Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Kiki’s Delivery Service launched in 1989. This was Studio Ghibli’s fifth full animated film.
One of the studio’s more children friendly outings (in that respect comparable to 1988’s My Neighbour Totoro), over time it’s become recognised as a total gem. As you’d expect from the talent involved.
The story concerns the antics of a young witch who sets out to find her place in the world, making it a classic coming-of-age tale.
Coming-of-Age as a Witch in Kiki’s Delivery Service
Launching in Nippon as 魔女の宅急便 (Witch’s Express Home Delivery), the production was adapted from Eiko Kadono’s eponymous 1985 children’s fantasy novel.
It’s set in an alternate reality Europe in the 1950s. The narrative arc follows the 13-year-old with Kiki. She leaves her home with Jiji, who’s her pet black cat (who can also talk and is one sardonic SOB).
Naturally, the cat became one of the most popular aspects of the film.
In the English dub of the film Kiki was voiced by Kirsten Dunst. Jiji was voiced by The Simpsons regular voice actor Phil Hartman.
Regarding Hartman’s role as the cat, this was very different to the Japanese version of the film. In Japan, the culture tends to depict cats with female voices. This led to voice actor Rei Sakuma taking on the role for the Japanese release.
She’s much more careful and conscientious in the Japanese version, as opposed to the cynical and wisecracking take for Western audiences.
We don’t think there’s one better version over the other, but if you watch the English or Japanese dub you basically get a different version of Jiji. Choose as you wish!
Anyway, as Kiki’s adventure begins she flies on her broomstick to the port city Koriko (a fictional location). Upon arriving she attempts to find a home.
Young local lad Tombo (Matthew Lawrence) takes an interest in her. A total dork, he’s obsessed with flying and in awe of Kiki’s flying abilities.
Eventually the crazy dude takes Kiki for a ride, too, in one of those classic OMG type of Studio Ghibli moments.
Kiki finds a home and helps the pregnant landlady, Osono, with her day-to-day life. Chores etc.
With a budding entrepreneurial spirit, Kiki then decides to open up a Witch Delivery Service to use her flying skills for locals.
What follows are then a series of travails—mishaps during her early deliveries. Then, over time, she begins to master her craft and Kiki’s Delivery Service becomes a proper 5/5 on TrustPilot kind of business (with no fake reviews or anything).
However, despite business beginning to boom she eventually overworks herself and suffers with burnout.
After a period of depression, she loses the ability to communicate with Jiji. He/she (depending on your viewing version) becomes just like a normal cat.
Her flying ability also disappears, leading to business problems.
After a dramatic incident in the town, Kiki is then revitalised. She finds a new purpose, gains back her powers, and Jiji is able to chat once more.
And that’s the story. The film ends soon after Kiki’s triumphant return to form. No massive set pieces in this one, then, it has a relaxed and methodical pace. There are moments of refrain, as with the below.
https://youtu.be/2On2JU3I_hQ?si=mwDuZBcN7ecOMTvI
If you’re an adult, the message is clear. It’s a story of maturity. Kiki leaves her parents and sets out on her own, discovering the real world offers many challenges.
There’s a great deal of vulnerability she displays, alongside her push to find independence in the big old wide world.
This all plays out with the standard Studio Ghibli charm, making it a quietly brilliant and engaging film. Even if it is methodical in its pace, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a heart-warming story of a young lady finding her place in society.
The Production of Kiki’s Delivery Service
Behold the original Japanese trailer above. In the East they do trailers a tad differently than to us, which is interesting to note.
The film had a budget of ¥800 million ($6.9 million) and was a success in Nippon making around the equivalent of $31 million.
Kiki’s Delivery Services has since enjoyed releases elsewhere in the world, including numerous re-runs in global cinemas form 2004-now, which means total box office intake is around the $42 million mark.
In pre-production Miyazaki and his team travelled to Sweden.
Artistically, they wanted to research the Stockholm and Visby so they could conceptualise the location of Koriko. The end result was a merger of Sweden’s cities, Lisbon, Paris, San Francisco, and Milan.
Miyazaki’s plan wasn’t to direct the film, at first he chose Sunao Katabuchi to take lead for the project.
However, after finishing the screenplay in June 1988 Miyazaki decided to head the project due to, by that stage, being so heavily involved.
Amongst his canon of work, Kiki’s Delivery Service tends to rank near the top. Although it’s not as spectacular as, say, Princess Mononoke (1997), whether you’re an adult or child there’s a heartfelt story in Kiki that continues to resonate.
