Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

[魔女の宅急便]

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Kappei Yamaguchi

Synopsis:
A young witch travels to a new city for training and starts up a delivery service.

Impressions:
This was actually my first Miyazaki/Ghibli film, so while I may not watch it as often as Princess Mononoke, I do have a particular fondness for it. It's a good slice of life coming of age story that blends the fantastical with the everyday trials and travails of growing up and finding your place in the world. Kiki is a nicely complex, flawed individual who comes across as a fairly naturalistic adolescent girl. There's a good dose of the sweet and the bittersweet with some gorgeous animation, lovingly rendered vistas and of course a fine score by Joe Hisaishi. It almost goes without saying that this one belongs in your collection.

Rating:
Own It