Howl's Moving Castle

Howl’s Moving Castle, loosely based on the novel by Diana Wynn Jones, was Hayao Miyazaki’s next film after his Oscar-winning “Spirited Away”. While nominated though not winning at the 2006 Academy Awards, the movie is still a heart-warming tale that can be enjoyed by girls for its romantic subplot and by boys for its action and stunning visual effects.

The characters
The storyline

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Actors: Chieko Baishô, Takuya Kimura
Rated: PG | Format: DVD

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Howl’s Moving Castle – the characters:

Sophie - a beautiful 18-year-old hatter who is transformed into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste following her chance meeting with Howl. She joins Howl in his travels in the hopes of finding a way to undo the curse.
Howl - a mysterious and powerful wizard whose powers include shape-shifting. He lives in a castle that moves about on spider-like legs and has a portal that opens to various locations.
Calcifer - a fire demon who is bound by Howl to power his castle. He offers to break Sophie’s curse in exchange for helping him break his own.
The Witch of the Waste - the witch who, out of jealousy, cursed Sophie to turn into an old woman after she met Howl. She later loses her powers after she is cursed by Suliman.
Suliman - the royal court magician and Howl’s former mentor. Wanting Howl to more actively contribute to the war, she uses Sophie to get to him.
Markl - Howl’s young apprentice who makes potions and spells for Howl’s patrons. He takes a liking to Sophie after meeting her, loving her like an older sister.

Howl's Moving Castle - The storyline: Howl and Sophie in flight

While on her way to visit her sister, Sophie has a chance run-in with the handsome wizard Howl, who takes a liking to her. This doesn’t sit well with the Witch of the Waste, who desires Howl for herself and curses Sophie, turning her into an old woman. The curse preventing her from telling anyone of her condition, Sophie runs away, eventually finding her way to Howl’s castle, which moves about the land and has a front door that acts as a portal to different locations. She strikes a deal with Calcifer, the demon that powers the castle, offering to free him from Howl if he’ll remove her curse.

With the country soon to be at war with its neighboring realm, whose crown Prince is missing, Howl is asked by the King to fight. Howl refuses out of fear of his former mentor, the court wizard Suliman. Determined to make Howl take an active part in the war, Suliman goes as far as to use Sophie in her plans. Howl, however, is on the verge of losing his humanity the more he uses his powers. It’s up to Sophie, with the help of Calcifer and Howl’s apprentice Markl, to help Howl while finding a solution to her own curse.

While the story may be a bit intense for younger viewers, Howl’s Moving Castle is a fun and adventurous tale that the whole family can enjoy in a buzzing kids world as part of our Anime Cartoons category.

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Howl's Moving Castle

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