I admit that when I first started watching through the catelog of Studio Ghibli, "Howl's Moving Castle" became an instant favorite. The only reason this might be unusual is because most fans don't tend to think highly of the movie, seeing it as only something teenage girls would favor against the likes of "Nausicca," "Princess Mononoke" or "My Neighbor Totoro." But no one would call it a bad film either, and I think it stands out as being more accessible, with a unique fantasy story and endearing characters. The fact that it is one of the studio's more recent films (and thus getting the benefits of post-digital animation and clean-up) helps the beauty of the movie remain timeless too. That director Hayao Miyazaki himself would say it was one of his favorites among his own resume (quote from uncertain sources) lends to the film's credibility.At the start of the movie, Sophie is a young woman working at a hat shop, keeping to her job while others her age spend the day talking about fashion and royalty. And for the most part, Sophie's lifestyle is the way she wants it, although she occasionally wonders about the rumors of Howl, the mysterious traveling wizard who takes beautiful young girls as victims. By chance, her hat shop is visited one day by the Witch of the Waste, who on a whim sets a curse on Sophie: when she gains conciousness, she finds she was turned into a wrinkled, hunched old lady, and further cursed to be physically incapable of explaining the curse to anyone. Trying her best to keep her composure, she sets out of town to find a cure, and is quickly picked up by a walking castle, the home of none other than Howl himself. The rest of the story has Sophie earning her keep as a cleaning lady while we learn about Howl's life, and hopefully for Sophie to turn to her true self again.Miyazaki is known for writting his films as they begin production, often not knowing how the story will end until much later. So it isn't surprising that the story feels a bit like "Spirited Away," his previous film, in that the story is more about world-building and character development rather than having a clear path to follow. But it's still fun to watch because of the fascinating characters: Sophie herself is not like most people, maintaining confidence as best she can in her situation, often to the benefit of her new friends. The curse on her is never fully explained (and never fully cured either), but it is subtly hinted at that her outside appearance only manifests itself based on her conscious perception of who she is. Howl is a handsome, mysterious and incredibly cool character, typically transforming into a large demon bird and flying out to fight against the ongoing wars across the land (a subplot about politics and war helps give the story more weight and makes the world more realized), but is also incredibly self-conscious about his own appearance, sometimes to hilarious extent. The side characters, be it Turnup-Head, Markl, or The Witch of the Waste herself, are all charming characters. But Calcifer almost steals the show: he is a flame demon that fuels the fireplace that drives the castle's engine to keep moving, and his existance and connection to Howl is a beatifully written piece of fantasy.The story itself is supposed to be based off a well-known English novel by Diana Wynne Jones, and while it takes many liberties, I feel the story as a standalone piece is solid and satisfying, taking many themes and making the best of them for a smart, yet accessible, work. Even if you don't enjoy the story and its seemingly lazy direction, the characters are worth sticking through it, elegantly voiced by a top-teir cast in the English dub, including Billy Crystal in a memorable performance as Calcifer.
Visually, "Howl's Moving Castle" remains Studio Ghibli's most consistently beautiful work, in the mind of a wider audience's general opinion. The world is lovingly designed and detailed, from the old-European towns to the rocky hillsides to the paradise plains of grass and lakes at high altitude inspired by the Swiss countryside. The characters are distinct and unique, especialyl Sophie in her elderly appearance and the Witch is her exaggerated-and-changing shape. Did I mention the castle yet? It's a incredible work of engineering, using 2D and 3D trickery to animate moving legs, bursting pipes, and puffing engines, one of the most visually creative houses in film. Both the visuals and the audio are a benchmark of iconic fantasy settings done right, and still stands as among the best 2D animation could offer in its decade. If there was anything "Howl''s Moving Castle" does wrong, it is that the story can feel a bit guideless and the visuals, while unique, also feel slightly like generic fantasy opposed to something distinct to a single artist's vision. But it isn't easy to make a fantasy-romance enjoyable on so many levels to so many people, and that should be celebrated. As both a technical and creative achievement, it's wonderful.