Unlike previous CF Looks From Books posts (part 1, part 2) on the Howl’s Moving Castle novel, this post will be focused on anime inspiration from the Studio Ghibli film and Hayao Miyazaki’s quirky take on the classic story and its characters.

It’s interesting to note that Miyazaki, a pacifist, said that the production of the film was profoundly impacted by the Iraq War. Miyazaki’s version of Howl’s Moving Castle isn’t just a story about courage, but it’s also about the notions of youth, beauty, and what it means to be in war. From steampunk elements to vintage twists and nostalgic characters, this Studio Ghibli film is a classic source of inspiration for Miyazaki fans everywhere. So, let’s get started!

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Howl’s Moving Castle – Official Trailer

That jumbled piece of architecture, that cacophony of hissing steam and creaking joints, with smoke billowing from it as it moves on its own… That castle is home to the magnificent wizard Howl, infamous for both his magical prowess and womanizing tendencies—or, so the rumor goes in Sophie’s small town. Sophie Hatter, as the plain daughter of a hatmaker, does not expect much from her future and is content with making hats for the rest of her life.

However, Sophie’s simple life takes a turn for the exciting when she is ensnared in a disturbing situation, and the mysterious wizard Howl appears to rescue her. Unfortunately, this encounter, brief as it may be, spurs the vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste—in a fit of jealousy caused by a past discord with Howl—to put a curse on Sophie, turning her into a 90-year-old woman.

In an endeavor to return to normal, Sophie must accompany Howl and a myriad of eccentric companions—ranging from a powerful fire demon to a hopping scarecrow—in his living castle on a dangerous adventure, as a raging war tears their kingdom apart.