Who Doesn't Love Howl? — A Review of Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

A movie doesn’t need to be perfect to be a masterpiece.

Debuting in 2004 at the 61st annual Venice Film Festival, Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle has been beloved by fans of Studio Ghibli for more than a decade. With raving reviews and global acclaim, it’s wonderous world and charmingly cooky characters have touched the hearts of countless viewers, myself included.

But to boast the film’s praise while ignoring its inherent flaws would be a bit unfair, wouldn’t it? As such, here’s a brutally honest review of Howl’s Moving Castle. This article will overview three key elements of the movie, those being its animation, musical score, and plot. Now, onto the review itself…

Part 1: Something I could never fault – The Visuals

If there’s one thing Studio Ghibli has never failed to provide, it’s visual brilliance—Howl’s Moving Castle being no exception. Whether it’s the artfully chosen colour composition, quirkily over-the-top character expression, stunningly painted locales, or even simply the smooth and dynamic animation, few artists could look at Howl’s Moving Castle’s art design and scoff. There’s really not a fault to be found, in that regard. The visuals speak for themselves.

Additionally, unique yet recognizable Ghibli elements, such as the walloping strawberry-sized tears, characteristically round eyes, and unbelievable attention to detail make for a stunning spectacle.

Part 2: Doesn’t this sound a little… familiar? – The Score

If you think the work of Joe Hisaishi is not that of a musical genius, stop. Uproot the cause of your muddled thinking, recognize you mistake, and try again. That said, many of his pieces in this film (while absolutely incredible) are a bit too similar, with the likes of “Opening – Merry Go Round”, “Merry Go Round of Life”, “Ending – The Promise of the World: The Merry Go Round of Life”… you see the point, yes?

While it’s known that each one of Hisaishi’s scores are masterfully done, there comes a point when you want to hear something different. For whatever reason, the main theme of Howl’s moving Castle, Merry Go Round, is replayed constantly throughout the film, with few variations between each version. It’s especially disappointing when you consider that the song itself is a bit repetitive to boot.

Now, don’t get me wrong—it’s a wonderful song to be sure, with a beautiful melody that evokes a certain charm and excitement that does well to encapsulate the film’s magical atmosphere. But when a song is played more than the “Top Gun Anthem” in Top Gun, it’s bound to become rather tedious.

However, apart from that, the soundtrack is exceptional. To be perfectly frank, I don’t think it would be possible for Hisaishi to produce bad work.

Part 3: We love it, but why? – The Plot

Though the story of Howl’s Moving Castle is certainly a favourite of many, often viewers are unaware that the plot is based on that of a book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, the first novel in her “Howl” series. The term “based” is used with a grain of salt, however, as apart from character names, locales, and certain story elements, the two works are vastly different. I mention this to note that when I talk about the plot of Howl’s Moving Castle, I’m referring only to the film; the book has no part in it.

So, without spoiling any of the actual plot, Howl’s Moving Castle has an… odd storyline. Though there are those who impede Sophie’s personal journey, there are no proper antagonists, and very few “bad” people—at least none who were given a face. Those used to Ghibli’s knack for open-ended storylines are accustomed to adapting to whatever new path the story chooses to take, even if it’s a complete deviation of where it would seemingly go. But for anyone else, this disjointedness may feel jarring, and for that I have to criticize the work, albeit slightly. It’s a stylistic choice for sure, but I still think that, in some cases, the shifts could have been handled better.

The way the film still manages to capture audiences despite this confusion is with its emotional value. Howl’s moving castle is character-driven, with universal themes of acceptance, perseverance, and love, that help tether each scene to the next. Sophie, the protagonist, displays insecurities widely relatable to all audiences while simultaneously exuding admirable strength of character, making her journey all the more gripping to watch. And let’s not forget the atmosphere—the magical, surreal world of Howl is mystifying, deep,

and unique, making for an incredibly immersive experience.

All of that, coupled with the music, sound design, art direction and animation, is what makes this film such a classic.

Oh, and Howl himself is a heartthrob. I guess there’s that, too.

Final Thoughts

Personally, Howl’s Moving Castle is my third favourite Studio Ghibli film released, following Castle in the Sky (1986) and The Wind Rises (2013). It has notable flaws, as most things do, but in spite of those imperfections the movie continues to gain more and more of an audience over the years—and for good reason, too.

Howl’s Moving Castle is, all things considered, a masterpiece. I highly recommend that you give it a watch if you haven’t already, as it’s heartfelt scenes and lovely cast of characters provide a comforting experience you’d be unfortunate to pass up.