As with his Oscar-winning Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle offers a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. As with the young heroine of Spirited Away, Sophie learns to depend on herself.

Before the initial release of “Howl’s Moving Castle” 20 years ago, Akihiko Yamashita spent nearly two years working as the supervising animator on the Studio Ghibli film. “I really have no ...

I haven’t seen a bad one yet, and “Howl’s Moving Castle” is another terrific example of how Miyazaki marries story indelibly to image.