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showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsMajo no takkyûbin (1989) More at IMDbPro »
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Eiko Kadono (original book)
Hayao Miyazaki (screenplay)
Release Date:
29 July 1989 (Japan) more
Plot:
A young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
4 wins more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Must Watch: Second Full Trailer for Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo
(From FirstShowing.net. 31 July 2009, 3:42 PM, PDT)
Trailer Park: Spreading, Bending and Breaking
(From Cinematical. 27 June 2009, 5:03 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
See the Disney version, then find the original more (115 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Minami Takayama | ... | Kiki / Ursula (voice) | |
| Rei Sakuma | ... | Jiji (voice) | |
| Kappei Yamaguchi | ... | Tombo (voice) | |
| Keiko Toda | ... | Osono (voice) | |
| Mieko Nobusawa | ... | Kokiri, Kiki no haha (Kiki's mummy) (voice) | |
| Kôichi Miura | ... | Okino, Kiki no chichi (Kiki's daddy) (voice) | |
| Haruko Kato | ... | Rô-fujin (Madame) (voice) | |
| Hiroko Seki | ... | Barsa (Bertha) (voice) | |
| Yuriko Fuchizaki | ... | Ketto (voice) | |
| Kôichi Yamadera | ... | Bakery worker, policeman (voice) | |
| Kikuko Inoue | ... | Beautiful designer girl (voice) | |
| Yûko Kobayashi | ... | Young sempai witch (voice) | |
| Mika Doi | ... | Ketto's mother (voice) | |
| Takaya Hashi | ... | Ketto's father (voice) | |
| Chika Sakamoto | ... | Baby (voice) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Kiki's Delivery Service (UK) (USA)
The Witch's Express Mail (literal title)
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
103 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Australia:G | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-3 | Germany:o.Al. | Ireland:G | South Korea:All | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G | France:U | USA:G | UK:U | Spain:T
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
During the zeppelin accident, the radio broadcaster says "Oh! the humanity". Those are the same words said in the Hindenburg disaster live broadcast by USA radio reporter Herbert Morrison in 1937. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: The Disney dub refers several times to the airship as a "dirigible", which is correct, but also as a "blimp", which it isn't; it is a zeppelin, a rigid airship with an internal skeleton that holds it in shape, not a blimp, which is basically a big helium-inflated balloon held in shape by the helium. more
Quotes:
[Japanese version with English subtitles]
Jiji:
[Jiji's paws are covered with flour] At this rate, I'll be a white cat by the morning.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#38.4)" (2007) more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (115 total)
Message Boards
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Related Links
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I've been a fan of the original "Majo no takkyubin" for a long time, and I've been extremely pessimistic about American dubs of Japanese animation, which have ranged from barely tolerable to scrape-it-off-your-shoe terrible. When I heard Disney had bought distribution rights, I wondered whether a big-name animation studio would do right by this film.
Well, I've now seen the Disney version and I'm a little disappointed. Like most other American studios, Disney assumes that anything animated must be aimed solely at children under five. Much of the charm and subtlety of the original film is lost in this dubbed version, and in a few places the translation just plain doesn't make sense. Phil Hartman is funny as the smart-alecky Jiji, and despite his frequent ad-libs, the part comes off reasonably well. But if you've seen and liked the Disney version of this film, do yourself a favor and dig up the original Japanese (subtitled) version. You'll see what Hayao Miyazaki really wanted you to see.