Kiki’s Delivery Service Review

 Kiki’s Delivery Service

Story: 7
It’s a tradition that all 13 year old witches leave home to become independent. Of course the story starts out on the night that it is Kiki’s time to leave home and settle herself in a town of her likings. The movie is basically about how Kiki manages to do this. To my opinion this isn’t a very original concept since there are a lot of anime about the theme where independency plays a big role. The thing that makes it perhaps a bit different is the young age Kiki is at. The story isn’t very thick plot-wise and it’s more evolving around character development.

It is a typical Ghibli movie that combines slice of live with a fairytale feeling and this is by no means a bad thing. Even though, as I mentioned above, the story isn’t very original on it’s own, the way the story is told, makes it an endearing and fun watch.

Animation: 8
This movie was made in 1997, that being said I think the animation was splendid for that time and even today there are a lot of anime which look far worse then Kiki’s delivery service. If this will be the first Ghibli movie you watch, it might take some time to get used to this rather unique style. The characters all have fairly small eyes and faces are drawn in a quirky way. However once you get used to this typical Ghibli style, the animation comes across timeless, with as strong point their beautiful vivid colored backgrounds.

Audio: 9
A lot of scenes are supported with orchestral music on the background which really adds to the atmosphere. Another thing that stood out was the music that came out the radio Kiki got as a present from her dad. It produces some old and nostalgic tunes and also the opening theme. The ending theme is a happy tune that matches the last part of the movie well. The voice acting fit the personalities of the characters and does an excellent job with supporting their emotions. So there is nothing to complain about here.

Character development: 8
Basically the whole movie is about Kiki’s development from a child to an independent person. In the beginning of the movie Kiki comes across as clumsy, insecure and childlike. But later in the movie, after Kiki has taken various bumps in the road, she grows aware of her own abilities and develops a much stronger personality.

The supporting cast is made up of various persons who will offer their help to Kiki getting settled in the town of her choice. They don’t really develop that much as persons but play a key role in Kiki’s development. All of the side casts are fun characters though and each has their individual outlook on life which makes them an interesting addition.
I really enjoyed watching the conversations between Kiki and her black cat Jiji. With his sarcastic and grumpy comments, he added a comical note to the movie, which I found very amusing.

Overall: 8
This movie is a nice watch for a broad audience from all ages. All though it is aimed at younger children the movie is much more then that. I think that most adults will be able to appreciate this movie for its nostalgic feel. The rewatchability of this movie is also high, and I surely wouldn’t mind seeing this movie again in the future. If you are in the mood for a light hearted slice of life movie with a fairy tale feeling to it, I strongly suggest checking this title out!

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February 10, 2008 :: Fantasy, Reviews, Slice of life ::