Just watched Miyawaki's new film last night, Hauru no Ugoki Shiro, or Howl's Moving Castle. Raw, but I was ecstatic that I managed to get my hands on a copy. X3 I basically knew what was going on, despite the fuzzy sound and my unimpresssive knowledge of Japanese. I understood all the parts that were based on the book, but there were definitely some deviantions. It was more of an anti-war piece, which the novel by Diana Wynne Jones was more about overcoming expectations, and a coming-of-age story if you will.

I suppose I was a tad disappointed, but really, with Miyazaki, my expectations are so high, there's no place to go but down. There were just so many scenes in book that I imagined would be so wonderfully rendered on screen that were just left out completely. Howl's elaborate costumes, and that brilliant wizard's duel between him and the Witch of the Waste. Animation was still amazing (i.e. the sky walk and Calcifer's move), but I wish there was more. Howl does steal the scene whenever he appears, I just wish he was in more of the movie. He's in surprisingly little for a story that's named after him.

It was funny, I spent half the film thinking, man, Howl's voice is so hot, and so familiar sounding. Who is it?? I checked on animenfo.com and "Kimura Takuya"... Hmm, not listed under any other anime. And then I imdbed him, and was like... Kimura... Kimura.. OH!! KIMURA!! O___O The guy from SMAP who is like, the most famous dude in all of Japan. Damn. I've seen a couple dramas with him, and he's not the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen, but he has a lot of boyish charisma.

In a way Howl's Moving Castle seemed a bit rehash of Miyazaki's other works. Howl, though awesome, was very similar to Haku from Spirited Away (who was also awesome). Haku was really popular among female Japanese viewers, and I feel like this may just be catering a bit too much to them. I also *hated* the fact that Calcifer was voiced by the frog from Spirited Away. It was just so obvious. Maybe a rougher, deeper, demonic voice would have been interesting, or the completely opposite, some really innocent sounding thing. I liked Michael a lot, he was adorable and his seiyuu was the same as Boh, but at least I couldn't pick her out within 5 seconds.

Sophie reminded me of a grown up Chihiro (but I like Chihiro better), but looked like Zeniba. The castle looked like something out of a previous movie, and I really wished Miyazaki chose something other than turning into a bird to represent corruption.

I suppose I can't help making comparisons to the book, even though I shouldn't. The characters were more fleshed out; Howl was more evil and eccentric, and more of a spoiled brat. The Witch of the Waste... well, that changed so much that I can't comment without seeing a subbed version. The movie was a more toned down version of the book; there was just so much opportunity left untouched. Poo.

Still a good movie tho!! I'd rate Spirited Away higher, but by no means pass this one up.