--- title: "Kiki's Delivery Service" year: 1989 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service" fi1m_score: 86 critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 12 published: "2026-09-16T13:13:07.862045+00:00" updated: "2026-09-16T13:13:08.412862+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) Directed by Hayao Miyazaki · 1h 43m · MPA G · Animation, Family, Fantasy **Fi1m score: 86** · Critics 81 from 12 reviews *In a sentence:* We came for the witch and ended up worrying about the delivery business > Hayao Miyazaki’s gentle fantasy understands how much courage an ordinary working day can require. We recommend it warmly for its humour and feeling, with a caveat about a few over-tidy lessons. ## Synopsis Kiki (Minami Takayama), a young witch, arrives in a seaside town to make her own way. With her talking cat Jiji (Rei Sakuma) for company, she starts a delivery service, carrying packages as she learns how to live and work somewhere new. Tombo (Kappei Yamaguchi) and Osono (Keiko Toda) are among the people she encounters. Kiki wants independence, but being useful to strangers and feeling at home are different problems. Between deliveries and new friendships, she has to work out what she can offer the town and what she needs from it. ## Review Hayao Miyazaki takes a young witch’s delivery work seriously, and *Kiki’s Delivery Service* is an excellent family film because of that attention. His screenplay, adapted from Eiko Kadono’s novel, finds enough to occupy Kiki in the business of making her way in a new town. Independence brings work, unfamiliar people and the possibility of being no good at something. We recommend it warmly, with patience for the occasional stretch where its gentle pace becomes a dawdle. Minami Takayama makes Kiki’s eagerness appealing without smoothing away her insecurity. It is an expressive performance, but never so busy that every feeling needs announcing. Rei Sakuma’s Jiji provides drier company, and the cat’s humour gives Kiki room to take her work seriously without making the film solemn. The film is kind to her awkwardness; we are allowed to recognise it without being asked to laugh at her for it. Juro Sugimura’s cinematography gives the seaside town a clear, inviting presence. The saturated colours and the views of land, sea and air make exploring it a pleasure, while the detailed town design keeps it from becoming an anonymous pretty backdrop. There is a persuasive sense that this is a place where people get on with their days. Kiki’s packages belong in that setting: ordinary things that need to get somewhere, even in a fantasy. Takeshi Seyama’s editing gives the small incidents time to register, so that settling into the town feels like something Kiki has to do rather than a stage the story can skip. Joe Hisaishi’s music helps the quieter passages hold our attention without insisting that every modest difficulty is a crisis. The film is comfortable spending time with a working day. That rhythm is a substantial part of its appeal, though it will try anyone waiting impatiently for the next complication. We found Kiki’s loneliness unexpectedly painful. Watching her deliver packages in a town where she is still finding her place brought back the strain of trying to look capable before feeling it. The director takes her work seriously enough for us to understand why her confidence depends on it. Younger viewers can enjoy the witch and her cat; there is plenty here for adults who remember starting work. The weakness is in some of the people around her, who can feel too neatly suited to whatever she needs to learn. The screenplay occasionally settles for a pleasant lesson where a more awkward encounter might have been interesting. The kindness remains welcome, but a few supporting characters could use something else to distinguish them. These are small frustrations, made more noticeable by how carefully Kiki herself is observed. As family fantasy, this is unusually willing to trust ordinary work and friendship to hold our attention. The magic is enjoyable, but it does not make growing up look like a task somebody else can perform on Kiki’s behalf. At 103 minutes, it asks for an unhurried evening. Watch it with someone starting out, or someone who remembers how tiring that was. *Fi1m score 86, published 16 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to Kiki’s Delivery Service, with praise clustering around its detailed animation, seaside setting and gentle account of a young witch becoming independent. The reviews value how naturally everyday work, friendship and insecurity sit alongside the fantasy, finding emotional depth without losing the humour or optimism. Several also praise the quiet passages, while the English-language voice cast earns approval for its warmth and comic appeal. The spread is largely positive, though critics differ over how much the modest story achieves. Variety notes minor pacing and plotting flaws, while The New Yorker finds some human characters and lessons banal despite the pleasures of the landscapes and humour. HeyUGuys supplies the lone mixed assessment, treating it as a lesser Miyazaki work but still finding it joyful and rewatchable; the reservations concern simplicity and originality rather than any shortage of charm. ### Reviews we read (12) - **Empire**, Andrew Osmond (90/100, inferred): The critic praises this 1989 Miyazaki animated delight as more accessible to Western viewers than some of his later works, with effortless charm and humour in its tale of a young witch finding her way. It highlights the radiant visuals of the seaside town and positions the film as a standout in the director's body of work, offering Disney-style warmth without the songs or schmaltz. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/kiki-delivery-service-review/) - **IndieWire**, Charles Solomon (90/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's gentle charm as a coming-of-age story about a young witch finding independence through her delivery service. It praises the beautiful animation and quiet emotional depth in this DVD re-release review. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/dvdblu-ray-review-miyazakis-kikis-delivery-service-123691/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Lynne Heffley (90/100, inferred): The home video release is praised as a lush visual treat and sparkling family feature that ranks with Disney classics, with astonishing detailed animation, an imaginative and heartfelt story, and strong voice work from its celebrity cast. It is recommended as top-quality entertainment for all ages. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-17-ca-23511-story.html) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (5 out of 5 stars): The critic calls it a truthful and sharp story about the difficulties of making one's own way in the world. They single out its ability to remain funny, optimistic and exciting even while addressing deeper themes like depression and finding purpose. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/kikis-delivery-service) - **Variety** (90/100, inferred): The US-dubbed re-release of the 1989 Japanese hit is hailed as top-drawer kiddie fare and a thoroughly delightful tale, strong on character, texture, and visual detail with masterful use of mood and quiet spaces. The English voice cast, led by Kirsten Dunst and Phil Hartman, adds broad appeal despite minor flaws in pacing and one plot element. [Read](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/kiki-s-delivery-service-2-1200454399/) - **The Guardian** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it a lovable 1989 anime that works elements of fantasy and mild crises into an everyday children’s story, serving as a primer for womanhood. Beneath its sunny, colour-saturated, beautifully animated surface, the film offers a benign guided tour of femininity and gently broaches coming-of-age issues including independence, insecurity and sexuality. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/26/kikis-delivery-service-review-lovable-studio-ghibli-coming-of-age-story) - **Vulture**, Jackson McHenry (80/100, inferred): The piece celebrates the film as a poignant fable about growing up, loneliness, and finding one's place, singling out its mundane yet profound coming-of-age elements and Joe Hisaishi's score. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2020/05/watch-kikis-delivery-service-studio-ghibli-on-hbo-max.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Eric Henderson (70/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of Miyazaki's quietest films, praising how it presents a fantastical world as ordinary and mundane, serving as a touchstone for his later works with its gentle, unforced storytelling. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/kikis-delivery-service/) - **The AV Club**, Tasha Robinson (70/100, inferred): The critic describes it as a sweet, child-safe tale of a young witch's adventures and growth in a new town, noting its charming characters, beautiful animation, and emphasis on independence and friendship despite minimal conflict. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/kikis-delivery-service-dvd-1798198465) - **The New Yorker**, Michael Sragow (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the 1989 animated feature charming but less original than Miyazaki's prior work, with a quaint story of a young witch delivering packages in a seaside city. Visuals of land, sea, and air plus humorous elements like the cat sidekick transcend the banality of some human characters and lessons. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/kikis-delivery-service) - **Collider**, Keith Demko (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's genuine wonder, visual beauty as Miyazaki's most mainstream work, and timeless quality sealed by its strong finale. They single out the DVD extras—especially original storyboards and featurettes with Miyazaki—as making the special edition worthwhile and note the story's perfect capture of an adolescent girl's awkward period. [Read](https://collider.com/kikis-delivery-service-2-disc-special-edition-dvd-review/) - **HeyUGuys**, Ben Mortimer (3/5): The coming-of-age story of a teenage witch and her talking cat stands out as the most fun and entertaining of Miyazaki’s films despite feeling like a lesser work compared to others in his filmography. A breezy sense of joy runs through the characters, animation, and dialogue, making it highly rewatchable pure entertainment. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/blu-ray-and-dvd-round-up-1st-july-2013/) ## Details - **Director:** Hayao Miyazaki - **Director:** Hayao Miyazaki - **Screenplay:** Hayao Miyazaki - **Novel:** Eiko Kadono - **Cinematography:** Juro Sugimura - **Editor:** Takeshi Seyama - **Music:** Joe Hisaishi - **Producer:** Hayao Miyazaki - **Cast:** Minami Takayama as Kiki / Ursula (voice); Rei Sakuma as Jiji (voice); Kappei Yamaguchi as Tombo (voice); Keiko Toda as Osono (voice); Mieko Nobusawa as Kokiri (voice); Koichi Miura as Okino (voice); Haruko Katō as Old Lady (voice); Hiroko Seki as Bertha (voice) - **Runtime:** 1h 43m - **Certificate (MPA):** G - **Release (the US):** 28 July 2019 - **Genres:** Animation, Family, Fantasy - **Budget:** $7 million - **Box office:** $4 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4OX6RKeLY ## Where to watch in the US - HBO Max: streaming - Hulu: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $7.99, sd *Checked 2026-09-16.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: More everyday magic, with childhood worries given room to feel important. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md) - *The Red Balloon* (1956): A child’s friendship with a balloon makes city streets worth exploring. - *Wadjda* (2012): Another resourceful girl discovers how much work a little freedom takes. - *Ernest & Celestine* (2012): A bear and a mouse build a friendship against everyone else’s advice. - *Local Hero* (1983), Fi1m 86: A seaside community quietly rearranges a visitor’s ideas about a useful life. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service