Love, Magic, and Self-Discovery: Howl's Moving Castle A Video Essay
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- Discover the magical world of 'Howl's Moving Castle' in this in-depth exploration of both the book and the movie. Join me as I delve into the enchanting story of Sophie Hatter, a young girl who is transformed into an old woman by a wicked witch's curse. Her adventures lead her to the mysterious Howl, a wizard who lives in a moving castle that roams the countryside.
We'll take a look at the differences between the book and the movie, exploring how the two versions tell the same story in different ways. We'll also explore the complex characters of Sophie and Howl, as well as the supporting cast of witches, wizards, and magical creatures that populate the story.
Through interviews with fans of both the book and the movie, we'll explore what makes 'Howl's Moving Castle' such a beloved classic of modern fantasy literature and cinema. We'll also discuss the themes of love, identity, and self-discovery that run through both versions of the story.
So join me in a deep dive on the magic of Howl's Moving Castle. In this retrospective we will take a look at all of the secrets and hidden meanings in the film, and explore how they change the way we see our favorite characters Howl, Sophie, Calcifer and even Turnip Head. Let's delve into the source material for this beloved film the novel Howl's Moving Castle by author Diana Wynne Jones and the differences between the film and the book. Then understanding the profound impact war has had in the life of director Hayao Miyazaki and how that impacts his writing and film making and why he chose to adapt the source material in the way he did. Examine theories and some of my own thoughts on the meanings and symbolism in the film as well.
If you enjoyed the video please subscribe!
ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ CHAPTERS ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ
00:00 Introduction
00:26 History
02:54 Book vs Movie (Minor Differences)
07:01 Major Differences
09:37 Howl is from WHERE?
10:19 War and Pacifism Miyazaki’s Past
13:37 He said WHAT to WHO?
14:36 Sophie is a witch
19:17 Howl knows it’s Sophie from the beginning
21:04 The power of love
23:34 Conclusion
(ᵔᴥᵔ) Music (ᵔᴥᵔ)
Merry Go Round of Life - Howl's Moving Castle (acoustic guitar)-Alva Sunde
Happy Farmer by 부구미 BuGuMi
Merry Go Round of Life - Howl's Moving Castle Kalimba cover by April Yang
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Short video clips used for commentary fair use purposes only and rights belong to Studio Ghibli or respective owners of source material. - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
Not just her love for Howl…but the love she has for herself. Having Howl’s love didn’t just break the curse, but the true love she has for herself was the moment her curse broke.
I love this take (no pun intended) because loving yourself is so much more important than loving another person ❤️
not true. the moment she turns back is the moment she walks in to the last door created by calsifer and howl shown by the ring howl gave her. her curse is not one of self discovery and self love but one of family . love yourself what a stupid 2020 mindset, its all about the fact she never has had the feeling of belonging in a place she was locked up in her little hat making room having the view out of the window and the view of her being blocked by the smoke of the train furthermore showing she is the shit end of the whole family. she yearns for connection, the witch turns her in to an old hag because she is envious but. not being recognized by her family she can finally look for a new one that can give her that feeling of connection. witch is the whole fucking plot. not that she needs to learn to love her self. you can be as subjective as you want but there is still a thin line in everything that is factual. anyway loving yourself sounds kinda psycho and selfish . the whole word love is made to give to another, other wise you should just call it attention. or you must be a sad person to have to love yourself instead of someone else.
@@ProdAWHITGot to 'what a stupid 2020 mindset' and said to myself "This is not a person I want to take advice from." And quit reading. The world is so much bigger than you think... Don't put others down. There are no stupid mindsets. Take care of yourself.
I always thought that Sofies age was a reflection of how she was feeling about herself her self image. But these explanations are cool too!
I love how there is so much room for interpretation with that stuff, I love how it isn’t explicitly said so you can come to your own conclusions it’s good art and filmmaking 🤔💡💗
What a great perspective! I think that's it.
She also speaks to the flying machine after the crash, telling it to "work, damn you" and it sparks to life and flies out of the wall
I totally missed that one you’re so right!!! I wish I could sneak that into the video!
when i hear you said miyazaki "intentionally alienate american audiences and purposely made the story hard to follow and different from hollywood storytelling", i can tell you all, he sure succeed in alienating american audiences. i've seen so many internet people and popular cmmentary youtubers say they dislike HMC's story because they dont get it. They dont understand how Sophie's curse works, even tho its obvious how it works, even my 13 year old sister immediately understands her curse lol. its a self love thing not a """tRuE LOVe""" thing. but howl's love for her definitely helped her in achieving self love!
Right?! I had no clue what was going on the first time I watched I remember thinking “wait who is he fighting and why?!” I have heard similar things from people too. And yes self love is so important! I wish I had covered that a little more in the video but c'est la vie! Thank you so much for your comment and your support! 😊
I think Sophie's "speaking things into existence magic" is really fascinating, and it made me think about the power of self talk and manifesting feelings/perceived realities in our own lives. If we all just recognized our own magic like Sophie, maybe we would be kinder to ourselves and express more love! ♡
But I really loved this video! It made me want to properly dive back into the books to find all of the little similarities between them and the movie. The Wales thing always gets me though, LOL~ Learning that fact never ceases to amaze and amuse me ^o^
That is such a lovely point because even here on Earth words have so much power and we should treat our words carefully especially when talking about ourselves you're exactly right!
I was not ready for that information dude, it completely blew me away! have you read the other two books? Are they good too?
@@dearestdimple I own the entire series but have only made half-hearted attempts at reading them that always get interrupted! I think some of the differences initially threw me off -- since the movie departs in so many ways. I'll have to update you if I ever get around to reading them all! ♡ Who knows... maybe Howl works part time at a Starbucks too, lol.
@@katiemari Hahaha that would be so funny! I was so interested to learn Sophie’s background at the beginning I think that’s how I got hooked! I’ve heard from others that have read the next books in the series apparently Sophie and Howl are more side characters which makes me less interested. :( but who knows!
watching this after watching the movie again...
It surprises me with new messages every time i watch it.
I remember the first time i watched it i was sobbing and crying the whole time, this movie comforted me greatly.
This time after watching it, I resonated with Sofie's character more than ever. The amount of care and love she gives for others is so greatttt from her step mom, step sister, markl, tunip, calcifer, and howl... she has all that loveeee for everyone but she had so little for her self...
There's so many interpretations as to why why sofie's curse goes on and off, but for me it's not just her love for Howl, or for herself, but her level of maturity, where in the beginning she was matured, poised, headstrong, courageous, yet she sees herself as below standard in terms of looks. Hence the appearance of an old wrinkly lady. Remember in the beginning of the film where Lettie entices Sofie to go out and explore... but she was dead set on running the hat shop... all that duty related maturity was mirrored in physical form. That's why when she finally begins to go on an adventure, act and feel her age, her youthful self appears briefly. All the decisions she did towards the end wouldn't be the "right mature" decision I would make.
OR beside maturity, maybe when Sofie gets so passionate she turns back to her young form. Like after she cleaned up when she slept she was normal, when she was passionately protecting Howl every single time, she would be in younger form.
Thats just me. But what bothers me now is why her hair didn't change back to the black color... hmmmm, is it because she gave her hair to calcifer?
or because the symbolism of the hair in this movie is far more complex like for example, what does the color grey mean?
I searched google and one interesting definition can best fit Sofie's character in the film
"gray is the color of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom. It is perceived as classic, refined, dignified, and conservative. Gray is perfect neutral that lives between the extremes of black and white."
In any case before I bore you with my own essay here hahaha
I love this film so much and even with all the research you did and all the information I now know of, the whole film still intrigues me no matter how many times I watch it.
It is definitely a masterpiece ahead of its time.
Thank you for this video essay!
Keep it up!!!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! ♥️
In the movie, Howl said: "Sophie, your hair is dyed with the color of starlight." I guess the gray hair is a symbolism for stars/meteors, which calls back not only to Howl's childhood but also to his first encounter with Sophie. After all, Sophie and Howl first met under the starlights
One of my most vivid memories from childhood is howl & sophie strolling in the sky while merry-go-round-of-life kicks in and the rest is history.
Sophie is still one of my favorite protagonist of all time, she still inspires me to this day.
I watched other Howl’s analyses and yours is one of the best deep dives, i love your take & interpretations.
I understand the movie isn’t very clear-cut which dissuaded others’ enjoyment of the film. But I firmly believe HMC is something very special that it can touch hearts without us fully knowing why.
I’m very grateful i grew up with this film, it never fails to bring me comfort through the worst times and i’m very happy to see others have the same magical experience as mine.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this film it’s truly lovely and I appreciate you taking the time to leave a thoughtful comment ❤
Howl's Moving Castle is a very interesting and beautiful movie to me. It is the first Studio Ghibli movie that I have seen. I originally watched this movie after unexpectedly spending a girls night in an old friend's dorm room. Watching it the first time, the movie was very pretty and funny to me but didn't leave a lasting impact. The parts I remembered were primarily Sophie and Calciifer interacting and her crying in the rain with Turnip Head. The romance itself between her and Howl didn't stick and when discussing the movie with anyone I always found myself relating back to Sophie's journey specifically and her finding a home.
To watch this review, I sat down and watched the movie again alone. I tried to really focus on all the characters and the dynamics. Yet, I found myself focusing on the same aspect, Sophie's transformation and interaction with characters. I agree heavily with your review that love and vanity play as the central part to the movie. However, rather than romantic love I think many of the curses shown are based on self love. After my rewatch, I noticed that Sophie gets younger majority of the time when she finds beauty in the environment, feels appreciated, or finds a sense of self-worth in what she is achieving. Even in moments where she keeps her old voice but has a young appearance, I noticed that her words relent to the beauty of being old and being able to see the world in a different perspective. Her words and her thoughts are what change her curse and are her magic, as you said. And I honestly love that detail and realize why I always remembered only Sophie and her banter scenes rather than the growing romantic plot of her and Howl.
Her romance with Howl I believe is only another stem of the blooming flower for her self love. My favorite anime quote has always been "Sometimes, we need someone to accept and love us first. Then, we would learn to see ourselves through that person's eyes and learn to love ourselves." This quote is from Yuki Sohma in Fruits Basket. His entire story surrounds the same views of vanity, self worth and love. Rather than following the perception of beauty by others Sophie and Yuki find themselves being appreciated, called beautiful/pretty by people they care about and through that discover that they are worthy enough to be loved and are beautiful. Through Howl, Markl and Calcifer's love for Sophie, she finds a worth and love for herself and that helps her realize that Howl has to find that love too. He is unable to feel the love of other's, love her, or himself without the entirety of his heart. He's fallen so far into being a crow, admiring the shiny, pretty things that he's lost sight of the people who find the beauty in his magic, in him and who love him beyond his own demons.
This analysis is all the thoughts I had stemming after my rewatch and watch of this video. Perhaps it is a bit jumbled but there's also beauty in the honest thoughts and words that come from ourselves, which Howl's Moving Castle teaches us.
I am flabbergasted that you actually sat down and watched the entire movie just to be able to watch my video. I am so flattered and thankful!
The first time I watched the movie I was also watching with a friend and I think a lot of the deeper meanings kind of went over my head, and it definitely took watching again and reading the book for me to understand the More complicated themes that the movie teaches us. I think that Miyazaki definitely succeeded in making a movie that was dreamlike and difficult to understand.
I totally agree with you that her curse could also be based on self-love. There are moments in the movie, when she is reverting back to a youthful state, or Howl is not even involved, which could also signify that she needs to find true love in her self.
I also adore fruits basket. It’s one of my all-time favorite anime, and I completely agree with what Yuki said and I totally see how it can be applied to the situation with Sophie. Often times it isn’t until someone else loves us that we’re able to understand our own value and love ourselves .
Thank you again so much for all of your support. ❤️❤️
This is hugely underrated. I think this is one of the best analysis videos of HMC I've seen so far! As someone who originally saw the film when I was around 7/8 and rewatched it a couple of years ago (and has been obsessed ever since), I think it's always been one of my absolute favorite Ghibli films. I ended up reading the book, and like most other people, I definitely saw the differences between the two mediums. That being said, I still think they're both incredible in their own way, and it seems like Miyazaki is more so inspired by the book instead of wanting to adapt it word for word (though most book-to-movie adaptations can never do that lol). I never knew the backstory behind why he didn't want his movies to be as popular in the U.S., so I'm happy to learn about it. Most of my friends who've seen HMC don't really like it as a movie, but honestly, it's so much deeper than people give it credit for. Again, amazing video 😭♡♡ !!
Wow thank you so much for the huge compliment I really appreciate it!
I felt like Alice in wonderland falling down the rabbit hole with this topic I kept falling further and further down I'm sure i could have made it twice as long if I wanted to. It was so cool learning all of the back stories. Something I didn't include in the video that I think you would enjoy is that during production Miyazaki flew to Wales and had diner with the author and they spoke at great length and she said he understood her book on a level none else ever had. She also LOVES the movie and has art and figures from it all over her house, she even has a Calcifer in her fireplace 😭🥺
That is the best thing about the internet we can find other people who are just as passionate about the things we love!
Thanks again so much for your support! Do you have any ideas for a future video essay?
This is one of first japanese movies i ever saw, meaby even first, saw it first time around 5 or 6 yo. This movie and its music wake up lot of childhood memories and feelings.
I love that! The nostalgia that comes from the music in studio Ghibli movies is unparalleled. Thanks so much for your comment and supporting my video!
This was the first Studio Ghibli film that I'd watched (my sister had watched Kiki's Delivery Service and I had only caught clips of it, so I don't count it). It led me to the book. It was after Howl's Moving Castle that I found Spirited Away and other movies.
I loved the movie from the moment I saw it. I loved the anti-war message of it (then again, I can be considered a pacifist). I loved the subtle magical elements in the movie.
I always interpreted Sophie's curse waxing and waning as a reflection of her insecurities. -laughs- The more comfortable and secure she felt in herself or something she was talking about, the more of her youth she regained. And the curse breaking, I always interpreted as something she did when she took control to protect everyone she'd loved.
I love the fact that it can be interpreted in so many ways. I think that is something that makes the movie extra special.
Thinking of the book (although I'd reread it recently) brings back bittersweet memories. I used to read it to my pet cockatiel when he was alive.
I must hold such a special place in your heart ❤️ maybe now when you watch or read it it can bring back the happy memories with them, but I get it losing a pet is the worst day of your life 100% it’s so painful.
I bet you have a lot of nostalgia with the movie if it was your first Ghibli film!
You’re absolutely right there are many ways to interpret the themes and that’s just good art! Stuff that makes you ponder 🤔😊
Did you read the next books in the series are they worth the read? I’ve heard Howl and Sophie aren’t as prominent in them.
@@dearestdimple It really is so painful.
Oh, I do. Nostalgia is strong. It makes it fun to reflect back on how it felt watching it the first time and reading the book. (Sorta like the original 90s English dub of Sailor Moon. -laughs- )
I'd read the second book, but I do own the third (the never-ending to-read pile just keeps growing -laughs- ). The second book definitely doesn't feature the pair all that much. If memory serves me (it's been a good bit since I read it), it was a bit slow to get into. There were things that I liked. I might do a binge-read of the series soon. I do recommend giving it a chance. It really gave some interesting moments (trying not to spoil anything). It has an Aladdin feel to it.
@@darkenroses I enjoyed reading the first book so much more than I thought I would! It really gave me old elementary school Harry Potter vibes with the author being super British. I bet I would like the next ones in the series even if Sophie and Howl are less involved in the story.
Just came in from my local AMC after watching this movie as part of the studio Ghibli fest, and I have to say your explanations and insight about the film really cleared some confusing issues I had. I originally saw the movie as some sort of time loop, as Sophie saw and communicated with a young Howl swallowing the shooting star (was that Calcifer?) and in turn the older Howl knowing about Sophie since the beginning of the movie and also being privy to the fact that she was the key to breaking his curse. But the other themes about love, Miyazki's purposeful obfuscation storytelling, and connections to an original book were all surprises to me. I plan on adding this film to my collection, thank you for the edification!
I have been waiting for a explanation video exactly like this, no other video was worth the watch because they didn't really explain it the way I could digest like you did. Thank you for making this video, Howl's Moving Castle is and will always be one of my favorite movies. The feelings and imagination you get while watching Studio Ghibli movies is like no other, I feel like a kid again when I watch them and they bring so much hopefulness to my heart. Thank you again, I thoroughly enjoyed this video it really brought to light some of the important themes I didn't fully understand ❤
I loved this video! You did such a good job on this deep dive. I love how you brought up information from the book and didn’t just focus on the movie.
Thank you so much for the comment! I feel like reading the book helped me understand the story so much better!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! For so long I have been waiting for someone explain all these deep themes and unexplained events in the movie which I love so much.
I first found you on Instagram, your videos were suggested to me. From the short reels I was already so impressed that I have now watched the video of you to Howls moving castle and I must say WOW!
I really like your way of explaining things and I love that you go into so much detail!
I really like this Video, thank you 😊🔥
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment I really appreciate you checking out my video! ☺️
This video had me so engaged the entire time, im so excited for when you get the attention u deserve!!
Thank you so much for the sweet comment that’s the dream! 🙏🏼 I appreciate your support! ❤️
This was the deep dive I didn’t know I needed ❤
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I have a video on Spirited Away too if you like that one! 🥰
Great summary I just watched this movie and I'm binging all the essays and commentaries and yours was the first I found. good work.
This was so excellent. Thank you for putting this together.
Great video! You clearly put a lot of research into it. Can't wait to look at the rest of your videos :)
I love this video so much!!! Howls moving castle is so magical and you really brought the magic to your video!!! Great job 👏🏻 🤩
Thank you thank you!!! ❤️🥰
This was such a lovely video! Thank you for posting
Wow I really love this movie and happy to know more about it and miyazaki through ur video ♥
I'm glad you like it thank you!
This was so well done. Thank you for putting it up.
Thank you!
I re-read the 3 book series every year with my kids. They love the movie & the books & we enjoy Diana Wynne Jones' stunning storytelling.
I just finished seeing howls moving castle just to see this video, amazing movie and amazing video
Thank you so much!
wOa
This is amazing. I don't think I could ever do so much work researching a single piece of media like you did. That's amazing! This video explains q lot about the movie that I didn't understand the first few times I watched. Thanks for making this!
Amazing video I think you did a really good job explaining everything I wasn't even aware of the book but I love how you showed the comparison between the two!
Thank you so very much for your sweet comment I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! :)
I love these movies! I had Kiki's delivery service and spirited away on VHS!! I grew up watching these and am so happy to finally understand the moving castle story! Thank you!!
Niece and nephews saw my birth VHS tapes and thought they were from the mid 1800's 😭😭👴🏚️
I should say, they saw the VHS tapes, they did not WATCH them!! 😂😂😂
that's wonderful. thanks for creating this content ❤
Wonderful video, I love Howl’s Moving Castle! It’s such a beautiful movie.
Thank you so much I’m glad you enjoyed the video! ❤️
It's finally here!
Yes!!!! I hope you enjoy it 🥰
omg, i love this vid! thank u so much for this
Very insightful. I always suspected that Sophie's love affected her curse and aging, just havent seen it stated so clearly before. Thank you.
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! 😊
Love this type of content!!!! ❤❤❤
Thank you so much for checking it out!
Great job. The best difference between the book and movie though was the movie's score. Such a master work.
This is so well made! Super interesting!
Thank you so very much for the sweet comment I really appreciate your support!
I love it! Thank you!
Beautiful research and explanation 😊
This essay is packed with rare background info and creative takes. If only the thumbnail and title of the video precisely reflected that, so that more people would click on it.
I’m so curious what you would do differently, how could I better convey what the video is about?
The thumbnail asks, “What does it mean?” I think your essay is interesting because it’s less about what the movie means, and more about how Miyazaki creates meaning from the source material. You also manage to draw out some insightful meanings of your own. This whole process is much more interesting than any particular conclusions about meaning.
The video title itself is a good summary of what you cover, but it’s a bit too general. I don’t mean to tell you what your title should be, but I might have tried something like “Howl’s Moving Castle: Love and Arcana”. Something that highlights the fact that you dug deep into a literature that has to be studied to be properly wondered at, let alone understood.
I remember the confusion and arguments about meaning among Miyazaki fans when HMC was released in English. I think your essay transcends that discourse in some ways, not to mention the usual chatter about whether a book is better than its movie.
@@JosephJin Thank you so much for taking the time to respond I really appreciate your insight I am always open to suggestions on how I can improve my content to bring it to as many people as possible. Thank you so much
I have always seen her getting younger (in the movies) as the passion she is showing at that time overpowering the spell. When I real the book, i doubled down on that head-cannon
such a fantastic vid !! howl's moving castle is my fave out of all the ghibli films i've watched :D 💗
Hey welcome back!! Thank you so much for coming back for this video I appreciate you! Any suggestions for upcoming videos? ❤️🙏🏼😊
@@dearestdimple ofc ! :D i see ya have a sonic vid coming up soon which i'm totally looking forward to ! perhaps games or other media that've stuck w/ you since childhood or that've left a lasting impression ! honestly anything you're passionate abt will be great !!
@@arin4395 Thanks so much friend! 😊❤️
what a great video thank you
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! 😊
THANK YOU
Great breakdown!
Thank you so much for your comment I appreciate your support! 😊
Amazing!
I could add a couple pages of ideas and opinions, but nobody has time for that❤❤❤ thanks for the great video and hope you make more amazing stuff in the future, do take care❤❤❤
I totally agree with the Hollywood cuts negative effects on the integrity of the story.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Great video!!
Thank you so much the comment I’m glad you enjoyed it!
this video is epic!
Great analysis 😄✌️
One of my favorite books of all time. Brought my copy to college and beyond. There’s also two sequels! “Castle in the Air” and “House of Many Ways”
I have read the book and watched the movie, they start on the same lines but diverge to some extent but this in no way spoil the enjoyment of both. This is a rare thing in western adaptations of books these days, where a catchy title is used as the inspiration for a while new plot.
I absolutely agree! I think it’s precious to hear how much the author of the book enjoyed the movie too. That tells me that the changes made were okay with her :)
I thought Sophie's aging was more about her confidence. How she felt about herself at that point. In scenes where she was confident she got younger maybe not as she was at first but way younger than a 90 year old.
We just covered this movie over on our podcast. This movie is TRULY magical.
Big W of miyazaki for protesting against the Iraq war. Millions of people have died and the US still doesn’t take resposibilities, even worse, 2024 nearly all middle eastern countries have been bombed by the US
Thank you for your thorough explanation. I think this story takes a lot of deep thoughts. Isn’t it more for adults’s novel rather than the children’s ?
As an iraqi this brings me so much joy that he would protest for peace ❤❤
Me too ❤
20 years later I finally understood a few things😂❤️
An infinite love story
the random connor clips is the best
amazin vid
Thank you so much!
I have a different opinion on the ending. I think that the ‘witch of waste’ that was holding on to howls heart was his mother. She was holding on to his heart to protect him. In the final scenes when she gives it to Sophie, Sophie can then love howl and howl love her back. It’s mentioned in this video that howl has had many encounters with other girls but Sophie is the one who finally got his heart. Watching this film for the first time since I was little kid and this is a crazy film. 10/10 🤝
Howls moving castle is my favourite Ghiblie movie for a reason. It's why I picked up book too and despite many differences I love both it's my comfort series (I still think Howl should have kept blonde hair in movie but I prefer movie version Howl to book version slightly more since he's bit nicer there bit book story is definitely superior. Otc it still.doesnt mean movie isn't beautiful in it's own way and I still cherish it as one of my favourite movies
Thank you for your comment I adore it as well and I agree Movie Howl is much nicer! Haha, he is much more mysterious so he doesn't appear to be an outright liar like book Howl. 😂
I thought there were times when Sophie would become young because it was inner confidence. Witch turned her old due to the witches' vanity. And when Sophie is confident or inner strength, it overpowers the curse
lol the music while she’s talking about the symbolism of crows for death. I am definitely shaking my head no and disagreeing with your opinions but I am enjoying it a lot. good job 👍🏻
imo I like the book less. I think it’s that Howl knowing her the whole time takes some away for me :/ I choose to not believe that canon
@@ButrScochMonks But movie Howl actually knows Sophie in advance way more than book Howl though. The person who made this video essay is free to have their own opinions but the way they back up their theory that movie Howl wasn't looking for Sophie at the beginning of the movie feels more like it's just their headcanon. In both the Japanese release and English dub, Howl says "I've been looking for you" when he finds Sophie in the alleyway. The shot is purposefully framed so that we can see his ring shine brightly when he holds Sophie by the shoulder. This is foreshadowing for later in the movie when we find out (when Howl gives Sophie a similar ring) that this type of ring is imbued with some sort of finding spell. Then we have Sophie telling Howl to "Find me in the future" and "You've been waiting all this time" immediately after she gets out of the door to Howl's past. It just seems odd that these scenes that seem intentionally planned out are being dismissed in favor of "it's simply a cool visual way for Calcifer to show Sophie Howl's past", diminishing Sophie's role in that scene. The black door has been shown before to open to areas that are under attack by the mutated wizards. Alternately, we can say that this door leads Howl to places or people that need his help. Now when Sophie fell after she doused Calcifer and the Witch of the Waste with water, she desperately wished to find Howl in order to save him. Her will causes the ring to take her to Howl's past (by allowing the black door to work for her) in order to save Howl. It's not a random, out of place event. Time travel is even book canon as (spoiler alert!) this is partly how the third book in the Moving Castle series, House of Many ways, is resolved. There, we find out that the spell Howl used for the moving castle's door was an idea Howl got from the House of Many Ways which had doors that even led to the past. (End of spoiler).
Please do not let the bits and pieces that this video essay reveals about the book deter you as it does not even touch upon the importance of the second and third verses of "Song" (by John Donne) to the plot. The poem is literally the backbone of the novel and is fundamentally vastly different from the movie. I'm assuming that the reason you're bothered that Howl recognized Sophie when he meets her as an old lady is that it may have influenced his willingness to help her, or make his intentions less noble or pure, but I assure you that you will still be convinced that Howl loves Sophie for who she is and not just because of her physical appearance by the end of the book especially if you pay attention to the poem-spell.
edit: typos
edit 2: (book spoiler) Forgot to mention that Howl himself states that he could "go and play bad fairy" at his own christening when talking about the "where all the past years are" part of the poem, meaning Howl could go back to his past if he wanted to.
@@astereesm thank you, I wanted to make this comment as well. With how intentional Miyazaki is known to be with every detail in his films, even shown throughout the very opening shots of each of his films and the way they frame the centrepieces of the movie from the get-go, it's just absurd to think all the direct mentions of the role the time travel played in the plot are a cool visual effect, ESPECIALLY with the background lore and with what we know about the characters. Even indirectly too. On second watch, everything points to Howl having known who Sofie is. I remember when I first watched it being confused by why he's letting her into his house and being so gentle with her and dropping bread crumbs for her to help him if he didn't know her. Why she was the only other person Calcifer obeyed and why it was deliberately acknowledged by Howl, and mountains more of these instances that can only be explained by the time travel being literal in the plot.
After 3 times watching and 1.5 time reading, I'm pretty confident in knowing what's going on, but the real question is why.
Damn it makes sense now why The Wind Rises was such a personal movie for him.
This is so funny after The Boy And The Heron has come out
What's nuts is that while I didn't "get" the movie at the time I watched it, I still enjoyed the ride. I don't get people, sometimes
Having said that, watching it again recently with my mom, I got it a little better, though I interpreted the aging as her feeling more confident in herself (which I guess fits in with the "self love/loving others" theme to an extent anyway). That's what I told Mom when she asked why she kept changing (she loved the movie, btw)
I read the book a long time ago myself, but I forgot she had powers of her own in it. Guess my memory's not so good anymore 😅
Anyway, nice video. Didn't know about the protest and that he (essentially) told Weinstein to eff off right to his face. Might I suggest either Tales from Earthsea or Spirited Away at some point in the future? Those would probably be an interesting dive.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I feel the same way about the first time I watched it I don’t think I understood any of the deeper underlying themes are messages, but I think that’s part of how the story is told being difficult to understand. I’m glad your mom enjoyed it too!
I thought that bit about Harvey Weinstein was absolutely insane! I had to read it a few times to make sure I understood it correctly it’s a legendary burn from Miyazaki!
That’s so cool that you read the book too! I had no idea existed before I started researching for the video.
I love spirited away, but I have never seen Earthsea. I’ll have to give it a watch and see what I think!
Thanks again for your comment and all of your support. I really appreciate you! ❤️
You can love someone who doesn't have a heart. Unfortunately, you can. Not recommended, though.
I have the heart of a child
In a jar
On my desk....
Can you love me? 😂😂
I think I view this story a bit different. I saw it as sophie's curse was broken through her acceptance of her love for Howl. Thats why when she stands up for him, takes care, thinks fondly of him she turns young, but then when confronted about her love she turns old through her denial of it. She does not want to be hurt by this "Womanizer". In the movie, Howl from the beginning shows his interest in Sophie, but she is resistant to believe it. Howl gives her his heart and it is when she decides she feels worthy, that she is willing to take the risk on Howl and can return his heart back to him. She, at the end, gets his heart from the witch of the waste(which is the example of her envious friends, who lust for howl, unwilling to support sophie, and make it harder for her be with howl.) It is through sophie, being completely unafraid to ask so genuinely expressing for her real desire to be with howl, that the witch of the waste gives over Howl's heart and letting sophie have her love. As Sophie begins to not avoid her real feelings throughout, she begins to be younger and her beautiful self that Howl always saw in her, but sophie held back to not be hurt nor rejected by her jealous friends, that sophie eventually had to let go of to have what she truly wanted, which was Howl all the time.
So I saw it as a story of a beautiful guy, who shows interesting in a woman who doesn't feel he could possibly have pure intentions. She hides her heart, to protect herself, she cant keep denying it, and eventually opens up and doesnt resist her love. Finally giving the man his heart back.
One little thing I find amusing is that if you saw this movie when it came out, you hear Christian Bale use his Batman voice a year before Batman begins.
I just saw this film in theatres. I can honestly say, that several things were lost in translation. There are also some loose ends and quick resolutions that made the storytelling underwhelming.
When I learned about Miyazaki is what happen when I studied Einstein, they both WAY bigger person than their famous work because of how their moral stances and how they conduct themselves.
8:59 but clearly Howl was using his ring to search for Sofie, he says as much in the scene while his ring is flashing and glowing: "There you are sweetheart sorry I'm late, I was looking everywhere for you."
If true love has to be reciprocated then wouldn't Sophie's kiss not work on Turnip head?
I think Sophie and Turnip loved each other a lot just maybe in more of a familial way. 😊
I want to make a video essay too. How did you manage to avoid all the copyright claim?
I’ve never watched this one but now I want to my fav is Kiki’s delivery service.
That’s so funny I’ve never watched Kiki’s delivery service!
Kiki's was also my favorite, and I never really enjoyed Howl's because I never understood why people would like him - but now I look forward to revisiting it and getting more out of it after this lovely breakdown!
@@daggerdaggerdonut wow thank you so much! You think he’s unlikable in the movie he’s a complete menace in the book! Haha wow now I really need to watch Kiki’s Delivery Service!
Why stays sophies hair gray at the end? Still dont get that, must have a meaning
No matter what, the things we go through leave a mark on us.
HMC BOOK MENTION!!!
around 10 minutes in i chuckled at the connor meme thrown in there XD so funny how much trash taste has evolved into regular internet culture
Not to be rude but i don't know why people said that studio ghibli movies was emotional, I've watched howl's and grave of fireflies but i didn't really got into it, but when I watch clannad and Violet evergarden i got really emotional, is it only me?
Ppl are different. You may say that now, and then two years from now you watch it and feel completely different. I used to be able to watch gore and nasty stuff... Now it doesn't appeal to me at all.
I cry when newborn babies cry... Like cannot help myself... But no one else around me is like that.. we all have quirks, we all have differences, we all change. 🫂
I wish if ghibli would make more magical animes like howels moving castle and spirited away
It’s kind of sad with Miyazaki aging and his son taking over I’m afraid they are once in a lifetime movies we won’t ever see anything like them again :( but they are such treasures!
@@dearestdimple yes indeed.. but I dont know why he is leaning more toward the japanese anime simple style like prinses kaguya ...
@@Manara111111 maybe it’s just easy? Or maybe he’s trying to appeal to a broad audience? Which is silly because everyone loves studio Ghibli movies!
@@dearestdimple I think maybe he is trying to support traditional Japanese art beside being easier
@@Manara111111 could be!
The fact that you've put connor gifs
🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for noticing! He’s my favorite person for Wales so it seemed appropriate 😂
Ah yes, the infamous guy from whales 9:49
I had to…
I always thought Howl was an artificially created being like the clone kids Sullivan had with her.
Why was Sophie made an old woman by the Witch of the wastes?
In the book it is because she confuses her for her sister Lettie, who is dating Howl at the time and she is jealous it is all a case of mistake identity!
I do not agree with the hypothesis that sofie becomes younger when she is feeling in love. When she sleeps she is back to her Young age, she is not feeling in love in sleep.
I think she is, because she is dreaming of Howl.
Wales is not England!
Just came here to say that his prediction was wrong about his status in the America because he just won a golden globe. (That he would not fare well in America after this film due to his protest for their involvement in the Iraq war) Not that he needed one. But his awesomeness will not be overshadowed by the shallow trends of times
terrible video essay. you spent only 2 minutes actually dissecting the film. the rest was all irrelevant (albeit interesting) exposition that you never even tied into your analysis.
I saw your thumbnail and thought you looked familiar, we went to highschool together. 🥹💕 This was so beautifully done, one of my favorite movies.
Thank you so much!!