Howl's Moving Castle and Castle In The Sky are both beloved animated films that were created by Studio Ghibli. They are also some of the most well-known movies created by this studio. They boast impressive visuals, an interesting cast of characters, and good life lessons that are applicable even outside of their fantasy worlds.
Many fans have difficulty deciding which film is considered to be Studio Ghibli's best since both films have so many great qualities. Both films feature large castles that hide magical secrets, but these castles pale in comparison to the journeys that the main characters in both movies go through.
10 Howl's Moving Castle: Sophie Is A Powerful Lead Who Goes Through Incredible Character Growth
Sophie Hatter, despite turning into an old woman at the beginning of the film, is easy to relate to. She feels an obligation to live the life she thinks that her parents want, and isolated herself and dressed simply due to a lack of self-confidence.
However, she accepts her curse far better than most people would, and even leaves to find a better life for herself. She slowly makes more and more decisions for herself, works hard to earn her keep, and even becomes confident enough to scold the person who cursed her in the first place.
9 Castle In The Sky: The Castle Looks Much Better Than Howl's
Laputa is a place that people want to go to for a variety of reasons. Pazu wants to prove that it exists, the military and pirates want the city's wealth, and Muska wants its weapons. It only made sense for the place to look appealing, like an untouched paradise that everyone wanted to see.
If it was a shabby place, it would be underwhelming. Howl's castle doesn't look like a castle at all, looking more like a rusty vehicle that waddles around. Women in the film get excited when they see it, but it's more likely that they are more excited about Howl than the thing he lives in.
8 Howl's Moving Castle: There Are Many Hidden Details
Many excellent films require a rewatch, as they contain hidden details that audiences would miss the first time around. This film is one of them, as there is a lot to take in. For example, Sophie overhears that a prince from another country has gone missing, which started the war, and she later meets him in the wastes.
When she meets Howl, he tells her that he was looking everywhere for her, which makes sense when the viewers watch her travel to the past to tell him to find her.
7 Castle In The Sky: The Villains Have A Surprising Amount Of Depth
The villains have more depth to them than it seems when they are first introduced. The pirates, Dola's Gang, doggedly pursue Sheeta and her magical crystal in the hopes that they can obtain wealth from Laputa. However, it turned out that Dola and her pirates were much softer and compassionate than it seemed. They were happy to welcome Sheeta and Pazu onto their ship, and Dola even insisted on waiting for them as long as possible while Laputa fell apart.
Muska is revealed to be like Sheeta, a descendant of the Laputa people, who felt that leaving the city was a mistake.
6 Howl's Moving Castle: The Romance Makes The Characters Stronger
The leads, Howl Pendragon and Sophie, help each other grow stronger. Howl starts off as a shallow man who runs away from his problems and even runs away from the Witch of the Waste when he discovers she isn't beautiful. Thanks to Sophie, Howl stops running away, confronting his fears in order to protect her.
Despite her curse making her an old woman, he still falls in love with her. Howl's influence makes Sophie more confident, as his sometimes brash actions push her to do things that she would normally never do. He also treats her well the entire time that they are together, outside of his one temper tantrum about his hair.
5 Castle In The Sky: It Does An Excellent Job Of Showing The Best And Worst Of Humanity
The children in the film represent the best of humanity, those who desire only to see and experience what Laputa has to offer. The townspeople are also portrayed as kind people, who are willing to protect a child they don't even know by fighting the pirates with their bare hands.
On the other side of the spectrum is Muska and the military, who care so little for human life that they repeatedly try to hurt and exploit the children. Their only concern is money and power, and their greed eventually consumes them.
4 Howl's Moving Castle: There Are A Lot Of Impressive Spells And Visuals
Thanks to the fact that Sophie is surrounded by a variety of sorcerers, she is able to see a great deal of magic. Calcifer makes the castle move, the front door leads to multiple locations, and Markl disguises himself as an old man for training. H
owever, magic proved itself to be destructive as well, as many wizards transformed themselves into monsters for the king, despite knowing they could never change back.
3 Castle In The Sky: The Animation Is Fantastic Decades After The Film's Release
The film was released in 1986, and it is impossible to tell the film's age. Not only does its setting in a different world make this film timeless, but the animation is so visually beautiful and smooth that it easily looks like something that could come out today.
The lush and beautiful backgrounds are also painted beautifully and with a lot of detail, making this film pleasing to look at.
2 Howl's Moving Castle: The Film Has Good Messages
The film teaches how important it is for people to step outside of their comfort zones if they truly want to live. Sophie notes that there are a great deal of things that she had never experienced before, such as looking at the ocean or taking some time to quietly observe the scenery.
The film focuses on how important it is for people to take some time to prioritize themselves, as living for others isn't really living at all. At the same time, it is important not to be too selfish, as Howl led a lonely life before he met Sophie.
1 Castle In The Sky: The Steampunk Designs Are Unique And Otherworldly
The machinery in the film leads towards a steampunk aesthetic that makes the film seem both historic and futuristic at the same time. The flying vehicles are inspired by bugs, allowing for quick turns and sharp movements that aircrafts in the real world wouldn't be able to pull off.
The robots look massive and intimidating, but at the same time, they look peaceful and serene, especially when covered with plant life. Although simply designed, they remain very memorable.