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Howl's Moving Castle (Anime)


Howl's Moving Castle (Japanese: ハウルの動く城 Hepburn: Hauru no Ugoku Shiro?) is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The film is based on the novel of the same name by British writer Diana Wynne Jones. The film was produced by Toshio Suzuki, animated by Studio Ghibli and distributed by Toho. The Japanese voice cast featured Chieko Baisho and Takuya Kimura, while the version dubbed in English starred Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall and Christian Bale.

The story is set in a fictional kingdom where both magic and early 20th century technology are prevalent, against the backdrop of a war with another kingdom. The film tells the story of a young hatter named Sophie after she is turned into an old woman by a witch's curse. She encounters a wizard named Howl, and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.

Influenced by Miyazaki's opposition to the United States' invasion of Iraq in 2003, the film contains strongly anti-war themes. Miyazaki stated that he "had a great deal of rage about [the Iraq war]," which led him to make a film which he felt would be poorly received in the US. It also explores the theme of old age, depicting age positively as something which grants the protagonist freedom. The film contains feminist elements as well, and carries messages about the value of compassion.

In 2013 Miyazaki said the film was his favorite creation, explaining "I wanted to convey the message that life is worth living, and I don't think that's changed." The movie is thematically significantly different from the book; while the book focuses on challenging class and gender norms, the film focuses on love, and personal loyalty and the destructive effects of war."

The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on 5 September 2004, and was released in Japanese theaters on 20 November 2004. It went on to gross $190 million in Japan and $235 million worldwide, making it one of the most financially successful Japanese films in history. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006, and won several other awards, including four Tokyo Anime Awards and a Nebula Award for Best Script. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise going to the film's visuals and Miyazaki's treatment of its themes.

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Japanese : ハウルの動く城
Hepburn : Hauru no Ugoku Shiro
Directed by : Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by : Toshio Suzuki
Screenplay by : Hayao Miyazaki
Based on : Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Starring : Chieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Akihiro Miwa
Music by : Joe Hisaishi
Cinematography : Atsushi Okui
Edited by : Takeshi Seyama
Production Company : Studio Ghibli
Distributed by : Toho
Release dates : 5 September 2004 (Venice), 20 November 2004 (Japan)
Country : Japan


Plot
Sophie, a young hatter, encounters a wizard named Howl on her way to visit her sister Lettie. Upon returning, she meets the Witch of the Waste, who transforms her into a ninety-year-old woman. Seeking to break the curse, Sophie leaves home and sets off through the country. She meets a scarecrow, whom she decides to call 'Turnip Head'. He leads her to Howl's moving castle, where she meets Howl's young apprentice, Markl, and the fire-demon Calcifer, who is the source of the castle's energy and magic. When Howl appears, Sophie announces that Calcifer let her in, and she has hired herself as a cleaning lady for the house.

Meanwhile, Sophie's country is caught up in a war with a neighboring country. The King summons Howl to fight in the war; however, Howl decides to send Sophie to the King under the pretense of being his mother, to tell the king that Howl is too much of a coward to fight. Before leaving, he gives to Sophie a charmed ring that connects her to Calcifer. Sophie meets Suliman, the king's advisor, and also the Witch of the Waste, whom Suliman punishes by draining all of her power, causing her to regress into a harmless old woman. Suliman says that Howl will meet the same fate if he does not fight; Sophie protests passionately in his defense, allowing Suliman to see Sophie's true form, and to realize that she has feelings for Howl. Howl arrives to rescue Sophie; Suliman tries to trap him, but with Sophie's help, they escape along with the former witch.

Sophie learns that Howl has been transforming into a bird-like creature in order to interfere with the plans of both sides in the war, but each transformation makes it more difficult for him to return to human form. Sophie's mother — under Suliman's control — arrives and leaves behind a "peeping bug." The former witch promptly destroys the bug by tossing it into Calcifer, who then becomes sick and weak and unable to protect the castle. A few hours later the city is bombed by enemy aircraft. Suliman's henchmen invade the group's abode. After healing Calcifer, Howl tells Sophie that he is not going to leave because he wants to protect her. Deducing that Howl is trying to protect the castle and everyone inside it, Sophie moves everyone out, removes Calcifer from the fireplace and destroys the castle. The witch realizes that Howl has given his heart to Calcifer, and grabs the fire demon. A panicked Sophie pours water onto the witch, which douses Calcifer. The castle is split in two; Sophie falls down a chasm and is separated from Markl, the witch and Calcifer.

Following the charmed ring, Sophie passes into a scene from the past. She watched a young Howl take pity on a falling star—Calcifer—and give it his heart. The act bound Calcifer to Howl indefinitely; however, by losing his heart, Howl was emotionally trapped in adolescence. Sophie finds Howl in bird form, and takes him back to Calcifer. The witch returns Howl's heart, and Sophie places it back inside Howl, returning him to life and freeing Calcifer. Howl wakes up and Sophie embraces him. Although Calcifer is now free, he returns to his former company. Suliman, watching through a crystal globe, decides to end the war. Howl, Sophie, and the others are seen high in the air in a new flying castle, while the bombers return from the war.

Source: Wikipedia

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