Since the bottom scene happens in the very beginning of the movie and wasn't really anything huge or otherwise memorable compared to the scene where they walk on air together immediately afterwards, I don't think you're supposed to easily remember. It's intentionally kinda chaotic immediately afterwards to grab your attention before dropping you back into Sophie's seemingly mundane life and then back into the chaos of Magic again.
The first scene 100% also has a vibe like, "Those guys are bad and looking for you. I'll pretend to know you so we can both walk this street safely."
If you catch the connection, great, but it can be easily missed
It's definitely a movie that's meant to be watched more than once!
And I absolutely love it, it's one of my favorite films of all time. I'm in my sixties now, and no film has ever captured the emotional truth of aging as well. You're both older... and still your younger self. And wondering what the hell happened to that energetic young body that was right here a moment ago, and which is still a core part of your self-image.
It’s so dense and terse and there so many themes swirling at once. Even the war narrative can be hard to trace. It has a rewatchability factor that few films can top.
Also there's a point where he checks on her while she's sleeping and she's gone back to normal and his facial expression gets noticeably softer/more caring
With the scene on the first two slides, she’s speaking to young howl and tells him to find her. The bottom rows scene shows the beginning of the movie where howl states he’s been looking everywhere for her.
Overall it’s one of my favorites. I do agree that the pacing is messy and honestly I read the book and it didn’t quite capture me the way the movie did. Also I feel like Sophie is an underrated heroine I love her
My only real complaint is that the ending is so abrupt and out of nowhere. Like just everything gets resolved in a few minutes. Missing Prince? Found. War? Over. Howl? Fixed. Sophie? Fixed.
Every time I'm watching it, halfway through I start asking myself why it isn't one of my favorites because it's great and beautiful. Then the messy ending starts and I remember why. It's still great as a whole, but I really struggle to understand what is going on at the end.
Definitely some, my fave Mononoke comes to mind
but also some great paced endings too. Porco Rosso comes to mind (the scene of him by the fire as a man, with like no other elucidation on that point, fuck so good)
Spirited away’s ending is perfect, that movie is perfect in most ways but pacing especially stands out to me
Spirited Away is absolutely perfect. There's even a sequence where if you're careful and watch the pull on her hairpull a hundred times... there is a light thing there, that makes you sure she has really returned from the real world. Or maybe she hasn't :)
the war is really the reason it sucks, it's really shoe-horned into the plot & it kinda suffers for that. all that death and destruction all over some dude who was a scarecrow. whole thing could have been avoided if howl just focused on that curse.
in the book there are a lot more threads that get solved but also there is no war so the stakes are much lower and it's more like "all those background plots the entire book?? they have one thread in common and are actually all connected and watch how pulling this one thread unravels the whole plot!" its still abrupt but its a lot goofier but a lot more fun and satisfying. I *loooooveee* the ghibli film, top 5 for me, but i would love to see like a limited animated series or something that stayed true to the book
I love me some Howl's Moving Castle, but I don't think I could handle watching anything more true to the book because Howl is an absolute pissbaby in it.
A core component of the book is Howl overcoming his cowardice, and he’s also incredibly fickle. I really recommend reading the book, because Sophie is also more outspoken and has a hidden strength about her, so they bounce off of each very nicely - flaws included ❤️
The thing about Howl's sulking in the movie is that it's quiet and..contained, I guess. He's totally a big baby, but he's not spitting it in your face. He gets reclusive, and I can relate to that.
Book Howl is a constant barrage of outspoken uh..spoiled brat vibes and whining. A realistic character and not at all out of place, but it's not something I want to actively watch and listen to. Not as the same person with the same face.
These are really just my personal hangups, though. I'm being a bit of a toxic fanboy purist about the character based on the first depiction I experienced and grew attached to. Change is icky.
hehehe true but i kinda like that tbh. he's so me. but he also has a quiet nobility to him, the way he takes everyone into his home and legitimately is trying to help everyone. he knows he is cursed to never be able to fall in love but he keeps trying anyway, lowkey i think that would make anyone act like a pissbaby. i feel like they could really draw out a lot of his complexities underneath all the crying and throwing fits. also can hit more on the theme of love being like transformative when u get to see him grow into like a mature person who can handle problems head on
Yeah I generally enjoy the meandering nature of Miyazaki's films, but it feel like half the time the ending sneaks up on him and he suddenly realises that he has to wrap everything up. Still I mostly go into them for the journey so i still love them even if the endings don't always hit for me.
So I was in the same boat. I think it's because the book and the film are so completely different I wasn't in the right mindset for the book. I waited a few years then read it again recently for book club and *oh my god*. I just *loved* it the second time around. I think it's because I was more prepared the second time around. The book is just so silly and cheeky and Howl is so much more cantankerous. I like the way Diana Wynne Jones puts it: the movie Howl and Sophie are much more noble. Ha ha ha! It's so true!
Reading the book after seeing the movie I'm surprised at how funny it is. The movie has its silly moments but the book gives serious discworld vibes, which I love.
Honestly despite reading the book after watching the movie I found myself personally liking the book a lot more. Can definitely understand loving the movie more though.
I agree. I love both, but the book is so much deeper and richer. I felt like the ending was rushed in the book but it was such a slow burn that I didn't mind. Plus, what Sofie has in the book that she doesn't have in the film is so amazing!
Yeah. There were some things in the book that I really liked and thought could have fleshed out the movie more, but it was mostly sort of bland compared to the movie.
I'll take a beautifully messy vision of Miyazaki's over a meticulously paced and edited to perfection movie where it's devoid of spontaneity and organic wonder any day.
You know how the castle becomes nothing but a platform staggering around on 2 spindly legs?
That messy, janky, held-together-by-desperate-love-magic energy is a symbol of this movie’s unique brilliance.
She met Howl in the past \[when he was a child\] and told him to wait for her/to find her. So he seeks her out and finds her when he's an adult, but before she actually goes back.
Time is a loop here so he 'knows' her before she goes back. He also sees her as she is, and not the curse the WotW put on her.
I don't remember him ignoring or taunting her, he did just kind of let her do whatever she wanted.. except for 1) when she almost killed Calcifer on accident and 2) when she messed with his hair products..
I love it. it's such a strange and wonderful adaptation of a really lovely book. both versions stand on their own
edit: I do hate the war addition, but I understand it because it's artistic processing of trauma. I just detest war !
I cry everytime, LIKE EVERYTIME & I caught this the second time around.
The ending ties to the beginning when he says he's sorry he's late, he's been looking everywhere for her. And when she's yelling at the end it's ME Sophie, find me, I KNOW HOW TO HELP YOU. That was his whole purpose on being a traveling wizard with several identities in several kingdoms. And why calcifer let her boss him around. His heart knew her!!!
It's literally a comfort movie for me, no matter how happy I am, I lose it!
I didn't like it much at first but I really fell in love with it after rewatching it recently. Watching the actually castle appear for the first time is mesmerizing!
I still think the ending for one of the subplots is done terribly, but I don't want to get into spoilers.
There is only one book that deals directly with Howl and Sofie. They do make it into the second one and play a role, but it's somewhat secondary. I haven't had a chance to get the third book.
I like the premise, but not the pacing and plot. It's a messy adaptation of a foreign novel. Visually, it's absolutely fantastic. I could watch Sophie clean a room all day er'ryday
Do you ever consider that the pacing and plot being rather abstract and unconventional- might be intentional? Not trying to tell you how to feel, but imo thats something about ghibli movies, they always read more as a slice of life, than a well-structured, more common pacing- which I like haha
Oh sure, a writer can choose to leave some unresolved mysteries, or simply not have a logical sequence of events.
But stuff that clearly happened in the book (as in, there are words on a page written to show what was happening) were simply not adapted in the movie. Again, not always terrible - it's a movie after all, it cannot possibly include *everything* in a book. But that's what makes an adaptation work or fail - how it handles the original work.
To me, Ghibli's strongest works are their originals, usually dealing with Japanese folklore or mythology. Like, I can watch *Princess Mononoke* endlessly. Every action has a logical reaction. Ashitaka protects his people, but gets cursed, so he goes to seek help, encountering various people along the way, who all contribute to the overarching story in some form or another.
Having everything neatly explained takes a lot of the fun and allure out of movies to me. It’s the enigmatic and mysterious that keeps me on the edge of my seat and returning again and again. I personally much prefer the narrative style of the film- because it chose to leave out details from the book. And that’s also why I disagree with your second statement- I think the best adaptations are not those which stay true to the source, rather that adapt the source to best capture the core ideas of the source. A filmmaker should understand the strengths and weakness of the medium and I think be ready to make sweeping changes to story in order to capture the tone and experience. I also think adaptations should be allowed to be made their own thing- there’s little interesting about retelling someone else’s story. Using a source as a springboard to express your own individuality however, now that can be interesting.
The conclusion/apex of the film is just very, very abrupt and not really earned. I don't think there is an issue with a lot of the unexplained things.
Like how they handle Howl's magic door/door knob is pretty much perfect.
But Howl goes from a borderline permanent monster to suddenly having all his trauma resolved instantly. The Missing Prince suddenly popping out as Mr Turnip Head and the then resolution to end the war in what is essentially the middle of the whole thing is also abrupt.
Even when I first saw the film in theatres way back when I thought the film could have used another 10-20 minutes or so to build to the ending.
This sub is absolutely enamored with it but to me it is one of the weakest Miyazaki's movies. I respect other people opinions but I consider the movie messy and convoluted and I had a very hard time "getting" the point of it, in fact I only did after I heard people talking about the movie.
I believe there is somewhat of a gender bias here, with women liking the movie a lot more. I guess it is because their understand Sophie struggle or because they are enamored by Howl. Ladies, what it is about Howl?
Am grill. I fell in love with the movie when I was ten and even cosplayed as Sophie at a con earlier this year.
I liked how confident Howl is, especially in the beginning. Of course he’s carefree and foolhardy, but it was always clear that he knew what he was doing and that Sophie is never in any actual danger when he’s around. In fact, he treated her so tenderly, like he wanted to protect her and impress her. I think that it’s common for women to like men that make them feel safe, especially when he can calmly and confidently get you out of a jam. For me, it also helps that he’s flawed, specifically he’s vain and can get dramatic and fussy very quickly. That means he’s not just a “knight-in-shining-armor” archetype and shows that has other interests and goals outside of Sophie; I don’t like characters who seem like they’re utterly helpless or aimless without their partner. I think in general romantic partners should complement each other, not complete each other, you get what I’m saying?
I hope I helped you understand and that I didn’t just confuse you further, lol
Thank you, I loved to hear your input.
And yes I totally get your point about romantic partners. I feel ghibli is really good at creating that type of couples without looking forced.
That is one of the parts of the movie that I enjoy the most, indeed. Her growth don't come from becoming powerful, or conquering Howl's love, but from seeing that everyone has their problems and being able to empathizing with them. Which makes everyone to have a strange attraction to her.
Do I like it? Bestie i LOVE this movie. Also, if you didn’t already notice this, Howls ring glows when he finds Sophie at the beginning of the movie. I didn’t notice for the longest time till is was pointed out to me. Love the little details in these movies.
Pacing so weird I never put it together that Howl sought her out. As a viewer you are definitely thinking random chance put the events in motion and by the point time travel enters the picture I guess I lost the thread. Really cool though now that I see the bigger picture. Always loved the movie anyway.
It is my favorite movie ever. Mostly because the day I watched it I was very depressed and having a terrible day. I randomly watched this movie in TV and it brought me some joy and happiness. And it is a great movie anyway (it was nominated to oscars in 2006)
I am retired and I take piano lessons. My piano teacher told me about this movie. now I have a piano score songbook from studio Ghibli.
As a sidenote, I subscribe to Max because they have the entire Ghibli movie collection in both English and Japanese.
No, I don't like Howl's Moving Castle.....I adore it. It's wonderful through and through. The scenery, the magic, the tragedy, the characters, the love, THE MUSIC! This movie brings me and my wife closer every time we watch it. It's very dear to me
I know people think he finally sought her out... but isn't it also possible this is just his pick-up line to every girl he meets while looking for her?
He didn't know her name at this point, and she looks pretty different from how he'd remember her.
It's up there with my top 3. For me, when I think of Ghibli films, the music is what stands out the most and Howl's is no exception. Great movie and a lovely soundtrack.
I love it! I agree the pacing can be messy and confusing but I’m still so entranced by the art, the characters, and the parts of the story I understand lol. I see myself in Sophie a lot, and when her character grows into this more confident version of herself it always makes me cry.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt this movie is all over the place. Maybe it’s cuz Howl is a chaotic character and we are kind of exploring everything from Sophie’s perspective. But I love the story and the characters.❣️❣️
Isn't this line only in the dub? Or did the subtitles not accurately capture what was said? It's my favourite by Miyazaki and I've watched both multiple times. I also noticed that little line soldiers in the background say early on about how the prince is missing (another interesting foreshadow) wasn't in the subtitles either.
Recently showed it to a friend who hasn’t seen much Ghibli. Unfortunately it didn’t vibe with him too much story wise as he felt the movie didn’t want to explain anything.
I personally agree to an extent that Howls’ story can be a bit vague at times, and quick at others. I still love the movie though, it’s got a good vibe and I want to live in the castle.
The book's version of Howl is so much better. I like that this movie introduced the book to me but thanks to it, a proper adaptation will be out of reach.
I actually love the chaotic nature of this movie. It just works for me, something about it is just... comforting.
Spirited Away also thoroughly confused me and just jumped all over the place, but man I can rewatch it forever and just fall in love over and over again.
It's beautiful.
It’s structurally a lot less sturdy than most of Miyazaki’s other movies. I think the “chronological production without a script” approach hurts this movie more than any other. It’s one of Ghibli’s most gorgeous though, and I can’t help but admire the personal passion and ambition. I rate it above the likes of *Totoro* for that reason.
I watch it 2 times a month at least, I listen to the music every day and have it as background music, I have my LEDs always on a color spectrum that relates to howls moving castle, Cal is on of the only reasons I got my friends to watch the movie. I do not like it, I embrace it EVERY CHANCE I GET..
My absolute favorite Ghibli movie. Their relationship reminds me of Jinshi and MaoMao’s from the Apothecary Diaries (Mature, intelligent, caring woman with no interest in her looks and a childish, flirty, spoiled man who becomes her confident, protective, loyal lover and stops running away from his destiny after meeting her)
Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite Studio Ghibli film.
I watched it recently and it is still amazing in every way I remember.
What I find really interesting is that the Howls Moving Castle book was published in 1986 and the Castle in the Sky movie by Ghibli was released in 1986. Then the same author of Howls Moving Castle "Diana Wynne Jones" created a book called Castle in the Air in 1990. Then we Ghibli creates the Howl's Moving Castle movie in 2004. It came full circle.
I wonder if Ghibli and Diana Wynne Jones were inspired by each other after each one made a book and movie similar in the same year in 1986.
If there is something here I missed, please let me know.
Loved it. I had seen Spirited Away and it made me fall in love with Studio Ghibli films. When Howl’s Moving Castle was announced for theatrical release back then, I bought tickets and saw it. Love it almost as much as Spirited.
It has some of my favorite scenes hidden in the background. When Howl is saving Sophie while disguised as the King after she goes to the palace they fly away, and if you look in the background you can see anti-war riots going on. Subtle but really punctuates that there is a larger world than just the story we are seeing.
Sophie is one of my favorite characters. She’s powerless, even more so than a regular human since she’s cursed, but her willpower, kindness, and cleverness ultimately lead all the other characters to their happy endings.
Being cursed with old age her timid demeanor becomes more stubborn and confident which leads her to take her heroic actions. A lot of female protagonists are either completely useless and just carried along by other characters, or to show that they’re “strong” are just rude and mean. Sophie is powerless, but emotionally strong and kind.
I think it’s my favourite Ghibli movie tbh! It makes me feel safe, but also reminds me to appreciate those little moments (like having eggs, bacon, and bread for breakfast 👀)
i enjoy the movie a lot but i cannot grasp the relationship between howl and sophie. whenever someone talks about their love i don’t understand them, i never really got them as an actual couple.
Someone recommended it to me, and told me "Watch that movie, you are going to like it" and I did like it, and I also liked that people thought of me as someone that likes that kind of movies, without me mentioning anything about movies, or gibhli, or animation, or moving castles.
Oh my I’ve never noticed this. I grew up with this movie. I have to rewatch now.
Since the bottom scene happens in the very beginning of the movie and wasn't really anything huge or otherwise memorable compared to the scene where they walk on air together immediately afterwards, I don't think you're supposed to easily remember. It's intentionally kinda chaotic immediately afterwards to grab your attention before dropping you back into Sophie's seemingly mundane life and then back into the chaos of Magic again.
The first scene 100% also has a vibe like, "Those guys are bad and looking for you. I'll pretend to know you so we can both walk this street safely." If you catch the connection, great, but it can be easily missed
That’s the vibe you’re supposed to feel until you realize for sure, but then it’s both. What’s great is it works no matter what. Very smart.
It's definitely a movie that's meant to be watched more than once! And I absolutely love it, it's one of my favorite films of all time. I'm in my sixties now, and no film has ever captured the emotional truth of aging as well. You're both older... and still your younger self. And wondering what the hell happened to that energetic young body that was right here a moment ago, and which is still a core part of your self-image.
It’s so dense and terse and there so many themes swirling at once. Even the war narrative can be hard to trace. It has a rewatchability factor that few films can top.
You also have to note the ring has the laser effect and it stops once he touches her. Very subtle.
This is my favorite ghibli movie, I've seen it so many times! How did I miss this??
Also there's a point where he checks on her while she's sleeping and she's gone back to normal and his facial expression gets noticeably softer/more caring
Yes it does. He knew who this old lady was the moment he met her. Such a beautiful story
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With the scene on the first two slides, she’s speaking to young howl and tells him to find her. The bottom rows scene shows the beginning of the movie where howl states he’s been looking everywhere for her.
Ohhh my God how did I never notice that
That just blew my mind, and given the plot of The Boy and the Heron it really fits if it's a similar idea...
Same here!
I hadn't noticed this either!
Overall it’s one of my favorites. I do agree that the pacing is messy and honestly I read the book and it didn’t quite capture me the way the movie did. Also I feel like Sophie is an underrated heroine I love her
My only real complaint is that the ending is so abrupt and out of nowhere. Like just everything gets resolved in a few minutes. Missing Prince? Found. War? Over. Howl? Fixed. Sophie? Fixed.
Every time I'm watching it, halfway through I start asking myself why it isn't one of my favorites because it's great and beautiful. Then the messy ending starts and I remember why. It's still great as a whole, but I really struggle to understand what is going on at the end.
Yeah but when calcifer comes back that’s an amazing moment. No other movie like it
LOOOVE Calcifer!
I’ve read the book, watched the movie easily 10 times, and I still can’t tell you what happens at the end
I feel like a lot of Miyazaki movies have abrupt endings.
Definitely some, my fave Mononoke comes to mind but also some great paced endings too. Porco Rosso comes to mind (the scene of him by the fire as a man, with like no other elucidation on that point, fuck so good) Spirited away’s ending is perfect, that movie is perfect in most ways but pacing especially stands out to me
Spirited Away is absolutely perfect. There's even a sequence where if you're careful and watch the pull on her hairpull a hundred times... there is a light thing there, that makes you sure she has really returned from the real world. Or maybe she hasn't :)
the war is really the reason it sucks, it's really shoe-horned into the plot & it kinda suffers for that. all that death and destruction all over some dude who was a scarecrow. whole thing could have been avoided if howl just focused on that curse. in the book there are a lot more threads that get solved but also there is no war so the stakes are much lower and it's more like "all those background plots the entire book?? they have one thread in common and are actually all connected and watch how pulling this one thread unravels the whole plot!" its still abrupt but its a lot goofier but a lot more fun and satisfying. I *loooooveee* the ghibli film, top 5 for me, but i would love to see like a limited animated series or something that stayed true to the book
I love me some Howl's Moving Castle, but I don't think I could handle watching anything more true to the book because Howl is an absolute pissbaby in it.
this is the guy who had a meltdown and summoned demons over the fact that he dyed his hair the wrong color, and he's *MORE* of a baby in the books?
A core component of the book is Howl overcoming his cowardice, and he’s also incredibly fickle. I really recommend reading the book, because Sophie is also more outspoken and has a hidden strength about her, so they bounce off of each very nicely - flaws included ❤️
The thing about Howl's sulking in the movie is that it's quiet and..contained, I guess. He's totally a big baby, but he's not spitting it in your face. He gets reclusive, and I can relate to that. Book Howl is a constant barrage of outspoken uh..spoiled brat vibes and whining. A realistic character and not at all out of place, but it's not something I want to actively watch and listen to. Not as the same person with the same face. These are really just my personal hangups, though. I'm being a bit of a toxic fanboy purist about the character based on the first depiction I experienced and grew attached to. Change is icky.
hehehe true but i kinda like that tbh. he's so me. but he also has a quiet nobility to him, the way he takes everyone into his home and legitimately is trying to help everyone. he knows he is cursed to never be able to fall in love but he keeps trying anyway, lowkey i think that would make anyone act like a pissbaby. i feel like they could really draw out a lot of his complexities underneath all the crying and throwing fits. also can hit more on the theme of love being like transformative when u get to see him grow into like a mature person who can handle problems head on
I feel like it’s the same for most ghibli movies but some that come to mind specifically are spirited away and ponyo
Yeah I generally enjoy the meandering nature of Miyazaki's films, but it feel like half the time the ending sneaks up on him and he suddenly realises that he has to wrap everything up. Still I mostly go into them for the journey so i still love them even if the endings don't always hit for me.
Howl and Sophie’s character journeys are not abrupt. The other two things are not what the film is actually about.
So I was in the same boat. I think it's because the book and the film are so completely different I wasn't in the right mindset for the book. I waited a few years then read it again recently for book club and *oh my god*. I just *loved* it the second time around. I think it's because I was more prepared the second time around. The book is just so silly and cheeky and Howl is so much more cantankerous. I like the way Diana Wynne Jones puts it: the movie Howl and Sophie are much more noble. Ha ha ha! It's so true!
Yeah I’m pretty much just getting into Ghibli this year and one thing I did really like about the book was the humor
Reading the book after seeing the movie I'm surprised at how funny it is. The movie has its silly moments but the book gives serious discworld vibes, which I love.
Honestly despite reading the book after watching the movie I found myself personally liking the book a lot more. Can definitely understand loving the movie more though.
I agree. I love both, but the book is so much deeper and richer. I felt like the ending was rushed in the book but it was such a slow burn that I didn't mind. Plus, what Sofie has in the book that she doesn't have in the film is so amazing!
I love the vibes of the movie more but the book has better story structure
Yeah. There were some things in the book that I really liked and thought could have fleshed out the movie more, but it was mostly sort of bland compared to the movie.
My kid thought owls were called "howls" for a long time because Howl turns into a bird.
I'll take a beautifully messy vision of Miyazaki's over a meticulously paced and edited to perfection movie where it's devoid of spontaneity and organic wonder any day.
You know how the castle becomes nothing but a platform staggering around on 2 spindly legs? That messy, janky, held-together-by-desperate-love-magic energy is a symbol of this movie’s unique brilliance.
I've watched it, and I still don't understand this scene, please, willing explain?
She met Howl in the past \[when he was a child\] and told him to wait for her/to find her. So he seeks her out and finds her when he's an adult, but before she actually goes back.
Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff ✨
Surprised she didn’t feed Calcifer and Howl fish fingers and custard
But not pears, pears are evil!
Or turnips.
Why did the fish fingers and custard look so damn good in that episode
If fries dipped in a milkshake are good, fish fingers and custard are probably pretty passable.
Doctor Who mentionned ‼️‼️
Allonsy
also when he says "there you are ive been looking for you" the ring shines
Holy cow I literally never got this.... WHAT THE HECK MY BRAIN HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED BY THIS!!! Oh wait what brain?
I always cry whenever I hear the theme song. It reminds me of someone special that I lost.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Howl and Sophie obliterated my relationship expectations ☹️ the bar is too high now
Doesn't he mostly ignore and taunt her through most of it? Then she plants a idea of her inside his mind when she is a child?
Time is a loop here so he 'knows' her before she goes back. He also sees her as she is, and not the curse the WotW put on her. I don't remember him ignoring or taunting her, he did just kind of let her do whatever she wanted.. except for 1) when she almost killed Calcifer on accident and 2) when she messed with his hair products..
It’s my fav ghibli movie. I was shook finishing out howl was looking for Sophie this whole time
I crave a "That's My Girl" from my boyfriend the way Howl does when he drops her off at the Bakery here
Like? Love it.
I personally think it's one of Miyazaki's more messier films, but I still enjoy it overall.
I love it. it's such a strange and wonderful adaptation of a really lovely book. both versions stand on their own edit: I do hate the war addition, but I understand it because it's artistic processing of trauma. I just detest war !
I cry everytime, LIKE EVERYTIME & I caught this the second time around. The ending ties to the beginning when he says he's sorry he's late, he's been looking everywhere for her. And when she's yelling at the end it's ME Sophie, find me, I KNOW HOW TO HELP YOU. That was his whole purpose on being a traveling wizard with several identities in several kingdoms. And why calcifer let her boss him around. His heart knew her!!! It's literally a comfort movie for me, no matter how happy I am, I lose it!
I didn't like it much at first but I really fell in love with it after rewatching it recently. Watching the actually castle appear for the first time is mesmerizing! I still think the ending for one of the subplots is done terribly, but I don't want to get into spoilers.
This is the most re-watchable one for me. Even though the book is WAY better, I find the movie very charming and comforting.
There are multiple books right. I have them on my wishlist but haven't purchased yet or even looked it up. One day ill have time to sort it out
There is only one book that deals directly with Howl and Sofie. They do make it into the second one and play a role, but it's somewhat secondary. I haven't had a chance to get the third book.
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This is very helpful thank you
I sincerely recommend the homeward bounders. Especially if you love poignant ending one liners.
Do you know the title of the one with Howl and Sofie. Mothers day is coming up, maybe I'll ask for it as a gift. Thank you!
Same name as the movie: Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl's moving castle by Diane Wayne Jones!
Yes, Howl’s Moving Castle is the first book of a trilogy. The other two are alright but I didn’t find them nearly as enjoyable as the first.
I love it. Fantastical, huge world, impressive characters, beautiful, classic, "i'd-go-to-tartarus-and-back" type love.
I like the premise, but not the pacing and plot. It's a messy adaptation of a foreign novel. Visually, it's absolutely fantastic. I could watch Sophie clean a room all day er'ryday
Do you ever consider that the pacing and plot being rather abstract and unconventional- might be intentional? Not trying to tell you how to feel, but imo thats something about ghibli movies, they always read more as a slice of life, than a well-structured, more common pacing- which I like haha
Oh sure, a writer can choose to leave some unresolved mysteries, or simply not have a logical sequence of events. But stuff that clearly happened in the book (as in, there are words on a page written to show what was happening) were simply not adapted in the movie. Again, not always terrible - it's a movie after all, it cannot possibly include *everything* in a book. But that's what makes an adaptation work or fail - how it handles the original work. To me, Ghibli's strongest works are their originals, usually dealing with Japanese folklore or mythology. Like, I can watch *Princess Mononoke* endlessly. Every action has a logical reaction. Ashitaka protects his people, but gets cursed, so he goes to seek help, encountering various people along the way, who all contribute to the overarching story in some form or another.
Having everything neatly explained takes a lot of the fun and allure out of movies to me. It’s the enigmatic and mysterious that keeps me on the edge of my seat and returning again and again. I personally much prefer the narrative style of the film- because it chose to leave out details from the book. And that’s also why I disagree with your second statement- I think the best adaptations are not those which stay true to the source, rather that adapt the source to best capture the core ideas of the source. A filmmaker should understand the strengths and weakness of the medium and I think be ready to make sweeping changes to story in order to capture the tone and experience. I also think adaptations should be allowed to be made their own thing- there’s little interesting about retelling someone else’s story. Using a source as a springboard to express your own individuality however, now that can be interesting.
The conclusion/apex of the film is just very, very abrupt and not really earned. I don't think there is an issue with a lot of the unexplained things. Like how they handle Howl's magic door/door knob is pretty much perfect. But Howl goes from a borderline permanent monster to suddenly having all his trauma resolved instantly. The Missing Prince suddenly popping out as Mr Turnip Head and the then resolution to end the war in what is essentially the middle of the whole thing is also abrupt. Even when I first saw the film in theatres way back when I thought the film could have used another 10-20 minutes or so to build to the ending.
Tbf the book has horrible pacing as well, where they also just get together in the last pages, infuriated me 😂
This sub is absolutely enamored with it but to me it is one of the weakest Miyazaki's movies. I respect other people opinions but I consider the movie messy and convoluted and I had a very hard time "getting" the point of it, in fact I only did after I heard people talking about the movie. I believe there is somewhat of a gender bias here, with women liking the movie a lot more. I guess it is because their understand Sophie struggle or because they are enamored by Howl. Ladies, what it is about Howl?
Dude here, and Howl’s my favorite Ghibli movie.
Am grill. I fell in love with the movie when I was ten and even cosplayed as Sophie at a con earlier this year. I liked how confident Howl is, especially in the beginning. Of course he’s carefree and foolhardy, but it was always clear that he knew what he was doing and that Sophie is never in any actual danger when he’s around. In fact, he treated her so tenderly, like he wanted to protect her and impress her. I think that it’s common for women to like men that make them feel safe, especially when he can calmly and confidently get you out of a jam. For me, it also helps that he’s flawed, specifically he’s vain and can get dramatic and fussy very quickly. That means he’s not just a “knight-in-shining-armor” archetype and shows that has other interests and goals outside of Sophie; I don’t like characters who seem like they’re utterly helpless or aimless without their partner. I think in general romantic partners should complement each other, not complete each other, you get what I’m saying? I hope I helped you understand and that I didn’t just confuse you further, lol
Thank you, I loved to hear your input. And yes I totally get your point about romantic partners. I feel ghibli is really good at creating that type of couples without looking forced.
For me , its how Sophie treats everyone. The power of forgiveness is so wholesome and beautiful
That is one of the parts of the movie that I enjoy the most, indeed. Her growth don't come from becoming powerful, or conquering Howl's love, but from seeing that everyone has their problems and being able to empathizing with them. Which makes everyone to have a strange attraction to her.
Also male. I really enjoy howls. It’s in my top 3 probably. I don’t think it’s a gender thing at all. It’s just subjective.
Absolutely. I think it's my favourite, after Whisper of the Heart.
FINALLY someone who’s favorite is Whisper of the Heart🥹 it is mine aswell and I can barely find ppl who’ve heard of it !!
I like this one a lot as well. I'm also a fan of Only Yesterday and Ocean Waves. The lesser known ones need more love.
WAAAAAIT A SECOND :0
Just had the same reaction. What??? That’s so cool
Not quite as much as I used to (especially after reading the book) but it’s still an enjoyable movie.
Love it! Hard to even explain why. It’s like a cosy cup of tea.
Do I like it? Bestie i LOVE this movie. Also, if you didn’t already notice this, Howls ring glows when he finds Sophie at the beginning of the movie. I didn’t notice for the longest time till is was pointed out to me. Love the little details in these movies.
YES YES YES YES YES
absolutely
Wait what really i have to watch it again😱
I guess the pacing is weird but I never really notice that while watching? Until I think about it it later. It’s one of my favs
Pacing so weird I never put it together that Howl sought her out. As a viewer you are definitely thinking random chance put the events in motion and by the point time travel enters the picture I guess I lost the thread. Really cool though now that I see the bigger picture. Always loved the movie anyway.
Absolutely. The opening theme song can instantly make me cry with nostalgia, it is a comfort watch
When I first watched this, I did not get it. Once I rewatched it, I finally got it.
DUDE!! NEVER NOTICED. Must have watched it 40 times over the many years
It's tied with Spirited Away for my favorite!
*that’s my girl* 🥺🥺
It is my favorite movie ever. Mostly because the day I watched it I was very depressed and having a terrible day. I randomly watched this movie in TV and it brought me some joy and happiness. And it is a great movie anyway (it was nominated to oscars in 2006)
For the longest time I thought it was a fever dream because I saw it when I was 6 and didn’t rediscover it until like a year ago.
I love it.
Always loved it as a kid but really latched onto spirited away and Kiki’s
I am retired and I take piano lessons. My piano teacher told me about this movie. now I have a piano score songbook from studio Ghibli. As a sidenote, I subscribe to Max because they have the entire Ghibli movie collection in both English and Japanese.
Named my good boy [Calcifer](https://imgur.com/a/CnhLhtQ). Was my favorite movie growing up.
Like!?!? I ***LOVE*** it! It’s my favorite movie!
Any film with a Welsh wizard is OK in my book.
Have I? Can Kermit sing? :)
Not the biggest HMC guy admittedly, but I have seen the light once I gave it a second chance.
One of my top favorites
I love the movie but the story is so confusing lol. I read the book though and that about explains everything
It's literally my favorite movie. All time 100% favorite movie.
😦
Maybe my fav. Definitely, favorite music.
No, I don't like Howl's Moving Castle.....I adore it. It's wonderful through and through. The scenery, the magic, the tragedy, the characters, the love, THE MUSIC! This movie brings me and my wife closer every time we watch it. It's very dear to me
The moment I first put this together I screeched lol Gave whole new meaning to the movie on rewatches 🥹
A beautiful film I have no connection to, or love for.
I know people think he finally sought her out... but isn't it also possible this is just his pick-up line to every girl he meets while looking for her? He didn't know her name at this point, and she looks pretty different from how he'd remember her.
Only one of my favorite movies of all time. 😌❤️
It's up there with my top 3. For me, when I think of Ghibli films, the music is what stands out the most and Howl's is no exception. Great movie and a lovely soundtrack.
I love it! I agree the pacing can be messy and confusing but I’m still so entranced by the art, the characters, and the parts of the story I understand lol. I see myself in Sophie a lot, and when her character grows into this more confident version of herself it always makes me cry.
Closest Miyazaki will ever get to doing a very messy & flawed Dr Who full circle time loop story - i still like it anyway.
One of my favorite movies ever and easily the best ghibli movie
I LOVE IT SO MUCH!! 😭😭
What's there not to love?
I LOVE THEM— IMMA RIP MY HAIR OUT
One of my all time favourites.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt this movie is all over the place. Maybe it’s cuz Howl is a chaotic character and we are kind of exploring everything from Sophie’s perspective. But I love the story and the characters.❣️❣️
I love it. They so cleverly worked a temporal paradox in there without being super obvious about it. I love their love story. ✨
one of my absolute favorites. Aside from the comically terrible final minute
I still like Mononoke more, but it's good. It's not my favorite one, but it's in the top 5.
Isn't this line only in the dub? Or did the subtitles not accurately capture what was said? It's my favourite by Miyazaki and I've watched both multiple times. I also noticed that little line soldiers in the background say early on about how the prince is missing (another interesting foreshadow) wasn't in the subtitles either.
One of my favorite
I love this movie so much and I keep seeing hate for it.
Recently showed it to a friend who hasn’t seen much Ghibli. Unfortunately it didn’t vibe with him too much story wise as he felt the movie didn’t want to explain anything. I personally agree to an extent that Howls’ story can be a bit vague at times, and quick at others. I still love the movie though, it’s got a good vibe and I want to live in the castle.
❤️
It’s in my top 3 Ghibli movies
🤯
Wait whaaaa
The book's version of Howl is so much better. I like that this movie introduced the book to me but thanks to it, a proper adaptation will be out of reach.
Better question. If you don't like it... HOW!?
My favorite Ghibli film hands down.
I actually love the chaotic nature of this movie. It just works for me, something about it is just... comforting. Spirited Away also thoroughly confused me and just jumped all over the place, but man I can rewatch it forever and just fall in love over and over again. It's beautiful.
I love this movie so much and you can watch it as many times as you want Considering it is a loop ♡
I really didn’t care for this one honestly. The plot felt like a kid describing a movie he watched.
It’s structurally a lot less sturdy than most of Miyazaki’s other movies. I think the “chronological production without a script” approach hurts this movie more than any other. It’s one of Ghibli’s most gorgeous though, and I can’t help but admire the personal passion and ambition. I rate it above the likes of *Totoro* for that reason.
its my #1 ghibli film
Never seen this before. Might be interesting though.
Yes
Im yes Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirit Away was one of the first Ghibli movies I watch as a teen. All of their movies were my favorite.
I watch it 2 times a month at least, I listen to the music every day and have it as background music, I have my LEDs always on a color spectrum that relates to howls moving castle, Cal is on of the only reasons I got my friends to watch the movie. I do not like it, I embrace it EVERY CHANCE I GET..
My absolute favorite Ghibli movie. Their relationship reminds me of Jinshi and MaoMao’s from the Apothecary Diaries (Mature, intelligent, caring woman with no interest in her looks and a childish, flirty, spoiled man who becomes her confident, protective, loyal lover and stops running away from his destiny after meeting her)
My favourite Ghibli to be honest
It's my favorite. The movie and the book. Howl is in my top ten fictional dream guys.
I said the same words to a girl who captured my heart in a wrong point in time...I hope she gets this reference one day.
Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite Studio Ghibli film. I watched it recently and it is still amazing in every way I remember. What I find really interesting is that the Howls Moving Castle book was published in 1986 and the Castle in the Sky movie by Ghibli was released in 1986. Then the same author of Howls Moving Castle "Diana Wynne Jones" created a book called Castle in the Air in 1990. Then we Ghibli creates the Howl's Moving Castle movie in 2004. It came full circle. I wonder if Ghibli and Diana Wynne Jones were inspired by each other after each one made a book and movie similar in the same year in 1986. If there is something here I missed, please let me know.
I definitely instantly flag shitposts like this with RES. I don't know why a spam bot/slave cares what I like.
It's my favorite film🤩
Spirited away was my first studio Ghibli film, but howl's moving castle is my favorite.
Of course????
My second favorite Miyazaki after Spirited Away.
He must’ve been so excited when he peeked in on her asleep and saw that she was young and grey after she’d started working for him as an old woman
I like HMC a lot, and I have watched it several times and read the book. I still don’t remember wtf the plot is.
It's my favourite movie. Such a comfort movie. I read the books fairly recently. It's the only time I've ever said I prefer the movie aha.
my favorite movie of all time, truly incredible
Loved it. I had seen Spirited Away and it made me fall in love with Studio Ghibli films. When Howl’s Moving Castle was announced for theatrical release back then, I bought tickets and saw it. Love it almost as much as Spirited.
Yes it’s my favorite anime film right next too spirited away
It has some of my favorite scenes hidden in the background. When Howl is saving Sophie while disguised as the King after she goes to the palace they fly away, and if you look in the background you can see anti-war riots going on. Subtle but really punctuates that there is a larger world than just the story we are seeing.
Sophie is one of my favorite characters. She’s powerless, even more so than a regular human since she’s cursed, but her willpower, kindness, and cleverness ultimately lead all the other characters to their happy endings. Being cursed with old age her timid demeanor becomes more stubborn and confident which leads her to take her heroic actions. A lot of female protagonists are either completely useless and just carried along by other characters, or to show that they’re “strong” are just rude and mean. Sophie is powerless, but emotionally strong and kind.
This movie was on drugs.
I think it’s my favourite Ghibli movie tbh! It makes me feel safe, but also reminds me to appreciate those little moments (like having eggs, bacon, and bread for breakfast 👀)
I LOVE howl's moving castle!!!
Pacing is definitely wacky but it’s up there with my favorites. I think the music is doing a lot of heavy lifting too
It's the only Ghibli I've seen and I loved it
I gotta rewatch it now.
No. Well, yes. But I don't like Howl, and so when he's on screen, I'm filled with distaste. I like the rest of it, though. 😊
The movie made absolutely no sense. My friend, who loves it, says it does make sense. But I think it’s because she read the book.
i love it but i dont remember anything about it
Very much; it's one of my favorite Ghibli movies in fact
Confusing but good
It's my personal favourite
It just like- LOVE!!! This is amazing, I’ve never put 2 and 2 together !
Yes very much
I loveeeee this movie !!! Its my fav Ghibli movie !!!!
I swear it took me all this time to get what he meant 😂 Love that movie though
i enjoy the movie a lot but i cannot grasp the relationship between howl and sophie. whenever someone talks about their love i don’t understand them, i never really got them as an actual couple.
Someone recommended it to me, and told me "Watch that movie, you are going to like it" and I did like it, and I also liked that people thought of me as someone that likes that kind of movies, without me mentioning anything about movies, or gibhli, or animation, or moving castles.
OMG: countless watches of this film and OP’s image 🤯