Howl's Moving Castle
2004 · Movie · PG · 119 min · ★ 8.4 · 85% critics
Sophie, a young milliner, is cursed by a witch and transformed into an elderly woman. On the run, she crosses paths with a wizard whose messy relationship with war and power pulls her into a spell-filled struggle.
Based on Howl's Moving Castle
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Streaming on HBO Max — or rent from $3.99.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- ハウルの動く城
- Years
- 2004
- Release date
- 2004-09-09
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Critic score
- 85/100
- TMDB rating
- 8.4/10 (11,105 votes)
- Box office
- $236,323,601
- Budget
- $24,000,000
About
If you want a dreamy, visually enchanting fantasy with a strong sense of wonder, you’ll likely enjoy Howl's Moving Castle, especially if you liked Spirited Away or Kiki's Delivery Service; Not for you if you need a tightly explained, consistently paced plot.
Pros: gorgeous magical world; memorable characters; delightful fantasy | Cons: confusing pacing; plot holes; uneven story focus
Themes
- witch
- flying
- rain
- castle
- scarecrow
- body exchange
- melancholy
- hatter
- bakery
- curse
- steampunk
- demon
- +13 more
Awards & recognition
- Nebula Award — Best Script · 2007
- Academy Award — Best Animated Feature · 2006 · nominated
- Annie Award — Best Animated Feature · 2005 · nominated
- Critics' Choice Movie Award — Best Animated Feature · 2005 · nominated
- Satellite Award — Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature · 2005 · nominated
Cast & crew
Chieko Baisho
as Sophie (voice)
Takuya Kimura
as Howl (voice)
Akihiro Miwa
as Witch of the Waste (voice)
Tatsuya Gashûin
as Calcifer (voice)
Ryunosuke Kamiki
as Markl (voice)
Mitsunori Isaki
as Kosho (voice)
Yo Oizumi
as Prince Justin / Turnip Head (voice)
Akio Otsuka
as King of Ingary (voice)
Daijirō Harada
as Heen (voice)
Haruko Katō
as Madame Suliman (voice)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki