28 Years Ago, This 98%-Rated Hayao Miyazaki Masterpiece Saved Ghibli From Going Out of Business
This animation reminds us that we can find the strength to fly, even in the most difficult moments.
Today, Studio Ghibli is a global phenomenon whose animated movies set box office records and win prestigious awards, however, it hasn't always been this way.
In the late 1980s, the company was on the brink of bankruptcy because its initial projects, including Castle in the Sky and My Neighbor Totoro, failed to meet investor expectations.
The studio needed a big hit, so Hayao Miyazaki took on the adaptation of Eiko Kadono's popular novel, Kiki's Delivery Service. Released in 1989, the film was a commercial success and a true salvation for Ghibli, marking a new stage in its development.
What Is 'Kiki's Delivery Service' About?
On her 13th birthday, the young witch Kiki sets off on a journey to spend a year interning in a large, coastal city. Her faithful black cat, Jiji, accompanies her.
In her new city, Kiki starts a broomstick delivery service to earn a living and help the locals. She gradually faces the challenges of growing up: losing her ability to fly, and understanding her cat. Kiki must rediscover herself and find her way in the world.
'Kiki's Delivery Service' Saved Studio Ghibli From Closing Down
Following the relatively unsuccessful releases of Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, and Grave of the Fireflies, Studio Ghibli found itself in a critical situation – investors had lost faith in Miyazaki's talent, and the company needed a guaranteed success.
Miyazaki, who had already considered retiring from directing and finding his successor, agreed to adapt Eiko Kadono's novel Kiki's Delivery Service. The production was fraught with enormous difficulties, but the result exceeded all expectations.
It became a national hit and saved Ghibli from dissolution. The success also allowed the studio to transition to a new operating model: instead of hiring animators for short periods, Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki made the revolutionary decision to hire artists permanently.
This ensured the studio would have stable, high-quality animation for years to come.
'Kiki's Delivery Service' Is a Visual Feast That Places Great Emphasis on the Philosophy of Flight
Kiki's Delivery Service is a visual masterpiece showcasing Miyazaki's mastery of depicting flight. The movie depicts two types of flight: magical and technological. Witches possess the former, but its nature is unknown even to them, thus, the loss of the ability to fly becomes an identity crisis for Kiki.
Technological flight is the result of human activity, which Miyazaki illustrates through Kiki's friendship with a boy named Tombo. Together, they seek a way to reconcile these two approaches to levitation, which becomes one of the movie's central topics.
Visually, the city of Koriko is inspired by Stockholm, which Miyazaki visited during his trip to Sweden. The city's architecture, clock tower, and streets are transferred to the screen almost unchanged.
The airship crash scene at the end, where technological flight proves destructive, is an important philosophical moment – only by reconciling magic and technology, as in Kiki and Tombo's flight, can harmony be achieved.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Kiki's Delivery Service'?
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Kiki's Delivery Service has 98% from critics and 89% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.8/10.
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On Letterboxd, Kiki's Delivery Service scored 4.1/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Kiki's Delivery Service'?
Kiki's Delivery Service is available to stream on HBO Max.
