Majo no takkyûbin (1989)

Country of Origin: Japan
Year of Production: 1989
Running Times: 103 mins
Format: colour     35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: Dolby

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Studio Ghibli / NTV / Tokuma Shoten / Yamato Transport
Executive Producers: Mikihiko Tsuzuki, Morihisa Takagi, Yasuyoshi Tokuma
English Language Version Executive Producers: Jane Schonberger
Producers: Hayao Miyazaki, Toru Hara
English Language Version Producer: Jane Schonberger
Planners: Hideo Ogata, Iwao Setô, Tatsumi Yamashita
Associate Producer: Toshio Suzuki
Production Manager: Eiko Tanaka
Production Coordinator: Yoko Umemura

SCRIPT
Script: Hayao Miyazaki
English Language Version Script: Jack Fletcher, John Semper
Spanish Language Version Translation: Luis Soldevila
Spanish Language Version Adaptation: Antonio Villar
Book: Eiko Kadono

DIRECTION
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Assistant Director: Sunao Katabuchi

ANIMATION
Animation Directors: Katsuya Kondô, Shinji Otsuka, Yoshifumi Kondo
Key Animators: Akiko Hasegawa, Atsuko Fukushima, Atsuko Otani, Chie Uratani, Hiroomi Yamakawa, Hiroshi Watanabe, Koji Morimoto, Makiko Futaki, Masaaki Endou, Masahito Sekino, Masako Shinohara, Megumi Kagawa, Natsuyo Yasuda, Noriko Moritomo, Sachiko Sugino, Toshio Kawaguchi, Toshiya Niidome, Toshiyuki Inoue, Yoshiharu Sato, Yoshinori Kanada, Yoshiyuki Hane
Animators: Ai Kagawa, Kouji Morimoto, Akiko Hasegawa, Atsuko Fukushima, Atsuko Ôtani, Chie Uratani, Hirômi Yamakawa, Makiko Futaki, Masaaki Endo, Masahiro Sekino, Natsuyo Yasuda, Noriko Moritomo, Sachiko Sugino, Tashiyuki Inoue, Toshio Kawaguchi, Toshiya Niidome, Yoshiharu Sato, Yoshinori Kanada, Yoshiyuki Hane
Supporting Animators: Anime Torotoro, DOGA Productions, Nakamura Production, Oh Production, Studio Hibari, Studio Muku
Animation Checkers: Hitomi Tateno, Yasuko Tachiki
In-Between Animators: Aki Yamagata, Akihiko Nomura, Akihiro Yuki, Akiko Ishii, Akiko Teshima, Akiko Yamaguchi, Akio Watanabe, Ako Takano, Akoko Matsushima, Eiichiro Hirata, Emiko Iwayanagi, Etsuko Shino, Hideaki Maniwa, Hiroki Ikehata, Hiroko Tezuka, Hiroyuki Kanbe, Hiroyuki Morita, Hitoshi Kagiyama, Ichiro Izuki, Kasumi Hara, Katsumi Hiroe, Katsusuke Konuma, Kazumi Okabe, Kazutaka Ozaki, Keiichi Suwada, Keiko Nagai, Keiko Watanabe, Kiyoki Makita, Koichi Taguchi, Koji Ito, Kumiko Otani, Machiko Niiya, Makoto Koga, Masahiko Adachi, Masako Higashi, Masako Sakano, Masayuki Shibuya, Mayumi Ohmura, Nagisa Miyazaki, Naoko Takenawa, Ninji Takahashi, Nobuhiro Hosoi, Nobuko Sato, Rie Fujimura, Ritsuko Shiina, Riwako Matsui, Ryo Suzuki, Shiro Shibata, Sumie Nishido, Suzuko Mano, Takao Maki, Takuya Iinuma, Tatsuji Narita, Tatsuya Tanabe, Tazuko Fukutsuchi, Toshihiro Hamamori, Yoshie Hayashi, Yoshie Kawahashi, Yoshimi Kanbara, Yu Ito, Yuka Endo, Yukari Yamaura, Yuko Aoyama, Yumi Kawachi, Yurie Sudo, Yuriko Saito
Colour Designers: Michiyo Yasuda, Yuriko Katayama
Character Designer: Katsuya Kondô
Backgrounds: Hidetoshi Kaneko, Kazufiro Kinoshita, Kazuo Ebisawa, Kazuo Oga, Ken Tokushige, Kenji Kahiyama, Kiyoko Kanno, Kiyomi Ota, Kumiko Ono, Kyoko Naganawa, Midori Chiba, Miyuki Kudo, Satoshi Kuroda, Tushiharu Mizutani, Yoko Nagashima, Yuji Ikehata, Yuko Matsuura, Yutaka Ito
Harmony Process: Noriko Takaya
Ink and Paint: Chieko Omachi, Eiko Fukuma, Eiko Hirokiri, Fumiko Ito, Harumi Machii, Hideko Sato, Izumi Maeno, Junko Yoshikawa, Kazue Hiranuma, Kazumi Kobayashi, Mariko Konuma, Masami Nishizaka, Masuko Sugamuma, Mayumi Watanabe, Michiko Nishimaki, Michiko Shibata, Michiyo Iseta, Mieko Asai, Mieko Nakano, Mika Tanifugi, Mioori Sugawara, Miyoko Oka, Naomi Takahashi, Nobuko Watanabe, Norichika Iwakiri, Reiko Aonuma, Reiko Yoshida, Ritsuko Osaki, Rumi Fukaya, Taeko Oumi, Tatsuko Kubota, Toshiko Tawara, Tsutomu Muta, Yoko Tanida, Yukari Tajima, Yukari Yokoyama, Yukimi Toyonaga, Yuriko Kudo, Domusha, IM Studio, Kyoto Animation, Ryu Production, Studio Fantasia, Studio Killy, Studio OZ, Toy House, Trace Studio M
Ink and Paint Checkers: Ikuyo Kimura, Noriko Ogawa, Teruyo Tateyama, Yuki Hisada, Yumi Furuya

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Shigeo Sugimura
Camera: Hiroaki Edamitsu, Hiroshi Tamura, Hisao Kazemura, Jyosaku Nishiyama, Katsuya Kozutsumi, Kendi Akazawa, Tomishi Arakawa, Toru Kobayashi, Yasukiro Shimizu, Yasuyoshi Hayama, Studio Gallop
Still Painting: Junichi Ochiai
Lab: Toei Chemical Industry

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Takeshi Seyama
Assistant Editor: Hiroshi Adachi
English Language Version Post Production Facilities: Buena Vista Sound Studios, Screenmusic Studios, The Bakery Recording Studios

MUSIC
Music: Joe Hisaishi
Songs / Performed By: Arai Yumi (real name: Yumi Matsutôya) (Rouge no dengon; Yasashisa ni tsutsumareta-nara)
English Language Version Theme Song Performed By: June Angela
Music Supervisor: Isao Takahata
English Language Version Music Arrangement: Paul Chihara
English Language Version Music Editor: Bill Komar
Spanish Language Version Music Director: Santiago Agiurre
Spanish Language Version Song Adaptations: María Ovelar

SOUND
Sound: Shuji Inoue
Recording Supervisor: Naoko Asari
Recording Assistant: Shoichi Tamaasa, Telescreen
Recording Studio: Tokyo TV Center
English Language Version Recording and Sound Mixing: Dean Zupancic, Terry Porter
Sound Engineer: Shuji Inoue
Dialogue Editing: Fujio Yamada
Sound Effects: Kazutoshi Sato
Sound Effects Assistants: Hironori Ono, Norio Kobayashi
English Language Version Sound Effects Editor: Bill Komar
English Language Version Sound: Ernie Sheesley
English Language Version ADR Consultant: Miyoko Miura
English Language Version ADR Editor: Ernie Sheesley
English Language Version ADR Engineer: Ernie Sheesley
English Language Version Dialogue Recording Facilities: Screen Music Studios Inc
Dutch Version ADR Recordist / Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Danny van Spreuwel
Spanish Language Version ADR Director: Antonio Villar

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Kaoru Tanifuji

VISUAL EFFECTS
Titles: Akira Michikawa, Kaoru Mano

DESIGN
Production Designer: Hinoshi Ono
Symbol: Akiko Hayashi
Painting: Ship Flying Over the Rainbow painted by students of Hachinohe City Minato Junior High School Handicapped Children's Class

MISCELLANEOUS
Production Committee: Akiji Ota, Akira Kaneko, Atsushi Miura, Hiroshi Tojo, Hiroyuki Kato, Michio Yokoo, Munayoshi Yokoyama, Seiji Okuda, Takeo Mutai, Toshio Tsuboike, Yasuharu Urushido, Yoshifumi Kitanoguchi
Production Desk: Hirokatsu Kihara, Toshiyuki Kawabata
Production Assistants: Hiroyuki Ito, Tomoaki Nishigiri, Toshitaka Hayami, Yuji Kitazawa, Animage Editorial Department, Group Fudosha
English Language Version Production Assistants: Chris Brady, David Beron, Laurie Bean, Lydia Quidilla, Mark Caballero
Supporting Entity: Dentsu Inc
Technical Support: Continental Far East Inc, Mikio Miro, Stac, Taiyo Shikisai

CASTING
English Language Version Voice Casting / Director: Jack Fletcher

VOICES
Minami Takayama (Kiki / Ursula)
Rei Sakuma (Jiji)
Kappei Yamaguchi (Tombo)
Keiko Toda (Osono)
Mieko Nobusawa (Kokiri, Kiki no haha)
Koichi Miura (Okino, Kiki no chichi)
Haruko Kato (Rô-fujin)
Hiroko Seki (Barsa)
Yuriko Fuchizaki (Ketto)
Kôichi Yamadera (bakery worker / policeman)
Kikuko Inoue (beautiful designer girl)
Yûko Kobayashi (young sempai witch)
Mika Doi (Ketto's mother)
Takaya Hashi (Ketto's father)
Chika Sakamoto (Baby)
Toshiko Asai
Yoshiko Kamei
Hiroko Maruyama
Shinpachi Tsuji
Yûko Maruyama, Masa Saitô, Yûko Tsuga, Akio Ôtsuka, Tomomichi Nishimura (additional voices)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION VOICES
Kirsten Dunst (Kiki)
Kath Soucie (Kiki's mother)
Debbie Reynolds (Miss Dora)
Jeff Bennett (Kiki's father)
Phil Hartman (Jiji)
Tress MacNeille (Osono)
Edie McClurg (Barsa)
Debi Derryberry (young senior witch)
Matthew Lawrence (Tombo)
Janeane Garofalo (Ursula)
Corey Burton (radio announcer)
Pamela Segall (Ket)
Julia DeMita (real name: Julia Fletcher) (Ket's aunt / Ket's mother)
John Hostetter (dirigible captain)
Eddie Frierson, Sherry Lynn, Matt K. Miller, June Angela, Lewis Arquette, John DeMita, Fay DeWitt, Susan Hickman, Scott Menville (additional voices)

SPANISH LANGUAGE VERSION VOICES
Cristina Yuste (Nicky)
Iñaki Crespo (Yiyi)
Nacho Aldeguer (Tombo)
Yolanda Mateos (Úrsula)
Antonio Villar (Okino)
Carolina Montijano (Kokiri)
Cristina Hernandez (Kiki)
Laura Palacios (Osono)
Lola Cervantes (Madam)
Matilde Conesa (Barsa)

PLOT SUMMARY

Young trainee witch Kiki reaches the age of 13 and, in accordance with tradition, sets out to spend a year living alone so that they can prepare for the adult world. With only her talking cat Jiji for company, Kiki settles in the coastal town of Korico and sets up a delivery service. But life in the human world presents some unique challenges for the witch-in-training.

AVAILABILITY

Japan
Theatrical Distributors: Toei Co Ltd

USA
Video Distributors: Buena Vista Home Video

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Argentina
Rating: Atp

Canada
Rating: G

France
Rating: U

Hong Kong
Rating: I

USA
Rating: G

UK
Rating: U

Spain
Rating: T

AWARDS

1989
Kinema Junpo Awards, Japan
Readers' Choice Award: Best Japanese Film Director (Hayao Miyazaki) - winner

Mainichi Film Concours, Japan
Best Animated Film (Hayao Miyazaki) - winner

TIMELINE

1988
April
1: Japan - production begins

1989
July
17: Japan - production ends
29: Japan - theatrical release

1990
January
20: Hong Kong - theatrical release

1998
May
23: USA - shown at the Seattle International Film Festival

September
1: USA - video release (dubbed version)
22: USA - laserdisc release
29: USA - video release (subtitled version)

1999
April
Day Unknown: Spain - video release

2001
August
10: Israel - television broadcast

2002
November
7: Taiwan - theatrical re-release

2004
March
12: France - shown at the Deauville Asian Film Festival
31: France - theatrical release

July
8: Australia - shown at the Sydney Miyazaki Film Festival

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

El delivery de Kiki - Argentinean title
Kiki, A Aprendiz de Feiticeira
Kiki - Consegne a domicilio - Italian title
Kiki, entregas a domicilio - Spanish title
Kiki, la petite sorcière - French title
Kiki's Delivery Service - UK / US title
Kiki's vliegende koeriersdienst - Dutch title
Mo nu zhai ji bian - Cantonese title
Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja - Spanish title

LINKS

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
The Art of Spirited Away (2003)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Entertainment Weekly no.705 (18 April 2003) p.53 (USA)
review (Video: 'Away' We Go (A) by Steve Daly)

KEYWORDS

airships, animation, anime, artists, bakeries, bicycles, book into film, brooms, buses, cats,
children, couriers, dogs, flying, forests, hitchhiking, magic, pregnancy, talking animals, teenagers, thunderstorms, twist endings, witches, witchcraft

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008