I have a lifelong history with Studio Ghibli films. It all started with My Neighbor Totoro, one of the first movies I recall from my childhood. I remember Ponyo playing on Cartoon Network when I was in middle school and trailers for The Secret World of Arrietty rolling out in theaters not long after. Then, a friend in college introduced me to Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Grave of the Fireflies.

Despite being charmed by every movie I saw (except Grave of the Fireflies, which I don’t think is capable of evoking any emotion except horrible depression), I never got around to watching all the films—probably just because they’re not the easiest to access. But recently, I’ve found the motivation again, as my husband had only ever seen Ponyo before we got married. As I showed him my favorites—Totoro and Howl’s—I was reminded just how much I love these Studio Ghibli movies. Something about them feels like home.

Last summer, my husband and I traveled north to visit a dear friend. He introduced us to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (not technically a Ghibli film but essentially is), which renewed our motivation to watch every Ghibli (or Ghibli-adjacent) film. We finally got our hands on some recently, and we agreed that our next film should be Kiki’s Delivery Service; it’s so popular that we had to understand the hype.

I was not disappointed, and here’s why.

Low-stakes stories are needed now more than ever

From the opening scene of the film, I knew I was stepping into something special yet again. It immediately evoked a nostalgic, warm, comforting feeling like Totoro, which makes sense since it was released only one year after my childhood favorite. After seeing Howl’s, Spirited Away, and Nausicaä, I’d assumed that the other Ghibli films must be more immersive, high-stakes fantasy. I was so happy to be proved wrong! Throughout the film, my husband and I kept guessing that something terrible was going to happen, but it never did. As the credits rolled, I was left with that special feeling you get from this type of cozy, character-driven, low-stakes story.

These types of stories are underrated in our culture, probably due to the rising popularity of movies, which by their nature are typically more fast-paced and action-packed. However, I think we need low-stakes stories now more than ever. Life today is much faster-paced than it was nearly 40 years ago when Kiki’s was made. From youngest to oldest, everyone is expected to work hard and keep busy because the stakes of not doing so seem to be life and death.

Stories like Kiki’s rein it all in and show us life as it’s meant to be lived. (In fact, this story even tackles the topic of busyness and burnout, but I’ll get to that.) It’s not all pretty or easy, but it’s beautiful in all its mistakes. Watching this movie felt like taking a deep breath and truly relaxing for the first time in a long while.

The disappearing genre of magical realism

Magical realism—depicting a story in our everyday world with just a dash of fantasy—seems to also be on the decline nowadays. Perhaps because, immersed in our busy lives, we’re looking to be entirely captivated by a totally new world instead of the one we’re living in?

These were some of my favorite stories growing up because I could easily imagine myself as a part of such familiar worlds. There’s something wonderful about seeing the world we know made just a little bit different with a touch of magic.

These kinds of stories also reinforce the belief that our world, though imperfect, is also beautiful and interesting just as it is. I love in-depth magic systems and fantasy worlds just as much as the next nerd, but sometimes, that kind of escape only makes us long for something that doesn’t exist. Kiki’s, and stories like it, remind us to see the wonder in the everyday.

Think about it: Kiki’s powers are the only thing fantastical about the entire movie. The rest of it could very well be real life.

Faith in humanity

Though not every character in Kiki’s is a good person (that one girl who didn’t want the casserole from her grandma!! the nerve!!), for the most part, it praises unexpected connections and friendships instead of teaching us to mistrust everyone as many do in today’s world. The baker lets Kiki live with her and start her business at the bakery. The boy patiently waits for Kiki to come around to his offer of friendship. The painter living in the middle of the woods is kind and gives Kiki advice when she needs it. The old lady immediately recognizes Kiki’s need for love and recognition and takes her under her wing.

How wonderful it is to see a story filled with so much kindness! It’s not so far out of our grasp, either—we can choose kindness in the smallest moments rather than clinging to convenience and hurry. A little bit of empathy can go a long way, perhaps even change the course of someone’s life, which is one of the themes I’m exploring in Whispers of Worlds.

Don’t you want to be the person who makes someone’s day with a simple smile?

A theme that echoes through the ages

When the film revealed that Kiki was losing her powers due to burnout, I was shocked. The movie didn’t show this reasoning quite as well as it should have prior to the admission, but still, I was impressed that a story about a young girl made for a young audience was willing to tackle such a topic.

Sometimes, doing what you love is difficult. That resonates to my core as an author. Whispers of Worlds, while very dear to my heart, is also the most difficult thing I’ve ever written. I’ve had to work harder than ever before to motivate myself to finish it because the project has gone on for so long due to factors out of my control. The story is so familiar to me by now that I have to concentrate to zoom out and see it from a different point of view every time I write. Not only that, but I’m juggling multiple different stories inside one story. The me of two years ago who conceived this idea severely underestimated how hard that would be.

Needless to say, it was inspiring to watch Kiki find her love of flying again. Some people say to never get a job doing what you love, but for me, that’s the only way. It’s not for everyone, and it’s not smooth sailing, but it is wonderfully fulfilling.

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If you haven’t had a chance to see this movie, find it somewhere and treat yourself. Watch it on a day you feel content, or even on a day when you feel stressed. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it! What’s your favorite Ghibli film?

I just watched The Secret World of Arrietty the other night, and Princess Mononoke is next on the list. Subscribe to get the next Studio Ghibli post sent straight into your inbox!

Happy watching!
—E.J.

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