Kiki's Delivery Service (A Puffin Book)

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Miyazaki himself has said in the art book for the film that Jiji represents an immature side of Kiki, and by the end of the film, she no longer needs him. Kiki’s sadness affects her magic so she can no longer fly, but the separation with Jiji comes from something else entirely. Kiki, with all her tenacity, sensibility, and cleverness feels more alive than ever, and through Balistrieri’s translation Kiki’s attitude is truly infectious. Kiki’s journey passes through all four seasons, and she learns more about her new home’s history, geography, and residents as she goes.

Book Review: “Kiki’s Delivery Service” by Eiko Kadono Book Review: “Kiki’s Delivery Service” by Eiko Kadono

Kiki is a three-dimensional character who follows a formulaic children’s story that avoids ever feeling tired or predictable by Kiki’s own merit. Her approach to the situations she comes across are consistently surprising – sometimes mistakes are made; other times ingenious solutions are found.But when that bond is severed — when she’s thrust out of the comforts she once knew — she faces a loneliness she’s never experienced before. Her tenacity and her curiosity go hand-in-hand, leading her over and again into and out of trouble, with Jiji sometimes serving as her conscience and sometimes being entirely voiceless and useless — as all our consciences often are. Loneliness is threaded through many Ghibli films, many of which feature protagonists who set off on a journey not because they particularly want to, but because they’re forced to. Coinciding with the release of the film in the West, an English translation of the novel hit shelves in 2003.

Book Review: Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono - U.OSU Book Review: Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono - U.OSU

It’s doubly important to get this theme across given that this is a children’s story, where clarity of themes is vital. Being independent can sound fun and exciting as it was at first to Kiki, however, this independence comes with responsibility. It is hard for Kiki’s mother to send her off on her own to find her way as a witch even though she knows deep down its best for her daughter. While it’s difficult to say what exact age range Kiki is for, since I enjoyed it thoroughly at the age of 29, it perfectly balances a formulaic plot structure, the rhythm of which is a complete joy, with storytelling that’s immersive thanks to the use of language, grammar, ideas, and expressions that are mature and do not patronise, save for a few moments where the onomatopoeia is a little forced and jarring. Sending characters off on solo journeys isn’t a particularly innovative storytelling choice, especially for coming-of-age films, which are often about learning self-reliance and independence.Just when she was at her lowest and felt a bit hopeless about being on her own in this city, she came up with the idea to do odd tasks and deliver things to people on her broom because she is able to get around so efficiently. While the protagonist is 13, the reading level of this story is probably more appropriate for younger readers and would also make a great read-aloud, even for those who aren’t reading on their own quite yet. In one chapter, for example, she must deliver a poem and a pen as birthday presents from a secret admirer.

Review: Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono | Books and Bao Review: Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono | Books and Bao

But none of those are as close to her as the friends and family who gathered to wish her off at the beginning of the movie. Studio Ghibli’s fourth feature-length film follows a young witch named Kiki who, per witch tradition, leaves home at age 13 to complete her training. What if these two could have ended up together forever, living happily ever after, and you ruin all of that before it begins! As the old witch Zeniba says in Spirited Away, “Once you’ve met someone, you never really forget them.She heads out on her adventure a weekend earlier than she expected to, bidding her family and community a heartfelt farewell. The titular Kiki, daughter of a witch and a folklorist (a man fascinated with witch history), is a wide-eyed girl with her head in the clouds and her feet on the ground.