Studio Ghibli released “Howl’s Moving Castle” in Japan on Nov. 20, 2004, and its thoughtful consideration of age and war remains pertinent even today.
The film, based on the novel of the same name, follows Sophie (Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons), a young girl who is turned into an older woman by the Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall). Her journey to break the curse leads her to Howl (Christian Bale), a wizard who roams the plains in his moving castle.
Alongside Howl are Markl (Josh Hutcherson), his younger assistant, and Calcifer (Billy Crystal), a fire demon who powers the castle. With their help, Sophie seeks to undo the curse placed upon her while simultaneously freeing Howl from the issues that plague him, all while a war rages on.
Sophie is a unique protagonist not because of her age but rather her response to it. Where the film could have easily allowed Sophie to become helpless to her curse, it shows her taking charge. She remarks on how her body has weakened, but her mind has strengthened as she attempts to find the positives within the curse.
The same can’t be said for the titular character, Howl, who is deeply obsessed with his image. One of his most vulnerable scenes involves him breaking down after he accidentally dyes his hair orange. Again, it’s Sophie, as a grandma, who takes charge and begins caring for him.
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Hayao Miyazaki, the film’s director, emphasizes some stereotypes about age and flips others. Grandmothers can be nurturing and kind but aren’t typically seen as powerful or passionate, yet Sophie matches these descriptions. The Witch of the Waste begins the film as an evil old crone but eventually becomes an emotional and confused older lady.
Old women aren’t meant to be a singular stereotype in this story, and Miyazaki encourages the audience to look deeper at the characters that may not normally get recognition. The same can be said for younger men: Howl isn’t simply charming but also selfish, lazy and vain.
Miyazaki’s portrayal of war is similar in this sense. The entire movie is enveloped by the effects that war has on the citizens of both countries. Bombs and propaganda are dropped across towns, and red fire burns across the dark countryside.
Howl, especially, struggles to attain peace amid the suffering. He attempts to fight on both sides to disrupt enemy plans, but he loses himself in the process. He’s also called to the palace to fight for the king but avoids it by sending Sophie in his place.
Howl’s immaturity is a reflection of people’s reactions to wars around the world. The film demonstrates it isn’t enough to avoid or run away from the issue, even if you strongly believe in peace. Characters like Sophie, who have solid ideals and the strength to carry them out, are the ones who can bring about real change.
The animation of the film carries these themes incredibly well. Studio Ghibli’s hand-drawn animation provides a feeling of comfort and serenity, even in high-energy movies like “Howl’s Moving Castle.”
However, the film is notable for its innovative and intermittent use of computer-generated imaging. Some of the walking shots use textured backgrounds to create the illusion of speed, and the castle itself is a wonderful mess of moving CG parts.
All of these parts are still painted so as not to break the atmosphere of the movie. Instead, they charmingly highlight the world’s fantasy and breathe more magic into its already hypnotic elements.
Supervising Animator Akihiko Yamashita explained Howl’s castle wasn’t always stylistically consistent as different animators worked on it. But because certain base elements did remain the same, the audience would miss the finer details and still recognize the entire castle for what it was.
“Howl’s Moving Castle” is built upon decisions like this: recognizing the audience’s perspective to create a more mystical product. The animator’s ingenuity and the story’s heartfelt tone are brought together to create a lasting impression. Together, they emphasize the importance of strength during times of conflict, a message that continues to ring true.
