Story -8- The story is a bubbly fun but also progressive and heart grabbing fiction which puts a different sort of spin on the traditional conception of witches. In this representation witches are a force of good that although is not a new idea, is done in a way i have not seen before. But in many ways the fact that kiki is a witch is not as important as her being a girl, as this anime raises concepts of maturity about what it means to grow up. That said it is a innocent tale that will leave you thinking "awww" and can be enjoyed by all the family. The only reason it didnt get a 10 is that i cant really give a movie intended for a younger audiance a 10,(too many restrictions) but its as close as one will ever get.
Art -10- This is a beautifull anime, infact calling it an anime (or cartoon) is (in my eyes) downgrading its status as a peice of art, as you see it is not just telling a story, its also showing you a painting. In all my life i have not seen anything that tells a story in such detail and in such traditional hand drawn glory (as its from the 1970's before p.c. editing). If you are unsure of wether the story is for you, then i would surggest you watch this simply for the entertainment value of the art work.
Sound -8- It wasnt really my cup of tea to be honest, but it fits the story well. It also sets the mood for alot of kiki's adventures and hardships, so in terms of the background sound, it is very good. Ide also like to say on the note of sound that this is possibly one of the only anime movies/series that enjoys a good english dub. I am not afraid to say i enjoyed both the sub and dub vertions.
**note** - this is just my subjective oppinion many of you might enjoy the music in this film more more.
Characters -9- The characters in this movie are also a great feet, especially based on that its only feture length. Both the main characters get development in this film, but they still keep all the charms and features which made me love them in the first place. The supporting main characters are also quite effective in the film, and at least i hope alot of younger boys and girls can associate with them and their lifes. Although Kiki is a lovely character, i think in some ways her side-kick Jiji is the charcter that most impressed me, as he is able to produce alot of very intresting plot lines without lsoing his nature as a cat or Kiki's best friend.
Enjoyment -9- You cant help but enjoy and love this film, nomatter your age or gender. In my oppinion it is a great film to bring people together and remeber the simple innocent pleasures in life.
Overall -9- As i have said above, i decided not to give this a 10 on the grounds on that it feels too simple, but as far as simple films go this is the best. Just sit back relax and enjoy, you can think about it as little or as much as you like but will still bask in its gentle aura of innocence and bubbly fun.
