Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004)

Director:

Hayao Miyazaki

Writers:

Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay)
Diana Wynne Jones (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 November 2004 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking home.

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | Metamorphosis | Fantastic | Dog | Dream Like

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Chieko Baisho	...	Sofî (voice: Japanese version)
Takuya Kimura	...	Hauru (voice: Japanese version)
Akihiro Miwa	...	Arechi no Majo (voice: Japanese version)
Tatsuya Gashuin	...	Karushifâ (voice: Japanese version)
Ryunosuke Kamiki	...	Marukuru (voice: Japanese version)
Mitsunori Isaki	...	Koshô (voice: Japanese version)
Yo Oizumi	...	Kakashi no Kabu (voice: Japanese version)
Akio Ôtsuka	...	Kokuô (voice: Japanese version)
Daijiro Harada	...	Hin (voice: Japanese version)
Haruko Kato	...	Sariman (voice: Japanese version)
Jean Simmons	...	Grandma Sophie (voice: English version)
Christian Bale	...	Howl (voice: English version)
Lauren Bacall	...	Witch of the Waste (voice: English version)
Blythe Danner	...	Madame Suliman (voice: English version)
Emily Mortimer	...	Young Sophie (voice: English version)
Josh Hutcherson	...	Markl (voice: English version)
Billy Crystal	...	Calcifer (voice: English version)
Jena Malone	...	Lettie (voice: English version)
Crispin Freeman	...	Prince Turnip (voice: English version)
Mark Silverman	...	King (voice: English version)
Jane Alan	...	Honey (voice: English version) (as Mari Devon)
Liliana Mumy	...	Madge (voice: English version)
Carlos Alazraqui	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Newell Alexander	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Rosemary Alexander	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Julia Barnett	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Susan Blakeslee	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Leslie Carrara	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Mitch Carter	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
David Cowgill	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Holly Dorff	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Moosie Drier	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Ike Eisenmann	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Iake Eissinmann)
Will Friedle	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Bridget Hoffman	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Richard Steven Horvitz	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Richard Horvitz)
Sherry Hursey	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Hope Levy	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Christina MacGregor	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Joel McCrary	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Edie Mirman	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Peter Renaday	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Pete Renaday)
Kristen Rutherford	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Warren Sroka	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cornelia Dahlgren	...	Lettie (voice)
Daran Norris	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Hayao Miyazaki

Writing credits
Hayao Miyazaki		(screenplay)
Diana Wynne Jones		(novel "Howl's Moving Castle") (as Daiana Win Jônzu)
Cindy Davis Hewitt		writer
Donald H. Hewitt		writer

Produced by
Rick Dempsey	....	producer
Tomohiko Ishii	....	assistant producer
John Lasseter	....	executive producer
Ned Lott	....	producer
Hayao Miyazaki	....	executive producer
Toshio Suzuki	....	producer

Original Music by
Joe Hisaishi

Cinematography by
Atsushi Okui

Film Editing by
Takeshi Seyama

Art Direction by
Yôji Takeshige
Noboru Yoshida

Production Management
David Candiff	....	post-production manager
Ryoichi Fukuyama	....	executive production manager
Cory Hansen	....	post-production supervisor
Seiji Okuda	....	executive production manager
Nozomu Takahashi	....	production manager
Hiroyuki Watanabe	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ryosuke Kiyokawa	....	assistant director
Yosuke Toba	....	assistant director

Art Department
Kô'hei Endô	....	color management system
Wataru Matsumoto	....	color management system
Fumiko Numahata	....	color key
Kanako Takayanagi	....	color key
Kazuko Yamada	....	color key
Tetsuya Yamai	....	color management system
Michiyo Yasuda	....	color designer

Sound Department
Atsushi Aikawa	....	DTS mastering
Petra Bach	....	supervising adr editor: English version
Randy Coppinger	....	adr recordist: English version
Mariko Hamada	....	DTS mastering
Suminobu Hamada	....	sound recording engineer
Yukio Hokari	....	foley artist
Takeshi Imaizumi	....	dialogue recordist
Shuji Inoue	....	sound
Mizuki Itou	....	foley artist
Michihiko Iwana	....	dialogue recordist
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist: English version
Tooru Kadokura	....	dialogue recordist
Doc Kane	....	sound: English version
Yuuichi Kaneko	....	sound recordist: ABACO Creative Studio
Hiromi Kimura	....	sound effects assistant
Masaya Kitada	....	foley artist
William Komar	....	adr recordist: English version
Jiro Miyazawa	....	dialogue recordist
Kazuaki Narita	....	sound effects assistant
Toru Noguchi	....	sound effects
Akihiko Okase	....	foley artist
Brandon Proctor	....	sound mix technician: English version
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist: English version
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer: English version
Mari Shinohara	....	sound recordist: ABACO Creative Studio
Naoto Takeshima	....	sound recordist: TOHO Sound Studio
Kazuhiro Wakabayashi	....	sound director (as Kazuhiro Hayashi)
Nobue Yoshinaga	....	sound production

Visual Effects by
Tatsuko Ishii	....	digital animator
Masaru Karube	....	digital animator
Susumu Masuuchi	....	digital animator
Tomoka Matsumura	....	digital animator
Norihiko Miyoshi	....	digital animator
Chikara Nomoto	....	digital animator
Miki Sato	....	digital animator
Yoichi Senzui	....	digital animator
Ichiro Uehara	....	digital animator
Hiroki Yamada	....	digital animator

Camera and Electrical Department
Wataru Takahashi	....	digital photographer
Atsushi Tamura	....	digital photographer
Junji Yubata	....	digital photographer

Animation Department
Akihiko Adachi	....	inbetween animator
Seiko Azuma	....	inbetween animator
Kaori Fujii	....	assistant animation checker
Maya Fujimori	....	inbetween animator
Youko Fujioka	....	digital ink and paint artist
Yuuko Fujita	....	inbetween animator
Yoshikazu Fukutome	....	background artist
Daisuke Furuya	....	inbetween animator
Makiko Futaki	....	key animator
Kenji Hachizaki	....	key animator
Hideki Hamazu	....	key animator
Keiji Hashimoto	....	key animator
Yoshie Hayashi	....	inbetween animator
Sayaka Hirahara	....	background artist
Takeshi Hiramatsu	....	inbetween animator
Shunsuke Hirota	....	inbetween animator
Waka Hirota	....	inbetween animator
Akira Hosogaya	....	inbetween animator
Hiroshi Iijima	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Takeshi Imamura	....	animation director
Junko Ina	....	background artist
Ryouko Ina	....	background artist
Hiroaki Ishii	....	digital ink and paint artist
Kunitoshi Ishii	....	inbetween animator
Keiko Itogawa	....	background artist
Kaori Itou	....	inbetween animator
Yoshitake Iwakami	....	inbetween animator
Sumie Iwata	....	inbetween animator
Emiko Iwayanagi	....	inbetween animator
Megumi Kagawa	....	key animator (as Ai Kagawa)
Tsutomu Kaichi	....	inbetween animator
Masatoshi Kai	....	background artist
Yukiko Kakinuma	....	inbetween animator
Junko Kanauchi	....	digital ink and paint artist: Trace Studio M
Yukie Kaneko	....	inbetween animator
Masashi Karino	....	inbetween animator
Naomi Kasugai	....	background artist
Mitsunori Katâma	....	digital animation director
Fumie Kawamata	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Shigeru Kimishima	....	key animator
Haruna Kiryu	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Yumiko Kitajima	....	inbetween animator
Mayumi Kitamura	....	inbetween animator
Yasuyuki Kitazawa	....	inbetween animator
Katsuya Kondô	....	animation supervisor
Katsuya Kondô	....	key animator
Rie Kondou	....	inbetween animator
Ken'ichi Konishi	....	key animator
Fumie Konno	....	inbetween animator
Kitaro Kosaka	....	animation director
Masahiro Kubota	....	background artist
Akane Kumakura	....	digital ink and paint artist
Tsutomu Kurita	....	key animator
Daisuke Makino	....	inbetween animator
Kiyoko Makita	....	inbetween animator
Hiroshi Masuda	....	key animator
Toshihiko Masuda	....	key animator
Osamu Masuyama	....	background artist
Tetsuaki Matsuda	....	inbetween animator
Mariko Matsuo	....	key animator
Masaru Matsuse	....	key animator
Atsuko Matsushita	....	inbetween animator
Osamu Miwa	....	inbetween animator
Tomoko Miyata	....	inbetween animator
Ayako Mori	....	inbetween animator
Naomi Mori	....	digital ink and paint artist
Kazuo Nagai	....	background artist
Rie Nakagome	....	animation checker
Hiroaki Nakajima	....	inbetween animator
Hideo Nakamura	....	inbetween animator
Katsutoshi Nakamura	....	inbetween animator
Masami Nakanishi	....	inbetween animator
Yohei Nakano	....	inbetween animator
Mai Nakazato	....	inbetween animator
Kumi Nanjo	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Sumie Nishido	....	inbetween animator
Hiromi Nishikawa	....	inbetween animator
Youichi Nishikawa	....	background artist
Mitsu Noguchi	....	inbetween animator
Kazuo Oga	....	background artist
Minoru Ohashi	....	inbetween animator
Shin'ya Ôhira	....	key animator
Mayumi Ohmura	....	inbetween animator
Kumiko Ohta	....	inbetween animator
Rie Okada	....	digital ink and paint artist
Masashi Okumura	....	key animator
Fumino Okura	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Takashi Omori	....	background artist
Kazuyoshi Onoda	....	key animator
Makoto Oohara	....	inbetween animator
Masako Osada	....	background artist
Norihiro Ôsugi	....	key animator
Shinji Otsuka	....	key animator
Hiroko Otsuki	....	digital ink and paint artist: Trace Studio M
Akihiro Oyama	....	digital ink and paint artist
Kiyoko Saitô	....	digital ink and paint artist
Saho Saito	....	inbetween animator
Masaya Saitou	....	assistant animation checker
Masako Sakano	....	inbetween animator
Chikako Sasagawa	....	inbetween animator
Hiromi Sasaki	....	inbetween animator
Yuuko Sasaki	....	inbetween animator
Masako Sato	....	inbetween animator
Tsutomu Shibutani	....	inbetween animator
Atsushi Shigeta	....	key animator
Akiko Shimizu	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Masayuki Shimizu	....	inbetween animator
Keisuke Shimohira	....	inbetween animator
Masako Shinohara	....	key animator
Yumiko Suehiro	....	inbetween animator
Takahiro Sugawara	....	inbetween animator
Sachiko Sugino	....	key animator
Ayano Suzuki	....	inbetween animator
Makiko Suzuki	....	key animator
Mariko Suzuki	....	assistant animation checker
Masashi Suzuki	....	digital animator: Gonzo Digitmation
Hiromi Takahashi	....	digital ink and paint artist
Kanako Takahashi	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Kentaro Takahashi	....	digital animator: T2 Studio
Moyo Takahashi	....	inbetween animator
Yohei Takamatsu	....	background artist
Nobuyuki Takeuchi	....	key animator
Atsushi Tamura	....	key animator
Setsuya Tanabe	....	inbetween animator
Atsuko Tanaka	....	key animator
Naoya Tanaka	....	background artist
Yuichi Tanaka	....	key animator
Yukie Tanaka	....	digital ink and paint artist
Junichi Taniguchi	....	background artist
Kumiko Tanihira	....	inbetween animator
Hitomi Tateno	....	animation checker
Kumiko Terada	....	inbetween animator
Akiko Teshima	....	inbetween animator
Akiko Toba	....	inbetween animator
Yoyoi Toki	....	inbetween animator
Kaori Tokunaga	....	inbetween animator
Keiko Tomizawa	....	inbetween animator
Masashi Toriyama	....	digital animator: T2 Studio
Jinko Tsuji	....	inbetween animator
Ryuji Uchida	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Kimitoshi Ueno	....	inbetween animator
Yukari Umebayashi	....	inbetween animator
Satoe Usui	....	inbetween animator
Youichi Watanabe	....	background artist
Alexandra Weihrauch	....	inbetween animator
Hisako Yaji	....	inbetween animator
Katsuya Yamada	....	key animator
Ken'ichi Yamada	....	key animator
Shinichiro Yamada	....	inbetween animator
Yukinobu Yamada	....	inbetween animator
Hirômi Yamakawa	....	key animator
Eiji Yamamori	....	key animator
Rie Yamamoto	....	inbetween animator
Akihiko Yamashita	....	animation director
Masakiyo Yamashita	....	inbetween animator
Yukari Yamaura	....	inbetween animator
Kikuyo Yano	....	background artist
Kenji Yazaki	....	key animator
Masafumi Yokota	....	key animator
Yuki Yokoyama	....	digital ink and paint artist: T2 Studio
Hiromasa Yonebayashi	....	key animator
Mitsuo Yoshino	....	background artist
Hideaki Yoshio	....	key animator

Casting Department
Motohiro Hatanaka	....	casting coordinator
Ayumi Sato	....	casting coordinator
Naomi Yasu	....	casting coordinator

Editorial Department
Chris DeLaGuardia	....	color timer
Hiroaki Hirabayashi	....	color timer
Kashiko Kimura	....	assistant editor
Rie Matsuhara	....	assistant editor
Megumi Uchida	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Joe Hisaishi	....	music arranger: "Sekai no Yakusoku"
Youmi Kimura	....	composer: theme song "Sekai no Yakusoku"
Simon Rhodes	....	music mixing: English version

Other crew
Stephen Alpert	....	overseas promotion
Shokichi Arai	....	production administration
Koichi Asano	....	merchandising development
Naomi Atsuta	....	merchandising development
Rick Dempsey	....	dialogue director
Pete Docter	....	dialogue director
Masako Fujita	....	production accountant
Eiko Fujitsu	....	production accountant
Hiroaki Hirabayashi	....	film development
Akio Ichimura	....	production accountant
Tomomi Imai	....	merchandising development
Kenji Imura	....	production assistant
Keiichi Itagaki	....	film preview production
Kyohei Ito	....	production assistant
Nozomu Ito	....	public relations
Hisayo Itou	....	production accountant
Rieko Izutsu	....	overseas promotion
Atsushi Kamimura	....	production desk
Takehisa Kawamata	....	laboratory manager
Noriyuki Kitakawachi	....	systems manager
Kaoru Mano	....	titles
David Midthunder	....	voices
Yuichiro Mochizuki	....	production desk
Nao Morisaki	....	overseas promotion
Yoshiaki Nishimura	....	production administration
Junichi Nishioka	....	public relations
Shinsuke Nonaka	....	chief of production administration
Sueko Numazawa	....	production accountant
Kristy Ryan	....	promotions manager: Australia
Junya Saito	....	production assistant
Satomi Sasaki	....	systems manager
Yuuko Shimura	....	laboratory coordinator
Nobuko Shiraki	....	production administration
Satoshi Takabatake	....	background layout assistant
Noriko Takaya	....	harmony process
Mikiko Takeda	....	overseas promotion
Chieko Tamura	....	public relations
Chiyoshi Tanaka	....	production desk
Eiichiro Tashiro	....	production assistant
Masaya Tokuyama	....	special media advisor
Kiyoko Tsuge	....	production accountant
Chihiro Tsukue	....	public relations
Yumiko Ukai	....	public relations
Masaru Yabe	....	special media advisor
Tamami Yamamoto	....	production accountant
Mika Yasuda	....	merchandising development

Production Companies

• DENTSU Music And Entertainment
• Mitsubishi Corporation
• NTV
• Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV)
• Studio Ghibli
• Tohokushinsha Film
• Tokuma Shoten
• Walt Disney Pictures (English dubbing)

Distributors

• Wild Bunch (2004) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Toho Company (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2005) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Bir Film (2006) (Turkey) (all media)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Cinema Mondo (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Cinema Service (2004) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Gateno Films (2006) (Peru) (all media)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lucky Red (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (all media)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Releasing (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Orlando Films (2005) (Israel) (all media)
• Pan Vision (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Triangelfilm (2005) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Abaco Creative Studio  recording studio
• Anime Torotoro  animation support studio
• Avid Technology  
• Dogakobo  animation support studio
• Gal Enterprise  previous
• Gonzo  digital animation
• Lawson  
• Liberty Ship  animation support studio
• Mad House  animation support studio
• Malin Post  titles
• Nakamura Production  animation support studio
• Narita Yume Bokujo  cooperation
• New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra
• Oh Production  animation support studio
• Okuhitachi Kirara no Sato  
• Phoenicia  sound production
• Production I.G.  animation support studio
• Pug Point  casting
• Rasu Chijin Tetsudo Kyokai  
• Sakura Create  animation support studio
• Skywalker Sound  re-recording facility
• Studio Cockpit  animation support studio
• Studio Takuranke  animation support studio
• T2 Studio  digital animation
• T2 Studio  digital paint studio
• Toho AD  advertising
• Toho Sound Studio  recording studio
• Trace Studio M  digital paint studio
• Wonder Station  music production management

Also Known As:

Howl's Moving Castle (International: English title) (USA)
Château ambulant, Le (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Increíble castillo vagabundo, El (Argentina) (Mexico) (dubbed version) [es]
Castello errante di Howl, Il (Italy) [it]
Castelo Andante, O (Portugal) [pt]
Castelo Animado, O (Brazil) [pt]
Castillo Ambulante, El (Spain) (working title) [es]
Howlui umjikineun seong (South Korea) [ko]
Kinoumeno kastro, To (Greece) [el]
Levande slottet, Det (Sweden) [sv]
Levende slottet, Det (Norway) [no]
Liikkuva linna (Finland) [fi]
Ruchomy zamek Hauru (Poland) [pl]
Wandelnde Schloss, Das (Germany) [de]
Yürüyen sato (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

Rated PG for frightening images and brief mild language.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES (English version) | DTS (Japan theatrical release) | Dolby Digital EX (English version) | Dolby Digital (Japan theatrical release) | SDDS (English version)

Certification:

Mexico:A | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:7 | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Malaysia:U | Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:MG6 (DVD rating) | Peru:PT | Finland:K-7 | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | Australia:PG | France:U | Singapore:G | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | USA:PG | Ireland:G | Brazil:Livre | Germany:6 (bw)

Company:

DENTSU Music And Entertainment

Trivia:

Loosely based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones.

Quotes:

Witch of the Waste: It looks like your true love is in love with someone else!

Movie Connections:

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Soundtrack:

Sekai no Yakusoku

A wild and surreal trip into the mind of a master.

I think this is possibly Miyazaki's most intriguing movie. All of his other films are very linear and even though their highly varied worlds may be visually stunning and highly creative, I feel the dreamy world of Howls Moving Castle is by far the most captivating, bizarre, and imaginative of all the worlds Miyazaki has ever envisioned.

What I love about this movie is that it's highly emotional without a great deal of logic or plot or story to get in the way. In this way the film is simple, pure, and extremely beautiful. It is as if the characters go from one emotion to the next, in a world that is as random as one's own dreams. Some people have complained about the lack of plot or story or serious character development, but even though the characters are fairly static, their emotions and the physical changes they undergo as they go through these emotions brings out a higher truth that is seldom given such artistic and natural freedom.

I think this is a very smart movie in many subtle ways and it's one that I look forward to watching again on the big screen and then on DVD. Although it flirts from theme to theme to theme with a kind of animated attention deficit disorder, the landscapes and utter unabated surrealism left me stunned and never bored.

Also, from a quizzical character design perspective, Howl is certainly one of if not the most beautiful characters that Miyazaki has ever created. Howl is an interesting departure from Miyazaki's more classical wabi-sabi anime style that most of his heroes and heroines are drawn in as Howl is definitely a very contemporary bishonen.

If you're looking for quaint settings, dynamic characters and a very involving character or plot driven story, you're not going to necessarily find them here, but you will find an equally stunning and pleasing movie if you let yourself go and enjoy this passionate, heartfelt and surreal Miyazaki dream.