Kiki's Delivery
Service
Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
1989
*****
One of Studio Ghibli bigger hits, Kiki's
Delivery Service is actually based on the book of the same name by Eiko Kadono.
I found the original to be that little bit darker than Hayao
Miyazaki's version, and while I like both, I still find it to be an unusual
adaptation, given the tone of the book and its illustrations. It's rather
telling that this was the first Ghibli film to be distributed in the west by
Walt Disney, as it certainly feels more like one of theirs rather than one of
Ghibli's. Kiki is a young Witch but this never feels like a Witchy sort of
story, it's bright and colourful and Kiki certainly isn't of the green-skinned
and wart-ridden variety. The Witch thing is really just a tool to portray
a meaning, as well as giving the character the opportunity to fly and
talk to her pet cat. Witches appeal to younger audiences for various different
reasons, Kiki appeals because instead of using her powers selfishly, she uses
them for a better purpose. Miyazaki has since said that Kiki explores the
gulf between independence and reliance in
teenage Japanese girls. Witches have to adhere to rules, just as
everyone does, but even though she has powers she also feels isolated and
struggles for her own independence. She uses her power of flight and magic
to better herself and move on to adulthood, a far cry from what you expect from
Witches but it captures the very real growing pains and vulnerability felt
by youth in general. There are times during the film whereby Kiki loses her
power of flight and can no longer talk to her cat Jiji during bouts of
self-doubt, when her confidence takes a hit. This is a great lesson for kids
in understanding that vulnerability is an important aspect of
self-realization and not a reflection of failure. I suggest this is more Disney
than the other films but I say that only because of the style it adopts, it's
still very much a Ghibli fantasy and Disney's preachings are
generally a little less accurate than this. Kiki's
Delivery Service is far more of a character driven animation than the other
Ghibli films. The story is fairly simple, which is half of the appeal, Kiki
herself is quite complex and far from being two dimensional. Similar
Ghibli themes arise and it is easy to see some of the studio's films that were
made before and after in one way of another but the mood and structure is
something pretty unique among their animations. It's not just an adult friendly
cartoon for the kids, it is a cartoon FOR the kids, something that will mean
something to them as well as enjoy. I believe it to be something rather
special, although everything that is great about it is also rather
subtle. Jiji the talking cat was enough for me to love it,
everything else is an added bonus. I know they've said that BeWitched was the inspiration but I can't help but think Kiki was responsible for Sabrina The Teenage Witch.
