Howl no Ugoku Shiro
Howl's Moving Castle
(C) 2004 Studio Ghibli - NDDMT
- Release Date
- November, 20th, 2004
- Running Time
- 119 min
- Genre
- Animation
- Color
- Color
- Screening Format
- 35mm
[ Directed by ]
[ Produced by ]
[ Cast ]
- BAISHO Chieko ── Sophie
- KIMURA Takuya ── Howl
- MIWA Akihiro ── Witch of the Waste
[ Staff ]
- Diana Wynne JONES ── Original Story
- MIYAZAKI Hayao ── Screenplay
- HISAISHI Joe ── Music
[ Production Company ]
Studio Ghibli
[ Story ]
Master of animation, Miyazaki Hayao, presents his first film since the worldwide success of Spirited Away, winner of the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Howl's Moving Castle is adapted from the popular children's novel by Diana Wynne Jones, and was an official selection and Osella Award winner at Venice in 2004.
In an age of patriotic fervor, two neighboring kingdoms stand on the brink of war. One day on a walk through town, 18-year-old hat maker, Sophie, meets a handsome young wizard named Howl who is being stalked by the gelatinous henchmen of his enemy, the Witch of the Waste. They manage to shake their pursuers thanks to Howl's magical powers, but that night, the Witch visits Sophie's shop to deliver a curse that ages her beyond recognition. Abandoning the city, she comes across Howl's peculiar walking castle as it plods through the countryside and takes up residence there as his housekeeper. As Sophie becomes acquainted with the peculiar inhabitants of the castle and finds herself slowly falling in love with Howl, she begins to learn the dark secrets of her mysterious benefactor.
[ Contact (International) ]
Studio Ghibli Inc.
International Division
1-4-25 Kajinocho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo 184-0002
http://www.ghibli.jp
