I Ranked 9 Characters From "Howl's Moving Castle" — See If You Agree With My List
If you're an anime fan and haven't gone down the rabbit hole of Studio Ghibli films, you are doing yourself a disservice. Their catalog is filled with rich unique stories that not only entertain but carry a message that really tugs at the heartstrings.
In Howl's Moving Castle, we get a familiar plot of a cursed young lady in Sophie Hatter who upon her journey to remove said curse meets a fantastic array of characters that we detest and also fall in love with.
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I took nine characters from the film and ranked them based on my personal favorites — let me know what you think:
9.Witch of the Waste
As the jealous ex-girlfriend of Howl, this witch is the initial antagonist before Madame Suliman and is the woman who not only curses Sophie but Howl as well. Though you see her being this cruel, jilted lover at the beginning of the film, after she loses her powers due to Suliman, we see her be humbled and become a harmless elderly woman for the rest of the story. It is due to the past behavior that Madame Suliman feels the need to go on her witch hunt, further making me dislike her for not only her selfish pursuit of Howl but her past behavior that drove Suliman to be as determined in her pursuit as well.
8.Madame Suliman
This hard-nosed sorceress made for a great antagonist to Sophie and Howl as she was on the warpath to find all wizards and witches and make them comply as a soldier for her king or be stripped of their power. Although her actions put Sophie and Howl in danger multiple times, it is understandable why she feels the need to carry out her mission. We get to see not only the extent of her power various times but also the empathy in her as she calls off the war, making her somewhat redeemable.
7.Lettie
This loving, caring sister doesn't get much screentime, but her presence stood out to me, as we see the family bond they share when Sophie visits her at the bakery Lettie works at. It was refreshing to see her overly concerned sister immediately tend to Sophie once she heard of her presence and made sure to not only give fair warning of her interactions with wizards but also encourage her to follow her heart and do something for herself other than working at their father's hat shop. If only we saw more of her — I would've been curious to see her reaction to Sophie's grand adventure.
6.Heen
After being mistaken for Howl by Sophie and even being revealed to be a spy for Madame Suliman, Heen is a delight in the film. He helps Sophie figure out the power of the ring that teleports her to the past and not only guides her in and out but also reveals to Madame Suliman why he chose not to report to her when he was supposed to. This choice made me like this straight-faced dog even more and shows how perceptive he was of the group in joining them on their adventure instead of ratting them out.
5.Markl
Howl's young apprentice's bond with Sophie is beautiful to see as he initially suspects her of possibly working with the Witch of the Waste. It is after seeing her work ethic and kindheartedness that he realizes her true character and warms up the elderly version of Sophie. It was kind of cute to see that prior to Sophie's arrival it was little Markl who was handling all of Howl's chores and tending to the castle, just giving this kid a level of maturity you might not expect from a character his age.
4.Calcifer
It's no wonder that Billy Crystal would voice the English dub for this character, as this fire demon brings the wittiness and humor that is needed for a character trapped in the castle. Working as the castle's engine and the reason why it can move, it's understandable why the fire demon wants to be freed from Howl's contract; though he shows some resentment toward the wizard, we also get to see his concern over Howl's well-being, showing the bond they have formed. When the true nature of the contract between Howl and Calcifer is revealed, we learn exactly why he was so determined to break it, allowing Howl to have his heart back and for him to become the star he was all along.
3.Turnip-Head
This cursed scarecrow is a constant gentleman to Sophie and seems to appear at the perfect time for her throughout the story. He retrieves her shawl, gets her a cane, helps with the laundry, and even holds an umbrella for her when it's raining. I mean dude was definitely simping in the best way possible. It's his sacrifice in saving Sophie and the gang after the castle starts falling apart that shows again why outside of Howl he is the hero they all needed. Though you can tell he is disappointed in not being able to win Sophie's heart after she breaks his curse and he is revealed to be a prince, his dedication to ending the war is just another display of his amazing character and heroism.
2.Howl
Though this wizard can be childish and outright ridiculous when it comes to his focus on appearance, his generosity and willingness to protect those he cares about are what make him such a badass, along with the magic of course. He is willing to put himself in harm's way to save Sophie from Madame Suliman, as well as give his heart to Calcifer to allow him to be a living being like him. He is by no means perfect, but his flaws just make the character more endearing and give him some depth that we often get to see in Hayao Miyazaki films.
1.Sophie
I'm sure this might not come as a surprise, considering the kind of adventure that we see Sophie experience throughout the film. Her work ethic and compassionate characteristics make her such a beloved character among a lot of the Studio Ghibli films. She is not a warrior like San in Princess Mononoke, but her efforts in helping Howl lends to ending the war, freeing Calcifer from the castle, getting Howl's heart back, and also breaking Turnip-Head's curse. I mean what can't she do? Her curse would make you think she is not capable of certain things, but she puts those expectations on their head and does the impossible. It's yet again why I think Hayao Miyazaki's heroines are so beloved, because he can make these characters achieve so much without having to make them be these grand overpowered beings; he allows their humanity and strong willing personality to be the strength that gets them through anything.
What did you think of my list? Is Howl's Moving Castle one of your favorite Studio Ghibli films? If so, let us know some of your favorite moments of the film in the comments below.
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