The story opens with Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) lying in the grass and staring at the sky. The radio announced that it was going to be a clear sky and a full moon. Excited, Kiki rushes home. She's going to leave tonight! Kiki is 13, the age at which a young witch must strike out in the world, spending a year away from home to hone her magical skills. Her mother is a witch who specializes in potions. Under the light of the full moon, Kiki and her cat Jiji (Phil Hartman) take to the sky on a broom. She plans to fly to the ocean and pick a town along the coast. She finds a city! The city finds witches quaint and looks at her as an oddity. It is tough to find her place and Jiji would like to leave to find somewhere else. By chance encounter, she stumbles upon the idea of a delivery service. Her flying makes her unique. When not delivering, she works at a bakery. She soon has a repeat customer (Debbie Reynolds) who practically adopts her as a granddaughter.
This is a story of a girl moving to a new city and trying to fit in. This is a faux 1950s Europe that didn't suffer WWI and WWII. Here is a thriving city with no villains to purge or bigots to overcome. The big draw is the art, fantastic setting, and relatable characters. An early Hayao Miyazaki film with plenty of epic flying, beautiful scenery, and a fun story. Highly recommended.
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