Here is another great masterpiece film from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. In line with Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky is my all-time favorite. What I love most about these anime films is the breadth of imagination. Think fantasy and steampunk, toss in quirky characters and gorgeous animation, and add the voice talents of Anna Paquin, James Van Der Beek, Cloris Leachman, Mark Hamil, Mandy Patinkin, Andy Dick, and many more.
Young Sheeta is a captive on board an airship when it’s attacked by pirates. In a desperate attempt to escape the government secret agents who kidnapped her and the pirate gang looking for her crystal amulet, Sheeta accidentally falls from the ship. Her necklace comes to life and floats her gently to earth where a young Pazu catches her. The two become fast friends, but the army and the pirates are close on their heels. Everyone wants Sheeta’s family crystal for its power in finding the long lost floating city, Laputa. When Sheeta is recaptured by the secret agents, Pazu joins forces with Dola’s pirate gang in order to save her and find the legendary city before its power falls into the wrong hands.
The Characters
Sheeta grew up in the mountains where her parents taught her the secrets of their family line as the descendents of the people who built the flying cities from so long ago, before all were lost and man returned to the earth. All she wants is to be left alone, but the crystal’s power only responds to her own. She starts out as a scared little girl bent on running away, but with Pazu’s friendship and bravery, she decides to fight back and seek out the city and whatever answers it may hold.
Pazu is an orphan who lives in a mining town. He works the mines and dreams of building an airship and flying to Laputa, the castle in the sky his father saw once. No one believed him, and Pazu wants to prove his father right. He’s always got a smile and a positive attitude. His loyalty for Sheeta leads him to join up with pirates in order to save her.
Dola is the leader of the pirate gang. She’s a crazy old woman with guns instead of cats. Half the crew are her own sons, though she’s insistent they call her “Captain” and not “mother.” She may seem ruthless, but Pazu and Sheeta bring out the heart in her.
Muska is the secret government agent in charge of finding Laputa and discovering the secrets of its power. He has no qualms about kidnapping little girls and forcing Sheeta to cooperate. While he’s got an entire army and huge battleship at his command, Muska’s got secret motives of his own.
It’s a non-stop, fun-filled adventure, and I’ll also add that the soundtrack is pretty good too.
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Sophie, a quiet girl with low self-esteem, is about to find her life turned upside down. While out and about, she has a chance encounter with the mysterious and handsome wizard, Howl. Sophie isn’t afraid of him like everyone else because Howl “only eats the hearts of pretty girls.” The wicked Witch of the Waste is jealous of Howl’s attentions towards Sophie, and puts a spell on her, turning her into an old woman. Unable to remain in her normal life, Sophie ventures into the wastes and comes across Howl’s magical moving castle, a heaping piece of creaky junk powered by the powerful fire demon, Calcifer. The two strike a bargain, agreeing to help each other break the curses they’re under. Sophie hires herself as Howl’s cleaning lady, but finds it’s not so simple a job when the great and powerful wizard is as mature as a two-year-old and a war between two countries threatens to destroy them all.
Sophie handles being cursed into an old woman’s body rather well, considering. She gains more confidence as “Grandma Sophie” than she ever did as a young woman. She works hard and grows to love her new family. When that love shows, she even becomes visibly younger, though it doesn’t break the curse.
Howl may be handsome and mysterious, but at heart he’s really vain and selfish. He’s under a kind of curse as well, though these curses come with a gag order and no one’s able to speak about it. Howl transforms into a hideous monster at night when he flies out to survey the destruction of a war he hates, yet the King is calling upon him to serve and fight, and Howl can’t hide forever.
Calcifer is a fire demon. He and Howl are under a binding curse that keeps Calcifer trapped in the fireplace and running the magical castle. Calcifer is belligerent and petulant, but is most definitely the comedic relief. Voiced by Billy Crystal, he’s my favorite character in this movie.
The Witch of the Waste has been after Howl for years. Though hideous, she’s vain and prideful. She gets some nasty just desserts in the end.
This movie is actually based on a novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. However, though the characters are the same and the inciting incident of Sophie being cursed are the same, the two stories go in completely different directions after that. So much so, that I can’t even compare the two; they are independent plots, and I love them both in their uniqueness.
Welcome to Imagine That on Wednesdays! Here’s a random fact about me: I love fantasy anime. The breadth of imagination the writers and animators have inspires me. Sometimes the images are breathtaking, sometimes they’re crazy weird, but that’s what makes watching it such an adventure.
Chihiro starts out as a pouting, obnoxious whiner. However, throughout her adventure, she will learn strength and determination, not to mention the discipline of hard work. She’ll learn to think of others before herself and face her fears on behalf of those she loves.
Haku is the boy (also a dragon) who rescues Chihiro when she first enters the spirit world. He continues to help her by sending her to people he trusts. Haku has his own agenda, and though he works for Yubaba, he’s fighting to remember his name and be free of her. He thinks Chihiro holds the key to his true identity, though neither can recall how or where.
Yubaba runs the bathhouse and controls all her employees by stealing their names. She’s obsessed with profit and running a business, so much so that she fails to notice when her baby boy is replaced with a dummy.
Boh is a selfish, fussy, screaming child who’s never left the safety of his padded playpen. Yubaba’s twin sister transforms Boh into a mouse as punishment for Yubaba ordering Haku to steal her gold seal. Like Chihiro, this swaddling baby boy undergoes his own journey from selfish brat to wiser toddler.
Angela Wallace, Author 