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Jun 3, 2015 9:46 PM

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Jun 2013
1634
Hmmm... that movie was a mess, lol. Had some good art and animation, as to be expected.
Jun 12, 2015 7:01 PM

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Jul 2012
48255
Rewatched after the 20th time and I finally see why people like it. Gorgeous movie, moving plot and characters.
Jul 5, 2015 6:54 AM
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Jun 2013
1207
[quote=RazielZero]This movie was a complete mess... Every time they started a storyline they went and completely threw that away, start a new one and do it all over again. I felt like they just couldn't stay with one story, therefore it seems like it didn't have one at all. It was very confusing at times. Some of the characters were likable like Calcifer and the stupid dog. I just didn't really care about the others. The artwork was of course like with every Miyazaki film was beautiful, just like the soundtrack.

Couldn't have said it any better... This is easily the most overhyped anime movie I have ever seen. There are so many inconsistencies at times I couldn't even take it serious. Music and animation was great duh but I didn't like the story or any of the characters. It wouldn't be a stretch to just say this was not a good story.
5/10
Jul 20, 2015 3:03 AM

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Jul 2008
10984
Pure visual feast! I loved it!!
Jul 21, 2015 12:57 PM

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Feb 2012
1889
2nd time rewatching after 9 years this and its still a masterpiece. 10/10
Jul 24, 2015 11:51 AM
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Jun 2014
362
How did she get her cloth back? Why did she do all that? Why did her hair color change?

Aug 2, 2015 12:22 PM

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Feb 2013
6196
I was laughing during the stairs scene. That neck fat!

So basically nothing really happened. A pointless war. No clear bad-guy. Basically just a love story without romance. I'm not saying it was bad, but it wasn't "good" either. 5/10 (average)
Nov 25, 2015 6:51 AM

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Jan 2012
31479
what a bunch of disgusting old women.

Dec 27, 2015 8:23 AM

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Jul 2009
3911
A really great movie. The animation was fantastic as expected and it was visually as good as Spirited Away in places. I thought the plot was a little convoluted ( that tends to happen with novel adaptations) but the characters were excellent, especially Howl. The English dub was awesome too with Christian Bale voicing Howl. Overall 9/10.
Dec 30, 2015 11:05 PM

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Jun 2013
58
Was an enjoyable movie, I loved the animation and all the characters are charming.
It's a nice way to spend some time, though I never understand how sophie was changing her age.

I think the war was a Sulliman plot for Howl to get back his heart.


Among the Ghibli movies I've watched this is my second favorite, the last scene was kind of cute.
I'm learning english.
Jan 1, 2016 11:10 AM

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Dec 2010
4810
This was a beautiful story. 7/10, this is how I like my Ghibli movies.
Jan 12, 2016 6:32 PM

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Apr 2013
2282
jiajia said:
How did she get her cloth back? Why did she do all that? Why did her hair color change?


It's in your heart and it's called magic. How dare you question it ?!!

Good as a family oriented movie but if you look at it more objectively you'll find too many loose ends. They could have done a lot more with this setting.
Mar 1, 2016 9:39 AM

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Oct 2013
1315
sophie is giving out free kisses left and right.
Mar 8, 2016 9:07 AM

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Feb 2015
3751
LOL i forgot to put it into my list. i have already watched this anime but it was long time ago on disney. i think it was a really great show. interesting story, art and soundtrack, i really enjoy it. i watch it with english dub so maybe i will rewatch it again with japanese dub....9/10
Apr 2, 2016 9:03 PM

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May 2014
577
Fun movie with really cool art. The waltz is so freaking catchy too! I love the unique characters in Miyazaki movies like Calcifer and Turnip-head.
~ The world is not beautiful, therefore it is.
May 2, 2016 8:50 AM
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Feb 2010
27
celltf said:
Does this mean Howl did see her when he was younger? Has he actually been waiting for her all this time? Those scenes confuse me, so I'm hoping someone might have a good explanation of them.


Same here :D ,there are some confusing scenes that I had to re-think about after finishing the movie, desperately trying gather the missing pieces of the puzzle.

I think your theory or guess is right,as if she magically somehow went to Howl's Past then telling him her name and that she knew how to free him from his spell,and asked him to search for her in the future,maybe that's why he found her in the first place and how he recognized her and see through her old women spell.

but how she went there and why,it's still unknown :D
anything related to magic and time-travel is confusing to be honest xD



jbeat said:
Could be great if they patched up some loopholes like how the heck did she turn young (how did the spell break)


mmmm..I'm not sure too,but guess it has something to do with two things - or maybe three -

1- that Sophie's spell is somehow connected to Howl's spell,then when solving his and Calcifer's it will help her too.

2- that her love and affection towards Howl's (romantically) and the others as family and friends can free her from that black magic ? like when she was kind and super nice to the witch treating her as a grandmother,and was able to relaese Howl's heart between her hand.

3- maybe because of the Suliman witch who Striped the Witch of the Waste of her magic so it released Sophie from that spell (or maybe she was actually the one who broke the spell to grant a happy ending for Howl's and Sophie and everyone ?).

I'm really not sure *___*

jbeat said:
and what actually started the war? So confusing, but still enjoyable to watch!


as far as I understood,it was because the prince of one of the fighting kingdoms was missing (or kidnapped) so his country started the war to revenge -_- and that lost prince was actually the scarecrow as we discovered at the end, but we still don't know who casted the spell on him causing all this mess,could it be Suliman witch? but what is her benefit then of starting such war ?

but as others said,despite all that I really enjoyed the movie and loved the characters and their interactions ^__^ ,along with sceneries animation and soundtrack,it was a Magical film indeed :D
little_dreamMay 2, 2016 8:54 AM
May 24, 2016 4:51 AM

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Feb 2015
2796
A heart-warming film once again by Miyazaki. 8/10
Jun 23, 2016 2:05 PM

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Jun 2015
2509
This is so beautiful like visually and narratively beautiful. I fell for Howl at first sight, and in the end Sophie is saving the world with kisses yay. At least the lovers kissed at the end. Do you know how frustrating is it when the lovers don't kiss at the end? People who watched Inuyasha will understand that.
If you are going to disagree with me, don't bother talking to me. I will seriously hurt you!
Jul 29, 2016 5:48 PM

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Oct 2015
3109
Well, that was fun.

The film felt a bit messy and contrived compared to the other Miyazaki films I've seen (especially how sophie's mother randomly appears again to spy on Sophie for Suleiman, and then is never to be seen again. Also quite silly how the stakes of the war are never explained and Suleiman decides to end the war just because the few people she's been chasing after are suddenly happy), but once again the visuals were spectacular with likeable characters each with their own problems and the "feels" to boot.

7/10. My least favourite Miyazaki film so far but still an above average movie I could easily recommend.

For reference of the films I've seen so far:
Spirited Away>My Neighbour Totoro>Mononoke Hime>Howl's Moving Castle
Aug 1, 2016 1:43 PM

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Apr 2009
318
GodotCoffee said:
RazielZero said:
This movie was a complete mess... Every time they started a storyline they went and completely threw that away, start a new one and do it all over again. I felt like they just couldn't stay with one story, therefore it seems like it didn't have one at all. It was very confusing at times. Some of the characters were likable like Calcifer and the stupid dog. I just didn't really care about the others. The artwork was of course like with every Miyazaki film was beautiful, just like the soundtrack.

With everything considered, I can only give it a 6/10.


My thoughts EXACTLY! Visuals and music were fantastic...but the story was a complete shambles.


I like most of the Ghibli movies, some of them are great, some decent but still enjoyable. But this movie is honestly overrated, not even the beautiful visuals and sound can make up for the messy plot and the boring characters.
This is one of the weakest Ghibli movies along with Kaze Tachinu and Omoide Poroporo.
Aug 22, 2016 5:43 PM
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Jul 2018
564091
I liked the animations and everything but why I'm feeling disappointed??
Sep 18, 2016 12:12 PM
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Jul 2018
564091
Beautiful and lovely movie.
Characters and plot were good.
Oct 20, 2016 4:01 PM

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Jun 2011
873
I was disappointed that they used some popular actors for the dub but it was still a great fantasy movie. Might be too creepy for very young kids that can't deviate between reality and fiction.

Animation was mostly good, most of the characters are pretty good. A little saccharine. But depicted love well.

A beautiful and cute movie.
Numbuh 3, you've got to get off the couch, you cannot sit in that tree house, girl you like Rainbow Monkeys so grab your little shit and then swing!

Hand tracks be tracking me to different doorways. In a maze, and I don't know what to do. Guaranteed though, Ima find the emeralds.
Dec 4, 2016 2:19 AM

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Oct 2015
713
Sophie and Howl are awesome, I guess kisses and love solved everything. It does take awhile to connect the plot :) Sophie new hair color is kewl

Time to read the novel I guess!

Feb 21, 2017 9:11 PM

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Nov 2008
5441
I just watched it for the third time.

It's Miyazaki's worst movie. I can see why people regard it so highly. It's charming and beautiful to look at. But the story is messy.

6/10

Feb 27, 2017 1:00 PM
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Jun 2015
444
Another amazing movie by Miyazaki. The story is a little bit messy, but I think if i watch it again it will be a little bit more clear. This movie impressed me more with its magic ;) It was just beautiful to watch :D
9,5/10
Feb 28, 2017 5:36 AM

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Mar 2015
6994
This was a fun watch. Sasuga Studio Ghibli! I just couldn't figure out what caused Sophie to keep changing her age? At first I thought it was while she slept, then it seemed like it was when the Witch of the Waste was asleep, then it was to do with her current emotions? Ah whatever, fun watch fun watch!

9/10!
I'm Bruneian and I like anime. And Manchester United. And fat cats.
Mar 6, 2017 1:20 PM

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Dec 2016
3523
A beautiful movie filled with cute and charming characters!
“I love heroes, but I don't want to be one. Do you even know what a hero is!? For example, you have some meat. Pirates will feast on the meat, but the hero will distribute it among the people! I want to eat the meat!” - Monkey D. Luffy
Mar 6, 2017 5:51 PM

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Dec 2015
15143
Sasuga Ghibli, they always have some very impressive visuals, the stories are always weak though, at least for me.
"At some point, I stopped hoping."
Jun 10, 2017 10:41 AM

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Feb 2008
480
I don't even understand what happened... 2complex4me
Jun 10, 2017 10:42 AM

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Jul 2013
749
this film is 2deep4me. sasuga ghibli
Nov 22, 2017 6:10 AM

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Apr 2016
365
The animation studio is legendry
BRAWLERS
Nov 27, 2017 3:01 PM

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Apr 2016
748
The first half of the movie, up until after the escape from Madam Sulliman's garden was AMAZING. Following Sophie and her quiet, lowkey life; her time with Howl and Marco and the SoL showcasing Howl's multiple aliases, Marco running the Jenkins' shop, the magic... all of it.

I loved seeing the Colmar, Strasbourg, and Rothenburg inspired towns with cable cars and flags waving the wind. The Crystal Palace turned into a garden, the beautiful countryside... it's gorgeous to look at and very inviting. I would have liked to have seen more of this world, even if it was just more wide shots of the town streets.

The idea of wizards working as part of a government/military institution is an intriguing concept. I loved the bizarre flying machines with those massive wings and ejected monsters for battle. The costumes - while simple - were quite memorable. The setting was simply captivating.

That said, the film began to falter after the escape from the glass garden, where the story lost sight of the end goal. The story was initially about Sophie trying to get Howl to remove her curse and Howl overcoming his vanity, but then it became a story about family. It felt like we skipped an entire second act of character bonding and development to reach this point. Sure, they had been together for a couple days, but it didn't feel like the drama had been warranted or it's payoff earned by the end.

Really wish this was 26 episode series. Ancient Magus Bride is good, but just doesn't have the charm of Howl's.
Dec 2, 2017 4:50 AM

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May 2010
8099
I love Sophie. Solid development there. Howl's was good too.
And the side-characters were interesting as well. I like this kinda Ghibli movies more tbh.
9/10
Dec 14, 2017 2:36 PM

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Oct 2015
6916
The art was 10/10 but story wise it had so much cracks that I'm wondering why it has so much rating. The enjoyment was great but I wished the witch had a prominent role to play unlike being a reformed. I don't understand what changed her back and also what was wrong with Howl.
Anyway the message was beautiful especially when that witch held Howl's heart and telling Sophie to take care of it. I do understand the movie carried a romantic message but on story form it was overflowing with mishaps.

Anyway 7/10.
How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb --- Dr Strangelove

Feb 10, 2018 1:38 PM

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May 2016
6248
Loved it 8/10 from me.
Mar 4, 2018 10:47 AM

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May 2017
1039
glad to see im not the only one who found this movie confusing AS FUCK

10/10 visuals

howl, markl, calcifer were good characters

7/10 movie. Would be much higher if it wasnt as confusing and messy
Mar 8, 2018 11:22 PM

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Jan 2017
2580
Wow. I mean wow. The breathtaking art, the smooth animation...this was made in 2004 people..like its better animation quality than over half the stuff today 14 years later. The story is so original and unique, the characters all have individualistic traits that make them differ from any character in any other movie or show.

Just pretty blown away by this. I have it as a 9/10. Easy.


Mar 10, 2018 3:56 PM
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Nov 2016
3
I came to a finding today that hatters (people that make hats) usually end up going mad due to the use of mercury in hat making. This is where we get the saying 'as mad as a hatter'.
Sophie, the main character character was a hat maker, so maybe instead of her experiencing being cursed and a world full of magic, she was actually slowly going insane due to being constantly exposed to mercury.
As we know in the film girl in the area said that she was always working in the shop and never went out much before the story starts.
Mar 23, 2018 11:12 PM

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Dec 2017
316
The movie is very mythical, very interesting. I love this movie :) I also love character Howl
Apr 18, 2018 1:09 PM
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Aug 2017
16
Okay, wow... this was very confusing and weird. There were a lot of questions unanswered which made me somewhat uncomfortable about this movie. But it was still really cute and enjoyable. I liked the scarecrow so much that I felt sad when he turned into a fancy goddamn human. And he said Sophie's kiss turned him back and it was all thanks to love lol what the fuck was that all about? He was in love with Sophie too? Oh well, the romance between her and Howl also felt a bit forced. They didn't even know each other that much yet. All I know is now I want a plushie of the scarecrow
May 13, 2018 9:20 AM

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Feb 2018
601
The art and the animation of the movie were amazing, and the characters loveable, but other than that it fell short on many fronts, the story was pretty weak imho. It was pretty enjoyable though.
6/10
Oct 27, 2018 2:34 AM

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Jun 2013
1144
I'm sorry but this didn't make any sense. If the cure to everything was just putting Howl's heart back inside him, why didn't that happen from the start? Only Sophie could do it?

What was the war about? Who was fighting, and why? Why can the scarecrow prince just go back to his home country and stop the fighting? Surely whatever tyrannical government is acting in his stead won't let him just barge in and call everything off. And why did he turn back, anyway? Because he got kissed?

And the whole thing just reeked of "lul war is bad". Don't you think war is bad? People are dying, isn't that bad? Don't you agree that killing people is bad? War is bad, by the way. Look at these explosions. These are bad things happening. Explosions bad. War bad. Seriously, it felt like I was watching anti-war hippie propaganda. Which is probably what this is.

Maybe I'm expecting too much from a kid's movie, but this thing has a 8.75 on MAL and it certainly didn't feel deserving of that.

My first Ghibli film, and I hate to say but it didn't live up to the hype.

5/10. The animation was good. But this is a movie, so that is to be expected. Music was movie quality also, not the most amazing but pretty good. Story was...
ex_necrossOct 27, 2018 2:47 AM
Nov 19, 2018 3:03 PM

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May 2017
810
This is such a great movie. The story is kind of choppy in the end, but the beginning and the middle are fabulous.
In the end, Calcifer says that Howl's heart is still the heart of a child, which leads me to wonder where all of the character building of Howl really went. Absolutely lovely movie besides that.
Apr 8, 2019 6:44 PM

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Dec 2014
7045
Very charming movie and absolutely beautiful to look at, can't believe this came out in 2004. Like wow.

This was actually my first Ghibli movie so I didn't really know what to expect but I guess they do stay true to all the things I've heard about how fantastical they were.

I personally loved the way they had Sophie transition from being an old woman to her younger self again. It's interesting and is a lovely way to portray Sophie's own insecurity about herself and it also seems to kind of point towards a 'you are what you make of yourself' kinda theme. Sophie felt like she was an old woman only because she thought of herself that way.

Lot of charming scenic sequences in the film made for some really wonderful and magical shots. Loved all those.

Also really liked the plotline about Howl facing his fears and courage.
I guess the only real plotline that was lost on me was the whole war bit, I feel that could've been executed much better and it felt like it only served to further the story of our protagonists than serve as an organic part of the story itself. Nevertheless this was a really good movie and I'm happy with my first experience with a Ghibli film.

8/10
Apr 18, 2019 9:39 AM
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Jan 2018
4850
Lelouch0202 said:
Very charming movie and absolutely beautiful to look at, can't believe this came out in 2004. Like wow.

This was actually my first Ghibli movie so I didn't really know what to expect but I guess they do stay true to all the things I've heard about how fantastical they were.

I personally loved the way they had Sophie transition from being an old woman to her younger self again. It's interesting and is a lovely way to portray Sophie's own insecurity about herself and it also seems to kind of point towards a 'you are what you make of yourself' kinda theme. Sophie felt like she was an old woman only because she thought of herself that way.

Lot of charming scenic sequences in the film made for some really wonderful and magical shots. Loved all those.

Also really liked the plotline about Howl facing his fears and courage.
I guess the only real plotline that was lost on me was the whole war bit, I feel that could've been executed much better and it felt like it only served to further the story of our protagonists than serve as an organic part of the story itself. Nevertheless this was a really good movie and I'm happy with my first experience with a Ghibli film.

8/10



This was my first experience too and I agree with you .

Even though parts where a bit rushed a bit and confusing I liked it alot

Not sure if your comment implied it . But it takes a moment but she did break the curse in the end right (edit: a wiki about the film seems to suggest that she did)

Not sure if it was in the movie to but apprently the witch also cursed howl.

I found this Miyazaki's quote "I wanted to convey the message that life is worth living, and I don't think that's changed. The movie is thematically significantly different from the book; while the book focuses on challenging class and gender norms, the film focuses on love, and personal loyalty and the destructive effects of war.

I also read somewhere that it has anti war themes as the director had a opposed options on the Iraq war in 2003

I will give it a 7 for now .
Apr 20, 2019 7:46 AM
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Jan 2018
511
Well that was abysmal. I watched it a second time to try and see why people liked it and ended up hating it even more. It was an absolute mess nothing made sense. It was like it just skipped over extremely important plot points and hoped for the best. Quite possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. Ever.
May 3, 2019 7:35 AM

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Feb 2013
24142
Some moments were ok, but boring for me.
May 5, 2019 5:58 PM

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May 2018
39
One of the best looking anime I've ever seen saddly with dissapointing mess of a story that has a clear lack of focus and start many sub-plots and then never develops on them

Most overrated Ghibli movie I've seen so far 5/10
May 8, 2019 10:15 PM

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Aug 2018
931
This movie pales in comparison to Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. It's medicore at best. It has great visuals and an interesting world but lots of things weren't given a concrete explanation. The last 30 minutes in particular was very confusing. I'd give it a 6/10.
<Insert clever quote>
Pages (4) « 1 [2] 3 4 »

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Aug 27, 2022 10:11 AM
It’s time to ditch the text file.
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