Even when he is at his weakest, he is willing to try and save them during a bomb attack, for Sophie. He finds himself caring so much about Sophie. Calcifer has great one-liners, sure, but his power and heart shows in the movie, and compliments the other characters so well. Who some might call the comic relief of the film, Calcifer does so much more than that. Every time I watch the film, I find myself honored to see the two characters develop into something more. Yes, the two end up falling in love at the end of the movie, and yes it is predictable, but it does not feel fruitless. minus the curse she is battling, but hey it’s a magical story and everyone has a curse of their own, it seems). Sophie is truly in control throughout the movie (…. Sophie is always viewed as the one worth changing for, Howl is quick to take any and all of her criticisms. I really admired this version of the usual romantic tropes. Howl accepts all of this, and slowly throughout the two hour adventure, he tries to become better, better for Sophie. Sophie does often help Howl, even if it is at the expense of her peace of mind, but she also lets him know that he is irresponsible, cowardly, and disappointing as a wizard at times. He cannot survive dependent of Calcifer, and looks to the supporting characters to carry the consequences of his actions. From the very start, viewers see that Howl is quite immature and hopes those around him will adjust their lives to best suit him.
Howl on the other hand, is quite the dependent character. She is even the one to break her own curse, not a true loves kiss or a wish from a wizard.
Sophie becomes a better person because she decides to, because she realizes her strength and her beauty, independent of what others may think. They don’t see her as someone who needs to be fixed, nor try to convince her that she’s worthy of love solely because Howl loves her, etc. The best part is, it is not because of her male counterpart Howl, or even Calcifer. Viewers see Sophie become more and more independent, sure of herself and secure. Throughout the film, you see mini shifts of Sophie, where she reverts back to her true self in moments of wonder, concern and passion. She bargains an alliance with Calcifier, the witty fire demon behind all of the power/energy needed for the castle, who moonlights as the literal protector of Howl’s heart. She is quick to deny any aid from those that just perceive her as an helpless grandma, and holds nothing back when she finds herself inside Howl’s moving castle. Once Sophie becomes an old woman, it’s almost as if she becomes more expressive and honest with what she thinks and what she wants to do. Howl is first seen as he escorts Sophie away from two creepy guards and quite literally sweeps her off her feet before her cruel transformation. Within the first 15 minutes of the film, viewers must then get used to Sophie as a ninety-year old woman, since she was cursed by a witch out to get Howl and all those connected to him, it seems. While it takes a few minutes for Howl to be introduced, viewers hear the salacious rumors about the mysterious wizard before he’s onscreen. Viewers are first introduced to the stellar heroine as she is a hat maker, who seems to be a people pleaser who wants the best for those around her. The main characters are Sophie and Howl… and maybe Calcifer (who doesn’t get as much screen time as he deserves, in my opinion). I think talking about the characters and how they evolved throughout the film, and what they were able to contribute is a great place to start off. I am going to talk about the characters, symbolism and animation that make the film nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s not hard to imagine that the great Hayao Miyazaki created a film as outstanding as HMC. It was so easy to fall in love with the film, especially if you break down different aspects of the movie. The most popular Miyazaki film is “Spirited Away”, but HMC is a fan favorite, and a film I can go on and on raving about. I have watched it so many times, and each time it is like I find one more character trait, beautiful animation, or witty one-liner to fall in love with. This is an entire article about why I love “Howl’s Moving Castle (HMC)”, by the amazing Hayao Miyazaki.
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