Kiki's Delivery Service Synopsis
DESCRIPTION
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) is a beloved coming-of-age story of Kiki, a young witch who embarks on a traditional journey on her 13th birthday with her black cat, Jiji.
Kiki must search for a new town to live in for a year where she can become the resident witch and hone her skills in her craft. Her prominent skill is flying and so endeavors to start a delivery service catered to her strengths.
Through trials and tribulations, she finds courage within herself, and discovers what it means to be self-reliant while understanding the importance of surrounding oneself with a strong community.
CHARACTERS
- Kiki: Kiki is a young witch learning the lessons of independence. She begins the story feeling unsure of herself, and emerges as a confident young girl ready to take on the world.
- Jiji: Jiji is Kiki’s witty cat familiar, who accompanies her on her journey to a new town. As Kiki becomes more connected to a young boy in town, Jiji becomes more like a regular cat–even reverting to meows and having kittens with a neighborhood cat–symbolizing Kiki’s connection to her magical self.
- Osono: Osono offers Kiki a place to stay to help her on her witch journey, and even helps her start her delivery service.
- Tombo: A 14-year-old aviation fanatic who becomes fascinated with Kiki's ability to fly.
THEMES
- Coming of age
- Strong female empowerment
- Fear of failure & courage
- Individuality & community
