Howl's Moving Castle is a master work of Character Design

[@naanbread4523]

Title: “Howl’s Moving Castle is a masterwork of character design” Half of the video: *s p i k y h a i r*

[@minvi152]

spikey wikey

[@mariasanchezm.364]

Yep

[@jagodabiaas4445]

ikr

[@ANYA.RIZALI]

mew

[@teruukin7168]

im taking this moment to say howl pretty

[@cassandra-]

I'm taking this moment 8 months later to agree with you

[@teruukin7168]

@@cassandra- bless up

[@kokichiwithachickennugget6761]

Teruukin I am also here to say you are right

[@inhle1688]

Cassandra 2 weeks later and I agree with your agreeing

[@clarisontheshore]

9 months and im gonna say howl pretty asf

[@Anonymous_Gambito]

Things I think are interesting about Howl's character design. Notice his bangs at the beginning, when he is still with the bright blonde hair. They almost completely cover his eyes; depending on the shot, the bangs hide them entirely. It matches and reflects his mental state at the time. That bright blonde hair is actually fake and for show, and he is hiding himself behind that image, of a powerful and confident person, concealing his fear and vulnerability. When he starts crying and is honest about his fear and shows his child like personality, his hair turns a plain black. It's still long though, hiding his face, because he haven't let go of his cowardice. When he starts to act bravely and stops running away, his past is clarified and Sophie finally understands, plus after getting his heart back, his hair turns into a shorter dark bluish tone, that is similar to the one he had as a child but messier. It is plain, but it finally shows his face. He's not scared, he is not hiding anymore. On one final note, almost at the end of the movie, Howl's hair is bluish and he's wearing a white shirt, while Sophie has white/light gray hair and is wearing a blue dress- their hairstyles are almost the same, like they complete and finally understand each other.

[@princessthyemis]

OH MY GOSH THAT IS BRILLIANT!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I NEVER REALIZED/NOTICED THAT!!!!!!!! I'LL DEFINITELY REMEMBER THAT!!!!!

[@JustLostTheGame]

Or you're just reading way too much into this, professor.

[@THExMRxLOKKI]

I also like how Sophie keeps her silver/grey hair and Howl still wears small pieces of jewelry as well. They have opened up and become more complete stripping off the pieces that would have previously defined them as a whole, in exchange for smaller representations of a small part of themselves. Howl is still flashy, and Sophie is still kind of a prude, but those are not their DEFINING features :D

[@MsTeechar]

Howl is crazy when he's a red head. *Red heads are crazy.*

[@sarina3607]

i just watched it today and i actually noticed howl's hair being blueish at the end (which is weird bc i never notice these things) but i thought it was the lighting lol

[@TheNamelessDoll]

HMC is truly one of those movies that I can watch over and over and appreciate something new with each viewing. :D

[@miltsu4266]

I can't find the movie anywhere

[@ZeeTaylor25]

Most Ghibli movies for me are classics but HMC and Spirited Away take the spot for me. They don't get old for me.

[@miltsu4266]

@@ZeeTaylor25 do you know where I can watch HMC since I cant find it anywhere

[@hikomoron4991]

Miltsu go to ww4.9anime.to

[@miltsu4266]

@@hikomoron4991 thank you so much ❤️

[@Anglesso]

A point I want to bring up is the masculine and feminine elements brought up in their appearances especially in the beginning. Sophie has a masculine face with simple features and strong eyebrows. While Howl has long hair with a slim face and is generally pretty. Howl’s appearance is very feminine. I kind of think this pertains to their characters as Sophie is more emotionally subdued, her emotional side is drowned in practicality. While as Howl’s emotional side is tucked away behind this persona that he sets. I’m not really sure if this is related to gender in any way? But I think how men and women experience emotion is different due to social standards that both genders experience. But at least at the end of the movie they are able to open up and understand each other :)

[@GRIMM2197]

Well said man!

[@auntvivienne8669]

11:00 I love that specific frame as a comparison for how not just Sophie and Howl have changed, but also their relationship. At the beginning they look like characters from two different worlds entirely. Sophie is extremely plain, and Howl is the complete opposite. At the end, they kind of meet in the middle, having absorbed ualities from each other. Their character design shows that especially through their respective colour scheme, with the blue/black and the silver/white. The two colours are inverted on the couple's bodies, but that just goes to show that where they used to clash, now they complete each other.

[@dreamingblue3939]

Great observation :)

[@frannyc7248]

Hey do any of you guys know the song that's played at the end of the movie not the piano version but the with the singer

[@luchia4tom134]

hey is this the song? its been a while since i watched the film so not too sure kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6bLgIibj614eNE im gonna go watch it now so if im wrong expect another message >.

[@AnnMidas]

@@frannyc7248 The Promised World, I suppose?

[@rat-in-the-void]

Great point!!

[@PurpleSoul11]

Howl's seizure about his hair is legitimately the best scene.

[@sowkskwowkks3793]

seizure i- 😭

[@clottedscream]

*please read the book it’s so good.* The movie is about war, and the book is about a curse. Also, Sophie is a cynical nosy little.... female dog... and Howl is a foppish, self obsorbled... nickname for Richard... and they’re SO SO ENJOYABLE

[@musicbyella3769]

Clotted Scream and while the character design does change, i feel like it makes more sense narratively as well as emotionally, if you get what i mean

[@NicholasGreen451]

I'm currently Halfway through it!!!

[@NicholasGreen451]

@@musicbyella3769 Calcifer looks so different in the book

[@AngelaTehaha]

Clotted Scream yess I read the book recently!! I enjoyed the book a lot. I liked how the book ended better tbh cuz it made more sense to me lol. The ending of the movie felt really abrupt in my opinion, but I still really loved the movie ofc. lol

[@jennifercole337]

@@AngelaTehaha I felt the exact same way too! Both though are really great and to me just kind of exist as their own splendid separate entities

[@user-eh1no3yc5v]

Howl symbolises every child that ''gives his heart'' into studying and forgets to live and Sophie the child that blossoms through love.

[@stripedpolkadots8692]

K S ? Can you elaborate a little bit?

[@welovemusic8542]

I think it's the total opposite... Sophie is the plain.. boring one here and howl looks like he blossomed through acceptance and love from sophie

[@babygroot5594]

9:56 one of my favorite scenes bc he says "i see no point in living if j can' be beautiful" or something like that... idk i find it so hilarious bc he then has a slimey mental breakdown

[@BP-to2mq]

baby groot lmao he is so dramatic i love it

[@Lilmeowmeowhd]

baby groot same, I love hair depression.

[@selfproclaimedesper778]

I could relate tbh

[@valentinasanchez5757]

My brother and I bursted of laughter when that scene came

[@clottedscream]

The name of this video alone made me want to weep tears of joy because my literal only two interests in the world are ghibli and character design

[@joselocalau123]

i love seeing people analyse howl's moving castle. it has so much potential and is so beautiful...

[@beyondthescene2588]

I knowww right 😍

[@acooliemoore]

Righttttt

[@MooseTactic]

King: I need your help to conquer the neighboring country. Movie Howl: War is wrong. Book Howl: You got it, your majesty!

[@cherries_and_wine]

...and then takes money and dissapears for couple of years, until any talk of war is over

[@dreamingblue3939]

lol. I read/watched both the book and the movie, but I gotta say that I prefer movie Howl

[@JohnSmith47534]

Miyazaki has always been anti war. Even when he won an Oscar he didn't bother to attend the ceremony in protest to the Irak war. So there was no way one of his protagonist would be pro war.

[@moyama]

@@JohnSmith47534 miyazaki didnt write the book... unless your explaining the change in character then yeah

[@redvevi]

I didn't really understand Sophie's curse when I first saw the movie nor did I notice the drastic change in Howl's design and character at the end. This explanation really helped!

[@khiraj3232]

Howl went from the mask of his blond hair to something as natural as the night sky ,sophie from perceiving herself as average plain girl to looking as unique as a star. Both working together in harmony. Since sophie kind of popped up out of nowhere shes kind of like howls new fallen star and instead of losing part of himself physically(his heart) he gives it willingly to sophie in the form of love. It was never a curse to have how you percieve yourself on the inside show on the outside, after all almost every character had the same thing happen to them. It really is my favourite film. ♡´･ᴗ･`♡

[@CeraAshrax77]

Great video! If you can find it, read the book. In the movie, Sophie and Howl are, as Diana Wynne Jones put it in an interview, "more noble." They argue a lot more in the books and there's a lot more magic, but it's still such an entrancing story. In the book, Sophie has red-gold hair, but I like how they changed it for the movie. Red-gold would have made her stand out too much. The pink and grey coat is from the book. Though there it's red and grey. Sophie has to mend it and ends up accidentally putting a spell on it.

[@isabelnecessary5915]

CeraAshrax77 I loved all the mess made by Sophie fixing Howls coats in the book.

[@aeshiryzenaeschirett5415]

Book Sophie >>>>>>>>

[@gi5215]

she was fixing coats? that makes so much more sense! i kept imagining her fixing a whole suit set like shirt, pants, and a blazer/coat

[@adorabell4253]

@@gi5215 A suit is coat, pants, and optional vest. In the case of Howl it was just coat and pants. She did indeed ruin both pants and coat so your imaginings were correct. She just didn't have the time to get to the pants before Howl found out what she was doing.

[@gi5215]

@@adorabell4253 gotcha, I appreciate the clarification!

[@crudesketch8051]

1:05 It was stated that Naruto picked orange because of how easy it was to spot. He wanted to have that handicap.

[@arianabrusa457]

his choice may also be because of how isolated he was as a kid, none of the parents allowed their children to play with him because of the seal and so he went without attention for a very long time. The orange allows him to stand out and be seen easier which makes it a lot harder for people to ignore him.

[@Ehh97]

@@arianabrusa457 ooh dang, been a fan of the series for YEARS! And i NEVER considered that that was why he wore orange. Thats crazy

[@54321lia]

This is my all time favorite movie and I always think about the character development. I'd also note that the castle is ugly and carrying baggage at the beginning of the movie then at the end it's beautiful and flying with a lawn. I feel that the castle is a representation of howls mental health

[@lanas.2093]

Totally agree!

[@leonardoantonio216]

Another thing about the castle, when Howl transfigures it to accomodate for his new family it's a representation of Howl finally accepting them, and thus gives them their own space. When I first watched HMC I associated the castle with Howl's state of mind (almost as the bedroom of someone, the similiraties are insane): at first the castle is this mysterious, messy and isolated place, but it travels in a rythicmic pattern to it, indicating it still funtions semi-properly. The castle was used as a shelter of real life and responsabilities, and the portals are just an illusion of what the buildings are connected to actually are (as seen when both countries raid these "places"), the portals are closed, and the castle is isolated again. When Sophie comes in she's the one that actually cleans up/heals Howl's mind, yet when she moves in (along with the de-magicfied Witch of the Waste) they sleep on the floor and matresses, Sophie and WotW are still not "invited" to Howl's mind, to put it simply; it is only when Howl makes them their own room that he accepted them to his bubble. Again taking the bedroom alegory, Howl's bedroom shows us the deep phyche of howl, it still being messy despite the castle being clean, guarding the Howl who's a monster (the literal dark side of him, again, manisfested to reality). The castle/mind of Howl falls apart when the monster version of Howl comes out, and it becomes a set of planks on some moving legs, yes, still funtional, but miserable and with the treat of breaking down easily. It is only when Howl's heart is put in to place (aka his entire being is aligned, body, mind and spirit/heart) that the castle is rebuilt, but now better than it was (I mean imagine having a lawn on your flying machine) and now it is free of any fears/anxieties/problems that grounded Howl

[@thesixthmonth4928]

I watched this movie with my grandpa when it came into cinemas in germany. He passed away five years ago. This movie always reminds me of the time I spend together with him!

[@LouiseBrooks-vt7jh]

I love that, “ Literally reflects her emotional state and growth.” 7:47 That explains Sophie and her journey so well. Love this video! 😁

[@zatannaluvr5427]

I think that they were opposites and that's what made them perfect for each other. Howl loved himself too much and Sophie didn't love herself enough. Howl disregarded other people and Sophie was living for her dead father's work (the hat shop). They learned to love others/themselves/each other, which I think is really beautiful. I fucking love this movie haha

[@TheSightOfTheStars]

You should really read the book! It's a fantastic read! Diana Wynne Jones is an incredible author, plus the sequel is really fun too!

[@fintanwatson8137]

There were some differences between the novels, but they were both very good in their own ways :) (The movie focuses more on the war and Howl's changes)

[@TheMusicMan1012]

Yeah the book is pretty spectacular, as I love the world created, but there's one key thing I thought the movie did even better than the book - Sophie. When it comes to engaging female characters, nobody does it like Miyazaki. Sophie in the book was a character, decently written with a good range, she had the ability to go from loving-caring (grand)mother to take-charge bitch in an instant. Sophie in the movie to me felt like a real person, I mean so real it was scary, like Miyazaki kidnapped someone and used black magic to put them inside of his movie. Humans are fascinating things, in fiction sometimes they're reduced to a handful of attributes and nothing else, when in reality they're a wide and incredibly varied spectrum of emotions, traits and quirks. Miyazaki somehow managed to capture that in the form of Sophie, and that to me is all the more impressive.

[@eartianwerewolf]

The sequel is good. The third one sucks though , to me.

[@isabelnecessary5915]

eartianwerewolf which one? If your doing it chronologically would it be the house of many ways?

[@Lazulite]

TheSightOfTheStars yes I have read it its so amazing!

[@WintersCosplay]

'Bright colours and spiky hair' doesn't always mean bright, friendly and outgoing tho - these also fit for Bakugou from MHA and i think we can all agree that he isn't exactly a sunshine... xD

[@jequirity1]

I mean... no one can deny he’s confident and unafraid to put himself out there :-D But also his colors are different- red, yellow, and black are “warning colors” in nature, generally signaling danger (look at snakes, beetles, even butterflies). And even his school uniform is really good at showing us general personality traits- unbuttoned, without a tie, sagging pants, the uniform design goes out of its way to say “hey, this guy’s a delinquent”. And quirks! His quirk matches his temper, he’s a hothead. And he’s not the only one whose quirk and personality seem to influence each other, look at tokoyami or aoyama! But it seems to be a lot more obvious with some than with others, and what about quirkless people? Like midoriya was quirkless in the beginning of the series but then gained a quirk, I wouldn’t say he really changed as a person though? I mean actually people in the series keep saying he looks rather plain, I wonder if there’s some correlation there? But personality wise he seems a lot more confident, maybe stronger in his convictions maybe? I don’t really know, I think it’s pretty cool though how in the series there’s just so many little things that you don’t really notice at first and everything seems to be interrelated somehow, and even the timing of the series is weird because it’s set in the future but with the aesthetics I guess of the modern day like the youtube videos and just the society at large but there’s also been enough time for an entire history to have happened with the quirk liberation front wow I got totally carried away there I’m so sorry about that what I meant to say was just that the character designs in bnha are awesome and so is the show

[@royal9743]

Bakugou blondness and spikyness of hair is more supposed to fit the 'school delinquint' archetype considering MHA more down to earth setting.

[@Squish_Squash]

You guys are true when saying his hair is spiky and blonde and his clothes are messy to seem like a school delinquent but I mean, I've never seen or heard of a school delinquent to goes to bed at 8pm.

[@crono276]

@@Squish_Squash He has a difficult relationship with his mother

[@Squish_Squash]

@@crono276 I really don't get what that has to do with fitting the school delinquent archetype, unless there's this stereotype that school delinquents have rocky relationships with their parents/guardians, so do you mind elaborating on your comment so I can understand a little better?

[@uncreativealien1819]

4:58 is when she talks about howls moving castle designs if you want to skip the first bit. Great video by the way.

[@RtB68]

...and in the end, it's as it always shall be. It's above love. The evolution of the characters from beginning through to the end is simply a joy to watch. Subtle and powerful. Thank you for your analysis.

[@samspano4269]

they just look so happy together at the end and thats all i want

[@JakobSeidl]

I never understand why but since the first time I saw this movie when I was about eight years old, it has become such an important part of my life and whenever I watch it it takes me back to the security of childhood. The scenery in this movie (in my opinion) is the most beautiful animation ever created, so much so that I find myself emotional looking at it sometimes. On top of that the soundtrack just adds so much feel to this movie. Complete masterpiece, it’s more than just a film is something deeper as far as I’m concerned.

[@mr.moviemafia]

This actually made me like Howl’s Moving Castle way more! I initially just felt it was okay (this was the only Ghibli movie I felt that way about for some reason), but I see now it’s quite a bit smarter than I initially saw. Thanks!

[@aletheaplass6557]

howls moving castle is a work or art in general, it is my favorite movie ever and is beautiful

[@Wiffleball31]

Great video! This is one of my favorite movies partly because even though it's really extravagant, they managed to make it really relate-able. I always loved Sophie's transformations but I didn't really think about how all of the main characters go through a significant change through the story. Thank you for making this video! Gives me the perfect excuse to go watch it again :)

[@fandommusings5302]

Thank you! It's not my favorite movie, but it really does see Miyazaki at the top of his craft in character design. :) It's always a good day to rewatch it.

[@jonjl96]

I love this video. The quality of the analysis is second to none.

[@ivyshack7310]

4:22 where she actually starts talking about the Howl's Moving Castle. Yw.

[@jackcrowley2640]

11:02 the colors of their hair and clothes also mirror each other! The blue/white/silver/black scheme really ties the two together visually. Before, their clothes are contrasting; Sophie is in cooler tones and Howl pastels. At the end of the movie, in the balcony scene, their clothes are also complementary! Edit; Also, Howls clothes in the beginning, with their contrasting patterns, can symbolize more chaps, and the switch to single tone tops and pants can symbolize a change towards even keeled-ness and inner harmony.

[@evan_sunprince]

Can I say, I love that while it is a main plot point, they never explain Sophie's curse. They almost never shove the curse in your face. Yes there are part where its more plain. The change in her design is constant and subtle. While being a main plot point. Even in the background or beginning they change subtle bits about her.

[@awkwardorangedrawz5914]

I personally like the book better. They pretty much made Sophie and Howl incredibly bland and instantly fall in love in the beginning. I can't forget what they did to my boy Michael... His name was originally Michael I don't know why they changed it to whatever they did.

[@hutchyyz]

Thanks for the video, this is my favourite movie of all time and so many things went over my head

[@strawberrystolons]

I've up until now thought of designing my characters as people rather than to communicate a message or mood. This is an amazing look into how character design holds impact in other ways and that it's not a betrayal of character so much as a subtle nod to communication. Like rather than needing to lean towards stereotype, it's a message of air or subtle communication more than a visual depiction meant to 'stand' for a person. I'm so grateful I watched this. Idk if that made sense!!

[@heiheireidee]

Just the character design of Howl is perfect !

[@saint_yves]

Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite Studio Ghibli movie almost only because of the character designs and fantastical landscape settings as well as the plot.

[@BigBadWolframio]

Yeah! Great video about character design! And, yes, the original book is completely different but I really, really liked it. It makes both the movie and the book stand apart as their own art forms while sharing some of the themes and the most loved characters.

[@shirayukishiota3740]

This is just amazing Howls Moving Castlw always been a favorite of mine. I think you've captured the concept of the story through their appearance. I'm so glad there are people who love this movie just as much as I do. I'm actually going to go grab the DVD and watch it. I know this video was posted so long ago, but I thought it be worth commenting on for I just found it today.

[@happyfellowship4291]

Ohhh, so THAT'S what Sophie's curse is, exactly! I've been thinking a lot too about how design goes with the narrative in HMC. This was really great!

[@DattFattKatt]

Howl’s moving castle is a masterpiece by itself, the character design, beautiful story in the book and out, and last but definitely not least the entire romantic outline with howl. It’s gorgeous and definitely my most favorite studio ghibli has ever done!

[@uji2503]

I remember Howl is so beautiful but holy he is VERY and TOO beautiful.

[@rachel9349]

Both the book and the film are very different. Both are masterpieces in their own right.

[@updated_autopsy_report]

I was quite prepared to make fun of howl for being a pissy man child and call it a day but then I watched your analysis... thank you for helping me understand the movie and its characters so much better, I like the way you explain things, it’s very concise and understandable.

[@stevensemeniuk6719]

I could watch Howl's Movie Castle all day, it's become my most favourite film of all time. Let's revisit the Witch of the Waste for a bit; although, yes, she was thought to be the main antagonist of the film, after the introduction of Suliman, the Witch of the Waste quickly became a beloved character. She is really this sweet old lady with a quirky/sassy side to her. When she caught on fire from grabbing Calcifer, my heart shattered for her. And she was so sad after Howl's heart was ruined by the water. The love this woman develops through to the end of the movie, you can't help but feel more for her.

[@carineviva1852]

If Sofie and Tiana (from Disney) would meet each other, they'd be best friends for sure :D

[@nataliakoodziej2582]

My god, I just LOVE when you talk about Studio Ghibli movies and this video is especially dear to me, since Howl's Moving Castle is the Ghibli movie that I probably watched for most times and this story is so close to my heart ( like. top 10 stories about growing as a person and finding love in each other and in yourself EVER). And all your comments and observations about how the appearances of the characters reflect their inner growth were 100% on point and kinda- eye opening for me? In a way. Because I never noticed quite a lot of those things until now ;). Anyway, another great video, thank you a lot ;). If I can humbly ask for anything - recently I watched Ponyo ( again, eh) and I'd love to hear you talking about the huga variety interpretations of The Little Mermaid in different media ( cause this subject is just purely fascinating to me) or just mentioning Ponyo in general, this movie is adorable beyond words and deserves more attention. Thank you one more time :D.

[@jennifer3744]

I feel like the only person who didn't get that movie at all after the first watch

[@francescajoseph5250]

FINALLY! SOMEONE HAS MADE THIS VIDEO! Thank you so much and keep doing what you're doing, you beautiful bean

[@sweetbananacake7753]

seriously, the ending scene has convinced me that I'm bisexual. Because, seriously both Howl and Sophie are super pretty

[@cianandez]

The best part of the character design evolution is that it flows so naturally with the plot... watching the movie for the first time you barley notice how Sofie’s appearance changes because it fits her character development perfectly... and even with Howl it’s abrupt but still feels right. I love this movie so much, I’ve loved it since I was a small child. Miyazaki will always hold a special place in my heart

[@TotallyMH729TsMH]

Your video honestly made my appreciation for character designs a whole lot deeper! I'm thankful I stumbled on it a year ago (I think). I enjoyed rewatching it after a long time!!

[@cataryad661]

I’ve watched this movie so many times, and still find it so wonderful and magical as the first time. It’s my favourite movie even after analysing it for an essay. The art is beautiful, the characters are wonderfully stylised. I fall in love with the imagery anew every time I watch.

[@DiogoMaia2]

This is one of my favorites of Miyazaki´s work. I think its not so appreciated as his other pictures, unfortunetly. Maybe the critics were to harsh on it at the time of its release, because they were waiting for another Spirited Away, but Miyazaki woudn´t stay the same and decided to make a big step forward in his career with this one.

[@LilacLycanvic]

AAAUGH I love Howl’s Moving Castle!!! Blonde haired Howl was my most fav omg Okay I lied, all of Howl is my favorite. I love Howl. And Calcifer

[@carlosandleon]

Jesus Christ calm down woman

[@reileiko]

thank u for adding a whole new layer to a movie i already adore!

[@mariam19554]

I was always a Spirited Away kid, so I've never really seen Howl's until I was much older. It just made me appreciate it more!

[@selfproclaimedesper778]

I love the points you made. I never noticed rock lee's hair in naruto said "ninja" till i saw it in a forum years ago lol.

[@tmc059]

You've given me a whole new respect for one of my favourite films! Thank you!

[@My-er4vf]

This is the first women “analysing films and movies” that I felt satisfied after watching it. Very. Well said.

[@b.scorpio5316]

10:49 Also, if you never watched the movie you would probably not have reconized Sophie and Howl as the same caracters from the beginning. They changed so much !

[@Owl_bee]

Wynne is pronounced "Win", not "Wayne". Miyazaki is a phenomenal storyteller, but this adaptation is pretty much a completely different story from what Dianna Wynne Jones wrote. The book is amazing, as is the rest of her work! I recommend her "Chrestomanci" series.

[@teamcybr8375]

Very much a case of a film inspired by the premise of a book, rather than a traditional adaptation. Both are excellent stories!

[@farahplans]

This was like listening to a mini-lecture in a University setting on Character Design. Thank you!

[@ammicelly]

Howl is the most enchanting male character in any of miyazaki's animations ever

[@sarasihadi6606]

YES.

[@bawalmagisip1]

I've seen this movie tens of times but cant help blush when i hear about it.

[@heartsfordays8620]

Also! Howl’s flashy jewelry is slightly more hidden in his shirt at the end. I’m so glad someone is talking about character design, this made me so happy to see ;w;

[@dots_com1386]

I have seen this movie so many times. It is in my top 5 fave movies of all time. And yet, until you described and explained the character designs and what they represent, I still struggled to understand how Sophie looked young at the end. I finally get it! Thanks for that!

[@altmemeee]

Howl's moving castle is my all time favorite movie🥺❤️

[@Katarinarabbit]

Howls moving castle is my favorite animated movie. It was summer 2005 I was 6 my dad got this on DVD at Kmart of all places. Being a 5 year old I didn't think that there could be so much color and beauty in a movie who else would think that batman of all people would be a voice. I just rewatched this movie about 5 days ago unbenounced to me I hadn't watched this movie in about 10 years. Hiyo miasaki is a masterpiece creator I love all of his work.

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

It's amazing that the castle moves around and has a teleportation doorknob...and far greater as Howl would not pay Real Property Tax

[@potatoe_3573]

We all had a crush on howl at least once

[@omniscientomnipresent5500]

The contrast of blue and orange in Goku and Naruto also makes them noticable. Also, color can easily link characters.

[@MissElisabelle]

I have watched this film about 10 times so far. It's one of my favourite of all time, and I feel an ache in my chest when I think about it, a sort of nostalgia mixed with sadness, because, to me, no other animated film can be as good as Howl's Moving Castle!

[@christianmagrum3282]

I don’t think that I’ve ever seen your channel before but you are absolutely correct with your assessments and I really like your demeanor subscribed

[@mushycactus2535]

Wonderful video! randomly appeared in my video suggestions and decided to give it a go and wasn't disappointed, really engaging and entertaining.

[@peacefusion]

I would love a whole series on just the adventures of Howl.

[@katherinedunlop9490]

howls moving castle is a great movie but it also helps to have an amazing book to go off of. Also, I really want them to make a movie off of House of Many Ways because that book was really good too.

[@theshadowocarina6959]

If anyone hasn't read or listened to the book yet (the audio reader is wonderful) I'd highly recommend it. The characters have even more colorful personalities, the aspects of apperance changing and body horror are explored even further, and the movie left out a lot of other really interesting themes from the book. Well worth the read, and it'd be great to see further analysis of it.

[@CadenceTheSloth]

Alrighty this may have made me cry idk why maybe the artist in me feels proud of growing up with these films idk fam ty

[@marinac.ll.4840]

I love the movie but I never payed attention to such details. It makes the film even more beautiful and unique than it is. Thank you for this marvellous analysis!

[@kyoken8691]

You just made me want to watch the movie and reread the books again for like the hundredth time. Thank you

[@QueenCloveroftheice]

What I love about Miyazaki's female character designs is that they almost always have short-haired main characters, and they're strong, confident women. The one with longer hair is Chihiro from Spirited Away, and she is not strong or confident (she becomes confident in the end when she gets that sparkly new hairband, but she never really gains strength). I haven't really seen his newer movies, like The Wind Rises, so this theory could be outdated. lol

[@SC-gw8np]

I disagree. Chihiro had gained a lot of strength of character by the end of the film. She had shown a lot of fortitude in courageously tackling her adverse change in circumstance from almost losing her parents and Haku. If she wasn’t strong, she wouldn’t have been able to face and solve all these problems with a resilient attitude. Isn’t that the point of the entire movie? To showcase how these circumstances cause her to transform into a courageous and strong young woman? What does hairstyle have anything to do with this?

[@SC-gw8np]

hell yeah I wonder when femininity and strength became mutually exclusive?😒 What a strange world. -.-

[@juliettem-jenkins7748]

Howl's character reminds me of Björn Andrésen in his role at 14 years old as Tadzio in Luchino Visconti's 1971 film “Death in Venice“. The character of Tadzio falls "prey" to an older man who is fascinated by him (Witch of the Wastes is that you ?!)... He is a delicate, blond, pale, skinny boy and it influenced many Japanese anime artists in their depictions of young, effeminate men known as "Bishōnen“. It would fit the bill of Howl's jewelry, docile voice and concerns with beauty : here blond hair = boyhood, darker hair = manhood... I see this film as a coming of age for both Howl and Sophie : they both learn to live according to their real age, towards manhood and womanhood and being capable of a deep and secure couple relationship, (the Witch of the Wastes is punished by looking like her real old age). Here hair, colored back to black for Howl and turning grey and then chopped for Sophie, transform as the characters complete their transmutation into their adult selves, their “final“ form. Black is his true hair color, like in the childhood flashback, the fact that he was an apprentice of Mrs Sulliman is very telling : all her servants are young boys, clones even : they are all dressed the same, look the same and...have the same haircut+color as Howl. I think from the moment his hair turn back black he regains his true sense of self (+ his energy) : Like Yubaba robs Chihiro of her sense of identity/individuality by reducing her name to just “Sen“, Mrs Sulliman specifies a dresscode to her prepubescent “pretty boys“ that smooths any personality marker such as hairstyle, tone of voice, temper... Howl was just a grown up version of the servants and with regaining his true hair color he breaks free from her grip. She says he made a pact with a demon, alright, but I think he also was under a kind of submission/obedience spell casted by her while he was still her boy servant. Sulliman appears to me to be a kind of predator, an old woman who surrounds herself with prepubescent “doll like“ boys who obey her... It is imaginable that Howl was avoiding her and the Witch of the Wastes because they both are old bags lusting and chasing after him and it's possible they traumatised him (he got scared of the Witch and fled). Still when old, the Witch wants his heart : "a young heart is delicious" :S The amulets in his room are PROTECTION from them. (if the trauma(s) happened during his boyhood, his childlike bedroom would be a coherent "shell"). This is pretty sad and it would explain his fear of being robbed (once more) of his freedom (he has enough names : Jenkins, Pendragon, to live a free man), being elusive and running away in his MOBILE HOUSE (“catch me if you can ! “), being secretive about what he does all day, his rejection of the repressive authority, even natural laws bend for him, his magic makes the house transformations possible, magic is his escape route ! The shifts in his personality such as a louder and more assertive tone of voice, being more open, sharing, protective and tender shows that he feels free and secure enough with himself and Sophie to let his guard down. He says to Sophie that she saved him in the greenhouse but it is by accidentally messing with his hair products that she first freed him :) From the moment Sophie enters his life : house is clean and becomes welcoming (cluster repel intruders...), he evolves, is strengthened and motivated by her mature love and care, she sees him for who he is as she states to Mrs Sulliman : a coward and egoist and a noble tenderhearted freedom lover, not the "great magician too pretty for her" nor the "heartless monster". She first kisses him while he is in his monster, bloody, mutilated form : she isn't scared (nor prejudiced) like he is by his dark side, she embraces it ! ^^ She is the only woman in his life who is cool, calm and collected (her calm reaction to her new old body, his tantrum is well dealt with), gifted but unassuming and non aggressive towards him, she is stable in her sincere and pure love for him, not the predatory lust projected on him, which he is used to. She is the only one he lets into his house and in his room where he is very vulnerable. + The morning after she says to him, as a monster, that she wants to help him and that she loves him, he seems excessively happy and optimistic and nobody understands this sudden shift : it wasn't a dream and Sophie really declared herself, that's why ! ^^

[@synthraofficial5366]

Also the book is amazing. Can't thank the author enough for writing it. Without her, my favorite movie would have never happened.!

[@agnes8978]

This Video and your analysis of the characters is amazing! Thank you so much for showing me this aspect of the movie !!

[@creatureincreation3821]

I tried showing the two pictures to my dad (never seen anything Ghibli related) and he absolutely nailed the character development! Fun experience actually

[@Canemikat]

omg that terrible design at the end!!! terrifying!!!

[@CaraDoesThings]

The actual design is not bad, that's just a bad picture. I'm not even sure it's real, because I've seen the show and I don't remember that image. It's from Kamichama Karin.

[@LinkEX]

The picture itself is a meme that I've encountered multiple times now. I don't know for sure, bu it might not even be a freeze frame from the actual show, which in contrast I have never seen.

[@mariasanchezm.364]

XD

[@shitnotagain9492]

The mouth is the whole problem lmao

[@nhiphan3704]

Probably my fav studio of all times!

[@ButterflyZo]

THANK YOU for saying ‘revert’ instead of ‘revert back’. :P

[@lovesonlylover]

I really enjoy your videos the analyses are so chill and calming.

[@villainousshowerhairclump5871]

this is a brilliant analysis!!!!

[@sleepybatteriezzz]

The movie is very different from the book, but I've read in a couple places that it was different because the book was packed with so many details, twists, and turns, they just couldn't fit everything. It caused the movie to be shortened and details to change because of time constraints. I personally enjoyed both, but the movie will always hold a special place in my heart. It was one of my childhood favorites along with many other Studio Ghibli films. I really need to go back and have a Ghibli movie marathon! 😊

[@Michallote]

I've fallen in love with her voice alone, and she is smart, which is nice

[@ana-5638]

Thank you Diana Wynne Jones

[@cherries_and_wine]

I desperatly need an anime on Chrestomanci series

[@keiichimorisato98]

@@cherries_and_wine you need to thank Hayao Miyazaki, as his film Castle in the Sky directly inspired the book Howles Moving Castle.

[@cherries_and_wine]

@@keiichimorisato98 wuh? Is there a source on that? They both came out in 1986, so I doubt there's connection

[@keiichimorisato98]

@@cherries_and_wine look up on KZbin Did you know anime howles moving castle. In the very least she was aware of Castle in the Sky when she wrote the direct sequel to her first book.

[@cherries_and_wine]

@@keiichimorisato98 what video do you think we're commenting on? Again, sequel was written in the 90s, I doubt she was aware of this anime back then, if you have a source on that, please, share it with us. Also Howls' moving castle the anime was released in 2004, long after the book, and its sequel. And Castle in the Sky and Castle in the air have nothing in common, except that there's flying castle

[@taphel7125]

I rewatched the film and reread the book recently and I don’t think it’s right to really compare them as they’re both quite different and have very different intentions. Both are amazing though. It’s by far my favourite Ghibli film. And Diana is such a witty writer. I used to love reading her books as a child.

[@ianthesilverfire5224]

I would *love* to see you read the book and do a comparison to the film. The book is so good and Diana Wynne Jones is such a great author. She went to Oxford when CS Lewis and Tolkien were giving lectures and she attended them. She had a very complicated and tragic childhood, and in turn wrote so many amazing kids books. I highly recommend her short autobiography essay and the Howl's Moving Castle book. I think it would be a great discussion about how an adaptation can be so different and yet still good in it's own way. Everything is different about the movie. They put strong emphasis on things that barely get a passing mention in the book. Howl and Sophie as characters are vastly diffferent. Don't get my started on Markal. And yet I love them both.

[@harshitaj7]

I loved this video, it was so insightful! Thank you! I'd love to see more of them :) have a good day ✨

[@christopherrice2098]

so nobody is gonna talk about how she threw shade on my boy GON!

[@AphroditesPistol]

your videos are so interesting!! also, thank you for speaking so clearly and adding english subtitles it really helps me :D

[@TheFiown]

I watch this every week sometimes more since years !