Howl's Moving Castle - an Underrated Masterpiece
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- čas přidán 24. 08. 2020
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What anime should I check out next? What are you guys watching? Let me know in the replies!
Also shout outs to the EXTREMELY obvious punch-in I had to record like 30-ish minutes in I have no idea why Audition kept rendering it sounding like that LMFAO
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obligatory Hunter x hunter
ERASED, I would love to hear your thoughts on this even though its a newer anime.
Attack on Titan is absolutely worth catching up on now that the final season is going to be airing soon, it's going to go down as an all-time classic of a story.
Castle of Cagliostro, Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, or Patlabor 1 or 2 please!! Hardly enough people talk about them on here.
Princess Mononoke
At the end of the movie: “Howl! Meet me in the future!”
At the beginning: “Oh there you are I’ve been looking for you”
What a genius! I didn't realize it!
when he finds her you can see his ring light up at the beginning which is the coolest detail for rewatching it
@@totallynotilana6159 wow I never noticed that’s cool
The wording in the Japanese Sub is "Where've you Been?" which could be implying he recognizes her, but I think it's implying her telling Howl is how he knew to stop defending the house, which honestly makes no sense. I still love Howl's Moving Castle, it was my intoduction to Ghibli, but it's narratively his weakest film.
woah this is amazing
Sophie's curse reflects her inner emotional state: at the beginning, she is young but her soul is old because she sees herself as an old woman, eg, has no hope that anything good will happen for her, has no dream or aspiration, etc. The curse goes away when her attitude changes. Whenever she feels young, passionate or self-confident, the spell breaks. That's why she becomes young again when she's asleep, feels loved and when she loses herself in the beauty of nature.
Well said!
I don't exactly remember 100%, but in the book Sophie is also a witch (but she doesn't know as her talent is natural) and her power is her own will,
which means if she says something, that something will happen. In the movie, that power is still present but in a different way as she gains more self-confidence and
accomplishes what she wishes with her own efforts, which is more powerful than just talent.
The way I remember it, she doesn't necessarily make events happen, but can breath life into non-living objects and make them do stuff. When she gives hats characteristics, they take on those characteristics she gives them. When she tells her stick to do something, it does it. That is why Howl and Calcifer wanted her to break the curse because she can make sure that Calcifer survives the ordeal.
@@annapplegoldfinch6931 that makes a lot of sense, she was really powerful within
OMG THANK YOU
i cried when you said howl's moving castle was your favorite movie at the moment because you needed it to be. i feel exactly that today. that hit way harder that it should have. thanks for putting my thoughts in words.
the first time i watched this video i cried, it was so comforting. i watch this video at least once a month because i love how much emotion and love he puts into this video. he praises it so much and sometimes that's all you wanna hear, that your favorite movie/book is also someone else's
a video essay made me cry.....it is beyond words how good it is.
@@hollowknight2221 I cried my eyes out the first time I watched about a month or so ago, and I wasn't really sure why. But after watching this, I get it now.
Howl's Moving Castle always makes me feel like I'm falling in love for the first time again. I'm older and married now, but watching the story makes me nostalgic of simpler days. I am pretty sure I could fall in love with anyone if the theme played in a public place. The nostalgia of young love is very powerful, and beautifully portrayed in this masterpiece and I think it makes this movie one of the most romantic and timeless movies ever made.
That is a part of every Ghibli movie, and a motive of Miyazaki. He illustrates this ideal, imperfect world we have lost that is full of nature and simple beauty that is so rare to find now. Everyone, no matter how old, knows we have almost lost this. Especially in My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki's goal of the movie was to motivate children to go enjoy life outside and give a bit of nostalgia to the people who lived in a nature filled environment, and BOY DID HE ACHIEVE THAT
I feel like Sophie’s curse is broken gradually by not howl, but herself. He helps her love herself and have confidence in herself,which is what breaks the curse
I also think the curse didn't even break, because when a curse breaks you go back to what you were before the curse and it happens instantly like the missing prince. But in the end, she's changed from whom she was before the curse. It's like instead of getting rid of the curse by breaking it, she got rid of it by deviating from the receiver of the curse (herself) and as she's changing the effect of the curse gets weaker. The curse became part of her changing process, that's why her hair remained gray.
exactly, the hero of her story is truly herself. Howl helped her find that power within.
This is very true! In the book (don't want to make it seem like this is a faithful adaptation, just going off the OG work) Sophie was actually a very powerful witch who could command objects and give them personality/spells. Her cane in the book becomes her wand because she talks to it, her hats sell well because she talks to them and gives them abilities, and, although the curse is true overall, in the end the only thing keeping the curse on Sophie (which should've worn off) was the fact that Sophie believed she was an old woman. So, at the end when she becomes young again, it's all due to her and her work. In some ways, Sophie is even a more powerful witch than Howl--who couldn't break her curse no matter how hard he tried.
@@suki9871 this is it! Her whole power relies on her speech and what she says, so her outlook is extremely important to using her magic!
@@tumbke Indeed! Which overall makes it such a great story. In truth, it's a simple lesson/meaning, but the delivery in it, the layers added, and the setting of the story make it (imo) a true masterpiece.
gamers, it is time to stan howl's moving castle
GAMERS, HEED THESE WORDS
As a gamer, I stan
No
also non gamers such as the lady you live with
bruh ur a few years late lol
my favorite moment of the film that wasn't touched in the video is Sophie's visit to Howl's childhood. the way the scene opens with that soft violin music that fully reveals the moment in which Howl and Calcifer exchanged hearts. I love how Sophie understands how to break their curse and tells Howl to wait for her in the future which connects to Howl's first encounter with Sophie in which he tells her "There you are sweetheart, sorry I'm late. I've been looking everywhere for you".
That was my favorite scene too! I felt like Howl giving his heart to Calcifer was a metaphor for his loss of innocence as a child. Sophie helped heal his inner child by showing him what it was like to love someone purely
@mistahmata I love your interpretation of this scene, it's one of my favorites in the movie too!
god im in tears. this was a beautiful analysis of my fav movie. thank you ❤
God*
Kingani i love your videos
Right ive never like teared up at a commentary before
Yeah I didn’t think I was gonna tear up but here I am trying to reel it all back in
Sameee
When the world needed him most, he returned. Not only to reassure us, but to let us know we're not alone...
I think something nice to know is that the author of the book, Dianna Wynne Jones, absolutely loved the movie. She liked to think of the movie from Howl's perspective, and the book from Sophie's
That makes me feel better about it then xD I can’t stand films that just take characters from a book and have like zero regard for it for the film. I haven’t finished the book but I’m glad she has that perspective and I can carry on with it
It’s always good when an author can put their ego aside and not shit all over an adaption just because it’s different
diana wynne jones wrote the book???? how did i not know this. i loved her other books like Conrad’s Fate and The Lives of Christopher Chant as a kid and i still do
@@TisNessie Even without that, a lot of stuff is in the movie, it just lacks context. Like Sophie's curse. We don't get the setup of how the world works as a fairytale like in the book, or Sophie's early show of magic, or Howl's explanation in the end, but the curse still implies Sophie is in control in some way without ever giving exposition. The movie made me seek out the book because I knew there must be missing pieces. So much was grand and interesting, but didn't "show the work" to help me understand why it was that way.
I do suppose Howl would be the type to only care about the outcome and not the details that went into bringing it about xD
@@-Lola. i mean, its not egotistical to want your creative works to be represented properly. Writing and publishing takes so long, for a film studio to then bastardize everything you worked hard on and poured soul into, for a quick buck...well i dont blame the authors that get pissed. Rick Riordan comes to mind here, and i respect the hell out of him for standing up for his work.
My favorite detail in howl's moving castle is one of his jackets. He has this tan jacket with 6 purple/blue triangles on the front. There aren't many similarities between the movie and the book, but some of the details are still there. In both stories, Sophie talks to her hats, Howl has a meltdown over his looks, and Calcifer switches between sassy demon and demon demon. In the book, Sophie cuts up one of Howl's jackets because it wears out and she wants to make it into a quilt. She cuts this jacket up into triangles, then sews it back together. It actually becomes a plot point in the book, but in the movie it's just a jacket. It's just a nice detail. And it leaves room for a deleted scene following Sophie's rampage where she messes up Howl's jacket.
Aaaaaand I just saw the end of the movie and now I'm crying
This essay was made with such heart and thoughtfulness, so beautifully edited, that this is not in the millions of views by now is a crime. It gave me such comfort and turmoil at the same time, and gave me a whole new set of lenses to watch the movie over and over with. Truly a masterpiece in its own! You deserve all the success
this is written like poetry. a love letter. i cried and fell back in love with my favourite movie. i hope miyazaki sees this, i truly believe he would love it.
Agreed!!
when he said..... " and I love it".. so endearing around 33:40 i was like oh the heart lol
I cried through 3/4 of this video, he is a beautiful person the way he speaks is so 🥺
There’s a certain resonance this movie has that surpasses any individual quality, and it’s deserving of poetry, a love letter.
The meaning in his voice is so authentic it almost feels fake from what we see nowadays. The masks people where just to hide there emotions on topics.
But the way he hides no mask on something like a good movie, for some unknown reason is inspiring. Breathtaking almost.
I'm sorry but "My favorite is Howl's Moving Castle because I need it to be" hit me so hard. I almost cried. This essay was beautiful and I wholeheartedly agree
*I did cry.
I cried a lot**
I did cry. My family lost our Howl to covid. Howl’s Moving Castle was/is our favorite movie; now it’s kind of a painful reminder…
Read this comment before finishing the video, thought I wouldnt cry. Now its 11 pm and, with my favourite movie being Cagliostro because it reminds me of everyone I love and what we could do someday, I was severely wrong.
I cried lika a baby
Howl's Moving Castle felt like a dream. Everything felt right. I kinda regret how I only discovered HMC and Studio Ghibli only a few years ago. But I certainly found it when I needed it the most. Thank you so much for this beautiful representation. It's totally an experience, just like the movie.
This video hit almost all the notes Howl's castle did - but harder. Ultimately, it's a message of hope - something I so desperately desire these days.
Breadsword didn't have to go this hard, but he did. This dissection of Howl's Moving Castle is brilliant.
The one movie that I really love the most is 1997's Anastasia Don bluth and Gary Goldman are two of the greatest animators of all times that movie really speaks to me sometimes
He makes some very good points regarding the movie's background, but he likes to hear himself a bit too much for my taste. The script is often pretentious and his fake melancholy voice in the end really annoyed me. Sorry, not to undermine your comment, just had to get it out somewhere.
A very interesting point someone made to me recently is that when Sophie is in Howl's past and interacts with him briefly before coming back to the present she yells out to him, "Find me in the future!"
At the beginning of the film when he first interacts with her... he says, "Ah, there you are darling."
It could be a coincidence but I like to think its not. ;-;
It's definitely not, Ghibli and especially Miazaki films are too well written for me to ever believe that it was just a coincidence. It's such a tiny detail, but I feel like it adds so much, and as Breadsword pointed out this film goes HARD on the minute details
It's not a coincidence! Howl explains to Sophie when they're escaping from Madam Suliman that the ring he loans Sophie will guide her to where or what she wants to go to, and the ring will shine in the direction of that destination or desired object until it has been found (and again when she follows its light into the door that leads to the past). When Howl and Sophie first meet in the alley, the angle of the shot hides Howl's face not just to be mysterious, but rather in favor of showing that same ring as it glimmers and dulls its sparkle, signifying that he's been looking for Sophie since that night he gave his heart to Calcifer and saw his silver haired darling across the marsh, and finally found her. So it's definitely intentional and certainly melting my heart! T v T
What’s also so amazing is that child Howl either got Calcifer’s name or named Calcifer from Sophie shouting “Howl! Calcifer!“ and that’s just... so sweet afwhdbsjjwb 🥺
I think my favorite thing about that detail is that doesn't really change anything about their love story. It's tempting to say that Howl loved Sophie from the beginning since he met her in the past, but rationally all he knew about Sophie was that she was clearly someone important to him and eventually he would need to find her. Which means he falls in love with grumpy old lady Sophie just the same as the soft and beautiful Sophie at the same time Sophie falls in love with a bratty wizard who manages to be kind without a heart, and that just kills me.
@@ollieontheoffbeat exactly! I don’t think he loved her to start but was only curious and, in the same way that he childishly indulges in everything else, he decides to find her, motivated most likely by the fact she’s demonstrating her ability as a powerful witch (which is an understated fact hinted at in the movie but highlighted in the book) by appearing and disappearing into thin air while shouting “find me in the future, I know how to help you now.” Ungh I love this story so damn much!!
Ghibli movies are not meant to be finished, they're another world that wants to keep you there.
Never understood why this movie is the dark sheep of Ghibli, along with The Cat Returns. I always liked them more than Spirited Away, Totoro and everything else people bring up when they talk about the studio or Miyazaki.
35:19
"In the moment when Howl is leaving to protect the castle from the bombs falling overhead, and Sofie pleads in vain for him to stay because she's the reason he won't, Miyazaki manages to so perfectly capture the simultaneous ecstasy of loving someone with your whole heart and the paralyzing terror of knowing that that person loves you back."
Beautiful
But Sophie is GOATED because, despite the fact that she FELT terror that would paralyze weaker people, she pushed forward and got shit done
Well, I ended up crying. It's incredible how much not only we share surrounding this movie, but also how powerful, evocative and well done your videos are.
Couldnt have said it better myself. He just has a way to pull those hard rigid strings of mine and squeeze a few tears out of me which is hard. And not done cheaply, but rather through a well constructed and empathetic manner that is built up throughout the video and then delivering the payoff at the end in all inclusive emotional bomb.
I saw this comment halfway through the video, and was like 'it's just a nice movie, i don't need to cry'. Cue the last few minutes, and I was like 'yeah, fuck this world'. Then, the last question. It got me. How elegant is your storywriting to produce the most encompassing, connecting feeling of human existence in just one sentence, shit. And to think back to beginning when I was feeling annoyed that someone would unironically start the video of with such a transparent writing cliché as 'whats your favorite movie'. I am stunned.
Glad I’m not the only one who cried. This video hit me hard in the feels
I honestly cried too....
Dammit he got me crying in the last 10 minutes too 😭
Howls moving castle is my favorite movie, has been for a while. I love the romance, the optimism, the comedy, and even the darker parts. I cried listening to your essay, and the way you weave your words to provoke and intensify an emotion about a scene ive already seen at least a hundred times is...astounding. I loved this with all my heart and will be sharing this with my Howl.
One of the things that I noticed that Sophie gets younger whenever she feels at home as well. When they reform the castle into her hat shop and she steps into her room, her curse wears off just for a moment. But also when she grows on the castle, she also looks younger.
I’m Iraqi and when i read about how he didn’t accept his award and why he didn’t i started sobbing. He’s such a kind soul and i hope nothing but happiness comes his way
Same
@@tartartartaglialoverofsnez4957 absolute king stuff, Miyazaki is an international treasure
he did accept it he just didnt wanna set foot in america for that reason
I'm American, and I honestly don't blamw him. I had no idea about what went on in the background of the movie, I was too young in the first place. But it makes me like the movie even more and deepens my respect for Miyazaki-sama.
@@landa604 I mean, he didn't take part in the ceremony, but if the prize comes your way... Eh, you take It. Even more because it's the only one fucking time the Academy recognized his work.
Howl's moving castle is one of those movies that just leave me breathless and with a clawing sense of suffocating nostalgia for something I've never felt before. A strong WANT for something as simple as walking through a field of flowers with a lover. I'd always chosen it in movies times at school unlike my friends who always adored spirited away. I fell in love with it as a preteen and I'm still in love with it now. It's one of those movies that i rarely watch all the time but rather for those special days when wanting something sweet and romantic even if you could interpret sophie and howl's relationship as a close friendship. It's perfect in a way that it surrounds me like a warm hug and I think it will remain my favourite for many years to come.
This! This movie is my comfort blanket. I recently realized, how is a major style inspiration, and that flower scene is why I'm a hopeless romantic.
This. You perfectly captured how it makes me feel. I wish I could exist in such a beautifully magical world.
Beautifully worded.
Yes! ALL you said 🥰💕 it is my favorite Ghibli movie for all the reasons above x1000
There is a word in welsh that perfectly describes this feeling, Hiraeth. It describes the feeling for longing or nostalgia for a home that never was. A bond that is felt with a place, a person, a certain time. I think this is what drew me to the film too, I think the concept is just beautiful.
Honestly something I especially adore about Howls moving castle both the movie and the book is how neither detracts from the other. They both are vastly different in many ways, but they both demonstrate a love for life and magic. With how in the books sophie can mutter life into things, without even knowing, and how in the Ghibli films they float above the festival plaza.
They are both just such beautiful works of art.
This video is so incredibly moving. The way you talk about this masterpiece so close to my heart, with a soft voice that lets us hear your emotion, the fact you gave context of the creation of this movie... I absolutely loved every minute of your work and I will definitely watch it again. Comfort movies / series / games are so good for mental health, whether it's when you need something to help you cry after holding it for too long, or want to enjoy something familiar that speaks to you on several levels.
Thank you. ❤
Howl’s Moving Castle is such a bizarre love story. A humble hat maker and a flamboyant wizard, who is rumored to steal hearts. They only showed signs of love in middle, late movie, but you look back at all of the beautiful details and you realize, Sophie always loved him. And Howl never saw her as an old woman. You can see the little details, when Howl laughs, Sophie tends to avert her eyes, and whenever Sophie turns young, Howl becomes more open with her.
Where, Howl was naturally kind to her, because she was a pretty, young girl.
The reason Howl’s Moving Castle is my personal favorite Ghibli movies is how explicitly magical it *feels*. It takes me back to how I would be transported to a world so fantastically dream-like, happy and free.
I’ve watched it first when i was 8, and i still feel the same way when i watch it at 21, and I’m sure i’ll feel the same way when i watch it with my kids.
The book is wonderful as well, and although the movie changes it a bit, it's sooooo effective
Its literally my favorite movie, and no matter how many times it makes me smile to see. For all the reasons you stated and more. So like seeing him say it is underrated, i had no arguements.
That Tricky Trickster Exactly! The same happens to me with Spirited Away. Both these films have something unexplainable. People realised that about Spirited Away, but Ive seen many Ghibli film rankings and Howls Moving Castle is almost always really low on the lists. Its sometimes so underrated my soul hurts.
Every since I got out of the hospital for suicidal tendencies, I've literally only wanted to watch Howl's and Arrietty, and Marnie. Not something that I thought was a coping skill, but they just leave you so satisfied, Howl even more than the others.
I like how Howl could just dye his hair blonde again but chose not to and just kept the black and his outfit becomes simpler throughout the movie
He doesn’t bother trying to be “beautiful” anymore, he’s no longer self-centered. Because he found someone to live for. He found the meaning of life. From “I see no point in living if I’m not beautiful” to “I found someone to fight for.”
Also 19:55 YESSIR
Hot take: this video is also an underrated masterpiece
It brought tears to my eyes multiple times. Also the historical perspective brought to the table by this video is invaluable
Wery true
Agreed
This is honestly one of the best video essays on a movie that I had ever seen. It not only talks about the movie but shows it in a historical context and uses the movie to say something profound. That's what I love about film. I think this guy earned a new subscriber.
“That could never happen in a kingdom like Ingary”
“There is no war in Ba Sing Se”
Two weeks to flatten the curve.
@@IdleDrifter “Somebody once told me, the world was gonna roll me.”
omg those two lines say soo much about those two places and how messed up a bad system can make them
Oceana has always been at war with Eastasia.
bruh 🥺
This is hands down, the best analysis on Howls Moving Castle. Possibly one of the best analysis videos I’ve ever seen. It’s just so heartfelt and I can really feel your love of this movie and studio ghibli through every single word. Just wow…
I've always been a fan of animation, and those from Japan are among my favorite. I once was in a relationship with someone who didn't share that view, but after some convincing, I was able to get her to sit down and watch Spirited Away. We ended up watching two others from Miyazaki's films that day, from her enjoyment of it. We watched Howl's moving castle last of the three, and I asked her how she felt about them. She said Howl's was her favorite movie. I said Mononoke was my favorite Ghibli film. She said, "No, like, I think Howl's is my favorite movie of all time." Nearly brought a tear to my eye. We ended up watching this film at least 10 times in our time together.
Howl, in the book, is an absolutely fantastic character with more of an arrogant, self-absorbed edge. The added hate for war and violence and his conflicted nature in the film makes him deeper and feels like the one missing piece from the book to fully round out the character. He can both break down over his hair colour AND fight both sides to avoid bloodshed. What a man.
This year has just been so.... tiring. I am exhausted. I am (essentially) a caretaker to my parents. Both are unable to work (regardless of the pandemic), and only one has a disability check coming in... our only source of income aside from what little I can make on commissions. I don't get to be a young adult. I don't get to be 21 years old, working some shitty retail job, making friends from said job or finding a romantic interest somewhere along the way. I can't. I have to be home with them... even recently having been lucky enough to spend a week and a half w a close friend... I felt scared for how my parents were doing without me there. Were they eating every night? Were they able to keep up cleaning? We go to food pantries and those boxes are always so heavy, did he hurt his back bringing them in? Yet while I was scared... I felt so free. Freer than I've ever felt. I didn't have to take care of someone. I didn't have to cook every night. I was just... me. A 21 year old just living life. Coming back, while I was happy to see them again, and I was mostly fine to go back to doing what I normally did, my heart was aching. I cried the night I came home. I couldn't do what I had been the last ten days. I couldn't wake up and see my friends. I was back home.... I was a caretaker, again. I was alone. I am alone.
I love Howl's Moving Castle. I've always wanted a story like Sophie's, in that a plain girl living a mundane, boring life gets brought into this adventure... and in the end finds love and happiness. Finds a purpose. I love watching the movie. I love catching small details I never noticed, I love the scores, I love absolutely everything about it. The optimism it brings out... the warmth I feel watching it.
I just wish we can all catch a break. It's been just so tiring living lately...
If anyone reads this, I hope you find your Sophie. I hope you find your Howl. I hope you find the adventure you've wanted, and I hope in the end it brings nothing but love and comfort, no matter the form.
I wish you well. I’m so sorry to hear you’re having such a rough time. I really admire you and I hope you find the adventure you’re looking for too.💜
I wish the best of luck too you. I hope u know that ur not alone. Ur parents are so lucky to have you. Dont stop having faith👉💗👈
this was beautiful!!! thank you so so much for sharing!!!
You're very brave to share this stuff here, I wish you resilience, your love for your parents are beautiful and your actions noble! But know this much, everything in life is but a phase, diferent from movies, there is no end in life, is just the jorney, and the moment is always fluid and changing, even when it looks like it will never change, everything does change. You will find a way to fulfill your dreams, keep walking and inspiring yourself, you decide if whatever happens in your life is a reason for sorrow or cheers. Be well my friend, all the love to you!
I hope you find time for yourself sometimes too♥️♥️ you might be alone but I am too so together we're not alone and I hope you'll find your Sophie/ howl too😊😊
POV: you are a company trying to justify why you deserve all the money from this video because BREADSWORD used a 2 second clip of yours in a 46 minute video
Literally every company in the world 😂
honestly true bro I just spent 2 full days trying to get this past claims LMFAOOOOO
@@BREADSWORD Editing in all these unrelated scenes from others movies and shows is annoying and distracting - there are so many two second clips to coincide with what is often a single word or phrase from your script. It'd certainly be easier to avoid copyright claiming and easier to watch.
Moloch Machine Annoying if you don’t care to pay attention and appreciate both his incredibly well written script and wonderfully diverse visuals to pepper your subconscious with imagery to match his words. I think his style is incredibly impressive and entertaining. Don’t ever change Breadsword. Your art is awesome
@@Nyarlahotep I find it fun and engaging, myself. YMMV.
This video made me cry. I always loved Howl's moving castle but this video just made me fall in love with it again. Thank you! It was so well done and incredibly moving, it changed my whole perspective on the movie. Now, I need to go rewatch it :)
This was such a beautiful love letter to Howl's Moving Castle. The ending to this video was so powerful and still hits me pretty hard. I've only seen the movie once, but I really enjoyed it and I should give it another watch one of these days. The anti-war message is sadly still needs to be hear, but the hopeful ending the movie provides is also quite moving and gives some kind of comfort.
Diana Wynne Jones, a legend in her own right said this about the film: "It's fantastic. No, I have no input-I write books, not films. Yes, it will be different from the book-in fact it's likely to be very different, but that's as it should be. It will still be a fantastic film."
If only every book-to-movie adaptation had such a visionary at its helm.
That is how any adaptation should be handled
Now do Earthsea!
@@DaydreamHoneybee I think it absolutely fails as an adaptation, really. Because it essentially is not. If you take out characters' names and one gimmick (being cursed) there is hardly anything left of the original. Both are great, but they have hardly anything in common.
@@barosz123 then what you are looking for is a transposition, not an adaptation.
Breadsword: What’s your favori-
Me: The Land Before Time
Breadsword: You don’t have to answer right away
It’s a good choice. I’m 28 and still start singing “If We Hold On Together” at random
That one and _All Dogs Go to Heaven_ will forever be tainted to me.
Mean girls
Iron Giant for me, anytime, anywhere baby
I’m legit in tears. It’s hard for me to watch long videos in one go but you’re so enthusiastic about something so dear to me that I’m moved and the time passed really fast. The people i convinced to watch this movie with me all liked it but…I feel that none of them actually loved it to the same extent I do and it’s weird to me, sometimes you just can’t seem to share your emotions with people. So hearing you create a 40 minutes long love letter to it…thank you.
And yes, howl’s moving castle is my favourite movie rn because I need it to be. It’s pretty much the envisioning of my dream world and it allows me to live in it for at least some time when I found myself to dream less and less as the time passes.
this is such an incredible analysis into howl’s moving castle, it’s moved me to my very core and your poetic words gave my chills. i love that you brought in other movies and real world examples of what we’re going through now to relate to it, it just makes it feel that much more relative. howl’s moving castle has been my favorite movie for a while and i will probably love it for the end of time, i love hearing other people’s takes on it because it can be so subjective to what sticks out to each individual. thank you so much for this, the work you put into it and the incredible delivery of your essay is just top tier. amazing job 💓
"maybe we aren't just living in the same world as the sea of decay, but we're residing on its banks and the tides coming in" and god what a cutting quote
"...Howl and Sophie's Leitmotif"
*Sideways has entered the chat*
lmfaooooo that's the bro!!! best youtuber for sure
@@BREADSWORD Funnily enough, I just finished watching one of his videos when this got suggested to me haha xD
This gave me the image of sideways Twitter avatar koolaid Manning his way through a wall and breathlessly saying, "did somebody say leitmotif!?"
@@kaemonbonet4931 OH YEAAAAH!
my thoughts exactly
It's so bittersweet to be in tears by the end of this video. The movie and your video are both a piece of art that truly spoke to me. Thank you.
I come back to this video every couple of months, it’s quite possibly the most insightfully written and exquisitely narrated video essay I’ve ever seen, and it makes me cry every single time
"Maybe that's what gives it some of it's brilliance is that it can't last, but I'm just so... tired... of that..." That's the moment I got choked up. I'd skimmed the comments section before starting, didn't expect to get choked up, but that line just struck my heart hard. You bring such a humanity to your analysis, a vulnerability that feels earnest in a way so many video essays don't - a fragility that... I guess... speaks to my own. Thank you.
I'm so grateful that it resonated!!! thank you tons!!!
**ugly crying**
I've never heard my feelings for Miyazaki's Howl's put to words and I just can't right now. You are one of the most moving video essayists on CZcams, please never stop.
yooooo thank you so so so much!!!!
@@BREADSWORD 🤗
I finally got around to watching this video because I wanted to watch Howl's Moving Castle first. It's the first Ghibli movie that I've seen and I've been watching through them during my lunch time at work. I think that the idea presented of immersing yourself in a different world to escape your real one is exactly what I did with that. Ghibli movies are helping me get through each day at a job that I'm not happy with and it was seeing this video in my recommended that made me think "maybe I should check that out."
I just watched the movie 4 days ago and I'm so glad that I found this one. One of the best video essays I've ever watched. I never thought that I needed this, thank you.
"While every Warship carries a tiresome, steady hum. A tone devoid of life because they only exist to end it." that was so beautiful my man, I had to stop and write this.
And this sort of detail - whether intentional or just “intuitive” - is what makes HMC an unparalleled film.
I’m just so grateful for it.
It isn't even a full sentence.
I love how all of the protagonists were just kind people finding each other and letting each other into their lives. Sophie is such a loving soul, it was so good to see her just... Be unabashedly kind. Sure, she has her sassy moments but they're always in good fun and justified. Cleaning the castle with such vigor and not letting anyone get in her way? She's doing a nice thing for others and the job needs to get done. Not helping the witch up the stairs? Well, she's the one that cursed her and Sophie still cheers her on regardless of that.
I just... Love the love she gives and receives.
Your intro delving into and dissecting the question “what’s your favorite movie” was so beautifully put!
I come back to this video a lot. While the placement fluctuates, it’s lived in my top 5 video essays for a while. Hearing the passion and emotion you talk about this movie with is genuinely moving.
To anyone who might read this, read the book.
I love how the book is so very different. One sister works in the bakery to meet a rich husband, one goes away to study witchcraft in the country, and Sophie is supposed to take over the shop. There’s a lot more magic in the book, and the romance feels human and raw. It's beautiful. There were times I fell in love with Sophie and Howl respectively, and there were times when I didn't like them at all. It can't really be compared. If you love the general idea of Howl’s world, give the book a read!
With that said, Miyazaki’s adaptation is still one of my favourite films 😍
The book is a completely different thing. Also, Sophie is a fucking savage there, holy shit :D
Ive talked to other people who shut down my love for Howls Moving Castle just because its nothing like the book. They shouldnt be compared at all, they are both amazing pieces of art but separate from each other.
I read the book for a project in gradeschool after loving the movie, and theres so many scenes in it that are ingrained into my brain. Like for some reason I really often think of the way the books describes stepping with the seven-league boots. Or the whole alternate reality real world family Howl has.
Crazy good book, and now I want to read it again almost 12 years later.
ALSO, if anyone is going to read Howl's Moving Castle and likes it, or just likes the movie. Also read "A wizard of Earthsea"
I love born so much. It’s like cooking two different dishes using the same ingredients.
"It is one of the only animated films where you can see the birth of a GOAT in real time" I love this
heh *_; )_*
The last 5 mins of this video had me tearing up, it's been so hard these last 3 years and as sad as it is to see how much has gotten worse, being reminded of the beauty and joy in this movie makes me think it's time for a rewatch
I find it poetic that this video is about the realization of love, more or less, and this video (other than the one prior to it,) is a realization of Breadsword's love for the creation of these videos. It took me 3 years to realize this, but it's something that warms my heart so much more.
I didn't think a video about Howls Moving Castle would make me cry today. But here we are.
me too lol
Me too!
Bro same.
I hate how EVERYONE who knows about howl's thinks its a masterpiece but a LOT of people have never heard of it. Ty for spreading the good word. Much love!
Honestly, it's my least favorite Miyazaki film. I don't think it's bad or that you're wrong for thinking it's a masterpiece, but I just don't see it.
@@juantsu2000 Thats ok! Its cool to have different opinions. Personally my fav is wind rises. That movie is solid gold.
@@deleto_fgc5444 My favorite is also Wind Rises!! It's Miyazaki at its most personal imo
I agree the first time I saw Howl's it wason stars and the movie captivated me for reasons I couldn't explain until I watched castle of cogliostro on dvd
The Wind Rises is exceptional. My friend got me a ticket to it during a film festival and we were both blown away. It's incredibly personal and I think anyone who has even the slightest interest in artistic pursuits should see it.
Not enough people give you credit for what you do, you are literally amazing.
Your videos are not only incredibly constructed and beautifully narrated, they give me a sense of comfort that not even my favorite or best crafter video essays have ever done. That ending, where you describe the importance of hope in even the most childish mediums, the faith in our future and the confidence that things will turn out fine, is so moving I almost began to cry like an idiot in my room.
2021 has, for me, been harder than 2020 for many personal reasons. My family is in a bad spot at the moment and we had to completely change our lives. So, yeah, I've been keeping myself busy, not only watching movies, but also writing, drawing, and creating stories of my own. It keeps my mind at ease.
Since you asked your viewers, my favorite movie right now is probably "Winter's Tale" (2014), a movie that, like you said about "Howl", I find very underrated. It's not a masterpiece, but it's a weird, cheesy romance movie about a man who, after a life of thievery and disorientation as to what his purpose in life is, meets a woman who gives him the opportunity to redeem himself and save her life. It's a story about miracles and love and hope. It makes you think that the key to Peter Lake's, the protagonist's, purpose is to do a certain thing, but, alas, it's not. He has to let that thing go in order to move on to find his true purpose.
I just... love Peter Lake's character, so much. Colin Farrell plays him so well. There is a gentleness in his eyes, in his demeanor, how sweet he becomes when he takes care of the love of his life, a woman he barely knows. He looks so scared of messing things up. Of failing her. And when, again, he loses what he thought he was destined to salvage, it's so heartbreaking. Farrell acts his heart out in that moment, and you can feel his pain. His loss of faith. But in the end he does find redemption, and purpose, and he achieves happiness, just not the way he expected. It's beautiful.
I won't spoil the movie, I just recommend you watch it for yourself. It was a total failure when it came out and it makes me so sad that no one knows/cares about it. I watched it once in 2014, but for some reason, these last few months, I remembered it. And now it's all I can think about. Peter Lake's journey, and his pain, and his love. It brings me joy to watch his story unfold. Even listening to the soundtrack gives me a warm sense of nostalgia. I remember being younger and dumber and less scared.
Howls moving castle has always been a comfort movie for me, watching it always makes me feel like myself again. In fact it’s hard to describe just how much it has meant to me over the years. This might be a bit late but thank you for making this video
Came for Howl's, stayed for trains. Trains are the shit, man.
TRAINS ARE SO FIRE ACTUALLY BRO LIKE THEY ARE VERY COOL AND LARGE
@@BREADSWORD I LIEK TRAINS
"Maybe you even lost your Sophie or your Howl."
At this point in the video, I immediately started crying. I don't know why, I haven't lost anyone to this pandemic but even the idea of this happening to me was heartbreaking.
This video is beautiful, and your channel is one of my favorites on the whole site.
And to answer the question, my favorite movie has always been torn between The Iron Giant and Treasure Planet. Whenever I revisit them they take me back to when I saw them as a kid and I feel like nothing can hurt me as long as they're there. And as I watch them now I am astounded by all of the deeper meaning they have. They never fail to make me feel anything but pure joy whenever I watch them. And I think I need them now the most.
omg Iron Giant is my favorite movie!! It always makes me cry at the end and my phone case is the Giant in his superman pose
Same as soon as he said that I started tearing up
I read through this comment long before even getting to that point, and yet i still ended up crying
I’m glad I’m not the only one. Just the thought. I texted my significant other as soon as the video was over.
every single interaction makes much more sence between Howl and Sophie after the "Howl! Meet me in the future!" scene, double meanings everywhere, such an underrated movie
"pump that sweet serotonin into our tired tired brains" is the most relatable statement
this is one of those few youtube videos that aren't just a breakdown of pop culture, or a study of current affairs, or the brainless drivel that hyperactive sociopathic kids watch. This video is ART. I love you man, the care you put into your videos is astounding
What would you call the brainless drivel that hyperactive sociopathic kids watch?
@@kingofAwsomness I'd love to know
pro tip my dude: you don't have to put other things down to praise something
hrmmmmm but both the things you mentioned are intrinsic to the artistic process sooo 🤔🤔🧐🧐
more than half of your comment is on kids doing their own thing and watching whatever they want to.
just rewatched this on a particularly sensitive night and now i'm crying. so well-said, the reasons you love this film. thank you.
Why did your ending summary make me cry? Thanks for a great introspective and inspiring 45 minutes
I just recently watched Howl's Moving Castle and I bawled at the end. It just made me so happy that Sophie and Howl both lived and were together and everything turned out okay. I didn't expect that ending, so seeing it happen made me fall apart. I can't remember the last time I saw a movie with a genuinely happy ending. I think my heart really needed it.
Thank you for making this video. It made my heart ache but, again, I think my heart needed it.
The music in Howls Moving Castle is one of the best ost's ever.
FENDI FACTS
yess!
I got a Merry Go Round Of Life music box for my birthday 2 years ago and I love it so much. If I ever get married, I kinda want to have my first dance to it. I’m just a little obsessed...
You made me cry. This made me fall in love with this movie more deeply. This was warm... So warm and beautiful.
Whenever I need a good cry,I watch this video and I mean it with the upmost respect and love. It has always hit me on the deepest level. It reminds me that it'll okay some day and that I'll be okay.
"Because I needed it to be." Why is that phrase making me so emotional right now. 10/10 you're one of the few CZcamsrs I know that can make a 45 minute video that keeps me captivated every single second. Love you dude keep fighting the good fight!
bless bless bless thank you so so so much bro
I had the same feeling of sitting in a cinema, watching the credits roll on an amazing movie, after watching this video.
Great job.
ALL LOVE BRO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS HOLDING IT DOWN
@@BREADSWORD
Of course! Your videos have more soul than some people. I felt happy after watching. Like truly happy.
Thx or summin i guess
this along with princess mononoke is my favourite Ghibli movie but for very different reasons. while princess mononoke, makes me despair and feel uncomfortable with the world after the movie is over, howl's makes me hopeful that it's okay to exist and love and dream even while the world around us is crumbling.
this is - no joke - the best youtube video ive seen, completely unexpectedly. i love this so much
In all the many years I have watched this film, never have I found a tangible form of expression to describe in intricate depth why I love Howl's Moving Castle so much... until your video here. Breadsword, you have all my respect and admiration for crafting this splendid video essay. A masterpiece breaking down a masterpiece *claps*
Man, I cried a lot towards the end. I watched Howl's Moving Castle for the first time during quarantine, and while I wouldn't say it's my favorite, it was like a soothing balm for all my anxieties at the time. It didn't matter that I couldn't really follow the plot; Sophie was wonderful, and it was wonderful to see her discover herself and her love throughout the movie.
I feel the same comfort now. Despite destruction and strife, there is still love. And that love is the reason why we can still push through in spite of everything. Thank you for this video, because it reminded me of that truth.
Can't stop watching it in my quarantine now, have you read the comments? There are so many links and hidden meanings I just start discovering
I know this is one of your older videos but when I’m sad, I like to binge your content and cry because, you have a way reflecting the pain I feel, so my favorite movie is your channel, thanks breadsword
Howl's Moving Castle has been my favorite movie before, and I'm sure it will be again. Even now, I want to watch it again. And for all the video essays I watch, this is one of very few I come back to watch again. So thank you for this masterpiece on a masterpiece.
I actually kind of agree, Howl's Moving Castle is actually pretty damn underrated. People typically REMEMBER the movie exists after mentioning Spirited Away, Mononoke, and Totoro. It's underrated in the fact that it's not one of the first movies people think of when they think about Miyazaki. Personally, I've loved Howl since I was a kid, so naturally I was immediately drawn to the concept of Breadsword talking about HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE.
Yes
Same
Howls has always been my favourite ghibli film, since I was 9 years old and couldn't watch spirited away coz it scared me too much. Until now i didnt even know that it was an underrated film!
Well, last time i watched i was like 12. So for me the whole analogy was missing. And i belive many people on their early 20s only renember Miyazaki early 2000s while they were kids. So all three just felt more relatable
I like the fact that they didn’t make the witch that cursed Sophie become kind suddenly. I like the consistency. I was mad at her for what she did but that’s just what we had coming.
honestly, if there was a version of howl's that was just 3 straight hours of the castle walking and nothing else, it would still be one of my favorite films of all time.
Despite the age of this video, the end still hits like a truck. Absolutely, congratulations on saying such beautiful things, sending such a beautiful message. Howl's moving Castle, really is so beautiful, and so are you for seeing it's depth. Happy 2023.
I hung on your every word for 46 minutes. Not only Howl, but YOU are underrated as well. You could make great changes to the world with your words. You're beautiful ability of creating magic with words is your super power. Use it, but use it wisely and never lose your compassion. You're a remarkable human being and I LOVE seeing the world through your eyes and words. You make it mean something so much more.
“Underreated” says the title
There’s not a day that goes by where I am not reminded of this movie
Or any ghibli movie by Hayao Miyazaki for that matter
I think he meant underrated among Miyazaki movies
@@gene1331 still not even that. Anyone I ask, this is always in their top 3 miyazaki films, if not their number 1
he explains why he said it's underrated in the video :) it's because according to his experience, his friends never mention Howl's Moving Castle
among his friends, its underrated. watch the video.
They are all wrong. He is saying that even though it's recognized and well liked or acclaimed even... it doesn't have the place HE considers it should... "at the top" as in 1 one. the BEST one.
Dear Breadsword, it's been a year and a half since you dropped this masterpiece of a movie commentary (examination? breakdown? idk what to even call it) but every time I come back and rewatch this video, it renews my love for Howl's at the same time as making me cry like a bish. Which isn't a complaint, it's just a poorly explained compliment.
I just watched this movie today and got the overall impression that I need to watch it at least 3 more times to grasp every detail and nuance present in it. I love the depiction of love and personal growth in the two main characters. Amazing essay incredibly well put ❤
“That could never happen in a kingdom like Ingary” really got me hard for some reason, and the way you examined how our favorite movies in different times in our lives reflect what we need actually made me cry so. Well done.
This movie is the only one that has actually made me cry tears of joy. At the end, I was just "oh they are so happy😭😭"
SAME
Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite Miyazaki film. This video essay was very well done. I found the commentary and points to be refreshing. It also reminded me of certain themes that have become so poignant in society today with Russia's take over of Ukraine.
However, I thought that the commentary on politics and war, we're a little naive and idealistic (not wrong per se, but, looking at war as if there is an absolute good and bad, whereas war is a blur of many shades of gray.) I hate war, and don't subscribe to government propaganda. Yet, we can't pin all of its (war) atrocities on one person or one government: it's the people/society/humanity (all of us) who are also responsible. The comforts and freedoms we enjoy today are the spoils of war. Ex. The Allies won WWII, so they gained economic power and dictated the growth and progress of Western Civilization at the cost to smaller, poorer countries. Sometimes we forget that the main reason for war is profit. I don't think that wars will end until we (all of humanity) value human lives more than possessions and freedoms. As an immigrant living in a 1st world country, I know the desparity between where I live now and where I was born. I enjoy freedoms that I would not have in my birth country. I don't think I would be where I am today if my parents chose to stay in our homeland.
I don't agree with war, but, how does one reconcile that with the comfort, education, and freedom we have because of it? I think that Miyazaki, through the medium of his films, is inviting us to look at ourselves (not look for someone to blame.) He is revealing to us that our status in life came at a greater price than we thought and that all of us play a part when it comes to starting/ending wars. I like that Howl's Moving Castle is a romance because it is also a reminder that we have a responsibility to choose love and sacrifice for the greater good. It reminds me that even though my freedom came at the cost of so many lives, I have a responsibility to use the freedoms I have been gifted (and not squander it) by standing up for all humans at all stages/walks of life.
Wow I’m literally crying 💚🔥needed this today
I NEVER NOTICED HE CUT HIS HAIR LIKE THE APPRENTICES :O
Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite movie at the moment! Not only because of its iconic animation/story/characters, but also because I think this movie is a whole metaphor for love and relationships.
In my interpretation, Howl is someone who was in a toxic relationship with a girl in the past (which I think it’s represented by the Witch of the Waste, who is constantly following him, just like an ex girlfriend who can’t move on from a break up) and now he’s experiencing depression (which I think is represented by the Moving Castle being a whole mess at the beginning of the movie, because the Castle could represent his heart).
Sophie, to me, represents a girl who is in love with Howl, but when the Witch threatens her by saying Sophie is just a ordinary girl, Sophie’s self esteem gets really low (represented by she becoming an old lady) and she becomes frail and weak. Also, I think it makes sense, since she seems to be the only one who thinks she looks like an old lady (like when she’s asleep, Howl sees her as her normal appearance, and I think it means that when you are asleep, you are not worrying about how you look, how you talk or how you act, that’s why she’s in her normal form).
Later when Howl meets Sophie, he’s not afraid to let her fix him (for example, when she cleans the whole Castle). But then, since Sophie fix the Castle (or him) by herself, Howl doesn’t recognize himself more, and starts having an identity crisis (just like when he changes his hair color by accident).
Now he realizes that he is the one who needs to fix himself, and after doing that (when he uses magic to renovate the Castle) he finally lets Sophie be with him entirely, also forgiving the Witch for everything that she did to him and to Sophie (by allowing her to live with them).
Of course there are much more things about the story, but this is my general interpretation about how this movie can be a metaphor for love and toxic relationships :)
I really love movies like this where you need to interpret the story by yourself, because this is what art is about! It’s subjective and any interpretation is correct :) And that’s when you build a connection with the movie and it becomes special to you!
Sorry for talking too much lmaoo great video btw ^^
This is kind of a comfort vid at this point cuz I just be watching this like once a month when I get sad lol
This video is a masterpiece, aside from the fact that howl’s moving castle is one of my favorite movies , you really described every feeling and element extremely well that i was moved to tears , thank you