Going back to old films can be a bit of a minefield. Sometimes an old movie you love doesn't hold up because of changing social trends or the constant march of technological progress. However, there is a rare breed of film that, due to either luck or forethought, grows more relevant as time passes. For whatever reason, the message becomes more potent when viewed through a modern lens and perfectly speaks to current anxieties -- and Kiki's Delivery Service is one of these films.
First released in 1989, Kiki's Delivery Service was animated by Studio Ghibli and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki. The story follows Kiki, a young witch in training who moves to the city of Koriko and opens a Witch Delivery Business, transporting goods using her broomstick. However, after some tricky errands, she finds that she can no longer fly and is losing her magical powers, forcing her to find a way to get them back.
Kiki's plight -- her artist's block-induced burnout, caused by overexerting herself -- was already highly relatable in 1989. But the film's message feels all the more relatable today in the era of side-hustles and monetized hobbies. In fact, Kiki is a case study for the latter; while she enjoys her delivery work at first, it quickly ends up becoming a job, which sucks all the fun out of it for her. Transforming a passion from a fun activity done for its own sake to a grind done out of responsibility is something that will resonate with many modern creatives.
This message is also shown through the film's other characters. Tombo's desire to fly and urge to create a flying machine aren't dampened even after he is nearly killed in a blimp accident. Because he kept true to himself, accepted his desires and never lost sight of his passion, he thus avoided Kiki's fate. Ursula shows how being aware of one's own emotions, tolerating failure and being kind to yourself are tools that can help in life's most challenging moments -- and the lessons these characters embody and impart are still valid today.
Kiki's Delivery Service's setting will likely resonate with modern viewers as well. When stressed or burnt out, it is often tempting to romanticize other places, believing problems would simply vanish with a move elsewhere. However, Kiki's Delivery Service shows the folly of this line of thinking. While the city of Koriko is beautiful and full of kind people, Kiki still burns out -- even in the most beautiful environment, it is easy to lose sight of why you are doing something. People can end up pushing too hard and fall out of love with their passions -- and these problems don't go away with a change of scenery, no matter how picturesque it is.
This is what makes the movie's message about the power of community and mentorship all the more crucial. While Kiki is lucky to have a community on her doorstep, the film shows that community building is an active process filled with many small moments of kindness, from giving someone a place to stay to simply listening to their problems. While Kiki aims for independence, the movie perfectly shows the stark difference between being independent and trying to be overly self-reliant with zero support. This is a tricky balance to learn, especially for those who grow up in certain circumstances.
It is rare to find a film that becomes more relevant with age; the nature of filmmaking means movies are often products of their time and environment. But Kiki's Delivery Service shows that Studio Ghibli has always had a knack for creating stories, characters and settings that resonate with people and speak to their personal wants, dreams and anxieties. This is partially why the film remains so timeless -- although viewers aren't flying on a broomstick through a beautiful village, it's still easy to understand what Kiki is going through. And as these issues become more common and talked about, the film likewise grows more relatable.
Kiki's Delivery Service is now streaming on Netflix, HBO Max and Prime Video.