10 Most Charming Hayao Miyazaki Creations

6. Jiji - Kiki's Delivery Service

A black cat crossing your path signifies bad luck, but a black cat flying past you on a witch's broomstick? That's a question for the ages. Kiki's Delivery Service is a film that defies many superstitions about witchcraft, turning the tropes of a witch in training and her companion feline into a charming story of discovery. As the only character on this list who has extended amounts of dialogue, Jiji works as a perfect foil to the enthusiastic Kiki, a cat with a dry sense of humor. Together they create a very entertaining double act, making Kiki's story engaging right from the get-go. Although everyone in the movie is friendly to Kiki, Jiji is her only friend in the truest sense of the word; her complete confidant. He is Kiki's connection to the magical world, as she alone can speak with him when no one else can. At one point in the film, a depression causes her to loose this ability temporarily, poignantly revealing just how alone she is without her droll little friend. Jiji isn't just a side character, however. He is given his own character arc when he spies an attractive cat living near the loft him and Kiki stay at. His blindly romantic escapades provide an amusing counterpoint to his laconic behavior earlier, and prove that even cats can have a soft spot emotionally - at least according to Hayao Miyazaki.