Kiki’s Delivery Service is an adorable, good-natured movie that tells the story of a thirteen year old girl who leaves home for a year to live in the city where she will train to become a witch.
When she arrives in the city with her cat Jiji she discovers that the city is less welcoming than she expected and struggles to find somewhere to stay. A chance encounter with the owner of a bakery leads not only to Kiki being offered her spare room but also the discovery that she has a talent for delivering items. Starting her own business, Kiki makes new friends and gets herself into a number of scrapes.
These scenes gently amuse, demonstrating Kiki’s sweet personality and determination as she tries to ensure that her customers receive their goods in time. We also see her gain confidence as she begins to feel comfortable in her new home and she finds herself attracting the attention of a young boy obsessed with flying, Tombo.
The film’s animation shows the imagination and artistry of director Hayao Miyazaki. It lacks the spectacle of his later work such as Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle, but the delightful hand-drawn animation has a delicate beauty that is mirrored by the film’s score. Well, at least until the credits sequence when we are treated to an obnoxious burst of pop music.
At its heart, Kiki’s Delivery Service is the story of a girl learning to become independent. She is helped by several female role models who become her friends who assist her not only to overcome her practical problems of where to live and how to earn money but her philosophical ones as well. Yet at no point does the film become heavy, maintaining its light, delightful tone throughout.
Kiki herself is an appealing heroine who has a sweet but determined nature that makes her easy to like. Kirsten Dunst plays her in the English dub and does a good job, making her very likeable. Joining her are Janeane Garofolo as an artist living in the forest and Phil Hartman, in his last film before his death, as Kiki’s wise-cracking feline sidekick, Jiji.
Beautifully animated, populated with interesting characters and filled with amusing incidents, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a charming movie that is suitable for all ages. Its use of humour and episodic storyline gives the film a light, frothy touch, yet under the surface it has much to say about the insecurities and difficulties of a girl’s early teenage years.