Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
★★★★ — Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Hayao Miyazaki adapted Howl's Moving Castle from Diana Wynne Jones's 1986 British fantasy novel of the same name, though he shifted the setting to a vaguely European world coloured heavily by his long-standing preoccupations with flight, war, and the corrupting weight of power. Miyazaki has spoken openly about making the film during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and that unease with militarism runs quietly through the whole picture. It was his follow-up to Spirited Away (2001), which had become the highest-grossing film in Japanese history and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, meaning Ghibli was operating here with considerable creative confidence and a budget to match. The film was released in Japan in November 2004 and went on to gross over 230 million dollars worldwide, further cementing Studio Ghibli's standing as the pre-eminent force in non-American animation.
If you tried to explain the plot to someone they'd section you. One of the finest animated films ever made. Visually breathtaking, emotionally rich, and brimming with that signature Studio Ghibli magic. Every frame is a painting. Lush, detailed, and full of life. The castle itself is a marvel of animation, a clunky, chaotic wonder that somehow feels like home. The story unfolds like a strange dream, whimsical, and deeply human. Sophie’s journey from a shy young woman to a confident, compassionate force is beautifully done, and Howl is one of Miyazaki’s most compelling characters: vain, powerful, mysterious, and ultimately kind. The film doesn’t spell everything out for you, and that’s part of its charm. It’s layered, poetic, and slightly surreal in all the best ways. Plus, Joe Hisaishi’s score is typically utterly gorgeous. It carries the whole film on waves of warmth and melancholy. It may not be Miyazaki’s tightest plot-wise, but emotionally it soars up there with Spirited Away. A true triumph of animation and storytelling.
Rating: ★★★★ | Year: 2004 | Watched: 2025-04-06
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Netflix · Netflix Kids · Netflix Standard with Ads
Physical: Amazon UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Hayao Miyazaki: Castle in the Sky (1986) · Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) · Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) · My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
More from Japan: Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025) · Blue (1993) · The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More fantasy: Viy (1967) · Alice in Wonderland (1951) · Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025)
More animation: Fantastic Planet (1973) · Alice in Wonderland (1951) · Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) · Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (2025)
