Studio Ghibli: 7 Unforgettable Moments That Defined Their Films

6. Kiki Takes Flight

Film: Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) Witches, broomsticks, and a talking pet cat; Kiki's Delivery Service is filled to the brim with magic and wonder. But behind these fantastical elements this is the quintessential coming-of-age film, shying away from some of the darker material present in Studio Ghibli's other work in favour of a series of vignettes that detail the protagonist's journey to independence. The film chronicles the adventures of Kiki, a thirteen year-old witch who sets off to begin the traditional rite of passage of training in a nearby town. On her way, she encounters the dismissive remarks of a more experienced witch before finding herself flying through busy streets crammed with noisy traffic and uncaring passers-by, tempering her youthful optimism with a dose of anxiety and fear. Kiki's mode of transport is a key part of that sensation; throughout the film she dips and sways, tumbles clumsily, and rises up to vertigo-inducing heights as she grows her fledgling delivery business. It's an elegant metaphor for the uncertainty that faces her at every turn, and a situation that's all-too relatable for anyone who has faced a similar change - say, in the form of moving to university or starting a new job. The idea of casting aside home comforts for an intimidating new lifestyle is a common one in the film world, but as ever Studio Ghibli's execution makes their interpretation better than most.