A Month of Studio Ghibli Blog # 3: Howl's Moving Castle

 

By Counter Monkey Steve the Animeniac

 

After having captivated audiences around the world with their work for nearly 20 years and receiving an Academy Award for Spirited Away, Studio Ghibli released Howl's Moving Castle in 2004. This particular film, like many other Ghibli works, was an adaptation of an already existing piece, in this case of Diana Wynne Jones' novel. Hayao Miyazaki once again stepped in to direct, and Toshio Suzuki accepted the role of producer. Ghibli found itself with another instant classic.

The film focuses on a young woman named Sophie and her quest to restore herself to her proper age after having been cursed by the Witch of the Waste and transformed into an old woman. To do so, she takes a journey into the unknown. She makes her way through the Wastes and meets a living scarecrow. There appears to be more to this scarecrow than is known at the beginning of this tale, and he takes Sophie to a moving castle belonging to a man named Howl. Inside, Sophie introduces herself to a living flame named Calcifer. Calcifer agrees to assist Sophie in breaking the curse in exchange for his freedom, as he is unable to leave the castle. Howl returns home, and after some quick thinking, Calcifer is able to convince him that Sophie is his new cleaning lady.

As the story progresses, viewers are introduced to the king of the realm, Suliman, who uses Howl to assist in the war that is currently plaguing his country. Like in other Ghibli films, a romance enters into the picture, and this romance becomes the key to finding a way to resolve all of the conflict our characters are dealing with. I'll say no more. This film is yet another Ghibli masterpiece and must be seen for yourself.

Howl's Moving Castle is my third favorite Studio Ghibli film, behind Princess Mononoke and  Spirited Away. It's something I can view multiple times without ever losing interest. The story is very entrancing, and both the animation and score suck you in. Ghibli excels at making features that anyone can enjoy, and Howl's Moving Castle is not exception. If you have yet to experience it, it comes highly recommended. See you next time!

Howl's Moving Castle is currently available on DVD, but in May, it will receive a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo release, so be sure to support the studio by making a purchase!

Wednesday Highlights - 2/27/13

Hey Twenty-Five Year Veterans and others! Here's your weekly list of what's on tap this week at Comix Connection:

ADVENTURE TIME VOLUME 2 

-AVENGERS ARENA #5 NOW

BATMAN INCORPORATED #8 (TEMPORARILY SOLD OUT, TONS MORE FIRST PRINTINGS ON THE WAY NEXT WEEK - RESERVE YOUR COPY OF THIS EARTH-SHATTERING ISSUE TODAY!)

-BATMAN THE BLACK MIRROR SOFTCOVER COLLECTED EDITION 

-CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #194 MOONSTONE, #195 MIRAGE

DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIGURINE COLLECTION MAGAZINE #26 ALFRED PENNYWORTH, #27 BATWOMAN

-DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED #2 (OF 4)

DOCTOR WHO 4TH DOCTOR SCARF OVER KNEE WOMENS SOCKS

-DOCTOR WHO TARDIS TOPPER ALARM CLOCK

-FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2013 BALLOONS - YAY!

-GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #0.1 NOW

-HAWKEYE #8

JIM HENSONS DARK CRYSTAL VOLUME 2 CREATION MYTHS

NEMO HEART OF ICE HARDCOVER BOOK (LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN!)

NFL RUSH ZONE SEASON OF THE GUARDIANS #1

POP MARVEL BEAST, DARK PHOENIX, DEADPOOL, DOCTOR DOOM, GHOST RIDER AND SILVER SURFER VINYL FIGURES

-PREVIEWS #294 MARCH 2013

-PROFESSOR FRINK FANTASTIC SCIENCE FICTIONS #1

-ROCKETEER HOLLYWOOD HORROR #1

-UNCANNY X-MEN #2 NOW

-YOUNG AVENGERS #2 NOW

and so much more!  Stop in and check out all the goodies today!

Cody-Kenobi Reveiw #25: Tinker Talior Rebel Spy

 

STAR WARS # 2

Warning To You: Spoilers May Ensue

My Thoughts:
Oh how happy I am to have another Star Wars comic to read, especially Star Wars #2. To my knowledge, its been awhile since a series focused exclusively on the original cast (Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie etc.) and I'm happy that Dark Horse picked it up. In my opinion, Dark Horse has done fantastically with the Star Wars comics they produce (except a few unmentionables...*cough* Knight Errant *cough*). The story continues as Leia handpicks her task force to find a new home for the Rebel Alliance (this takes place not long after the battle of Yavin), and Mon Mothma has her suspicions that there is an Imperial spy in their midst. The comic does a pretty good job of already making you think it's someone in the group Leia had picked (yeah, I picked up on that Dark Horse). But what I really enjoy about this comic, is that it allows the characters that we know and love to round themselves out even more. Most of us have seen the original trilogy... do we see Leia mourn over the loss of her planet?  NOT that I remember, but here we do. We see that Leia isn't just some hard butt, but is merely keeping her emotions pent up.  Has the series really taken off yet? No, I don't think so,but I feel they'll be doing something pretty big soon. They're laying the ground work, now they're just waiting for the cement to dry. Now this is the only thing I do not like so much: some of the art. There is a point in the comic where Luke and Wedge are in a battle simulator... I could not for the life of me tell them apart. Do their faces seem similar, or is that just me? Overall, I'm really enjoying the series and I agree with Counter-Monkey Steve... the only thing I REALLY don't like about it is that it comes out only once a month.

My Rating: 4.5 outa' 5

Till next time Luke, I'm not your father...or your uncle. In fact, I don't even know you.

WOW, that was AWESOME!

Wow, what can we say but... THAT WAS AWESOME!

A big THANK YOU goes out to ALL OF YOU who came out and celebrated Comix Connection's TWENTY-FIFTH Anniversary Event!  It was a blast!  

Special thanks go to Garrison Carida of the 501st Legion who met with fans at Comix Connection - York and collected toy donations for their charitable work... we'll see you guys and gals at Comix Connection - Mechanicsburg on MAY THE FOURTH (be with you) which just happens to be FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this year!

And special thanks go out to the cool creators who met with fans - Mike Hawthorne, Brian Keene and Dirk Shearer in York and Andrew Griffith in Mechanicsburg - THANKS, GUYS!  It's always a pleasure to host you all!

Big thanks to all the Comix Connection Counter Monkeys whose selfless service made the weekend run smoothly... thanks guys and gal.  NOW GET BACK TO WORK.

And finally, the biggest thanks go out to YOU.  All of you.  Every single one of you have helped make Comix Connection what it is... Central Pennsylvania's Ultra-Hip Pop Culture Mecca!  Thanks for your twenty-five years of support and friendship.  It really does mean a lot to us that we have been able to provide a Geek Meeting Place for so many fans over the last 25 years.  We love comic books and we love the people who love them!

THANK YOU.  

See you in 25 years for our big FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION... it's gonna be a hot one!

Check out our Facebook page for tons of photos!

THERE'S STILL TIME

That's right, there's still time to take advantage of Comix Connection's Gala Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Sale!  

All day today, EVERYTHING at BOTH STORES is a whopping TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OFF!  

So get in here already and grab some bargains!  Sale ends at closing time, 5:00PM!

(This is how we imagine it.)

TODAY AND TOMORROW!

And so it begins.... the Awesome Comix Connection Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Event!  Which means everything is

THE ENTIRE WEEKEND! 

GET IN HERE ALREADY!

IT WAS TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO...

The big COMIX CONNECTION TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION starts tomorrow! 

In order to allow us to express our appreciation for your support for these last twenty-five years, 

EVERYTHING IN BOTH STORES IS 25% OFF ALL DAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY!

That includes NEW COMICS, BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, COLLECTED EDITIONS, MAGAZINES, BACK ISSUES, BIN COMICS, WALL COMICS, STATUES, MAGIC CARDS, BOARD GAMES, HEROCLIX, POSTERS CHARACTER PUB GLASSES, TRADING CARDS, T-SHIRTS, STATUES, TOYS, COLLECTIBLE FIGURINES, AND ANYTHING ELSE I'VE FORGOTTEN - EVERYTHING EXCEPT GIFT CARDS AND VENDING MACHINE ITEMS! IT'S PLUMB CRAZY! 

Come on out and clean us out! 

Ned and I would also like to take this moment to thank every single Comix Connection Counter Monkey who ever graced the floor at Comix Connection. There are literally DOZENS of you veterans and you all are important pieces of the puzzle that made Comix Connection what it is. THANK YOU guys and gals! You're aces!

And of course, we couldn't have done ANYTHING without all of you.  THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for making the dream of two comic book nerds come true.  Thanks for letting us build Central Pennsylvania's Ultra-hip Pop Culture Mecca!

Here's to 25 more!  Cheers, y'all!

 

MEET THE TALENT THIS SATURDAY Noon - 3PM!

As part of our huge TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY EVENT, Comix Connection will be hosting some very talented folks this Saturday, February 23rd! 

APPEARING AT COMIX CONNECTION - YORK ONLY from Noon until 3PM:

*Elements of Garrison Carida of the 501st Legion Star Wars Characters - BRING YOUR CAMERAS and get you picture taken with these amazingly authentic STAR WARS characters! Please bring unopened Star Wars toy donations for them to use in their charity work with children's hospitals! Let's see if we can fill a barrel again! Read more about Garrison Carida HERE!  

 
*DEADPOOL artist MIKE HAWTHORNE and see his gigantic art demonstration! Read more about Mike HERE! 

 

*The man who helped spur the current zombie craze, noted Horror Novelist BRIAN KEENE! Read more about Brian HERE! 
 

Super-talented and eclectic artist DIRK SHEARER! Read more about Dirk HERE! 


 APPEARING AT COMIX CONNECTION - MECHANICSBURG ONLY from Noon until 3PM: 

*Meet TRANSFORMERS artist ANDREW GRIFFITH! Read more about Andrew HERE!

Bring stuff to be autographed or grab something at Comix Connection, chat, hang out, buy some art or get a sketch and HAVE FUN!

 Oh and EVERYTHING IN BOTH STORES IS A WHOPPING 25% OFF ALL DAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY! 

 See you there!

Wednesday Highlights - 2/20/13

Come and get it kids... a whole new raft of cool stuff is on the shelves at Comix Connection, waiting to go home with you:

-ALPHA BIG TIME #1 (OF 5)

 

ALTER EGO #115 SPECIAL 3D ISSUE 

AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER PROMISE LIBRARY ED HC 

-AVENGERS #6 NOW 

BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SERIES 4 BATMAN, DEADSHOT, NIGHTWING, TALIA ACTION FIGURES 

-CAPTAIN AMERICA #4 NOW 

DC BATMAN AUTOMOBILIA FIGURE COLLECTION MAGAZINE #2 1966 BATMOBILE

-DEADPOOL #5 NOW 

DOCTOR WHO 11TH DOCTOR WITH BEARD 10 INCH ACTION FIGURE 

-GI JOE #1 

-GREEN LANTERN #17 (WRATH) 

-GREEN LANTERN CORPS #17 (WRATH) 

-GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #17 (WRATH) 

-HAPPY #4 (OF 4) (MR) 

-HELLBLAZER #300 (MR) 

-JUSTICE LEAGUE #17 

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1 

MARVEL HEROES MARVEL NOW T-SHIRT 

MARVEL SELECT VENOM ACTION FIGURE 

-MY LITTLE PONY MICRO SERIES #1 (OF 6) 

-NIGHTWING #17 (DOTF) 

-NOVA #1 NOW 

-RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #17 (DOTF) 

SAGA #10 (MR) 

-SHADOW YEAR ONE #1 (OF 8)

SPIDER-MAN SPIDER SCENE RED HEATHER T-SHIRT 

STAR TREK DEAD MAN WALKING T-SHIRT 

STAR WARS JOIN US T-SHIRT 

-SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #4 NOW 

-TALISMAN THE CITY EXPANSION 

-THOR GOD OF THUNDER #5 NOW 

and so very much more!  Stop in and see!

Head's up! from Counter Monkey Steve

Grant Morrison has been adding to the Batman mythology for many a year (7) now, and it's all coming to an end!  BATMAN: INCORPORATED # 8 begins the end of all the various plot threads and stories that Morrison has woven together these past 7 years, and DC Comics has promised that it will be a doozy, beginning a proper send off for the writer with # 12. This issue is not to be missed, so whether you've been reading since the beginning of Morrison's run with BATMAN AND SON, have just started reading the Batman comics, or just want to read an awesome store, reserve yourself copies of #8-12 now! COMIX CONNECTION offers a free subscription service, so each issue will be held for you as soon as it arrives! What a deal! A great comic and great service!

Get on it today!