Howl's Moving Castle
Movie, 2004, The 2000s, Set in Ingary at war
Howl's Moving Castle is #15 of 25 in release order and #15 of 25 in chronological order in the Studio Ghibli.
The story
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.
Howl's Moving Castle recap
Howl's Moving Castle (2004) follows Sophie, a young hatmaker turned into an old woman by a witch, who finds shelter in a wizard's walking castle during a war. Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed this adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones's novel. After the vain wizard Howl (Takuya Kimura) saves her in the street, Sophie (Chieko Baisho) is cursed by the jealous Witch of the Waste (Akihiro Miwa) and leaves home. A living scarecrow she names Turnip Head leads her to Howl's castle, powered by the fire demon Calcifer, who promises to break her curse if she breaks his contract with Howl. Sophie installs herself as cleaning lady beside Howl's apprentice Markl. The king wants Howl to fight, and the royal sorceress Madame Suliman strips the Witch of the Waste of her powers. Howl, meanwhile, keeps flying out in a monstrous bird form to disrupt both armies.
Howl's Moving Castle ending explained
Howl's Moving Castle ends with Sophie taking Calcifer out of the castle to save Howl, which wrecks it. Through her magic ring she sees young Howl swallow a falling star and give it his heart, and she returns that heart to his chest, freeing Calcifer and breaking her curse. Her kiss turns Turnip Head back into a missing prince, whose return ends the war. The film cuts the novel's trips to Howl's family in modern Wales and gives the war a far larger role than the book does.
Post-credits scenes
No. Howl's Moving Castle has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle is streaming on HBO Max in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes 88%
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Cat Returns, before Tales from Earthsea.
- Chronological order: after The Cat Returns, before Tales from Earthsea.
Cast
- Chieko Baisho as Sophie (voice)
- Takuya Kimura as Howl (voice)
- Akihiro Miwa as Witch of the Waste (voice)
- Tatsuya Gashuin as Calcifer (voice)
- Ryunosuke Kamiki as Markl (voice)
- Mitsunori Isaki as Kosho (voice)
- Yo Oizumi as Prince Justin / Turnip Head (voice)
- Akio Otsuka as King of Ingary (voice)
- Daijirō Harada as Heen (voice)
- Haruko Katō as Madame Suliman (voice)
- Makoto Yasumura as (voice)
- Manabu Muraji as (voice)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.