Reviews                   Howl's Moving Castle             6 August 2023


   Studio Ghibli's animations have always captivated me with their
   harmony.  These miniature worlds lack evil as such; there are
   no unequivocally bad or good characters.  It is precisely thanks
   to the blurring of this dichotomy that these animated films are
   perceived by the viewers as so lifelike.

   From the graphic component of the animations, I want to highlight two
   aspects that I particularly like: the first is that the drawing
   of the characters themselves is almost careless, without fussiness
   and excessive attention to detail, such as, for example, with
   the Russian artist Shilov.

   The second aspect is that, conversely, all the backgrounds are worked
   out in maximum detail.  It seems that no other animation studio has
   managed to capture the structure of the moment so well and immerse
   the viewer in a majestic and yet quite grounded atmosphere.  This
   harmony has always inspired me greatly.

   And, of course, the entire animation is permeated with the music
   of composer Joe Hisaishi.  It's amazing how much it resembles some
   of the compositions by Yuji Nomi, another composer who also
   participated in the creation of other Studio Ghibli films.

   "Howl's Moving Castle" is an excellent anti-war film, exposing war
   in its cruelty, closely intertwined with senselessness.  Though
   the film does not have clearly defined antagonists and protagonists,
   if we examine the confrontation between Suliman, the court witch,
   and her apprentice Howl, one can easily notice a reference
   to the clash between the state's repressive apparatus and a citizen
   defending his right to pacifism; a citizen who despises war
   and chooses personal life over the dictate of the collective (that
   is, military duty), despite the risk of losing magical power (state
   privilege).

   Alongside the anti-war theme, the theme of living, genuine, and all-
   encompassing love is developed, as a rightful alternative to war.
   Here we can find the close intertwining of the fates of Howl, a self-
   doubting romantic, and Sophie, a self-confident young woman capable
   of selflessly giving love.  Unlike war, love does not take, it gives:
   war alienates and oppresses society, while thanks to Sophie's love,
   "Howl's Moving Castle" gains new life, experiences a renaissance,
   and is filled with new inhabitants with the most unusual destinies.





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