Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
91%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: 4 wins
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a heartwarming, gorgeously-rendered tale of a young witch discovering her place in the world.
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a magical movie that will transport you to a world of witches, cats, and flying brooms. It’s a heartwarming story about a young girl finding her place in the world and learning to believe in herself. The animation is stunning, and the characters are lovable and memorable. Plus, who wouldn’t want a sarcastic cat as their sidekick? It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves a good coming-of-age tale with a touch of magic. So grab some popcorn, hop on your broomstick, and get ready for a delightful adventure with Kiki and her friends.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
G
Year of Release
1990
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 43m
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Language(s):Japanese, English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 1, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 2, 2010
Genre(s)
Adventure/Anime
Keyword(s)
starring Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Debbie Reynolds, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew Lawrence, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, written by Jack Fletcher, Eiko Kadono, Hayao Miyazaki, John Semper, anime, adventure, G rating, Buena Vista Pictures, Jane Schonberger, reviewed by Marc Savlov, Charles Solomon, Keith Phipps, Steve Rose, Tom Huddleston, Andrew Osmond, Matt Brunson, Mark Schilling, Cindy White, Aaron Pinkston, Kathi Maio, Sergio Benítez, heartwarming, coming of age, young witch, talking cat, broomstick, courier service, community, self-doubt, magic abilities, independence, friendship, beautiful animation, Phil Hartman’s last film role, Jiji, Madame, Tombo, Ursula, 1998 release, 1 hour 43 minutes runtime, Japanese language, Surround and Dolby sound mix, 35mm and Flat (1.85:1) aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $10,276,218
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,690,684
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,651
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,583,499
US/Canada gross: $1,004,057
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,314,742
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,997
US/Canada opening weekend: $352,556
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $812,779
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,303
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): ¥800,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Phil Hartman – Jiji (Voice)
Debbie Reynolds – Madame (Voice)
Janeane Garofalo – Ursula (Voice)
Matthew Lawrence – Tombo (Voice)
Hayao Miyazaki – Director
Jack Fletcher – Writer
Eiko Kadono – Writer
John Semper – Writer
Jane Schonberger – Producer
Buena Vista Pictures – Distributor
Director(s)
Hayao Miyazaki
Writer(s)
Jack Fletcher, Eiko Kadono, Hayao Miyazaki, John Semper
Producer(s)
Jane Schonberger, Hayao Miyazaki
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 wins
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (1)
Miyazaki conjures a pubescent fable out of whole cloth that both kids and adults will enjoy immensely, and with the late Phil Hartman on board as Kiki’s wiseacre feline familiar, there’s many more comic moments than in the director’s later work.
June 11, 2020
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Even by Hayao Miyazaki’s elevated standard, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a singularly charming film.
June 11, 2020
Charles Solomon
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
Kiki’s slow pace and light-on-conflict plot may surprise kids… but it’s difficult not to be won over by the film’s endearing characters and beautiful animation, as well as a storyline that stresses the values of independence and friendship.
June 11, 2020
Keith Phipps
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
The film becomes a benign guided tour of femininity … gently broaching universal coming-of-age issues such as independence, insecurity, and even – more boldly than any Western children’s movie would contemplate – sexuality.
May 26, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Steve Rose
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Miyazaki’s giddy, glorious seaside story about a budding young witch and her sarcastic cat.
May 24, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Tom Huddleston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
A terrific alternative to the diabetic’s nightmare that is most of Disney’s output, Kiki’s Delivery Service takes pride of place in Miyazaki’s exceptional body of work.
November 26, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Andrew Osmond
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Enjoyable.
September 22, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
“Kiki’s Delivery Service” is more than a place to park the kids for two hours – it is a surprisingly moving celebration of the animator’s art that deserves a wider audience.
June 11, 2020
Mark Schilling
Japan Times
One of Miyazaki’s most fanciful stories, Kiki’s Delivery Service may seem on the surface to be just another simple, heartwarming fantasy tale, but it has some serious undertones that can’t be easily dismissed.
June 11, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Cindy White
IGN Movies
Kiki, like My Neighbor Totoro, is simply delightful in most every way – the characters are sweet and memorable, there is a bit of action, and it is consistently funny.
June 11, 2020
Aaron Pinkston
Battleship Pretension
It’s a delightful tale of a young witch coming of age, learning to recognize her own talents, and striving to serve her community.
February 28, 2020
Kathi Maio
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The first aspect that the producer pampered to extraordinary limits was the plastic beauty of the animation. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 27, 2019
Sergio Benítez
Espinof…
Plot
This is the story of a young witch, named Kiki who is now 13 years old. But she is still a little green and plenty headstrong, but also resourceful, imaginative, and determined. With her trusty wisp of a talking cat named Jiji by her side she’s ready to take on the world, or at least the quaintly European seaside village she’s chosen as her new home.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Phil Hartman provides the voice for Jiji, Kiki’s wiseacre feline familiar.
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