Studio Ghibli is all about remarkable stories, journeys to other worlds full of magic and fantasy, leading viewers through various human emotions and where each of you can identify with its peculiar characters. One of those stories is Howl's Moving Castle, directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

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It narrates the adventures of Sophie the Hatter, who one day stumbles upon the wizard Howl. As a result of the encounter, the Witch of the Waste casts a spell on Sophie that makes her look like a 90-year-old woman. Therefore, she decides to start a journey to reverse it, getting to know the residents of the moving castle in the process. With this in mind, the audience may find beautiful scenes that will touch your heart.

When Your Appearance Looks Like Your Soul

Sophie has a spell on her that makes her look as an old woman

At the beginning of the film, we meet Sophie, a young woman who has settled for a life that doesn't suit her: making hats as her father did, and although her younger sister Lettie asks her to do something enjoyable, Sophie doesn't consider changing until the Witch of the Waste casts a spell on her.

Now that she looks like a 70-year-old, she feels more comfortable (because of her low self-esteem that prevented her from enjoying her youth), even with the pain in her extremities. Thus, she embarks on her journey to get rid of the spell.

The One Who Loves And Observes From Afar

Sophie meets Turnip-Head in the wasteland

Along Sophie's wandering, she stumbles upon a stick that she tries to use to walk better, encountering one of the most lovable (and quietest) characters in the film: Mr. Turnip-Head.

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This scarecrow usually helps Sophie with the daily chores around the house, but when the castle begins to crumble, Turnip-Head saves her life. In response, she kisses him in gratitude, he turns into a human because he was Prince Justin who was under a spell, and now he can return to his kingdom to stop the war.

The (Magical) Mastermind Behind The War

Madame Suliman is the chief wizard of the kingdom

Howl is invited by the kingdoms to take part in the war, like most wizards. He reluctantly and cowardly sends Sophie as his mother in order not to be called upon. At this meeting, where the Witch of the Waste also attends, Sophie meets Madame Suliman, who was Howl's teacher.

The head wizard of the kingdom explains to Sophie that in exchange for breaking the wizard's contract with a demon who stole his heart, he has to join the war. This is when the miller realizes Madame Suliman's evil intentions and that she is the one who is provoking the war with her schemes without caring about the lives of the civilians.

All Roads Lead to Elderhood

Sophie feeds the powerless Witch of the Waste

The Witch of the Waste thought she was going to be noticed by Madame Suliman, who took away her powers, so she would let Howl in peace, leaving the spectators in front of the vision of an old and helpless woman.

And despite the harm she did to Sophie, the spell-bound girl took her in charge as if she were her own family and nursed her, as she could understand in her current state that reaching old age is not easy but with caring and a lot of love, even a bad person can be transformed.

A Heartfelt Confession of Love

Sophie looks for Howl in his Cave of Mind

Perhaps it was guilt, however, after Howl sends Sophie to Madame Suliman, he decides to rescue her (as well as the powerless Witch of the Waste and the wizard leader's dog, Heen) and send her back to the castle with the help of Howl's ring that links him to Calcifer.

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When he returns from fighting later at night and in bird form, Sophie, looking young as she is, goes to see him in his Cave of Mind where she declares her love, only to be rejected by the wizard who says it's too late.

As If They Were Family

Sophie and Markl resting in the countryside

The scenes where the viewers can see Sophie's interaction with Markl, Calcifer, and Turnip-Head in the household chores become relaxing for moments, amid the chaos of the world they are living in.

Laundry drying in the sun, or sitting down to eat and looking at the landscape, are things that Sophie, under her spell, begins to value in her life, pleasant company, a happy and serene environment, as if it is a warm embrace to the heart in the heat of the storm.

When I Open My Heart, It Blossoms

Howl shows Sophie his secret garden for her birthday

Howl, as heartless as he is, begins to take more and more interest every day in protecting his people and his home, and that includes Sophie. Somehow the audience can see that she seems to have struck a chord with him since the night she told him she loved him.

For her birthday, he takes her to see his secret garden, where he spent his childhood. The joy of sharing that special moment between them, makes Sophie rejuvenated for a moment until again her negative thoughts return her to the appearance of an old woman.

What Could I Have Done With Your Heart

The Witch of the Waste taking away Howl's heart

A lesson you learn when you're in love is that sometimes you have to sacrifice, giving a part of yourself, so the relationship can grow stronger than before. One lesson Sophie teaches to the audience.

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She, trying to convince Calcifer to move the castle to a safer place, is asked to give something in exchange for power, so she hands over her braid to the fire, driving the fire demon mad, which the Witch of the Waste takes advantage of to steal the flame as she realizes that it is Howl's heart that she was looking for.

Losing My Humanity

Sophie apologizes with Howl and kisses him

The fact that Howl didn't have his heart for so long was beginning to affect his transformations to undermine the plans of both sides in the war, as happens in his last intervention.

When Sophie finally returns to the crumbling castle she finds Howl turned almost into a huge black bird, bruised, and exhausted, so she apologizes to him for keeping him waiting and kisses him (finally!).

A Single Heart That Burns in The Night

Howl saving Calcifer's life

This list cannot end without one of the most touching and heart-warming scenes in the entire film, and it's not even when Sophie kisses Howl, but when she finally discovers the secret of the wizard's contract.

After the castle collapses because Calcifer's flame is in agony from the water splashed on it, Sophie gets to see in the secret garden a memory from Howl when he was younger: a night of shooting stars, and Howl giving his heart to the fallen star to save its life. At last, Sophie has the key to free and save both Calcifer and her beloved wizard.

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