REVIEW - KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE
Hello folks. If there is anyone out there who regularly reads my blog, I apologise for the lack of content over the past few months. Throughout June I was madly working, and trying to get organised, for July, which I spent in Japan. While there I made a few posts about my adventures, in lieu of posting here. The most interesting in probably about the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo. I lived in Japan for five months when I was eighteen and going back was wonderful. Although there is much to be said about the history, beauty, complexity and variety of Japanese culture (not to mention the food, the landscape and the people), what I love most about being in Japan in being exposed to the language. Anybody who is language student, and has travelled to their chosen language's place of origin will understand. Visiting that country just makes all those years and hours of study worth it. The thrill you get from using your language skills to navigate a foreign country is unlike any other sensation I have experienced.
Although this is wonderful while you are there, it makes coming home very difficult. So, in a desperate attempt to hold on to some part of Japan, I have begun to work my way through all the Studio Ghibli films I have never seen. Most of the major ones (Howl's Moving Castle, Laputa, Nausicaa, Spirited Away, Totoro et cetera) and recent ones (probably from Ponyo onwards) I have seen, in fact, while in Japan I was lucky enough to see the latest Ghibli film When Marnie Was There. It was beautiful, and I will definitely be trying to write something up about it in the coming weeks. However, there are still about a dozen Ghibli films which I am yet to view. So today, we will start with a big one - Kiki's Delivery Service. It is difficult for my love of all things Ghibli not to colour my view of the individual films. The fact that I hold the films I have seen in such high esteem means that when viewing a new Ghibli film, my expectations are very high, meaning they are subjected to scrutiny throughout the viewing. In any case, I will try to give a balanced write up.
The nature of the stories told in Ghibli films often feel more like a snapshot into the protagonist's life, rather than the pinnacle moment of their existence. A recording of one of their adventures, rather than the adventure. In Kiki, Arietty, and Howl's Moving Castle for example, there is a sense that although the parts of the character's lives you have witnessed were fantastical, there will be many other exciting challenges for them to face, which we will never be privy to. Compare this to the more typical Disney style story in which you almost always experience the key moment in the character's life - such as in Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. Not all films from either company fit this mould. For instance Spirited Away leans towards the epic adventure Disney mold (perhaps the reason it was so successful outside of Japan?), and something like Brave has that Ghibli sense of the adventure shown being the first of many. In Kiki's world, it is traditional for young witches to leave their hometown once they come of age, and seek their fortune in another town. The films follows the first few weeks of Kiki's time away from home, and the film ends with her finally having gained some trust and approval from the town. The end is abrupt, and the epilogue credit scenes certainly hint at there being a lot more in store for Kiki. This Studio Ghibli tendency to leave many things unsaid, or rather unseen, encourages viewers to engage their imaginations. Instead of leaving the film feeling as though everything is over for the characters, you leave wondering at what marvelous adventures they will embark on next.
You can tell that Hayao Miyazaki himself directed Kiki's Delivery Service because he has such a distinct way of bringing a fantastic amount of life to even the characters who have barely any lines, such as Osono's husband, 'The Baker'. Major characters are also brought to life with flair and personality. Jiji, Kiki's black cat companion, and Ursula, a young and lively female artist who lives in the nearby forest are particular standouts. A notable feature of the characters in this film, is that they all have their personality quirks or idiosyncrasies which are subtly but surely linked to weaknesses in that character's personality. These types of characters enable good storytelling, as they are relatable and have a real risk of failure, which is intriguing to watch. Kiki is the most obvious example - her enthusiasm and desire to please others leads her into disappointment and trouble, but is also what endears her to those she encounters. Tombo is another good example. Although he is very kind and friendly, his brashness and tendency to cave to peer pressure are exposed throughout the film. You notice these faults in the scene following his ride with Kiki on the flying bicycle contraption, and during the danger he gets himself into at the end of the film.
One of Joe Hisaishi's early collaborations with Miyazaki, the score for this film is atmospheric and beautiful. The animation is, of course, fluid and enrapturing. As this film is considered one of the Ghibli classics, I can hardly say that I was expecting anything less.
Although this is wonderful while you are there, it makes coming home very difficult. So, in a desperate attempt to hold on to some part of Japan, I have begun to work my way through all the Studio Ghibli films I have never seen. Most of the major ones (Howl's Moving Castle, Laputa, Nausicaa, Spirited Away, Totoro et cetera) and recent ones (probably from Ponyo onwards) I have seen, in fact, while in Japan I was lucky enough to see the latest Ghibli film When Marnie Was There. It was beautiful, and I will definitely be trying to write something up about it in the coming weeks. However, there are still about a dozen Ghibli films which I am yet to view. So today, we will start with a big one - Kiki's Delivery Service. It is difficult for my love of all things Ghibli not to colour my view of the individual films. The fact that I hold the films I have seen in such high esteem means that when viewing a new Ghibli film, my expectations are very high, meaning they are subjected to scrutiny throughout the viewing. In any case, I will try to give a balanced write up.
The nature of the stories told in Ghibli films often feel more like a snapshot into the protagonist's life, rather than the pinnacle moment of their existence. A recording of one of their adventures, rather than the adventure. In Kiki, Arietty, and Howl's Moving Castle for example, there is a sense that although the parts of the character's lives you have witnessed were fantastical, there will be many other exciting challenges for them to face, which we will never be privy to. Compare this to the more typical Disney style story in which you almost always experience the key moment in the character's life - such as in Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. Not all films from either company fit this mould. For instance Spirited Away leans towards the epic adventure Disney mold (perhaps the reason it was so successful outside of Japan?), and something like Brave has that Ghibli sense of the adventure shown being the first of many. In Kiki's world, it is traditional for young witches to leave their hometown once they come of age, and seek their fortune in another town. The films follows the first few weeks of Kiki's time away from home, and the film ends with her finally having gained some trust and approval from the town. The end is abrupt, and the epilogue credit scenes certainly hint at there being a lot more in store for Kiki. This Studio Ghibli tendency to leave many things unsaid, or rather unseen, encourages viewers to engage their imaginations. Instead of leaving the film feeling as though everything is over for the characters, you leave wondering at what marvelous adventures they will embark on next.
You can tell that Hayao Miyazaki himself directed Kiki's Delivery Service because he has such a distinct way of bringing a fantastic amount of life to even the characters who have barely any lines, such as Osono's husband, 'The Baker'. Major characters are also brought to life with flair and personality. Jiji, Kiki's black cat companion, and Ursula, a young and lively female artist who lives in the nearby forest are particular standouts. A notable feature of the characters in this film, is that they all have their personality quirks or idiosyncrasies which are subtly but surely linked to weaknesses in that character's personality. These types of characters enable good storytelling, as they are relatable and have a real risk of failure, which is intriguing to watch. Kiki is the most obvious example - her enthusiasm and desire to please others leads her into disappointment and trouble, but is also what endears her to those she encounters. Tombo is another good example. Although he is very kind and friendly, his brashness and tendency to cave to peer pressure are exposed throughout the film. You notice these faults in the scene following his ride with Kiki on the flying bicycle contraption, and during the danger he gets himself into at the end of the film.
One of Joe Hisaishi's early collaborations with Miyazaki, the score for this film is atmospheric and beautiful. The animation is, of course, fluid and enrapturing. As this film is considered one of the Ghibli classics, I can hardly say that I was expecting anything less.
