It’s basically impossible to watch these two careen down a hill and eventually (if briefly) take flight without remembering a certain kind of childlike wonder. When he takes Kiki for a ride on his propeller bike, she enjoys a moment of true freedom. That is, until she befriends Tombo, an impossibly cheerful boy who wants nothing more than to fly. Kiki is a young witch determined to follow tradition and strike out on her own, but she’s also 13-which means she’s a little moody and sometimes feels emotionally isolated. Fletcher Peters Kiki and Tombo’s bike ride ( Kiki’s Delivery Service, 1989)īike scenes are a cherished theme in Studio Ghibli films (see: My Neighbor Totoro, From Up on Poppy Hill, and Whisper of the Heart) and in 1989’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, Hayao Miyazaki delivered one of his best. Not only could they have arrived in a more timely manner-they could’ve done it in style, too, had they taken a chance on the magical cat bus. After the cat bus picks up Totoro in the movie, a lame regular bus pulls up to pick up Mei and Satsuki, the film’s human stars. But as a fan of both felines and public transportation, I enthusiastically support the cat bus and wish I could ride it myself. Okay, maybe the cat bus isn’t that cute upon rewatching, it’s actually a bit creepy, with holes in the middle of its body and rats as taillights. Totoro is the cutest fluffball of the entire movie, without a doubt, but the cat bus takes a memorable second place. Still, the cat bus is willing to work against the elements to protect the gaggles of creatures who need to move about the countryside near Tokyo. But at least you won’t be waiting out in the rain for longer than need be, which is a lot more than New York’s MTA can do.
Sure, if you’re like me and you’re allergic, you might need to pop some antihistamine before taking a ride. A lot of metropolitan public transportation departments ought to take notes on Studio Ghibli, whose movies have, by far, the best form of transit.
0 kommentar(er)
