Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Movie · 1989 · Animation, Family, Fantasy · 1h 43m · G · Japanese
Curator score: 9.1/10 (1.2M ratings)
Tagline: I was feeling blue, but I'm better now.
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
Ratings:
- Curator score: 9.1/10
- IMDb: 7.8/10
- Letterboxd: 4.14/5
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
- Metacritic: 85
- TMDB: 7.8/10
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Production: Studio Ghibli, Nibariki, Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network Corporation
Cast: Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Kappei Yamaguchi, Keiko Toda, Mieko Nobusawa, Koichi Miura, Haruko Katō, Hiroko Seki, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Koichi Yamadera, Kikuko Inoue, Yuko Kobayashi, Mika Doi, Takaya Hashi, Chika Sakamoto, Yoshiko Asai, Hiroko Maruyama, Shinpachi Tsuji, Yuko Maruyama, Sho Saito
Where to watch: Max
Curator Review
Verdict: A warm, gently melancholy coming-of-age fantasy about independence, self-doubt, and finding your place in a community. Its charm comes from everyday details, soft humor, and emotional honesty rather than big plot twists.
Best for: fans of cozy animated films; viewers who like coming-of-age stories; families looking for a gentle fantasy; people drawn to stories about creative burnout and recovery; fans of hand-drawn animation and atmospheric worldbuilding
Skip if: you want fast-paced action or high stakes; you prefer darker fantasy with heavy mythology; you dislike quiet, slice-of-life storytelling; you want a plot driven by constant conflict
Overview: Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of the purest expressions of Miyazaki’s belief that ordinary life can feel magical. It takes a simple premise—a young witch trying to make it on her own—and turns it into a tender story about confidence, work, loneliness, and the awkwardness of growing up. The film never rushes its feelings, and that patience is part of its spell.
Worth noting: What makes it endure is how specific and humane it is. Kiki’s slump feels real, not symbolic in a heavy-handed way, and the film understands that rest, friendship, and small acts of kindness can be as transformative as any grand adventure. The city setting, the flying sequences, and the hand-drawn textures give it a breezy, lived-in beauty.
Bottom line: It’s also quietly funny and deeply comforting without becoming sentimental. For viewers open to a gentle pace and emotional subtlety, this is an easy recommendation and one of the great comfort watches in animation.
Top Letterboxd reviews:
- Lucy: pretty fucked up that i wasn't born a cartoon witch
- ˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗: "Then stop trying. Take long walks. Look at the scenery. Doze off at noon. Don’t even think about flying. And then, pretty soon you’ll be flying again."
- adambolt: HOW DARE YOU THAT PIE WAS MADE WITH HER LOVE YOU FUCKING HEARTLESS MONSTER
- gabby!: tombo be like..... kiki.... do you love me.... are you riding.....
- Willow Maclay: Like a parable for young girls finding their way in the world with the help of great, diverse, women as a support group.
One of the best films about women
Recommended similar titles:
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988 · Fantasy, Animation, Family · 1h 26m · G · Curator 9.2/10 (2.3M ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
Shares the same gentle wonder, domestic warmth, and childlike openness to magic in everyday life.
- Whisper of the Heart (1995 · Animation, Drama, Family · 1h 51m · G · Curator 8.9/10 (539.3K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
A similarly tender coming-of-age story about self-doubt, vocation, and finding your own voice.
- Only Yesterday (1991 · Animation, Drama, Romance · 1h 59m · PG · Curator 8.1/10 (175.4K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
For viewers who appreciate quiet introspection, memory, and emotional realism in animation.
- The Cat Returns (2002 · Adventure, Fantasy, Animation · 1h 15m · G · Curator 6.1/10 (371.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
A playful, feline-tinged fantasy with a light tone and a whimsical sense of movement.
- When Marnie Was There (2014 · Animation, Drama, Family · 1h 43m · PG · Curator 7.6/10 (358.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
A soft, emotionally attentive story about loneliness, belonging, and healing.
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984 · Adventure, Animation, Fantasy · 1h 57m · PG · Curator 9.1/10 (631.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
Another Miyazaki film that balances adventure with empathy, independence, and environmental feeling.
- Castle in the Sky (1986 · Adventure, Fantasy, Animation · 2h 5m · PG · Curator 8.6/10 (726.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
Offers airy adventure, strong visual imagination, and a sincere sense of wonder.
- A Little Princess (1995 · Drama, Family, Fantasy · 1h 37m · G · Curator 8.1/10 (105.9K ratings))
A heartfelt story about resilience, imagination, and finding dignity through hardship.
- Paddington 2 (2017 · Adventure, Comedy, Family · 1h 44m · PG · Curator 9.1/10 (752.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Max)
For its kindness, visual charm, and belief that decency and community can carry a story.
- The Red Turtle (2016 · Animation, Drama, Fantasy · 1h 21m · PG · Curator 8.0/10 (131.6K ratings))
A wordless, contemplative film that values mood, nature, and emotional simplicity.
- Ernest & Celestine (2012 · Animation, Family, Crime · 1h 20m · PG · Curator 9.3/10 (82.2K ratings))
A gentle, beautifully designed friendship story with a soft, storybook tone.
- Song of the Sea (2014 · Family, Animation, Fantasy · 1h 34m · PG · Curator 9.4/10 (205.3K ratings))
Combines folklore, family feeling, and luminous animation in a similarly tender register.
Topics: cozy fantasy, coming-of-age, slice of life, hand-drawn animation, gentle humor, female-led, urban fantasy, 1980s anime, comfort watch, self-discovery
https://watchlist.tannermartz.com/apple/movie/kiki-s-delivery-service/16859
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Movie · 1989 · Animation, Family, Fantasy · 1h 43m · G · Japanese
Curator score: 9.1/10 (1.2M ratings)
I was feeling blue, but I'm better now.
Overview A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.
Ratings
Curator score: 9.1/10
IMDb: 7.8/10
Letterboxd: 4.14/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Metacritic: 85
TMDB: 7.8/10
Production Studio Ghibli, Nibariki, Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network Corporation
Cast Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Kappei Yamaguchi, Keiko Toda, Mieko Nobusawa, Koichi Miura, Haruko Katō, Hiroko Seki, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Koichi Yamadera, Kikuko Inoue, Yuko Kobayashi, Mika Doi, Takaya Hashi, Chika Sakamoto, Yoshiko Asai, Hiroko Maruyama, Shinpachi Tsuji, Yuko Maruyama, Sho Saito
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, gently melancholy coming-of-age fantasy about independence, self-doubt, and finding your place in a community. Its charm comes from everyday details, soft humor, and emotional honesty rather than big plot twists.
Best for
fans of cozy animated films
viewers who like coming-of-age stories
families looking for a gentle fantasy
people drawn to stories about creative burnout and recovery
fans of hand-drawn animation and atmospheric worldbuilding
Skip if
you want fast-paced action or high stakes
you prefer darker fantasy with heavy mythology
you dislike quiet, slice-of-life storytelling
you want a plot driven by constant conflict
Overview
Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of the purest expressions of Miyazaki’s belief that ordinary life can feel magical. It takes a simple premise—a young witch trying to make it on her own—and turns it into a tender story about confidence, work, loneliness, and the awkwardness of growing up. The film never rushes its feelings, and that patience is part of its spell.
Worth noting
What makes it endure is how specific and humane it is. Kiki’s slump feels real, not symbolic in a heavy-handed way, and the film understands that rest, friendship, and small acts of kindness can be as transformative as any grand adventure. The city setting, the flying sequences, and the hand-drawn textures give it a breezy, lived-in beauty.
Bottom line
It’s also quietly funny and deeply comforting without becoming sentimental. For viewers open to a gentle pace and emotional subtlety, this is an easy recommendation and one of the great comfort watches in animation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Lucy (3.5★) · 14757 likes
pretty fucked up that i wasn't born a cartoon witch
˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗ (4★) · 13422 likes
"Then stop trying. Take long walks. Look at the scenery. Doze off at noon. Don’t even think about flying. And then, pretty soon you’ll be flying again."
adambolt (4.5★) · 11986 likes
HOW DARE YOU THAT PIE WAS MADE WITH HER LOVE YOU FUCKING HEARTLESS MONSTER
gabby! (4★) · 8218 likes
tombo be like..... kiki.... do you love me.... are you riding.....
Willow Maclay (5★) · 7985 likes
Like a parable for young girls finding their way in the world with the help of great, diverse, women as a support group.
One of the best films about women
Recommended similar titles
1988 · Fantasy, Animation, Family · 1h 26m · G · Curator 9.2/10 (2.3M ratings) · Where to watch: Max
Shares the same gentle wonder, domestic warmth, and childlike openness to magic in everyday life.
1995 · Animation, Drama, Family · 1h 51m · G · Curator 8.9/10 (539.3K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
A similarly tender coming-of-age story about self-doubt, vocation, and finding your own voice.
1991 · Animation, Drama, Romance · 1h 59m · PG · Curator 8.1/10 (175.4K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
For viewers who appreciate quiet introspection, memory, and emotional realism in animation.
2002 · Adventure, Fantasy, Animation · 1h 15m · G · Curator 6.1/10 (371.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
A playful, feline-tinged fantasy with a light tone and a whimsical sense of movement.
2014 · Animation, Drama, Family · 1h 43m · PG · Curator 7.6/10 (358.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
A soft, emotionally attentive story about loneliness, belonging, and healing.
1984 · Adventure, Animation, Fantasy · 1h 57m · PG · Curator 9.1/10 (631.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
Another Miyazaki film that balances adventure with empathy, independence, and environmental feeling.
1986 · Adventure, Fantasy, Animation · 2h 5m · PG · Curator 8.6/10 (726.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
Offers airy adventure, strong visual imagination, and a sincere sense of wonder.
1995 · Drama, Family, Fantasy · 1h 37m · G · Curator 8.1/10 (105.9K ratings)
A heartfelt story about resilience, imagination, and finding dignity through hardship.
2017 · Adventure, Comedy, Family · 1h 44m · PG · Curator 9.1/10 (752.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Max
For its kindness, visual charm, and belief that decency and community can carry a story.
2016 · Animation, Drama, Fantasy · 1h 21m · PG · Curator 8.0/10 (131.6K ratings)
A wordless, contemplative film that values mood, nature, and emotional simplicity.
2012 · Animation, Family, Crime · 1h 20m · PG · Curator 9.3/10 (82.2K ratings)
A gentle, beautifully designed friendship story with a soft, storybook tone.
2014 · Family, Animation, Fantasy · 1h 34m · PG · Curator 9.4/10 (205.3K ratings)
Combines folklore, family feeling, and luminous animation in a similarly tender register.
Topics
cozy fantasy, coming-of-age, slice of life, hand-drawn animation, gentle humor, female-led, urban fantasy, 1980s anime, comfort watch, self-discovery
Open Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) on Curator TV