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Few anime studios are as recognizable asStudio Ghibli, and for good reason. With its amazing track record for delivering films with heartfelt narratives and gorgeous animation, it’s become one of the most famous names in anime and animation, in general, and there’s no denying that it deserves such a stellar reputation.
As Studio Ghibli became such an iconic name in anime, that naturally led to some of their films being more popular than others and becoming the defining works of the company. Most of those films more than earn their high praise, but personally, one of their most illustrious films is vastly overrated, and there are plenty of reasons why.
Why Howl’s Moving Castle Doesn’t Work For Me, Despite The Hype
The Biggest Problems With Howl’s Moving Castle
If there’s any Studio Ghibli film that feels overhyped to me, it would have to be none other than2004’sHowl’s Moving Castle. The film is often heralded as one of the best Studio Ghibli films ever made, if not the best, but it’s flawed in so many ways that I can never find myself enjoying it.
Asvisually stunning as it may be,Howl’s Moving Castleis severely held back by its poor writing and pacing. With the pacing, the film alternates between having the characters mostly milling about doing nothing and suddenly being thrown into one big event after another, and the tonal whiplash of it all is always hard to follow.
All of that is made even worse by the bad writing. Things like Howl’s past, the details of the war, and Sophie’s curse are left largely unexplained, and when combined with the bad pacing, most of the answers have to come out at the very end of the film, and the resolutions to everything are incredibly unsatisfying because of that.
Howl’s Moving Castlewas famously given a negative review by Roger Ebert, who called it a disappointment compared to Hayao Miyazaki’s other films.
None of this, of course, is unique toHowl’s Moving Castle.Studio Ghibli moviesrarely ever take the time to fully explain their stories and worldbuilding, with films likeSpirited AwayandPrincess Mononokebeing prime examples, and they’re usually still beloved for their charm and the great execution of what little the audience can understand.
That being said, it simply doesn’t work forHowl’s Moving Castle; the film sets up a far more detailed narrative than other Studio Ghibli films, yet it fails to deliver on it at every turn, so any attempts at relying on charm and whimsy don’t work when there should be far more work being put into fleshing out the story.
Howl’s Moving Castle’s Biggest Selling Point Is Its Worst Element
The Biggest Problems With Howl’s Moving Castle’s Romance
Going off the writing problems, the biggest issue withHowl’s Moving Castleis probably its biggest selling point: Sophie and Howl’s romance.Howl’s Moving Castleis one of Studio Ghibli’s most overtly romantic films, and because of that and its immense popularity, Sophie and Howl are often cited as having the best romance amongStudio Ghibli couples.
Personally speaking, though, their relationship is the exact opposite. From the very start, Sophie is the one doing everything to support Howl as the caretaker of his castle and as someone who can provide emotional support, but Howl rarely ever does anything to support Sophie beyond looking good and fighting people, which makes their relationship feel like uneven wish fulfillment.
Many of those problems are another extension of the film’s poor writing and pacing. The poor structure ofHowl’s Moving Castlecaused most of its narrative beats to be underdeveloped from start to finish, and unfortunately, Sophie and Howl’s relationship was one of the biggest victims of that, as it never got the time to develop beyond a surface level.
Again,Howl’s Moving Castleis hardly the only Studio Ghibli film to have a weak romance, butthe weakness of Sophie and Howl’s romance feels notably strong because of how much focus is put on it, and the fact that it’s held in such high regard after so many years is nothing but baffling.
Is Howl’s Moving Castle Studio Ghibli’s Worst Movie?
Are Any Studio Ghibli Movies Worse Than Howl’s Moving Castle?
Howl’s Moving Castlehas plenty going against it to make it one of my least-favorite Studio Ghibli films, but that doesn’t mean it’s the worst one. As bad as the writing is, there’s at least a logical flow to everything, unlike films likeEarwig and the WitchandTales From Earthsea, both of which rarely ever make serious attempts at being engaging.
Not only that, but as bad as Sophie and Howl’s romance may be, it’s far above something like1993’sOcean Waves, where the main couple is incredibly toxic with no true chemistry before the film abruptly says they’re in love; Sophie and Howl’s romance is weak, but at least someone can watch the film and understand why they’re a couple.
Howl’s Moving Castleis hardly the worst Studio Ghibli film, but even then, it’s still a notably flawed product. The writing is incredibly hollow and largely fails to sell its story, especially when it comes to the romance that drives much of the story, and unfortunately, no amount of Studio Ghibli’s typically gorgeous animation and art direction can fix that.
No amount of Studio Ghibli’s typically gorgeous animation and art direction can fix the poor writing of Howl’s Moving Castle.
It’s not that it’s crazy forHowl’s Moving Castleto be held in such high regard, as it checks off every box of a classic Studio Ghibli film with a mostly high level of competence. To me, though, the various problems withHowl’s Moving Castle’s writing are too much to ignore, and even after so many years, I can’t buy into the hype.
