she get them back ? You have to see the movie to find out !
155 4 Another delightful masterpiece from Animator Hayao Miyazaki . On her thirteenth birthday a young witch named Kiki must make her right of passage by going out into the world to live on her own for one year . Kiki picks a quaintly European seaside village as her destination and soars off on her broom . Her pet cat Jiji is her only companion . Like so many of the great Japanese film directors , Miyazaki's films achieve a contemplative beauty . There is an almost Zen like quality to the way in which he patiently allows his images to unfold . One event flows seamlessly to the next without the slightest trace of artifice . Miyazaki's unwillingness to rush the narrative allows the audience to share in Kiki's journey of self discovery . When the lights come up you'll feel as though you've also been away on a trip with an old friend .
Preston McClear , author The Boy Under the Bed
157 4 More than 10 years before Harry Potter ever took to the skies , there was Kiki .
A witch in training , Kiki leaves home at 13 and discovers that maybe things aren't as easy as she'd like to think .
This is not your average film . There is no evil villian the main character must defeat . There are no pointless situations . Every moment is filled with beauty and this will make you THINK .
For anyone who has every felt insecure , ignored , or maybe like they didn't belong , you can actually relate to these characters . It will make you happy and sad .
This is a gem that will not soon be forgotten . Thank goodness they are finally releasing it on DVD !
158 4 A very good film for the Entire family in which The Mystery of a witch is met by the kindness of a gentle girl . Kiki ( voice by Kirsten Dunst : Bring It On ) is a young witch who's family has had a tradition of when a witch turns thirteen , she must leave home for a year and if she wants stay there for the rest of her life to practice Witchcraft . She meets a rather snooty witch on the beginning of her journey who talks about having a skill . Kiki becomes confused and upset and lands her broomstick into a train that seems to be stocked with hay . Waking up the next morning by the cows under the hay Kiki discovers a huge city floating in the ocean . Kiki grabs her broom and flies off to investigate and see if any other witches live there . Kiki is walking around town worried if she might have to spend the night outside but fortunately , she meets a baker named Osono who befriends her and invites Kiki to live with her . As I mentioned before Kiki didn't have a skill so she thought she could start a delivery service in the bakery and meets new people along the way with her friend Jiji by her side . Then . . . Kiki is one morning after playing with her friend Tombo ( Matt Lawrence ) sitting on her bed and Jiji comes in and meows . Kiki and Jiji usually talk , I mean literally , Jiji can talk , but he just meows like a regular cat and drinks some milk . Worried Kiki races for her broom and tries to fly it , but it's no use , she lost her witches powers . Later a friend who she made a delivery to earlier in the movie invites her to her house and bakes Kiki a special cake , but Kiki isn't paying the slightest attention to the cake , it turns out that a Derigibald had crashed and hanging on a rope from it was none other than . . . Tombo ! Terrified Kiki runs over to the scene of the disaster and spots a janitor carrying a brush ! Kiki in a mix of both bravery and stupidity hops on the brush and concentrates . For a few seconds she just stands there motionless in the street . then slowly hovers and in a split second bounces high into the sky and hits a building but gets control over the broom and races towards Tombo just in the nick of time to catch him and finally be a witch again . I highly suggest you buy this film , it will leave you always knowing that anything is possible , who knows , you might be brushing up outside and all of a sudden be zooming in the air like a bird .
Hey . . .
you never know . . .
it could happen . . .
159 4 Kiki's Delivery Service is such a fun movie . I saw it when I was little and loved it . So it is indeed a great kid movie . Whoa ok I sound old , and I am not old ( not even 21 ) . Anyway it is good for all ages even teens , adults and kids .
