Sophie is a young woman who gets transformed into a 90-year-old woman by the Witch of the Waste. She seeks a way to break the spell and leaves the town for the countryside, where she discovers the moving castle. She enters uninvited and decides to stay and clean. She meets Calcifer, a fire demon, and Howl, a charming young man. Howl has to fight in the war that is taking place in their country. To do so, he transforms into a bird, but each transformation is a burden for him. Sophie understands that he is somehow linked to Calcifer and that she has to discover this link to save him. Miyazaki’s preferred themes are in this film : feminism, anti-war, old age, resilience. The backgrounds of the images are incredible, detailed, and beautiful. Another wonderful Miyazaki.
“Why do you get so cold when you’re old? I’m fatter than ever and yet the wind blows right through me!”
Original title : ハウルの動く城
Original version in Japanese – Watched with English subtitles