Citation: Suzuki, T. (Producer), & Miyazaki, H. (Director). (2004). Howl’s moving castle [Film]. Studio Ghibli.
Content Warning: mild depictions of war, violence, death.
For fans of Spirited Away (Miyazaki, 2001) and Princess Mononoke (Miyazaki, 1997), Howl’s Moving Castle follows Sophie, a young hat maker, who has been cursed by the Witch of the Waste to resemble an elderly lady. In search of a cure, Sophie embarks on a journey into “the Waste” by herself until she comes across a great moving castle controlled by the powerful wizard Howl. Together, Sophie and Howl travel the war-torn country while trying to avoid being drawn into the battle between two nations and the wicked Witch of the Waste.
This movie is geared towards slightly younger audiences, but the captivating story, themes, and art will enthrall even older teens. The art and storytelling are beautiful and well crafted. There are some “mature” themes in here (i.e., the anti-war rhetoric that plays a massive role in the film) that makes it well suited for a broad rage of audiences.