1 Wonderful movie- In ANY Language!
This movie has it all; Beautiful, non - adult, non ecchi Anime, and an absolutely charming storyline. Not something seen too often in either American and Japanese animated films nowadays.
Uncle Walt would be proud.
Kikki is a young witch, entering her so called "Witch Prime." When witches reach the age of 13, they leave home, and go out into the world for a year of "Training". The storyline takes us into Kikki's rite of passage, as it were, and immedately draws us into it, every inch of the way. We see her joys, pains, and her sadness, as she journeys to the big city to find her way.
The movie is simplistic, yet contains some of the most beautiful artwork and storytelling I have ever seen in an animated film. It never strays too far from it's main character, and in this process we actually grow care for her.
The movie is a little long, at 105 minutes, but it is worth every one of those minutes.
If you want a simple, joyus sample of anime, without the violence or hentai that is so prevelant in the medium, then this film is for you.
2 Magical, Beauitful Movie!
Kiki's Delivery Service was truly a joy to watch with my family. We all loved the beauitful animation all of Studio Ghibli's works have... and the fun, laughter, and excitment of them all! The movie itself will take you through a magical adventure, and I rather not go on and say what the movie is about. If you'd like... read the other reviews. I don't like to spoil things for people, so please... if you like magic, and your looking for a fun movie for any age of person, try Kiki's Delivery Service!
3 Magnificent ! But it gave me a shocking surprise...
Definitely one of the finest "growing up" stories I have ever experienced. I was looking forward to get this DVD and there was one special reason for this. The DVD's tracks have the Spanish dub included. When I purchased the VHS version, the Spanish track was also one of the best Spanish dubs I had ever heard. Alas, when I played the disc in my dvd player I discovered something terrible... the Spanish track was truly Spanish... I thought I was going to find the Mexican Spanish dub. Although the Spaniard dub was well done the accent just didn't ring the tones in my ears. Do not get me wrong there is nothing wrong with Spain's dub but since there are millions of Mexicans living in the U.S. and you have 100 million south the border, well you expect the Mexican dub in an American DVD realease with a a Spanish version dub. You certainly don't expect the Castillian dub for 30 million speakers across the Atlantic...
4 So cute
I liked this movie so much.. it has no bad guys and stuff.. the first I ever see a movie without bad ppl.. like real bad bad ppl.. But I give 5 stars for the movie and 2 stars for the quality of the box..
5 A movie you'll fall in love with
This was in fact the first Ghibli film I ever saw. I first saw this on the Disney Channel, and immediately I had to have this.
This is the story of a coming-of-age witch trying to find her place in the world, who along the way encounters and makes friends with an assortment of people in the new town she's settled in.
What will take you right away is the beautiful, and I mean BEAUTIFUL backdrops of this movie, ranging from Kiki's little village in the beginning to the sprawling ficitional city of Koriko to the forests near the cape away from the city, where Kiki first meets Ursula, an artist who spends her summer days painting and sketching. The story itself, combined with the music and faboulous animation, exceeds expectations and takes the viewer on a MAGICAL experience of wonder and imagination. Each character is full of personality.
This movie is truly a classic and a work of art all in it's own. And with the Disney dub featuring the likes of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garafolo (who fits perfectly in her role of Ursula) and Phil Hartman, an even better reason to check out this movie. You won't be dissappointed.
6 Great Movie!
My my my, where to start!? Kiki's Delivery Service has o be one of the best movies I have ever seen! As a Hayao Miyazaki fan, and an anime fan(okay, rabid fan) I gotta say, it all puts together!
The artwork is simply magnicifant, the detail, and the scenery really makes it seem like a "real world place". The Japanese Voice Characters do WONFERFUL jobs, just great! I am thrilled to say that I have ordered it, and should be here in about a week!
Awesome, awesome movie
7 My daughter's favorite movie.
This is a great movie that everyone, young and old, can appreciate and enjoy. It is my daughter's favorite. She would watch it every day if she could.
8 Sweet
I love this story of a young witch who flies away from home at age thirteen for a year of training by herself. It's so cute, not too worldly, just the way most sweet 13 yr olds would act. I love it! And it's one of the few anime movies, I will let my 20 month old watch as well. Very cute.
9 A true feel-good story
Kiki is a witch-in-training. She has reached the age when her parents cannot teach her anymore, and she has to go out in the word as an apprentice witch and find her true speciality.
It turns out that while she is not a great spell-caster she has the nack of caring for others. The small town she settles in does not have a great need for a witch, but they do need a speedy delivery service! With her flying broom Kiki fits the job description perfectly.
The story does really deal with subjects close to all our hearts: what is my role in society, what do I do best, and, most important, what is it I really want to do?!
Too many anime have too much of a dreamlike quality; this one is surprisingly realistic. It is not escapism - it is reality but softened somewhat. We have the subplot of the old lady abandoned by her family, and other problems that plague real life. This means that everyone can watch it and feel they get something out of it. The animations are top-notch.
European viewers will recognise the town: it is modelled on Stockholm, London, and Prague.
10 Watch it over and over again
A story your children will want to watch over and over again - the suprising part is that you won't mind watching it with them and may even find yourself requesting it.
Phil hartman does the voice for the cat (Jiji) - excellent! (I also believe this was his last project before he died - making it special for fans of his work.)
A good time for everyone.
11 A story about the bitter-sweetness of growing up
When we are little kids, we believe all people are kind and generous. However, when we grow older, we will find that there is another aspect of this world; there is cruelty, rejection and prejudice. Some people may reject you just because the way you look, or because the way you dress. Even if we treat other people with kindness, others may not return us with kindness. Facing this reality, we may feel lost and confused, trying to find ourselves in this world.
Kiki is a little witch who has to leave home to live by herself for one year, as this is part of her training. And this is a story about her growing up and facing the reality, and discover her inner-strength. At first she is naive and think that everyone will be kind and nice; but soon she will be disillusioned. For example, in one scene, she meets an old grandma who wants to make a pie for her grand-daughter as a birthday gift. With eagerness, she helps the grandma make the pie and hurriedly deliver the pie for her(even though the sky was raining heavily and she was soaking wet). Guess what happened next? That grand-daughter opened the door and look at her with contempt(because Kiki dressed like a poor kid), and harshly asked "What is it?". After Kiki explained to that girl, the girl again replied harshly "I hate grandma's stupid pie", and then quickly get the pie and banged the door close. So you see, sometimes this is what you get in return for your kindness. There is no wonder why Kiki lost her confidence. And this is something that most of us will face at some point in our life. And like Kiki, we all will have to find our inner-strength, to find kindness within our heart; even with full knowledge that there will be cruelty and rejection.
This movie is certainly for everyone, both grown-ups and kids. I think as we grow older and have more experience, we will understand this movie more. I highly recommend this movie to everyone.
12 What's a Young Witch to do?
Kiki is a young witch. As is traditional, Kiki will journey out into the world for a year to as part of her training. Kiki finds herself going from small town to big city. Her kindness and caring quickly befriend her to a local baker. There she decides to use her flying broom to run a delivery service. But her nature fascinates others including a young man who becomes very interested in her.
Kiki's business is not all roses and sunshine as she finds herself making deliveries in rain and storm. Although she meets many nice people she also becomes somewhat disillusioned with others. Her negative thoughts lead to a loss of her powers and a lack of belief in herself. But in the end others depend on her and it is up to her to regain her confidence and thus her powers.
A very fun story with many interesting characters (the baker's husband and Gigi the cat (Phil Hartman) are my two favorites). The story shows many different types of personalities in a way that is often missing from children's movies. The dialogue and action are more than sufficient to keep adults interested. All in all a very fine film.
13 A Fantastic Movie
Though not as good as Spirited Away, this movie is one of my favorite Japanese animation movies! The story talks about many different things, such as KiKi proving herself as a witch, and proving herself to the world, and town in which she resides. All the characters are memorable, especially KiKi's cranky cat, whose name I can't remember at the moment. The animation is colorful and entertaining, as is most Japanese animation.
I would recommend this movie to anyone who has enjoyed other movies of Hayao Miyazaki's, to anyone who loves Japanese animation, or to anyone looking for a good movie to watch with the family (Although girls may tend to enjoy it more then boys).
14 Charm In Film, Thy Name Is "Kiki's Delivery Service"
Another perfect movie from Studio Ghibli,this one about a young witch-in-training named Kiki heading off for the customary year away to see the world and hone her skills, taking her talking cat along with her, of course. "Kiki's Delivery Service" could almost be described as a slice-of-life movie set in a world where broomsticks are a common means of transportation, idyllic pastoral-style villages looking about 1800-ish European have television sets, animals and humans communicate more easily, and the world, despite having a few snobs, is in general a much kinder and more inviting place. Not as 'big-event'-oriented as Ghibli titles like "Castle In The Sky" or "Princess Mononoke". "Kiki's Delivery Service" has the time it needs to mine tonnes of charm from things like Kiki setting up her delivery service in the bakery shop and the young bespectacled boy smitten with Kiki who finds any excuse to just happen to be in the neighborhood and stop by the store; to mine tonnes of wonder from such things as the villagers's attempts to launch their zeppelin; plus plentiful dashes of humor and adventure. All this and the standard Ghibli gorgeous animation. A beautiful movie.
15 Another enchanting fantasy by Miyazaki
Another enchanting fantasy by Miyazaki. You can tell that he has an eye for true fantasy, and never falls into clichˇs or old standbys : his movies are always fresh and inspired.
Kiki's Delivery Service is about a young witch (flying broom and all) named Kiki, who has to leave home and begin her own apprenticeship in another city. She finds herself in a bad situation, ending up in a city where mysteriously no one knows about magic or needs it. She ends up taking rent in a bakery and running a delivery service from there thanks to her flying broom.
I thought Miyasaki was particularily clever in placing Kiki in a completely alien environment and seeing how she would be able to do something useful with her skills. The animation is, of course, excellent, and while the movie does not involve mysterious spirits or flying castles (and unfortunately carries with it an anti-technological message, unlike some of his fairer movies), it's still a good yarn.
16 Kiki delivers
While I Am not normally into japanimation anime, I must make an exception with this title, mostly for reasons of the storyline. A young witch sets off to "train" somewhere afar off until she comes upon a bustling towne where she acquires a job with a bread shoppe, making deliveries via her broom, until one day for some reason, her powers falter, so she must find a purpose in her existence, eventually regaining them to rescue what becomes her inventive boyfriend from a doomed durigible flight. She carries a her black cat "Jiji"with her, a wise-cracking and sometimes nagging little feline who himself becomes imfatuated with a neighboring white cat, and end up mating. This is a charming presentation which may have been in part responsible for inspiring "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" - the latter which I would not necessarily recommend, but this little film is recommended for Infernal Progeny. The only issue I had with it is, that she does not really use any "powers" for anything other than for flight - on the way to the township, she meets another witch in flight whose speciality was fortune-telling, but it seems that Kiki never found hers, and unfortunately, she may probably one day marry the mortal, as ingenious as he is, yet still not a proper Warlock, as it should be.
17 Good Movie!
We rented this movie at the video store for my 5-yr old. She liked it so much that we decided to buy it for her. I think it is a very good movie that has been overlooked. I would have loved to see a sequel to this, or better yet, a series of movies based on this character and her adventures.
18 Suitable for everyone~
This is a very good movie for preteens although everyone can enjoy it. That's because it shows them that they can acheive what they dream and they don't have to depend of anyone else. I remember when I was growing up most of the Disney movies had a similar story such as, wait for the prince to rescue the girl and the happy ending is getting a man. This film is totally different. It shows that people don't have to use violence, sex or even a scary villian who sings to tell a heartfelt, meaningful story.
Miyazaki is so good at what he does. He never underestimates his younger audience's ability to appreciate love, Kiki is a polite girl who never hesitates to help other people. She is a strong character who doesn't get influenced by other people her age. Parents should definately show more of this quality of movie to thier children. Watch it in it's original Japanese version because the great opening song is gone from the dubbed version.
19 Fantastic
This movie was great! Definately one of my favorite Japanese animation movies! Wonderful storyline, and cute charecters. This movie talks about growing up, doing your part, making friends, and being a witch (Not a bad witch). All Japanese animation, in my opinion, is beautiful. And one scene can tell an entire story. My cousin owns and loved this movie, too. We used to play KiKi's Delivery Service when we were little. I would HIGHLY recommend this movie!
20 Watch it with titles
First of all, this is a completely charming (not merely cute) tale. Despite the heroine being a witch, the characters are believable and, amazingly, likable--there is NO villain or even rival in this film. However, the charm is largely lost in the dubbing. Although younger kids will enjoy the dubbed story, watching it with subtitles is a great way to draw in the slightly older kids who are starting to read well (especially if they already know the story well from watching it with the dubbing). They'll get the gist of the personalities from the voices but still have room to fill in from their own imaginations--and I suspect that what they fill in will be more satisfying than what they get from Dunst and Hartman. Finally, I think even adults will be drawn in by the charm of this film, especially if they turn off the dubbing and read the titles.
21 SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM JOHN LASSETER!!!!!!!!!!!!
first of all, let me be very clear. this is NOT a review of the film "kiki's delivery service". the film undoubtedly deserves five stars but this dvd certainly doesnt.
just couldnt believe it.....i had been watching kiki in its original japanese version for quite sometime and i was absolutely delighted to get a region1 dvd of it with an english track. after watching beautifully dubbed "princess mononoke" my expectations were high but they were all shattered the very moment it started. i was disappointed beyond words to see this sub par-dvd release of such a great film from the greatest animation director hayao miyazaki. what an insult!
the character of jiji was completely lost because of its english voice. it just didnt make sense (after watching it in japanese). all those additional dialogues given to him were rather annoying.
i never expected this one. another big blow came while watching it in japanese track (YES!!!). disney has even changed the song which comes during the end credits. though its in japanese but the tune of this new song has been matched with the same terrible pop song that disney has used in its english track. it was a sheer disappointment as i was so madly fond of that original japanese song played during the end credits! i'm sure, those who have seen the original japanese version know what i'm talking about. i'm sure disney got it recomposed (remember what they did to the english track of "laputa:castle in the sky"?). even in the japanese version, all the end credits were in english too!! ALSO THIS END PART HASNT BEEN DIGITALLY MASTERED AS YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE LOTS OF GRAINS AND POOR PICTURE QUALITY!!!!
lets now look at the extras given in this so called "2disc special edition" release.
it would have been really sensible to add the storyboards of the film on the first disc alongwith the film. giving one disc extra just for the boards doesnt make any sense, that too when there's no angle feature given to switch between the film and boards.
other "extras" on disc one include the ever annoying jahn lasseter's introduction, which you just cant skip and have to bear everytime you see the film. WHAT A TORTURE, INDEED!!! another extra "behind the microphone", features the actors behind the english language track. it has absolutely nothing to do with the making of the film. that too after listening to the terrible english language track, i'm sure none would be interested in knowing how it was done.
it would have been highly appreciated, if disney had included some real good old stuff showing studio ghibli and miyazaki san work!! something like "nippon tv special" which they have included in the extras of spirited away dvd. or at least the same feature on "the painting of ursula' which is available on the japanese dvd release of this film by buena vista itself.
also, watching it in japanese was a real pain as the menus are not quite user friendly. this was never expected from a buena vista dvd. come on disney, grow up! we all know you can never produce something like this or anything that studio ghibli has ever done. insulting these films wont help. its about time the people at disney learnt a lesson or two to respect and honour studio ghibli-miyazaki films rather than just showing off on their own disney special edition dvds (mr lasseter listening??).
lastly here's a very small suggestion for mr john lasseter. if you are so madly in love with yourself, you dont have to show up on every ghibli film that disney releases. disney releases enough of their own titles that can fulfill your desire to be on camera. you dont have to ruin every such film and the viewer's mood right at the very beginning.
22 One of Miyazaki's Best
What can I say? "Kiki's Delivery Service" is by far one of my favorite animated movies of all time! No matter how many times I see the it, I get taken away into Kiki's magical world every time. Even my 2 year old daughter loves it and sits through the whole show!
The DVD comes in both Japanese and English audio with English subtitle. Although Disney bought the rights to the movie and made subtle changes to the original video to provide English text and title, the original untouched video is also located on the DVD as well for the die-hard Miyazaki fans.
I normally don't like English dubbed work on any foreign animation, but Disney did a great job with Miyazaki's work. Kirsten Dunst, Debbie Reynolds, Kath Soucie, Jeanine Garafalo, Phil Hartman, and the rest of the English cast did a fantastic job in terms of voice talent.
This is one movie that your whole family will fall in love with! Rent it first if you wish, but you may end up buyibg it like we did!
23 Miyazaki delivers, as usual.
Kiki's Delivery Service (Hayao Miyazaki, 1989)
Studio Ghibli has a surprisingly good record at turning out top-quality films. Much of the reason for this has to do with Hayao Miyazaki, whose films are for the most part some of the best stuff being released in any country in any genre, and have been for twenty years. Dismissing Miyazaki as simply a fantasist or an anime director (or, in cases like this, a director of kids' movies) is fair neither to the man or to his films; there is far more to the average Miyazaki film than meets the eye. Kiki's Delivery Service, my fourth journey into the wonderful world of Miyazaki, continues the trend.
The tone of this film is lighter than that of Spirited Away, but don't let that fool you. Kiki, a witch in training, goes off for a year to study on her own and learn the ways of the world (a common rite of passage for witches in the world of this film, it would seem). Along with her talking cat Gigi (hmm, wonder where the Sabrina the Teenage Witch folks got the idea?), Kiki flies into a town that has been witchless for enough time that the locals have mostly learned to be suspicious of them. Kiki has to figure out how to worm her way into their acceptance, as well as deal with a nervous suitor, set up a business, and watch out for crows (you'll understand when you see it). That Miyazaki's take on prejudice is subtle and light-hearted makes it no less valid than in "serious" films (and because Miyazaki works it into the story, in fact, it's more valuable than many of those), etc.
Excellent stuff. Those who would pass off anime as "just kid stuff" may be better off starting with the obviously adult-themed Grave of the Fireflies, but this is one to watch relatively early on in the process. ****
24 An exciting film for all ages
When enthusiastic young witch Kiki leaves home one full moonlit night to make it on her own, she discovers that more than magic is needed to overcome life's obstacles. Miyazaki has created a wonderful world not that different from our own, wherein lies the movie's appeal. Great characters and voice acting, including the late Phil Hartman as Kiki's cat, make this movie extremely enjoyable and highly recommended. You will root for Kiki all the way.
The flying scenes are especially exhilirating. Like much of the movie, these scenes are slow paced so you can enjoy them. As Kiki wends her way high over ocean, countryside, forest, city, you feel as though you are flying with her. My favorite is when she is flying over the city lights at night.
25 Not Miyazaki's finest hour
Once a young witch turns 13 she must go live on her own for 1 year to a town with no other witches to learn her craft. Kiki has just turned 13 and found her own city by the sea. She is befriended by a kind, and very pregnant baker woman, who suggests Kiki uses her flying broom to start a delivery service to make some money. She meets a boy a nice old lady, gets a cold, makes friends with a strange artist and delivers stuff. The End.
A few spoilers I left out aside, that's the gist of the movie. I read once in an interview with writer/director Hayao Miyazaki that he does not sit down and write scripts so much as he sits and draws, letting the story evolve from there. This method has worked beautifully for Miyazaki in movies like PRINCESS MONONOKE and SPIRITED AWAY (two far superior films). Sadly, KIKI is not such a film. The movie, like the story's heroine Kiki, just kind of wanders around, pointless. The movie tells the audience Kiki has to go away for a year to "learn how to use her powers," but how exactly is she supposed to learn without anyone to teach her? She has no real mentor. And Kiki's main ability is flying. But she can already fly before she leaves home on her journey in the first place. The reclusive artist lady who lives in the woods is also another mind-boggler. Other than a semi-sage like character (who doesn't give any really great advice), she serves no real purpose.
The translation for this film was also the worst. Stay away altogether from the English dub with a young Kirsten Dunst as the voice of Kiki and the late Phil Hartman as the voice of Kiki's talking black cat, Gigi. The translation for that dub was terrible.
A good example of the variations in translation and their impact on the film is the scene when Kiki encounters another witch while looking for her own city. The original Japanese has the witch being a bit curt, by Western standards, yet polite to Kiki. In the English subtitles she is a bit snobby and in the English dub she is an outright jerk! The suits at Disney were obviously trying to turn this into an American film and also added all sorts of unfunny, smart-aleck dialogue for Gigi the black cat that is nowhere in the Japanese dub!
I think the point the film is trying to make under all these silly adventures is that young women can be strong and independent and overcome obstacles. A good message, but one that can be gained much more effectively and entertainingly in other films, such as Miyazaki's own film SPIRITED AWAY.
26 Kiki Delivers
Face it: any kids' video you buy will be watched over and over, mostly in your presence. You want to choose carefully, since you will be spending so much quality time with this video. Kiki's Delivery Service won't disappoint you. This sweet, gentle movie is a coming-of-age story about Kiki, a 13-year-old witch-in-training. As part of said training, she is required to spend a year away from home practicing her craft. Her subsequent adventures are the subject of this endearing film by Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki. The animation is splendid, the casting mostly inspired (Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Debbie Reynolds, and even the late Phil Hartman as the voice of Kiki's companion cat). Unlike the standard Disney fare, this movie has no violence, no sex, no profanity, and not even a dysfunctional family.
The themes of Kiki's Delivery Service are noble ones. There are far worse ways to spend a few hours (or a few dozen) than watching a young girl make friends and gain self-confidence, especially one as appealing as Kiki. Buy yourself an extra copy of this video. When you wear the first one out watching it by yourself, you'll need the spare to placate the kids.
27 not much to say but THIS MOVIE ABSOLUTLEY ROCKS!!
i love this movie. it rules. its so awsome. when i rented it, i fell in love with it. the pacing is slow, but the art and plot are great. it seems to take place in between 1937 and 1942. i recomend it. it has trains. i love thoes. it has cars. ilove thoes. it has a smart allek talking balck cat. i love thoes. BUY THIS MOVIE! BUY IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!!
28 A film that everyone will enjoy. As delightful as they come!
It's great that Americans are finally discovering the dazzling animation of Japanese genius Hayao Miyazaki (whose film "Spirited Away" won the award for Best Animated Film in 2003), and that Disney has started to release excellent DVD editions of his films with both Japanese and English language options. Miyazaki's 1989 film "Kiki's Delivery Service" ("Majo no takkyubin" in Japanese; literally "Witch's Express Mail") is his most easily accessible and the best place to start in watching his movies. "Kiki's Delivery Service" is an honest-to-goodness `family' film. Children will adore it, and adults will find themselves enchanted with its charm, delightful characters, and the sheer beauty of the animation. I once watched the film with a room of twenty and thirty year-olds, a few young children, and an 84 year-old woman, and everybody LOVED it and cheered the heroine on at the end. Simply put, there are few films out there that are as loveable and likable as this.
In terms of story, it's an odd film: there's not much in the way of `plot.' The film depends strongly on its heroine and the way she learns from the world and the people around her as she grows up. Kiki is a thirteen-year-old witch in training who leaves her home to start her required period of living on her own to discover her talents. Kiki and her cat sidekick Jiji jet out on her broom to a city (vaguely European, with traces of Paris, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam) and settle down at a friendly baker's shop, where Kiki establishes her own broom-powered delivery service (look out, Fed-Ex!). The story follows her troubles and joys, such as her friendship with a local boy inventor Tombo, her meeting with nature-loving artist Ursula, the tricks and difficulties of making deliveries, and the possible loss of her powers when she starts to lose belief in herself. It all climaxes in a thrilling action sequence that Superman would be proud of.
The movie leaps from wonderful sequence to wonderful sequence: Kiki's passionate farewell to her parents, her first flight over the city, Tombo's wild ride on his experimental flying bike, a dangerous flight through a flock of birds, the action-packed finale, and the many terrific meetings between Kiki and other charming characters. Watching Kiki learn and grow will have an affect on children young and old: everybody can take something away from the lessons Kiki learns about herself. And of course, the animation is dazzling; not only the sweeping visuals, but the nuances of the characters' expressions and movements.
The DVD offers the film in English and Japanese (oh, and Spanish too). If you watch the film in Japanese, you have the choice to watch it with two different sets of subtitles. One set is a literal translation of the Japanese script. The second are taken directly from the English version, and therefore have a distinctly "American" feel to them. I recommend when watching the Japanese version to stick with the literal subtitles. Since the English dub of the film often adds extra lines to characters (especially Jiji), it can be confusing to see subtitles pop up when nobody is speaking.
The Americanized dubbed version, however, is fantastic as well, and done with great respect and intelligence. The voice cast is superb: Kirsten Dunst as Kiki, Janeane Garofola as Ursula, and Debbie Reynolds as sweet old Miss Dora. But the scene-stealer is the late Phil Hartman as Kiki's smart-aleck cat companion, Jiji. Hartman is hysterical in every scene, totally nailing down the character, and his performance is a bittersweet reminder of what a great comedian we lost with his premature death. If you're going to watch the film with children or a large, general group of people, stick with the English version. It's quite an achievement, and just as enjoyable as the Japanese version.
There are some extras, although a lot less than you would expect for a 2-DVD set. John Lassiter (director of "Toy Story") introduces the film, and there's a short documentary about the English language actors. The second disc contains the whole film in storyboard and rough sketch form: this will really only be of interest to animators and hardcore Miyazaki fans.
Every family should have "Kiki's Delivery" service in their library, although the adults may find themselves returning to it as much as the children; and it's a great introduction to Miyazaki. Make sure you also watch "Castle in the Sky," "Spirited Away," and "Princess Mononoke" (the last one isn't really for kids, however).
29 "We each need to find our own inspiration, Kiki."
Before the wonderful animated films "Princess Mononoke" (1999) and "Spirited Away" (2001) were produced, director/writer Hayao Miyazaki co-wrote and directed the very charming 1989 animated film now known as "Kiki's Delivery Service". Based upon a book written by Eiko Kadono, the film was originally titled "Majo no takkyubin", which translates literally as "The Witches Express Mail". As the original implies, the film is about a young, 13-year-old witch named Kiki, who, like all other witches in the story, is required to spend one year away from home and live an independent life. At the beginning of the film, Kiki (whose English voice was done by Kirsten Dunst) is still at home and very excited about her impending year away. On the night of the full moon, Kiki decides that it is time to leave. Her parents (voices done by Kath Soucie and Jeff Bennett) watch Kiki rise into the air upon her broomstick with her talking black cat Jiji (voice of Phil Hartman, 1948-1998) and travel to a city along the ocean. There, Kiki eventually finds a place to live: a bakery owned by Osono (voice of Tress MacNeille), where she starts her own delivery service. Along the way, Kiki meets an artist named Ursula (voice of Janeane Garofalo), a boy named Tombo (voice of Matthew Lawrance) and an elderly woman named Miss Dora (voice of Debbie Reynolds).
Like many of Miyazaki's films, there is no "bad guy" in "Kiki's Delivery Service", but there are some exciting moments and the story tends to focus on self-discovery and interpersonal relationships. The film is very charming and is sure to entertain any child that watches it and adults will more than likely enjoy it too. The quality of animation isn't quite as spectacular as in Miyasaki's later animated films, but like looking at paintings by the same artist, "Kiki's Delivery Service" is in Miyasaki's beautiful artistic style. Overall, I rate "Kiki's Delivery Service" with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to everyone.
30 A charming story
Kiki is a delightful character - strong (mostly), friendly (mostly), and successful in the end. This is a real family movie, with enough in it to keep the adults interested.
The animation, of course, is magnificent. The backgrounds are filled with wonderful detail, and the main characters all stand on their own. Gigi is my personal favorite - except maybe for Jeff. Jeff's one brief scene shows more personality than some characters display in a whole movie.
"Delivery Service", centered on the hard-working young girl, is an interesting omen of Miyazaki's things to come. "Spirited Away" centers on the same kind of character. "Spirited Away" is a much more mature work, where the lead girl faces more complex situations. That difference surely comes from Miyazaki's growth as a director between the two movies. It may also be deliberate, if the two movies are intended for slightly different age groups.
This may be a little young for some viewers, but young viewers need movies too. This is a winner.
31 Wonderful! Strong female character
It is so hard in this day and age to find movies for little girls to watch that have strong female role models. Kiki's Delivery Service is a movie that I am completely happy that my daughter loves to watch. It is about living life with your heart and spirt and learning to love and believe in yourself. This is a WONDERFUL movie, and we love My Neighbor Totoro for the same reasons.
32 A nice family film.
Kiki's Delivery Service is the story of a young witch who leaves home to apprentice in another town. It is a coming of age movie that the whole family will enjoy. Kiki must learn to grow and develop confidence in herself.
While not my favorite from director Miyazaki it is still very good. the Japanese Amine is wonderful and this one is not violent as some other amine.
33 Anyone who gives this less than 5 is blind to Miyazaki.
This is probley my favorite Miyazaki film ever!This is a heartwarming movie that anyone can fall in love with.Perfect Anime family film!(Anime fans whose parents think Anime is demeaning to women and/or violent porn,show them this film.)And did I mention,Phil Hartman was the perfect Jiji.
34 Coming of Age Anime...
When witches turn 13 they leave their home to live by themselves for a year. Kiki has just turned 13 and must now master the broom and face her own fears in order to be a successful witch. She must also build a strong belief in her own abilities and face love for the first time in her life. Kiki's best friend Jiji, a black cat, travels with her on her year long journey and often interjects with hilarious comments on the things and issues they face. Kiki's Delivery Service is a remarkable film with many valuable lessons to be pondered by both young and old. In addition, the film offers both humor, drama, and suspense, which in the end has been put together into a superb cinematic experience.
35 DVD Review
Kiki's Delivery Service is another masterwork in the canon of the greatest animation director in the world, Hayao Miyazaki. Disney's DVD presentation gives the picture an absolutely beautiful transfer, but is extremely spare in terms of extras. The film is a wonderful family film filled with innocence and charm. Someone said cynicism is the death of art and Kiki is a breath of fresh air to the cynical sarcasm of today's entertainment. The only drawback to the film is that some might find the film a ridiculous fantasy in regard to our violent modern world. As a college student I have found it hard to sell a film to my peer that concerns a teenage witch delivering gifts to friendly townspeople. Much of my generation will be turned off by the content. Even fans of Miyazaki might be put off in the difference between Kiki and Mononoke or Spirited Away. Others including myself love the film and continue to be touched by the universal feelings and details that Miyazaki evokes.
Picture quality on the DVD release is amazing. The gorgeous print of Miyazaki's breathtaking animation makes this one of the best looking DVDs in my collection. It has to be seen to be believed. The picture's aspect ratio is kept in 1:85:1, giving limited black for small tv users.
I'm not a sound expert but it sounded just fine. I don't have a home theater set-up, so I can't judge the audio. The Japanese track is vastly superior if only for the original Japanese version of the catching opening and the extremely different vocal performance of Jiji. This track is not in 5.1. The english dub features several celebrities and is fine, but stick with the Japanese. I guess there is Spanish, but I don't remember it being an option on the storyboard disc. The menu design is annoying in that you cannot switch the audio or subs on the fly. You have to go back to the menu and then resume play. Yellow subs are within the frame, not in black. This is good for widescreen tvs, but on my regular tv, it tends to blend with the image and cover stuff.
Extras is the weak spot on the disc. Lasseter's intros were cool the first time I heard one, but get tiring after more than one Miyazaki film. The film starts with Lasseter's comment if you change to Japanese and select "resume film" to start. The english cast interviews are nothing special, accept for a brief appearance of Toshio Suzuki and a very very young and cute Kirsten Dunst. Be sure to pause and catch the Jiji robe she wears in one scene!
I didn't finish watching the Japanese trailers, they run one after another, mostly clips with limited Japanese ad flair. Disc Two only has the storyboarding of the whole film with both soundtracks. The storyboards are more completely drawn then other Miyasaki films, but you cannot switch angles to a film comparison which made the Spirited Away disc interesting.
A total masterpiece of animation, Disney's disc has a mind blowing picture transfer with limited extras.
Highly recomended.
36 Middling Miyazaki
Kiki starts beautifully and breezily with the bouncy rhythm of a good pop tune. Then it turns into a long sermon about virtue requiring the suppression of individuality(in this case, the ability to fly)to serve the common good. Well, the message is partly good. But, shouldn't someone gifted with talent beyond the ordinary use it for something other than delivering cookies? Kiki can be read as a Japanese as an outsider in a foreign land and the message seems to be try hard to fit in and be 'a credit to your race'. Or, if you read Kiki as an outsider in Japan, then the message is try to act humble and quiet like Japanese.
For some reason Kiki's power wanes and comes back only when it's urgently needed to rescue people in danger. Eh? Was Miyazaki suddenly saying unless we expand the scope of our talent it grows stale? If so, this message is dropped on our lap with no preparation. A very bad ending indeed.
Still, there are alot of little pleasures to be found throughout the movie. And, Kiki is really cute and adorable.
37 HEARTWARMING AND ADVENTUROUS
This film is plan and simple perfect. It will delight both young and old. This is the perfect film to gather you and your family around on some rainning day just to simple enjoy. Children will be inthralled with Kiki's adventures, while parents will see the story for what it is. A childs' first steps into adulthood. This is a work of pure magic that will be fond a memory to both children and adults alike.
38 Totaly Charming
I adored this movie. It was charming, though not as great as Sprited away or Castle in the Sky, but is defantly worth the buy.
39 Pure Magic
This animation was pure magic. The drawings are slightly outdated, but the deep storyline, nostalgia of growing up, and plain-awesome soundtrack easily make up for that.
40 Miyazaki does it again! We are true fans now!
We got Spirited Away from the library and enjoyed it so much! When I saw Kiki at the video store, I knew that it was a hidden treasure and grabbed it! The family watched it that night and several times over the next couple of days. It is a film for the whole family with lessons of courage and finding one's own path. We are a Christian family and I had a few reservations at first, but after watching this movie, I am a true Miyazaki fan! We will be buying the three pack for Christmas this year!
41 Gentle family fare
Kiki, a 13-year-old witch, leaves home with her black cat, Jiji, to carry out her apprenticeship, which consists of living on her own for a year. She settles down in a picturesque seaside village, makes some friends, starts her own delivery service, and learns the true nature of her power. This wonderful family film features no violence or conflict between characters, yet there isn't a dull moment in it. Kiki's struggle with herself provides plenty of drama, and the flying scenes provide the excitement. Writer/director Hayao Miyazaki has crafted something special.
42 Pretty good
I wasn't going to watch this movie..until the child i was babysitting fell asleep on me and i had no choice..(since i couldnt move) ANYWAY..it actually kept me entertained for the most part and is a really cute movie.
43 You may think this is a movie for kids, but you're wrong!
I know it is aimed for youger kids, but still it's great for all ages.
I think the newer version of this movie is better than the older one, which I rented and immmediatley liked. I was probely 10 when I rented it and I still love it.
I think this version's box is alot cooler, and thhe behind the scene's documentary is great.
This movie about a girl named Kiki. When she turns 13, she and cat Jiji{ I don't know why but they spelled like this in the movie, and Gigi on the box. Or maybe it was vice-versa}, must leave their house for a year so Kiki can train as a witch. And she begins a delivery service. I would advice people to {at least} rent this movie. And if you like it, you would not regret buying it, whether you're an anime fan.
44 A gentle masterpiece, lovable characters
This is a special film - touching, sweet, exciting, endearing. Kiki, voiced by a young Kirsten Dunst, is one of the most engaging characters of all film. She is one tough witch. Not evil, not the slightest, but tough because she is strong-willed, determined and honorable. She is a great role model for any young girl, and any older guy like me, too.
I've watched this DVD four times in about a month, and it still brings roars of laughters and a stream of tears. The black cat, Gigi, is a brilliant counter to Kiki's sweetness. Voiced by the late Phil Hartman, Gigi is bored and reserved, a cat after all. But he is also just a little wise.
The great director, Hayao Miyazaki, conceived this film with almost no direct conflict, and yet there is real tension. Kiki sets out to become an adult and overcomes obstacles.
The lack of classic cartoon violence is notable -- there's a absolutely wonderful scene between Gigi the black cat and Jeff the old dog. In any other cartoon, they tear each other up. In this film, a wonderful thing happens.
Many wonderful things happen in Kiki. I highly recommend it for people of all ages.
45 my favorite Miyazaki
A Film by Hayao Miyazaki
As great as some of his other works are, this is probably my favorite of all the Miyazaki films that I've seen. It is one of the simplest stories, but I think that Miyazaki tells it extremely well. This animated movie is about a young witch who must move to another town to practice her craft as a solo apprentice witch.
Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) is turning 13 years old, and it is a tradition that when a witch turns thirteen she must go out on her own to practice in another city. She takes along her cat Jiji (Phil Hartman) and flies off on her broom to find a city by the ocean. After seeing a little bit of the town and interacting with some townspeople, Kiki doesn't know where to go or what special skill she has. All she can do is fly on her broom. In exchange for minimal help around the bakery, Kiki is taken in by a kind woman named Osono (Tress MacNeille). While living with Osono, Kiki decides that since her one skill seems to be flying on her broom she should open a delivery service. She does, and runs it out of Osono's home and bakery.
Kiki's Delivery Service is a beautiful, gentle movie about a young girl trying to find her place in the world as well as trying to figure out who she is as a witch and as a person. As I mentioned earlier, this is my favorite of all the Miyazaki films I've seen. It is just an easy going movie that is a lot of fun to watch, and is very engaging. All of the English voice acting is fantastic. I don't know if this movie is as technically proficient as Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke, but it is a very enjoyable movie to watch.
46 A great story, but watch it in Japanese, not English.
This is a great story, but I definitely prefer to watch it in Japanese with English subtitles. There are subtle changes in the story between the two versions, and after watching the Japanese version, I find that I can't stand Phil Hartman's sarcastic Jiji. The English version has been "dumbed down" for American audiences, and Jiji is just one example. In the Japanese version, there is less "mood music" to tell the audience how they are supposed to feel, and the beauty of the animation is allowed to stand on its own. It's clear that American audiences have little tolerance for silence, but believe me, many scenes in this movie are much better without the added noise. The addition of English language credits (and text, as in the scene where Kiki's parents read her letter) to the DVD was poorly done, and these parts of the movie are noticeably fuzzy and lacking in contrast. It seems like Disney was in a rush to get this movie to American audiences, and did a mediocre job in everything. It's a good movie, and well worth watching in either version. Still, it would be generous to give the English language version 4 stars, but the original Japanese version easily deserves 5 stars.
47 Witches, life, and well a few lessons in between
This was a good anime story wise, it seemed a little bland to beign with but it got better as time in it progressed. There was no magic but she did fly on a broom. It was also extremely cool to see that the towns people were accepting of a witch coming of age. When so many people in the world are afraid of us.
This film has great promise, and I kinda don't like that Disney was associated with it making but eh what can I say. This is definatly a movie I would share with friends and family!
48 Absolutely Amazing!
Miyazaki's films never disappointed me, this one is not an exception. The movie, like Totoro, is a heartwarming one, it does not involve war, fighting, ghosts, whatsoever, which may be a disturbance to the hardcore war movie fans... but learning to appreciate different types of movies is important
This movie is released in Japan in 1989, a fairly old film if you ask me, but the drawings are no where near the line of "old", the background is amazingly detailed, every brick on the roof is drawn with care and attention, which tells you how much work Miyazaki has put into this film. The characters' facial expressions are reflected perfectly with the animation, even without the voice acting, you can tell how they are feeling by looking at their faces.
The story adds fantasy into reality, in an instrial world where cars and planes dominate, there are still witches and magics, which are believed to exist during the 16th century... this is past vs. present, magic vs. science scenario, but with Miyazaki's imagination, these seemingly contradicting factors melt and fuse together, giving the audience an experience they never had before... the story presents themes related to stepping into adolescence, living in a new environment independently, making new friends with a sincere heart, etc. As an environmentalist, Miyazaki also portrays the problem with polution caused by factories and car exhaustions in many parts of the film, which is a message people should understand.
The voice acting in the US version is great, some anime fans that prefer original Japanese soundtracks may find the English dub sucked, but keep in mind that English and Japanese are two different languages, you cannot simply expect something in Japanese to be fully translated into English, plus with the cultural differences, what is presented in the Japanese version may not be understood by the western audiences, so a few comments and lines added into the movie in the English dub don't hurt the overall storyline. From what I heard and experienced, I can tell the voice actors in the US version have put their feelings and emotions into the film, unlike some dull dubbings such as Gundam Wing. After all, Disney does not want to ruin its reputation.
49 Kiki and jiji
i REALY LOVE THIS MOVIE BECAUSE IT PROVES THAT EVERYONE HAS A DREAM ABOUT BEING ALL THAT THEY CAN BE AND i REALLY LIKE HER BLACK CAT JIJI AND i HOPE TO GET A FULL BLACK CAT AND BE ABLE TO FEEL LIKE A WITCH.
50 Japanese language track with subtitles better than English
First off, I would like to say that I give the Japanese track 5 stars. It is heart-warming and would be great for kids - provided that they could keep up with the subtitles, of course - and adults. However, I gave the DVD three stars because when Disney dubbed this, they decided to change the dialogue more than was necessary to match the lip-flaps. Jiji the cat became more sarcastic and negative. Disney added many lines for him where there weren't any in the original, which did not add anything to the movie and made him seem more unpleasant. Many of the minor characters also became ruder. A truck driver yells angrily at Kiki when he said nothing in Japanese, and a little boy calls a present he gets "dumb." The kid was a bit annoying in the original, but he's really a brat in the English-dubbed version. I'm not a parent, but I know that many parents would show this to their kids. The changes don't make the movie terribly unpleasant, my 12-year-old sister enjoyed it, but I find it rather irresponsible of Disney to purposely change a movie to be less kid-friendly and happy than it was originally, especially when the movie is targeted at kids.
51 Not only a great film, but a DVD treasure
Hayao Miyazaki (better known in America for "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited Away") produced "Kiki's Delivery Service" before either of those films, and by their standards, it might seem tame. However, I rank this at the top of the list of children's films I have seen (a long list, with a 3 year old!), for a myriad of reasons. It is appropriate for even the youngest kids, although its gorgeous animation style and well-paced story will keep adults intrigued as well.
The 13 year old witch Kiki must, in accordance with tradition, set out for a year on her own to hone a special witching skill. She departs her hometown and her family with her best friend, the traditional black cat Jiji, and finds herself in a seaside city that is reminiscent of both Europe and Japan. This acultural locale is just the first of dozens of breathtaking imaginative achievements; Kiki faces trials along the way that are neither fantastical nor pedestrian. If you accept Miyazaki's universe at its face value, nothing that happens in the film seems the least bit unlikely.
Owning the film on DVD really opened my eyes - both to the incredible detail in the art, and to the original film as compared to its Disney-produced American version. Kirsten Dunst and Phil Hartman provide the voices of Kiki and Jiji in the American version, and they both do extremely well - but the "traveler and sidekick" Disney formula has been applied to something where it did not originally exist! I saw the film first on the Disney channel and thoroughly enjoyed Hartman's performance as the somewhat neurotic Jiji. However, the DVD contains the original Japanese language track with English subtitles, and the Jiji of Miyazaki's film is a calm and sparingly-employed counterfoil to Kiki's experiences. Note how rarely Jiji is in the frame when Hartman is speaking, or the occasional cases where Jiji speaks but his mouth does not move - all additions of Disney.
One of the most beautiful things about this film in its original version is its willingness to be silent - to be about a young girl and her cat, alone in a new place, without a constant patter of dialogue. They are allowed to simply "be". Later adaptations of Miyazaki's work for American audiences have been more respectful of this element of his stories. Finally, with this DVD, we have the opportunity to see Kiki as she was meant to be seen.
52 Great Movie
This movie is very simple. The animation isn't fancy. The story is simple. And that's why it works. A great story of a little girl learning life lessons.
53 Excellent film, but technical difficulties
My daughter and I loved the movie, but the last scene never would play. I am returning the film and will try again and hopefully get a better copy.
54 There's magic in the air with Kiki's delivery service!
One of the fortuitous results of "Spirited Away" ("Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi") winning the Oscar for Best Animated Film for the great anime director Hayao Miyazaki is that his other works are becoming readily available on DVD in the United States as well. A case in point is "Kiki's Delivery Service" ("Majo no takkyubin," literarlly "The Witch's Express Mail"), which tells the story of Kiki O'Connell (voice by Kirsten Dunst), a young witch who has turned 13 and has to go off on her own for a year of training, accompanied only by her black cat Gigi (voiced by Phil Hartman). "Training" is actually a misnomer, because what Kiki does is get on her broomstick, fly off towards the ocean and finds a beautiful European styled city that does not have a witch. Instead of serving some sort of formal apprenticeship to an older witch, Kiki has to survive on her own, and when she helps Osono (Tress MacNeille) return a pacifier to a customer who left I behind at the bakery, she stumbles upon a job that will help her earn her way.
What makes "Kiki's Delivery Service" work is that fact that everybody in the city accepts Kiki's presence. It has been years since the city had a witch, and the police think she has to obey the rules just like everybody else and not cause accidents flying around on her broomstick, but everybody accepts Kiki at face value and offers her encouragement and support. Included in this group would be Ursula (Janeane Garofalo), an artist living in the forest, Madame (Debbie Reynolds) and her housekeeper Bertha (Edie McClurg), a couple of old ladies who take a liking to the young witch, and especially Tombo (Matthew Lawrence), a young boy who would like to fly just like Kiki. Ultimately "Kiki's Delivery Service" is not about what others think about Kiki but rather what she thinks about herself, especially when she starts confronting the doubts of adolescence that could ground a young witch who starts doubting herself.
True, this film suffers in comparison to "Spirited Away," but then that is going to be true of most animated films. The important thing is that "Kiki's Delivery Serivces" represents Miyazaki's vivid imagination and his painstaking attention to detail and insistence on putting in as much into each frame of animation as possible. The result is not great, but utterly charming, which is high praise given what most animation is like even today where computers are doing too much of the heavy lifting. Note: I am not sure if this was Phil Hartman's last work before his death, but it should be noted that his Gigi has a lot more lines than in the original Japanese version (you will notice this and other changes when you watch the film with subtitles instead of the dubbed track, which, of course, is something you always want to do with anime at some point while watching the film again).
55 Sweet Movie
ALthough I do not watch a lot of Japanese movies, I have to say this was a real treat for me. I thought Kiki was a great character for young girls, and the relationship she had with everyone was so warm and sweet, almost corny, if you will. Nevertheless, I thought Kiki to be an intelligent, fun, and hard working young girl that you just couldnt dislike. I also liked her pet cat. I think this is a cute movie that everyone should own.
56 Cute!
I love every thing to do with witches and I love Anime. So this is a great combination. I would suggest this for any on eyoung or young of heart.
57 hooray for Kiki!
We just love this one - so charming!
58 DVD Japanese/Spanish track confusion
The Japanese Language audio track has a critical mistake. The final chapter is not in Japanese, but it is in Spanish! The Spanish track has this chapter also in Spanish, so it is not merely switched. This is the final musical number where the animation describes what has happened to the characters after the main story has completed.
59 Excellent children's movie!
This is an excellent children's movie. My niece loves to watch it all the time. I recommend it along with My Neighbor Totoro for young children.
I gave it 5 stars, but I do have one grip. I watched it in Japanese, with subtitles (my niece watches it in english), and well, the translations didn't match up. Doesn't matter in english though.
60 Just enjoy the magic!
After reading all of the critiques of this DVD presentation, I am amazed that I still enjoy watching this film. Instead of thinking too much about the technical aspects of translation, try sitting down with this movie and let its beatiful story roll over you. It will make you wish that you were 13 years old again, when your innocent view of the world was both shaken and renewed by the acts of others. If you are a parent, you must buy this for your jaded, modern children. Mine were entranced, presumably by the idea that Kikki could live on her own whle still maintaining her dignity and sense of responsibility to her new friends.
61 superb! : )
This is the cutest little story with unbelievable characters, and beauftiful art. I couldn't help but totally love Kiki, and when she was sad, I wanted to cry for her. Gigi, her black cat, is hilarious! Awesome side-kick!
I have just recently been introduced into Myazaki's animation, and I cannot wait to get more!!!! Perhaps the fact that she's a witch and she's so much more gifted and special, but still so very sweet makes her so captivating.
Beautiful story that will find it's way into any child's heart!
Well I'm 22, no child, but I still love it.
62 So cute
Kiki's Delivery services is so charming and uplifting. The setting is absolutely beautiful and the heronine is plucky and likeable. You will definitely enjoy this treasure.
63 The Best
The movie "Kiki's Delivery Service" is one of my favorite movies. I was really young when i first saw it but now I'm 13 going on 14 and it's still a great movie to watch if you feel bored or just in the mood. But i think the best time to watch it is when you finish watching one of Miyazaki's other movies. Something like "Spirited Away" that's also a great movie. Kirsten Dunst does a great job as the voice of Kiki. The music is also very well-done! The song "Soaring" can really get stuck in your head and also the ending song "I Wanna Fly"
64 Not a good movie
After loving Mononoke and Spirited Away MANY times in the theatre, and loving Castle in the Sky on Dvd; this is probably one of the worst movies that I could imagine someone making of his calibur. What a waste of money. It's nothing like the others, its a Disneylike kid's movie - view and buy it strictly for that.
65 Not a good movie
After loving Mononoke and Spirited Away MANY times in the theatre, and loving Castle in the Sky on Dvd; this is probably one of the worst movies that I could imagine someone making of his calibur. What a waste of money. It's nothing like the others, its a Disneylike kid's movie - view and buy it strictly for that.
66 Glitched "Delivery"
"Kiki's Delivery Service" is an utterly charming, beautifully animated movie, and Hayao Miyazaki is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker everyone should get to know. The Oscar for "Spirited Away" brought long overdue Hollywood notice for a Japanese craftsman whose films outgross Disney in Japan.
Unfortunately, the shoddy quality control on this Disney-distributed DVD set makes me worry that the other DVDs may contain similar glitches, thus hampering Miyazaki's exposure in America. Not one but two copies of "Kiki" had the same flaw: the last scene and closing credits did not play. Instead, the film jumped back to the DVD menu.
So ... highest marks for "Kiki" and Miyazaki. Back to the drawing board for Disney's DVD effort.
67 Recommended for the kiddies
I bought this on the strength of Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, but the story here is not engaging for an adult, and is obviously pitched for a younger audience. As such, it's fine, there's no violence and the animation is pretty enough to watch along with your kids without being too bored. Beats Barney.
For an adult viewer, the Japanese language version is far superior, but that isn't really relevant I suppose, since an adult isn't likely to watch this alone, and the kids will want the English, which is too cutesy by half.
68 Good movie, so-so DVD
I first saw this movie when it had its belated VHS release in 1998 or '99 and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the first Miyazaki film to be released as a dub in the US--"The Castle Of Cagliostro," "Laputa: Castle In The Sky," "My Neighbor Totoro," and "Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind" (which was retitled "Warriors Of The Wind," shorn of a full twenty minutes of footage) all preceded it--but it was one of the few treated with any decency, and more to the point, it had an OK dub. Yes, a few lines were added, just to make sure that we all knew what we were seeing and to make sure hitchhiking wasn't encouraged, and some new music cues were overlaid over parts of the film by its original composer, Joe Hisaishi, because silence is apparently bad, but it's far from the butchering "Nausicaa" got, so let's all try to have a sense of perspective, shall we? It's not worth worrying about, now that the Japanese audio is on this DVD.
"Kiki" isn't a great film, the way that Miyazaki's other family films ("Totoro" and "Spirited Away") are, but it's an awful lot of fun. Based on a Japanese children's novel called "Majo no Takkyubin" (usually translated as "Witch's Delivery Service") by Eiko Kadono, it's the story of a fairly clumsy and unskilled young witch, Kiki, whose only real skill is that she can ride a broom (and she isn't very good at that in the beginning, either). She's reached the age where young witches have to travel to another city for one year in order to learn a trade using their skills, and she departs with her cat, Jiji. That's all I am going to tell you; any more would spoil the story.
Suffice it to say that this is a gorgeously well-animated film, a nice story, and very entertaining. The subtitles provide a better watching experience than the dub (and, yes, they aren't good at conveying the nuances of the dialogue, but this is something any non-native Japanese will struggle with--I certainly do--and hardly Disney's fault), but the dub is good enough for anyone who isn't a film geek or animation buff. Kirsten Dunst did a good job capturing Kiki's personality, Phil Hartman played a Phil Hartman character and did it entertainingly (although the character he plays can't really be called "Jiji" because of that), and Tress MacNeille gave the best performance as Osono.
My complaints here are limited mostly to the DVD itself. Disney may call it "a spectacular 2-disc special edition," but the extras are extremely underwhelming. What do we get? On disc one, we get a bunch of ... trailers (including ones for "Castle In The Sky" and "Spirited Away" which do a terrible job of giving you an idea of what those films are supposed to be about) that do nothing but waste bit space. I assume this is what Disney considers "synergy" these days. Next, there's a boring little Electronic-Press-Kit-type featurette about the voice bubbing, obviously done in '98, since Phil Hartman is alive and well here (sadly, he wouldn't be for long), that runs for all of about five minutes and tells you zero about the film. To round it off, there's a few minutes of trailers for the film itself. Whee.
The film itself is presented decently, although there are some serious quality-control issues involved. Push "Play" and you'll get a five-minute introduction from John Lasseter. Once that's done, the movie starts, and we've got some problems. First, the opening and ending credit sequences in the dub version look worse than they did on the videotape. They're so grainy they look like TV commercials that had been stored in someone's sock drawer for thirty years. Second, while the balance of the film is fine (a little soft, some edge enhancement, but better than most anime DVDs), there are a few instances of print damage (including one that wipes out a couple frames near the end of the movie in a haze of blue) and the color balance is off--Kiki looks a little too pale. Actually, she looks like she's dead at times. The credit sequences, at least, look much better in the Japanese version, thanks to the miracle of seamless branching, and have obviously been better taken care of. Finally, some [one] decided that this 100-minute-plus feature needed a grand total of 16 chapter stops, making it near-impossible to find some of my favorite sequences. Thanks, Disney. At least it's in anamorphic widescreen.
But wait! There's a whole second disc to consider!
And it's a waste of time. Disc two consists entirely of another version of the feature presented entirely through storyboard sketches, with either the Japanese or dub track as accompaniment (but no subtitles for the Japanese version). I like this sort of thing when it shows up as a multi-angle feature during a film, or as a gallery item, but this is just absurd. To make a bad idea even worse, it's divided into the same old 16 chapter stops as the "regular" movie--only this version doesn't get the "luxury" of a scene select menu. So, the only possible value this could have had is completely thrown away.
So, with all that, is it worth a watch? You bet. It's fun just to watch the animation, admire the lovely backgrounds, and wish you could live in a city like that. The story isn't bad, either. Now if only someone could clear up all the rights issues with "Nausicaa" and give that a proper home video release on DVD, we'd be all set.
69 Key to watching a Miyazaki film.
From watching a lot of foreign films, I always find dubs very distracting because they make me think more about what the characters were really saying; I've always been a bit suspicious of dubs because it's of small consequence who actually did the film translation, unlike in books. As a small example, Robert Fagles' translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey shine in comparison to others. I would recommend watching the subtitled version because even if you don't catch the text, there's always the nuances in the tone of voice and the animation itself: Miyazaki's characters have a personality beyond screen presence; their expressions, body language, and unspoken emotions provide plenty of subtle subtext and this is another on the long list of reasons why Miyazaki is one of the best animators in the world.
Kiki's story is more than simply about hard work, it's also a story about overcoming doubt within oneself. It's about a thirteen-year-old suddenly realizing that failure is a very real possibility and that the world and some of the people in it may not be as nice as she thought. It's about her taking that self-doubt and knowledge of the possibility of failure and rising to the occasion in spite of it all. Thinking in the context of the film and the character, who wouldn't be shaken if at the the age of thirteen, they suddenly met with doubt about who they were and what they were doing in a large, strange town with what they thought were very modest resources (even if one of those resources is witch magic)? In the end, no amount of magic can compare with what's in the heart, with carrying on in the shadow of doubt.
Yes, it takes some thinking to read subtitles and catch all the subtlety in the animation, but I think it's worth the effort.
70 Quite the charming tale!
Ever since I first saw this film in 1998 I've fallen in love with it! I didn't really think that a story about a girl's experiences as a delivery girl wouldn't be that exciting, but after I found out that this was directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced at Studio Ghibli, I thought 'What the heck; it must be good'. And indeed it was.
The beautiful and cute 13-year old girl, Kiki, runs a delivery service by using her magical power to fly after she leaves her home to train for a year with her cat, Gigi. The setup is similiar to the novel of the same name(which is now available in america), but the events that occur are quite different. For instance, Kiki never loses her power in the novel, nor does the blimp scenario ever happen in the novel either.
But that doesn't keep this movie from being a good film. Hayao Miyazaki usually takes different stories and molds them into a different sort, sometimes making them better. This is one of those cases, in my opinion. As for the DVD, it includes the japanese version(finally!), which has its' differences from the english one. Namely, the music. There are long moments of silence, which work really well in some parts. Though Disney went and added some new musical pieces and piano solos. They even REPLACED some of the old music too! The only thing they added that I liked was the music that was put in when Kiki goes into a forest in search of the cat toy. It made the atmosphere more mysterious.
I enjoyed listening to Disney's newly added songs to the opening and ending credits, though I love the japanese ones better. As for the voice acting, I thought all of the English voices were good. Though I'm a bit mixed on the new direction gave to Gigi's character. I'm fond of the sarcastic, witty Gigi that Phil Hartmen portrays, but then again I also like the japanese 'feminine' sounding voice too. 'Tis a tradition in most animes to give the sidekick animal character that sortof voice (ala Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, etc.). I loved Kirsten Dunst as Kiki's voice; she managed to sound just about as cute and bubbly as the original. Ursula sounded OK, but it would've been nice if Disney gave her a lighter, sweeter sounding voice like in the japanese version.
Either way, I suggest you get this DVD if you love anime, or a good story. Adults CAN enjoy this as well as kids, if they have an open mind about it. Heck, the superb animation is enough of a reason to see this. That, and Kiki herself. ;)
71 Would have been 5 stars if Disney weren't Disney....
"Kiki's (Witch's) Delivery Service" is my favourite Miyazaki film, and is the best way to introduce newbies to the wonderful world of anime. However...Disney has tampered (badly) with perfection. If you have a decent fansub, you'll probably be happier sticking with it and passing on this version. The translation is not true to the original - I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and guess they had an inexperienced translator working on it. Better that than the alternative of purposely trying to dumb things down/be PC for the American audience. Words were dropped and nonexistent dialog was added. The English-language version was totally butchered. The opening and ending songs were replaced, and "cartoony" music was added throughgout the film. I guess Disney abhors silence, but silence is sometimes the correct thing. Most of what's written here applies, as well, to Disney's two other recent Ghibli releases. Why couldn't they leave perfection alone?
72 I love this movie, but...
I'm a japanese Miyazaki's fan, and I watched this movie in English today... I was really surprised by Jiji's voice which is like old guy, and he speaks too much. He is not like that in Japanese version. Who chose that voice for Jiji? Who changed his lines? That was really terrible. Another thing that i noticed was music and lines. I don't know why Disney put a lot of additional music and lines, which don't exsist in original. some lines are completely changed. I believe the one of best things of Miyazaki's movie is silent, so I felt those music and lines disturbs many good scenes. I thought this movie(I mean English version) is too much Americanized. If you want to watch real Miyazaki's work, please watch in Japanese with English subtitle, and also you will know additional lines in English ver. However, unfortunately, subtitle is not good enough to show Japanese expression. Those are all Disney's problems. Anyway, I just wanted tell evertbody that English version of Kiki's delivery service is different as original.
73 Very silly - not for adults
I bought this movie under recommendation that it could be enjoyed by adults as well.
Well... it is very silly and sappy. I could hardly recognize it as a movie made by same director of Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Every characted laughs in that standard anime way (with the mouth open wide showing the teeth and the tongue) all the time! Kiki's cat Gigi (with the voice of Phil Hartman) makes very stupid sarcastic comments that are not funny.
The story is about a girl witch that needs to go away from home for a year of training. She arrives in a town and decides to start a delivery service, as she can ride her broom well.
While I would not recommend it for adults, it is a nice movie to watch with children under 6, with a subtle moral behind it: "If one tries hard enough, one will discover oneself and be successful in the career of one's choice."
74 What I think of Kiki's Delivery Service
Out of all of Hayao Miyazaki's movies, Kiki's Delivery Service is my all time favorite. It's so heartwarming. It's about a young witch named Kiki (DUH!)who turned 13 left home for a year, so she can train to become a good witch. With her is her black cat Gigi, who is always complaining about Kiki not being careful.
After arriving, she meets a young man named Tombo (his real name is Kapuri, I think) who seems to like her. She starts working as a delivery girl, at a bakery for a woman named Osono and her husband.Osono is expecting a baby so she really could use Kiki's help. Also she not only let's Kiki work at the bakery, she also let's Kiki live in the attic of their house (which is the upstairs of the bakery). However, after a while, Kiki begins to lose her powers as a witch. Will she get them back? You have to see the movie to find out!
75 Kiki rules!
I loved this movie. It looks lovely on DVD. The full storyboard with the finished film's sound is a subtle revelation, but the film itself is another Miyazaki gem, not as ambitious as Spirited Away, or Princess Mononoke; rather it's the highly sympathetic coming of age portrait of a young witch in her first venture into the world. Witches must mature early; she leaves home at 13. This English dubbed version is very well done, with a wonderful performance by the late great Phil Hartman as Kiki's cat/familiar Jiji. Sweet spirited, good hearted and ideal for all ages.
76 Not just a kid's movie
Kiki's Delivery Service, like all of Miyazaki's films, has a depth and emotional resonance that can be appreciated by all audiences.
This film deals with growing up, and also finding yourself. Its plucky heroine provides a lesson that isn't preachy and can certainly hit home with children, adults, and everyone in between.
77 Westernized Kiki's Del. Service - Poor
I was ecstatic to hear that Legendary creator Miyazaki was going to have not one but three of his works dubbed into English. From watching my original japanese version over and over again, i though why not and went ahead to purchase the release which has had so much hype over it just like Spirited Away and Laputa: Castle in the Sky. I must admit, I am a die hard anime freak and quite picky at my choosings for anime in regards to "dubbing" so i decided to go ahead and purchase this copy.
While watching straight in the beginning i was quite amazed that the voice of Kiki (voiced by Kirsten Dunst) was actually an okay choice in my books. She's got one of those child-like voices that haven't yet grown up since Kiki is only 13. She portrays emotions quite well and although at times I was cringing here and there, all in all she did a good job. Who else was going to do it anyway? One of the worst possible decisions that had been made was to cast Phil Hartman as Jiji. How can they give such a loveable cat like Jiji such a deep voice and not to mention that all the "antics" and "western jokes" that went on weren't even funny. All the "added dialogue" and "dialogue which wasn't needed in certain areas" made it rather diappointing to watch through the movie. I would have though that the translations of the original could have stayed the same, but just with english dubbed voices. Why must the western world feel compelled to change it so much to turn it "westernized" as though forgetting where it actually came from in the beginning? Of course there is all the issues of you can only speak with what the "mouth of the character is moving for" yes i get that, but why westernize such a great movie. Fans are not dumb and will love it just as much.
All in all, i was disappointed and can only hope that maybe, just maybe SPirited Away might be a little better. For now though and in the future, my Orginal Version of Kiki's Delivery Service (and if i decide to watch the japanese version on the dvd) is here to stay while dubbed version is stuffed on the shelf never to be watched. A disappointment for a fantastic Miyazaki creation from a finatic anime collector.
78 Better on DVD than on the original 96 vhs which was boring!
This movie is much better on DVD! I liked the original movie on video but there's something about finally seeing it in widescreen and hearing it in 5.1 Dolby Digital that makes me happy! This is a good movie that you should check out! It is classic Miyazaki!
79 Very entertaining!
This movie was very good, even though I'm barely an anime fan. This movie reminded me of Sabrina The Teenage Witch a little bit. Kiki and Sabrina both have talking cats. Overall, this movie was really good.
80 Cute movie
I am an anime feak.
I saw this movie a couple of years ago and it was pretty good. I bought this watched it and it was pretty good.
If you are looking for a family movie or you are just bored rent it.
Check it out you'll enjoy it.
81 Kiki's on DVD but with problems...
One of Hayao Miyazaki's great animes has now been released on this new Disney 2-disc set. The 1:85 anamorphic widescreen picture is generally very good and the new 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack is full of life.
For those of us who have waited years for this film to be available on DVD the wait is over. However, a couple of problems blemish what could have been a very nice event.
First and foremost, the picture runs slightly (about a 1/2 second) out-of-sync behind the sound. Many won't notice it or will blame the effect on poor dubbing. But, those (like me) who have closely watched this film on VHS will see that a sync problem does exist (at least) on Disney's initial run of Kiki's Deliver Service on DVD. Because, this film (like the other Miyazaki offerings) was carefully and successfully dubbed to avoid the dreaded lip-flap effect. Unfortunately, the problem is apparently on all three language tracks as well.
Another less important (but still annoying) defect is found in the Japanese trailers that accompany this film. Most of them are mis-flagged in anamorphic and the result makes them look like they're squished in Cinemascope, when they should just be 1:85 letterboxed widescreen. They can be manually corrected, but shouldn't have to be.
I do hope Disney finds it in their hearts to reissue Kiki with a fixed soundtrack in the near future as this true gem should be seen as good as it can be.
At least, Miyazaki's other two recently released animes (Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky) look and sound right. Disney has done a good job of offering both English and Japanese versions in not only sound but picture as well. So, the Japanese versions contain their original titles and music tracks. Very nice to see this "Master's" work in R1 indeed...
82 Wonderful movie, slightly stained by Disney
First off, don't let anything I say after this discourage you from buying this movie. We own it on VHS, and now, DVD. It's a very fun movie - it proves that you can do a great story that kids (and adults) will love, without following "the formula" and having paper-thin, 2-dimensional bad guys.
However, apparently Disney doesn't think people will "get it" unless spoonfed; even after pushing the Menu button to skip the previews they try to ram down your throat, and hitting "Play Movie", they have a Pixar director come on and tell you what the movie is going to be about, and that "you're going to love it." Gee, thanks. I guess us amer-cuns must be too dum to figgur it out for ourselves.
Those of us with DVD recorders will certainly want to create "movie only" discs for our kids so they don't have to endure even more dumbing down at the hands of Disney.
Disney, if you're listening, in the future if you feel you must explain the movie to the audience, do it off the main menu, not at the beginning of the movie.
Despite all this, expecially if you have kids, PLEASE buy this movie, you won't regret it.
83 Better than I remember!
Here is yet another of master film maker Hayao Miyazaki's films finally released in the U.S. by Disney. I had a chance to see this many years ago after the success of My Neighbor Totoro allowed this film to get the quality Disney dub treatment as well. For some reason, this film which actually made it into a few theatres disappeared into obscurity. The success of Spirited Away prompted Disney to get off their butts and let the world see another of Miyazaki's magnificent films.
When I first saw this film, it didn't leave the same impression on me as any of Miyazaki's other films did. Sure, I felt it was good, but I think I found it too girlish for my taste. Of course, I was younger then (probably still in high school), and seeing it now allows me to have a better appreciation for the film. In all honesty, I do still expect this film to appeal much more to women and girls; it is a coming of age story about a young girl after all. However, I wouldn't compare it to a "chick flick".
I was pleasantly surprised to discover I liked this film more than I remembered. Kirsten Dunst (who was much younger when this film was originally dubbed) perfectly portrays Kiki, the films main character, and Phil Hartman brings a lot of charm and personality to the film as Kiki's cat.
This film has all the magic you'd come to expect from Miyazaki. For guys, I recommend checking out Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, and Spirited Away first as you will probably like them more than this film. Girls, I'd recommend Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away before seeing the rest. I recommend anyone see all of Miyazaki's films, but everyone's gonna have favorites. Some of his films appeal more one gender than another, but they are all great films that everyone should enjoy.
84 The first of Hayao Mayazaki's films I fell for...
years before I even knew what anime was.
I fell in love with it then and I have fallen in love with it all over again. As I have gotten older sense I originally saw it, and lost my copy a few years ago, I like the subtitled version a lot more now. I was 12 when I originally saw it (6 years ago), its still as good as ever though. And even though I realize how much these studio's edit out and such, now that I am a anime fan myself and have compared many TV series and movies (this or course included), I still love the english version because I fell in love with it first so I can't really [take] it out of my heart. Note though for people that are not aware of how much they edit, the DVD accually has 2 seperate films on it, because they cut scenes and such. The Original uncut Japanese version with English Subtitles or not (choice), and the English version.
They have done a great job with the DVD!
The dvds rule!
It has the neatest extra on disk 2 (this extra is fills the whole disk 2),
*DVD EXTRA SPOILER*
for a animated film I've ever seen! You can watch the whole lay out of the movie as its being made with its original concept drawings and sketches with the movie's voices playing in the back round, in English or Japanese! ^_^ And for a film like this is really something to watch, of course it takes the whole length of the movie to go through but thats what fast forwarding to your fav parts are for or speeding it up to get a little glimpse of everything.
Over all 10 out 10 for this masterpiece of storytelling, and a great DVD adoption! The film makes you soar with Kiki, and DVD makes it even better! ^__^
Sinceres to all I hope I've helped, and for future reference see all of Hayao Mayazaki's films but be warned not all are for kids, Princess Mononoke (3rd highest grossing film in Japanese history) is not a kids movie.
Film List: Princess Monononke, Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away, and My Neighbor Totoro.
Petition for his other masterpieces to be released in the USA Nausicaa, Whisper of the Heart, and Only Yesterday are only 3 of the other wonderful films that have yet to be released! You can get them imported though subtitled from Hong Kong. They do a good job to subtitling!
85 Get this movie
I don't write reviews normally. My son wanted this movie. I resisted, thinking it would be stupid.
I was taken away by the story and animation. I can not say enough good things about this movie. Enjoy.
86 Miyazaki's greatest film!
I'm probably in the minority when I say this, but I think that Kiki's Delivery Service is the greatest of Miyazaki's films. I haven't seen Porco Rosso yet, but I've seen all of his other films. They are ALL great, mind you, but this, in my opinion is the best of them. I'm not a huge fan of anime, but Miyazaki is truly a wonderful director.
I've watched the DVD twice already, in both American and Japanese, and they are both great. The dubbing was done wonderfully, with very talented actors and actresses. And although some of the music and sound is changed, none of the movie was cut or added onto as another reviewer claimed (considering that when Disney got the rights to Ghibli films part of their contract was that they couldn't add or delete any scenes.) Either language you watch it in, it's wonderful.
It's a very fun movie with great animation and a great story. There's no violence, and it's a great movie for all ages. I'm 23, and I have watched it over five times, and my nephews and nieces are between the ages of 3 and 8 and they all really enjoyed it. Highly recommended, even if you don't enjoy anime.
87 BORING, but nice
Kiki's Delivery Service has some nice and smooth animation, but other than the eye candy, this anime is sorely lacking in story and imagination. I was hoping and expecting a lot more from this movie. The most imaginative thing is a girl that flies on a broom, a talking cat, and a kid riding a bike with a propeller. That's it. No creatures, no far-out worlds, and most glaringly, NO ACTION. I can't believe this movie came from the same mind that created 'Spirited Away'. 'SA' was most everything this is not: intriging, imaginative, exciting.
I'm amazed at how many 5-star reviews Kiki's Delivery Service has received - it is not deserving of 5 stars at all. It is boring, and ultimately, disappointing. I hope 'Castle in the Sky' and 'Princess Mononoke' are infinitely better than this let-down.
88 Great movie!
Before I saw this, I thought ALL anime was {lousy}. I really am starting to like it! This movie has a great story with great (and famous) voice actors. I was thrilled to read the book ... after I saw this wonderful movie. GREAT for people off all ages!!
89 BRILLIANT - BUT NOT IN ENGLISH
Since no one has reviewed the DVD yet, I'll chime in and say that this film has instantly become one of my favorite animated films of all time. Hayao Mayazaki is the real deal - everything about this film shows how bankrupt Disney and other animated films have become. And the real proof of it is in the Disney English version - everything is made crass and obvious (the voice talent is fine - it's the adaptation that's the problem), every sequence where Mayazaki has let silence be as beautiful as his animation has been rescored by Paul Chihara (who should know better), they've added an insipid pop song and they've made cuts in the film. All the scenes where they've Americanized the onscreen text look like like tenth generation dupes. Phil Hartman was a very funny man, but what they've done to the cat in the American version is reprehensible - it's just typical Disney and not anything to do with Mayazaki. So, the trick is, watch the film in Japanese with English subtitles - you will be moved to tears by the end of it, you will be enthralled with its subtleties and you will be in awe of its gorgeous imagery. Then watch the Disney version and you will know exactly what I'm talking about. Anyone who has only seen the American version, doesn't have a clue about the wonders of this simple, heartfelt and wonderful film. Buy it, watch it, but first in Japanese. Trust me on this.
90 A great movie
I rented this with some hesitation and was happily proved wrong. It's a great movie, nothing scary, and very enjoyable for parents as well. The whole movie just has a great feeling about it-and you can't beat the late Phil Hartman as GiGi, Kiki's pet cat. Far and beyond most childrens' entertainment that is currently available.
91 Great for Girls!
This is one of the trilogy of Japanese beautifully animated features that my daughter adores. (I'll have to add Spirited Away, as soon as we get a copy after its release in April 2003.)
The other two movies being Totoro, which I like better and Go Panda Go, which does not have the same quality of animation as the other two.
Kiki's Delivery Service is actually complex, with something for adults and children to enjoy and to be capitivated by. Kiki struggles while trying to make her own way during the rite of passage from being a kid, to being a young adult. She's 13, (I thought, hmmm, 13 Batmitzvah age)and ready to try her wings, or in this case, her broom.
No freaky witchcraft stuff here, nothing frightening or creepy. Kiki's powers seem connected with her confidence in herself and her ability to believe in herself. A great message for girls and all kids, and heck, for everybody.
And the animation is amazing. From the bakery, to the clouds, the people, everything, its really lovely to watch and would be worth seeing just for the animation alone. And Phil Hartman as Gigi the cat, he's wonderful, sarcastic, and very funny. An excellent movie for kids that parents don't have to worry about.
92 Kiki's a Gem
This is the story of a little girl named Kiki who just happens to be a witch; once she turns 13 she has to leave home for a year to focus on her training. Which isn't easy since all she can do is fly on her broomstick and talk to her black cat.
So she sets off early, and flies off to a new town and decides to open Kiki's Flying Delivery Service.
This movie is a jewel and is filled with great visual apeal. It also has the feel of a high budget hollywood movie and a story that is filled with adventure, suspence, and fun. The story is one that is really stylish and definatly will not bore the pants of any adult; and the keep the kids quiet the whole time it's played.
This movie is beautiful and yet heartwarming at the same time. It is a clasic and should be viewed by everyone, especially people who enjoy animation.
93 My 2 year old loves this movie
I orginally watched this movie on the recommendation of my neighbor and I'm so glad I did. The simple storyline and gorgeous background animation make this a treat to watch for the whole family. Also, Phil Hartman did a wonderful job as Jiji, the cat. Non-violent, with some intense moments at the end that involve a character potentially getting hurt, this movie did not worry my child. Her older (3-7 year old) friends like it too.
94 A Perfect Story for Children
Another delightful masterpiece from Animator Hayao Miyazaki. On her thirteenth birthday a young witch named Kiki must make her right of passage by going out into the world to live on her own for one year. Kiki picks a quaintly European seaside village as her destination and soars off on her broom. Her pet cat Jiji is her only companion. Like so many of the great Japanese film directors, Miyazaki's films achieve a contemplative beauty. There is an almost Zen like quality to the way in which he patiently allows his images to unfold. One event flows seamlessly to the next without the slightest trace of artifice. Miyazaki's unwillingness to rush the narrative allows the audience to share in Kiki's journey of self discovery. When the lights come up you'll feel as though you've also been away on a trip with an old friend.
Preston McClear, author The Boy Under the Bed
95 I love this movie!
I first saw this movie when I was 6 or 7, and I still love it!Jennae(spelling????) Garafalo(more spelling???) was great in this movie!I'd rate it at least 7 stars if I could!
96 A review NOT written by an anime fan
Okay I'll admit it. I've never really been into anime. Although I recognize it as a good form of art and I often admire some of the illustrations I've seen, it's just never been my thing. TV series such as Pokemon just make me roll my eyes and I find the more adult-oriented programs to be a bit too violent. Since I had never really liked the anime I've been exposed to, I thought that I wouldn't be into any kind of anime. Kiki's delivery service proved this little theory wrong.
Kiki is a witch and like all witches, at 13 she decides to leave home and create a life for herself using her magic. Unfortunately things don't go as smoothly as she plans. When it comes to flying on her broom she's not too good at landings and takeoffs. People aren't all that accepting of witches away from home. And she doesn't have any real special talents as a witch, besides of course flying. Still she had her little black cat Jiji, are going to hit it big. She comes up with the idea of creating a delivery service where she will fly deliveries on her broom. This of course is easier said then done. And as she fumbles through her delivers Kiki faces other problems. She's dealing with her first crush on a unique boy named Tombo that lives in the city she's come to. And she's also dealing with the fact that, as a witch, she doesn't really fit in with the rest of the kids her age. What will happen to Kiki?
I've always been a fan of kids movies and I found Kiki's delivery service to be great. The idea is original and I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the things that inspired JK Rowling to create the wizard phenomenon, Quidditch. The characters are all very amusing, especially Jiji the black cat. I'm not sure if I will ever really get into anime, like I said it's not really my thing, but I wouldn't say no to seeing another film by this talented director Hayao Miyazaki. I would recommend this book to movie goers of any age and also to people who are into anime, and people who, like me, aren't really. It's a five star movie!
97 A review NOT written by an anime fan
Okay I'll admit it. I've never really been into anime. Although I recognize it as a good form of art and I often admire some of the illustrations I've seen, it's just never been my thing. TV series such as Pokemon just make me roll my eyes and I find the more adult-oriented programs to be a bit too violent. Since I had never really liked the anime I've been exposed to, I thought that I wouldn't be into any kind of anime. Kiki's delivery service proved this little theory wrong.
Kiki is a witch and like all witches, at 13 she decides to leave home and create a life for herself using her magic. Unfortunately things don't go as smoothly as she plans. When it comes to flying on her broom she's not too good at landings and takeoffs. People aren't all that accepting of witches away from home. And she doesn't have any real special talents as a witch, besides of course flying. Still she had her little black cat Jiji, are going to hit it big. She comes up with the idea of creating a delivery service where she will fly deliveries on her broom. This of course is easier said then done. And as she fumbles through her delivers Kiki faces other problems. She's dealing with her first crush on a unique boy named Tombo that lives in the city she's come to. And she's also dealing with the fact that, as a witch, she doesn't really fit in with the rest of the kids her age. What will happen to Kiki?
I've always been a fan of kids movies and I found Kiki's delivery service to be great. The idea is original and I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the things that inspired JK Rowling to create the wizard phenomenon, Quidditch. The characters are all very amusing, especially Jiji the black cat. I'm not sure if I will ever really get into anime, like I said it's not really my thing, but I wouldn't say no to seeing another film by this talented director Hayao Miyazaki. I would recommend this book to movie goers of any age and also to people who are into anime, and people who, like me, aren't really. It's a five star movie!
98 I'm sure it's me but ...
OK, I have this video that my 3 year old daughter absolutely loves, and quite probably can't live without. I swear, I've seen it more than 100 times, and I still have no clue what the point of the movie is. I'm just not getting it. I'm not trying to offend anyone with this, but it just seems to go on and on and on with an insipid dialogue that doesn't really lead anywhere - though admittedly, the animation is great. I'm a great fan of Kirsten Dunst, and I also own Princess Mononoke and I love it - so it isn't the voice-over, Miyazaki (or anime!) that I have a problem with. Sorry, but I can't give this better than one star.
99 If you can dream it...
More than 10 years before Harry Potter ever took to the skies, there was Kiki.
A witch in training, Kiki leaves home at 13 and discovers that maybe things aren't as easy as she'd like to think.
This is not your average film. There is no evil villian the main character must defeat. There are no pointless situations. Every moment is filled with beauty and this will make you THINK.
For anyone who has every felt insecure, ignored, or maybe like they didn't belong, you can actually relate to these characters. It will make you happy and sad.
This is a gem that will not soon be forgotten. Thank goodness they are finally releasing it on DVD!
100 Beautiful, uplifting, and yes, magical.
I used to believe that Anime was nothing but sex and violence -- stuff for grown-ups only. However, I take it back. And I owe it to this cute little gem called KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE that really turned me around for the better. It introduced me to arguably one of the greatest animators of all time, Hayao Miyazaki, who happens to be dubbed as the Walt Disney of Japan. Having since seen virtually ALL of his films, from CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO to SPIRITED AWAY, I can see why he is such a highly acclaimed artist -- his works (and I mean every one of them) are a stroke of genius.
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE may have been my first real exposure to Miyazaki, but this happens to be the director's fifth film, which was the highest grossing movie of its year in Japan. Adapted from a children's book by Eiko Kadono (which is to be released in America as of this writing), the film is not a typical good-versus-evil conflicted, dysfunctional story but a gentle, character-driven story with endearing characters, beautiful artistry, and a strong, positive message about confidence and independence that are quite encouraging for all, from the youngest of children to the oldest at heart. (On a side note, it persuaded me to get some exercise! The "fat, fat, FAT!!!" line did it for me.)
The story is about 13-year old Kiki, an adorable witch-in-training, who, on one moonlit night, leaves her hometown to seek her independence and fortune. She's accompanied by her wisecracking and hilarious pet black cat, Jiji, and a little wobbly when it comes to takeoffs and landings while maneuvering her broomstick. Kiki arrives at a luxurious town with an ocean view where she eventually finds work at a bakery run by the generous Osono and her silent, gruff husband. There, she starts a high-flying delivery service which opens up many new relationships for the budding witch -- including a friendly painter, Ursula, a kind old woman, Madame, and a boy named Tombo, who dreams of flying.
The above synopsis may sound dull, but KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE certainly is not. It is a joy to watch from start to finish as we see Kiki slowly grow up and learn to have faith in herself, especially when her powers begin to fade away toward the end of the movie. It's engrossing enough to keep one's attention and there are a number of tear-jerking moments that make it more than just a movie. This is a characteristic you'll only be able to find in Miyazaki, and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE "delivers" a wonderful movie which shows that movies don't have to be about overcoming evil or action-packed or angst-ridden to be entertaining.
In 1996, Disney struck a deal with Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki's studio, to distribute the director's movies worldwide. KIKI was their first release. It proved to be a very successful release when it was released to video on September of 1998; it sold over a million copies in the US - a record for any Anime video. But since then, the movie has been out of print, and there was never a DVD release. Recently, however, Disney has given this movie its first ever DVD release in America (debuting alongside CASTLE IN THE SKY and SPIRITED AWAY).
The movie was originally dubbed into English by Carl Macek of Streamline Pictures, but Disney redubbed the movie for its initial release with an all-star cast that did a truly excellent job with their roles. Thirteen-year-old Kirsten Dunst is perfect as Kiki, eliciting just the right touch of cuteness, spunkiness, independence, and poignancy to her role. The other actors, which include Debbie Reynolds (Madame), Tress MacNeille - of TINY TOONS and ANIMANIACS fame - (Osono), Jeanane Garofolo (Ursula), and Matthew Lawrence (Tombo), give similarly superb performances. Of the actors, however, it is the late Phil Hartman's witty, sarcastic take on Jiji that steals the show. He added in some new dialogue and proved to be so good at his role that he actually expanded the character. I swear, I just cannot get enough laughs every time I hear his lines. ("First, don't panic! Second, don't panic! And THIRD, did I mention not to panic?!?") The opening and ending songs were replaced by two gorgeous, rollicking numbers from Sydney Forest, but even they seem to suit the story wonderful. In fact, I find myself bouncing to them every time they pop up over the opening and closing credits of the show.
If you've missed your opportunity to catch this wonderful movie, then now's your chance to experience it. Either way, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is a gem that should not be missed and deserves to be well-known in America as it is in Japan. I highly -- and I do mean VERY HIGHLY -- recommend it.
