I think that it is also important to know that Diana also lived through WW2 as a child. She has said that she wanted to make magical worlds for children to escape into. You can see this clearly in book Howl who is actually from our world. Also, I forget where exactly I heard this from, but Diana said that the book is how Sophie would tell the story and the movie is how book Howl would tell the story. This is my favorite head cannon since book Howl would totally present himself as a tortured prince who only ever had good intentions (and who certainly never cat-called Sophie) and he is exactly the type to just add a war in for flavor.

As a person who saw the movie first and then read the book, I was pretty surprised at how much they deviated from one another. It leaves you feeling surprised but if you watch enough Miyazaki films you’re also kind of not surprised considering how he presents his themes. It makes sense that he would focus on the war more than the book does. And they are both really great works in their own rights. I also encourage everyone to read the book (and the series as well because there was at least one if not two sequel books) as well because it’s a great book. The only thing I liked more about the book as opposed to the film was how funny the book was and I honestly loved the fact that Howl (or Howell) was more of a fuckboy in the book. I also realize that these traits about his character needed to be toned down for the movie because they would’ve conflicted with the war story tonally. Still, I wish they could’ve let him be just a bit spicier for the film. Great review!

This movie was fairly beautiful when I watched it the ending was truly magnificent and the art design reminded me of an old fashioned Disney movie you don't see that often in anime I truly enjoyed it.

He didn't have to but Axel gave us a grade-A analysis of Howl's Moving Castle. I remember being a young girl sitting on my Grandma's living room floor and watching this movie for the very first time when it premiered on Cartoon Network. And then for years I tried to find that movie, remembering there was a MOVING castle involved. I love this movie. Thanks!

The thing I loved about this movie is how she said “find me in the future”

This movie is the perfect representation of how understanding the heart and themes of the story is more important than adapting the source material 1-to-1; it can be the most accurate adaptation in the world in terms of the events, but if it doesn't know what made the original so beloved in the first place, if it just feels lifeless, then it's not a good adaptation. Another example of this is that I think the movie version of A Series of Unfortunate Events captured the soul and emotions of the books far better than the Netflix TV series mostly did, although this is quite an unpopular opinion lol. I read the HMC book when I was younger and was very put-off by how different it was from the movie, the movie being one of my favorites of all time, but I honestly need to reread it now as an adult, and hopefully not be nearly as confused as it left me before and gain a greater appreciation for it. I'm glad Diana Wynne Jones loved the movie as much as we do :)

One of those rare instances where an adaptation is vastly different from its source material but manages to also be good on its own merit. Would still love to get a more faithful live action adaptation of the book one day, like a movie or even a miniseries

Great analysis of the themes of the movie! The idea of the curse the older generations leave on the younger generations forcing them to grow up and face the world is especially prescient. I've been considering reading the book, but now I think I might just take the plunge.

Miyazaki has even more respect from me. Not going to an award because of his core principle is impressive! This is an awesome video

I’m crying 🥺 I really love his work, the depths of it always astounds me. You did a great job talking about it ❤️

Howls moving castle will definitely be one of my fav childhood movies to watch over again and it never feels old

my second favorite ghibli film <3 I have to read the book sometime D:

This is one of my favorite movies and I'm so glad you covered it.

As a kid, I honestly never even thought about how different the book and the movie were because of how amazing of a job Miyazaki did adapting it into something unique, but it still also felt so connected to the source material. HMC is one of the only books I have ever read more than once! I still need to finish reading Castle in the Air which is also phenomenal.

Axel amazing as always thank you for the hard work you put into this.

I adore Howl's Moving Castle, it made me discover the book through it and loved it so much that I read all her works. They are different, yet both lovely

Howl's Moving Castle was my first Miyazaki movie, and it will always be my favorite. You can see the influence that growing up during World War 2 had on Miyazaki in all of his films, however, Grave of the Fire Flies was not directed by him. It was directed by Isao Takahata while Miyazaki worked on Totoro simultaneously. The two films originally premiered as a double feature, with Grave of the Fireflies coming first and Totoro closing the night.

Another excellent video Axel! You truly pay attention to detail and left no stone unturned in your analysis 😊❤

What I love about the way he depicted war is that the causes are ambiguous and neither side is "right" or "wrong"; in both WWII and the war on terror, both sides committed atrocities and both sides had legit (or at least understandable) reasons for going to war. But in the movie as in life, people suffer because of the choices made by the powers-that-be.

To people hesitant in reading the book, read it and you will not regret it! The book is actually like an isekai. It’s not time travel. There’s an audio book here on youtube and it was read so wonderfully that i cant help but enjoy it from start to finish. I love the book more than the film. Even when i’ve seen the anime first, i cant, for some reason like it. I’ve seen it 3x before I’ve listened to the audio book but when i finally did listen to the book, i was i love. So in loved that i’ve re listened to it a 2 days after.