It's weird how relevant this is to me now. Insecurity should never be the gatekeeper of love. Instead, it's an opportunity to find a partner that can provide you with the uplifting reassurance that helps you heal together.
In theory it sounds nice. But in practice, you need to know that you have a problem and you need to be willing to change. I was in relationship with someone who didn't value themselves and were degrading themselves all the time. They needed my attention all the time and they were jealous of anyone else I spent my time with - my pet, my family, my friends. Even their friends that I tried to build relationships with for them... They never admitted they had a problem and they blackmailed me emotionally (crying how hard it is to be them when I was unhappy about their behaviour and wanted to talk about it) Everyone deserves a chance at love, but not everyone deserves love itself.
@@CatCheshire I totally agree with you. But that’s what I meant in my comment; growing together and healing together is entirely predicated on being willing to grow. But having a problem doesn’t mean you lose your chance at love, just like you said. I believe we are saying similar things, but you’re just pointing out the reality of the difficult part. I’m so sorry you went through that.
@@erik7317 Yeah, I'm probably focusing on the bad part because of what happened But still, to find love, you don't have to be "perfect" because no one ever will be xP
I think what's important is that despite their insecurities they both still have boundaries. Sofie doesn't let Howl get away with all his childish behaviour and Howl protects his way of life from Sofies changes. They are both still individuals ready to stand up for themselves despite being Insecure.
Lol untrue, that movie is horrific and Howl is a messy man who thre his problems in that girl's lap and she set to work on managing his problems for him.
It's even more interesting to think about this within the context of the book, where Sophie is less insecure about her beauty but more insecure about feeling trapped by the complex of being the "eldest child destined to fail".
The book is very different but I think it’s heart is the same, two people overcoming the bounderies inside themselves. It’s very sweet and defiantly worth a read! - also spoiler, howl is actually from our world 😊
Litterally in tears. Had never been able to put my finger on why I loved this film so much. I never caught onto the parallels. The counterargument to perfect love wrecked me
I feel like Sophie. I look around and see girls with boyfriends younger than me when I’m in my mid twenties and have never had a boyfriend. I Hope to meet my howl one day. Someone who’ll love me even if I don’t have the figure of a model.
I'm 39 and have never even been on a date with someone I've had even the slightest attraction to. I've been called ugly my entire life and I'm either outright rejected or led on but never given a chance. I briefly tried dating a guy I felt nothing for and I was more miserable with him than I am alone, and that's saying something. It may be easy to enjoy being single when you have a support system of other loved ones, but when you literally have no one, all the while abusers, r*pists, child touchers, and even murderers can get anyone and everyone they want, it's just a constant reminder that nothing you do will ever be good enough. If I wanted to force myself to be with someone wasn't remotely spiritually and emotionally attracted to, sure, I could be with someone. But if genuinely terrible and even evil people don't have to settle, those of us who try our best to be good sure as hell shouldn't have to. This world is cruel and extremely lonely for people like us.
I totally agree with what you're saying. I used to defend the whole 'you can't love someone else until you love yourself' notion but people would point out its still possible to heal in relationships, rather than avoid them to work on yourself. I think the reason I resisted this view and got mad is I can't find anyone who's willing to do that, even if I want them, and no matter how I try its very hard to find ways to love myself. When the rejections pile up enough you start to believe you are not wanted or worthy, and that is a very depressing thing to deal with :(
As someone who just got diagnosed with body Dysmorphia, it’s kinda crazy how much this video sticks with me. like my self love for myself atm is a big fat 0, I never buy myself clothes or makeup because I don’t wanna pay attention to myself, and whenever I get complimented or hit on I make the automatic assumption that people are lying. It’s kinda crazy how relatable I find Sophie now. I think I needed this video, to remind myself that I’m still worthy of love even if I don’t see myself that way.
It's so funny how in the book, their personalities are way different. I totally recommend reading it because the story beats shown (with the wicked witch etc.) suddenly start to make so much more sense when you understand what it is all really based on. The very British writing is delightful and very humorous too and I personally loved the illustrations as well
This is true actually! It's explored in the books as well. Calcifer's responses to Sophie - being yielding, blushing/pumping up when she compliments him, etc - are indicative of Howl's feelings towards her, who becomes smitten with her when he first sees her in her frumpy grey dress at the start of the book. But Howl himself is unable to really properly express his feelings towards her because he is "heartless" so long as Calcifer has his heart. It's after his heart is returned to him that he and Sophie express their love for each other. Though it should also be noted that their personalities are a *bit* different in the books, but I believe this aspect about Calcifer and Howl's heart were conveyed in the movie too.
Insecurity isn't an issue if the other person is not a toxic, narcissistic person. In this instance, Howl wasn't a toxic narcissist. He was just an immature vain guy with his heart in the right place (no pun intended). Hence why it's not a big deal that Sophie was also insecure. Had Howl been an a-hole (as the novel Howl was more so than the Studio Ghibli animated Howl) it might've caused problems for Sophie. I found the novel Howl was more problematic and can't see the novel Sophie blossoming to be as strong as the animated Sophie, tbh.
The Howl and Sophie in the novels are very different to their movie versions, in my opinion they work well in the books because Sophie is headstrong and not at all afraid to go against Howl's wishes, and Howl falls for her stubborn nature since he can see who she is from the start. While movie Howl is very charming, I wouldn't call book Howl an a-hole, he's quite literally a looser an a coward, he only steps up and owns up to his crap when Sophie comes into his life. They drive each other crazy, but they make each other better if that makes sense.
@@funkystudios12 agree, I know most people hate on book Howl, but I find him more relatable compared to ghibli howl which is more fitting for the typical"prince charming" trope. Book sophie was also far from perfect, they were just to imperfect people finding solace in each other.
@@golDroger88Jesus, people aren't perfect. They have faults. Stop piling on their backs for every single little thing they do that's not perfect and productive, messiness and "issues" are just facts of life.
Finally someone who gets this movie 😭 I’ve seen so many ghibli reviews or tier lists where people go “idk man this one just didn’t make sense to me”. This is my favorite ghibli movie.
This was such a sweet and yet profound video. I think the saying "you should love yourself before you try to love another" is superficial, as ironic as that is. In my opinion, we should accept ourselves and with that comes accepting that we are beings worthy (but not entitled) to love. It's also very important to acknowledge that this is a lifetime process. You're never just done with it; as such, one is never perfectly content with one's self, for one has always things to work on. It's also important to mention that in a healthy relationship, both partners can positively contribute to this journey of self acceptance, they cannot force it upon one another as it's mostly an individual process, but they'll not hinder it.
oh I completely agree, you're never just done with it, there's always room to improve that's why if you're waiting to be some version of "perfect" for someone else you'll be waiting forever
I broke up with my ex not long ago and this video hits me right in the head. I am exactly like Sophie, who always needs external validation while my ex was the total opposite of me. I am still trying to find myself and my identity, but I am doing way better than before. Thank you so much for posting this video.
This is the perfect video to explain to people what I'm looking for in a relationship. I just want to lift someone up when they need it, like Howl and Sophie do. I want my Sophie too. Which is probably why this is my favorite Ghibli film. Loved the video, great look at this classic. Hope we can all find our Howl's and Sophie's
I've always said that I want to support someone whilst they support me and this video perfectly explains what I mean when I say that. Thanks for making this video
I once had a relationship like this and it was beautiful while it lasted. I truly hope you find your Sophie and that you might progress further in life together. Sadly in my case she left me: she had changed and no longer saw me as a suitable partner to accompany her reaching her objectives. I know struggle with self hatred, so this video engages me from both sides. I'm happy I found it.
I love this movie to death and have so many thoughts on it, but you worded this in a way that offered me a whole new perspective on the characters and myself. Amazing video!!
short n sweet, heartfelt, analytical, i love it ! you did a great job analyzing these character's relations with each other, as well as their own inner demons. a great analysis, keep up the good work man :]
This was my favorite studio ghibli film due to its relatability, and for so long I thought the same thing, how can you love someone if you don’t love yourself, but for those who get scared or might feel unworthy, I’ll have you know, that through trying to love someone, it can unexpectedly help you realize that you are worth so much love and more, a beautiful surprise I learned once starting a relationship in my later years 🥰
It is absolutely crazy that this popped up in my reccomended. My ex partner and I just broke up and they had a lot of self hatred and were unable to accept that I genuinely enjoyed them and had feelings for them. I felt really blindsided by our breakup but this video is the icing on the cake of my evolved understanding of who they are. It blew my mind. They were obsessed with this movie and said it was their favorite movie all time but we had never watched it together, and I had never seen it.
What a great analysis of one of my favorite movies. As someone who herself is insecure, this makes me think of my partner who loves me and recognizes me for the things i forget about myself.
I always found it surprising that no matter how many times I watched Ghibli movies there would always be a new small aspect of the movie that ppl could talk about. Howl's Moving Castle is one of my favourtie movies since childhood. I adore this animation, those views, music and ofc characters and the plot. Personaly, there is also this thing that as soon as I saw Sophie when I was a child I knew I could relate to her wholeheartedly- with looks, her way of viewing the world around her, the way she thought about herself and how she treated others, so maybe that why this specific movie from studio Ghibili stood out for me the most. I really liked your analysis :) I enjoyed your take on their insecurities, I think most of the time watchers might think that Sophie is the only insecure person but the truth is that Howl is also an example of that. As you have mentioned there is this scene when he has a breakdown after his hair changed colour :'D 'There is no point in living if i can't be beautiful' - says Howl and ofc the first thing that pops out to a mind is that its superficial, trivial rather than insecure but then for some ppl it might click that maybe he also worries about his looks on a deeper level? All in all, I like the message of the video- that you can be insecure and unsure about yourself and still find love, relationship and hapiness. You don't have to be super confident, what is meant to be will happen on their own I guess :) Its comforting since many ppl preach about loving yourself first before you find a significant other but its not that easy and I think if you find the right person those things can happen simultaneously. Bonus info, in my country (Poland) the name of Howl was changed into Hauru :) It was normal for us that it always has been Sophie and Hauru but then when I finally watched in English version I was like huuh, so his name is Howl :'P
I'm glad you liked my video! Often times when I finish writing a video I think it's not very good or I haven't explained things clearly enough, it's an insecurity of my own writing and as a RUclipsr, so this one was personal to me and to see so many people connect with this video kinda proves my point. if you're waiting to become "perfect" to foster a relationship you'll never achieve what you're searching for instead it'll stop you from even trying.
In the German version it's Hauro! I'm pretty sure Hauru/Hauro is the original (as it sounds and looks way more japanese):and they changed it to Howl for the english version, because Hauru/Hauro is hard to pronounce for an english speaker
@@lucian7490 no waay! That would actually make so much sense! Many times when I saw english speaking person who tried to learn Japaneese they would always have problems with letters that have kinda sharp pronunciation and also with syllables since I guess thats how Japaneese sounds, you can clearly hear syllabic division of words, specific rhythm wheras in English there are many words that don't really apply to this pronunciation and you read differently than it appears? And for me Japaneese pronunciation was always maybe not easy but still possible since in Polish its exactly the same- syllables and some sharp letters :) But I have heard that Japaneese don't really use 'r' but sometimes I can hear it in certain words....I need to explore this topic more! Thanks for letting me know about those names, I need to dwell on that cause I really need to know if its true :D
I have loved this movie dearly for years. What I enjoy most is now matter how many times I watch it, I can find a new insight on Sophie and Howl’s dynamic and how the growth of the cast of characters is representative of so many struggles people have with identity, it’s a testament to how well fleshed out they are. Thank you for this video! ❤️ :)
of course, yeah this film has a lot of depth to it and it's interesting that so many people have gotten so many different things out of it, a true testament for sure
There’s a lot of elements of shadow work, Jungian psychology, In the film which I find a be very beautiful. In fact a lot of fantastical fairytales like this and other studio ghibli movies Have themes of shadow projection shadow integration. Spirit away has no face which in someways represents the shadow projection of the main character. Thank you for your presentation it was really informative and made my day a little brighter
3:40 Oh my gosh, I feel robbed. In my native language that line was translated like "they keep the wich of the waste away", which completely changes Howl's character arc and personality
These past few months I’ve been so hard on myself, for every little thing about me, from the way my eyes look to even my voice. It’s crazy how insecurities can ruin a person, because I used to never be so insecure only until recently, although I’ve found ways to manage them in a healthy way, and everyday I still find a lot of things to criticize myself for, but I’m slowly getting better at being more compassionate, and that everyone also has their own insecurities, and I’m not alone on this journey of fighting them, and realizing that, it doesn’t define who I am
you aren't defined by your insecurities, past mistakes and you're definitely not alone on this journey. I'm glad you're becoming more compassionate to yourself you deserve it!
THEY MAKE ME WANNA CRY OH MY GOOOD this was so good ishidnisndidn as you said with your own sophie, im waiting for the day i find my howl im like sophie in a way, i strive for others to say good things about me because if they dont i feel worthless ive tried focusing on myself lately and ill wait as long as it takes
0:45 This has been my favorite movie for years, even before I met my partner. It took us 10 months for us to be official because we were two imperfect people who didn’t think a fairytale-like love could be real. And in fact, one of the times I was rewatching the movie, I was texting him and I realized a few things. 1) He loves me, 2) He was waiting for me to be ready, and 3) I fell in love with him and should give it a shot. We became an official couple soon after. The “Merry-Go-Round of Life” will be one of our wedding songs ❤️
This translates pretty well in my relationship. We don't always feel good enough for eachother love but we see it within eachother, wich in turn let us to understand we can be loved and are worthly of love. So i appreciatie to hear this, thanks
It’s so sad that some people can’t see past the anime, and just get bored, and not pay attention to the story Like I’ve tried, showing Howells, moving castle to several people that are older, and they just can’t see past anime
@@spphrmedia it’s sad they can’t see past the animation, and the fact that the the lips don’t sync up to the words and lose out on an entire magical story that has better rating than any western movie Like the average anime writing is of Oscar quality
Despite how scared both main characters start of themselves, their gifts and the overall world around them. The mystery of the magician's lore is used to keep people at a distance and to make a profit. Only the witch of the waste and solomon really know more of Howl's history then us. Until the end when love unlocks the past and eventually the key to both spells to Sophie when the door opens to Howl's heart/childhood. Why i named my daughter after the courageous Sophia.
Subscribed! This video was beautiful, I find myself to relate to Sophie 100%, and your comments in the end were heartfelt, kind and compassionate to all the Sophie's and Howl's in the world. This is a wonderful lesson that you made more visible to vulnerable people who need it. May we all find our Howl/Sophie :)
I also don’t think that it’s true that you must love yourself before you can love another. I think the real problem is that when you love someone without loving yourself, you can’t tell the difference between them loving you back, and them using you. When you don’t love yourself, you are primed to accept mistreatment, because however bad they may treat you, you will perceive it to be better than how you would treat yourself. But if you do actually fall in love with someone who is also in love with you, then your love for each other teaches each other how to love yourselves.
Having watched this movie a while back, I didn't realise how similar I am to Sophie in relation to her insecurities and measures of self worth. Definitely needed that message at the end, thanks for this video. Hopefully, I too can find my Howl 😀
I was in company of a guy that made me insecure about my each and everybody part my personality my speech style my dress style every single thing he made bad comments on them and the fact I had one sided love for him have now made me plunge in a sea of self hatred what a turn of event for me ….
I hope to find my Howl too 💔 thank you for this beautiful video, this has been my favourite movie since I was a little girl and The books are just beauty ❤
i never grew fond of howls on the first watch, love the music tho. But after watching this video I never realized how far off I was in truly understanding the movie
I met him a few months ago. It's funny, we even watched this movie together. It wasn't until this last week when I watched it on my own just how eerily similar we were to Howl and Sophie's story. I wonder what he thought of when we watched it, and I hope we watch it together again. I feel like he would see it, too. Thank you for this analysis.
Thank you for this presentation. I grew up needing high prescription glasses that made my eyes look big and always hated it since a boy made fun of me in elementary school. Recently as an adult, my soft contacts tore (even my backups) so I was forced to wear my glasses. The thing is these glasses at the time I received them were new of course only my nephew who is autistic scratched them cause he liked the way it looked. So I’m wearing my glasses and have finally accepted myself truly. My coworkers accepted me and a young woman accepted me. It’s pretty cool. Years ago I prayed to God to help me accept myself in general. Now I’m chilling lol
I agree on the selfconfidence and loving part. But what i didn’t see anywhere is the way they see love and the world when they are young and old. When they are young, they are so much more full of life, more moving of everyting (flying, running, fast eating, and so on) while when Sophie and the Witch of the waste are older, everything is mich slower, loving the quiet (sitting aside the lake, she also says that she ‘enjoys the quiet’ or something in that line for example) and are much more focused on the heart (literally in the movie), while it’s the heart that moves the whole castle (eg the person) and gives live (the casle, Howl, Witch of the waste). We also see it when calcifer is being fed by different stuff (Sophie’s hair, the blob worm), or when he doesn’t getting attention and starts to being burnt up. I don’t know dude, just my idea.
I love this movie, as I’ve loved any kind of “beauty and the beast” themed story. As a Christian, these stories always reminds me that despite my failings or insecurities, Jesus has and will always love me. I pray for that salvation and love for everyone! 😊💜🙌✝️
I've seen this movie so many times. There's something special about it. I even read the book the movie was inspired from. But I have never looked at it from this perspective, and it makes so much sense! They are indeed two sides of the same coin. Thank you for sharing your thoughts 😊
Wow such a great analysis! It's surprising for me that you haven't got 10K+ likes, but I strongly believe that your chanel will get popular soon💪 This whole topic is so me. Right now I work hard to improve my self love and life in general, but lately I started to unconsciously avoid meeting new people, especially young guys. I was (and am) insecure about my performance, looks and skills (like Sophie and even Howl). So I decided to "polish" myself, make myself stronger-happier-more peaceful until my condition becomes "just right"(read: perfect), so I could reach out for external love. I've really became much stronger, hapier and more peaceful despite that I mostly live alone now. However, I sometimes chatch myself thinking about some extra love from others. And thanks to that video I finally recognise this need so I will work on it!
I really like spirited away but my bf doesn’t but we can both agree on how much we love this movie along with the music 💕 he so cute when I told him they based it off the book he wants to read it even tho it’ll be slightly different
Love is a natural thing that comes to us in waves, but the complexities of life and the conditions of being an individual make us choose paths and actions that reflect what we thing is “worth” something. Though love is in all of us it’s the decision to share love with someone that makes you pick how much or how little of yourself you will give and why. These “trades” of love is where one must understand themselves so they don’t either give too much of themselves without getting anything in return or if they give so little of themselves that it isn’t enough for the other. The saying of “you must love yourself” doesn’t say you CANT love Just that love is like an open field, one can lose oneself if they aren’t in touch with what they need balanced with what the other person needs And this is where the difficulty in love comes from It’s not impossible to love others while not fully loving yourself but it just makes it that much harder than if you understood/love yourself to that level
Huh. You know, I've always loved this movie, and your video finally made me realize why. I relate a lot to Sophie and it's crazy to think I never noticed until now. Great video, great little analysis. I think you'd be great at doing hours long break downs, though I know that is tough work. 😅
One thing that confused me in the movie is that when sophie goes back in time to howls childhood and tells him “I know how to help you know, find me in the future.” And so howl does find her! But without howl finding her in the first place she wouldn’t be able to go back in time to his childhood……
I read the book in 2003 I think, I remember keeping it hidden because I was embarrassed to read fantasy in front of my super cool friends. Little did I know that Diana Wynn Jones was a literary genius. I highly recommend her work. I know people say this all the time and it gets annoying, but the book is so much better, it's so much deeper, there is SO much they left out of the film The love story is... you'll never forget it.
It's weird how relevant this is to me now. Insecurity should never be the gatekeeper of love. Instead, it's an opportunity to find a partner that can provide you with the uplifting reassurance that helps you heal together.
I completely agree, insecurities are apart of the human condition and relationships can provide us with a chance to uplift ourselves and others
In theory it sounds nice. But in practice, you need to know that you have a problem and you need to be willing to change.
I was in relationship with someone who didn't value themselves and were degrading themselves all the time. They needed my attention all the time and they were jealous of anyone else I spent my time with - my pet, my family, my friends. Even their friends that I tried to build relationships with for them... They never admitted they had a problem and they blackmailed me emotionally (crying how hard it is to be them when I was unhappy about their behaviour and wanted to talk about it)
Everyone deserves a chance at love, but not everyone deserves love itself.
@@CatCheshire I totally agree with you. But that’s what I meant in my comment; growing together and healing together is entirely predicated on being willing to grow. But having a problem doesn’t mean you lose your chance at love, just like you said.
I believe we are saying similar things, but you’re just pointing out the reality of the difficult part. I’m so sorry you went through that.
To a certain extent. You need a partner that can support you but you shouldn't be a burden on the relationship and only you can help yourself.
@@erik7317
Yeah, I'm probably focusing on the bad part because of what happened
But still, to find love, you don't have to be "perfect" because no one ever will be
xP
I think what's important is that despite their insecurities they both still have boundaries. Sofie doesn't let Howl get away with all his childish behaviour and Howl protects his way of life from Sofies changes. They are both still individuals ready to stand up for themselves despite being Insecure.
oh absolutely, healthy boundaries are important in any relationship and especially so when dealing with insecurities
Lol untrue, that movie is horrific and Howl is a messy man who thre his problems in that girl's lap and she set to work on managing his problems for him.
While the statement, "you gotta love yourself before loving others" is true, when you receive the right kind of love, loving yourself is alot easier ❤
very true
That's why good parenting matters for the future of the childrens.
It's even more interesting to think about this within the context of the book, where Sophie is less insecure about her beauty but more insecure about feeling trapped by the complex of being the "eldest child destined to fail".
oh that's interesting I haven't read the book
The book is very different but I think it’s heart is the same, two people overcoming the bounderies inside themselves. It’s very sweet and defiantly worth a read! - also spoiler, howl is actually from our world 😊
@@omnipotentfaces1514 wtf with this spoiler
@@emimichan007lol he’s from present day Wales. Has a fam too but they don’t need him. He finds his purpose through Sophie
Glad to see someone who read the book! I honestly loved it more with all its twists and surprises and more detailed characters 🥰
2:39 “her sense of self worth is tied up into her usefulness to others” ):
but her growth is beautiful :)
I relate to this 😢
that hit hard ❤
Notice how one of the first things Howl says to Sophie is that he’s been looking for her …. And the. In the past Sophie tells him to find her.
I know it's a time loop! one of my favorite things about this film
Litterally in tears. Had never been able to put my finger on why I loved this film so much. I never caught onto the parallels. The counterargument to perfect love wrecked me
I'm happy to hear you resonated with my video, it is truly such a great film :)
I feel like Sophie. I look around and see girls with boyfriends younger than me when I’m in my mid twenties and have never had a boyfriend. I Hope to meet my howl one day. Someone who’ll love me even if I don’t have the figure of a model.
I hope you find your Howl too, remember you don't need everything figured out before you deserve love
I'm 39 and have never even been on a date with someone I've had even the slightest attraction to. I've been called ugly my entire life and I'm either outright rejected or led on but never given a chance. I briefly tried dating a guy I felt nothing for and I was more miserable with him than I am alone, and that's saying something. It may be easy to enjoy being single when you have a support system of other loved ones, but when you literally have no one, all the while abusers, r*pists, child touchers, and even murderers can get anyone and everyone they want, it's just a constant reminder that nothing you do will ever be good enough. If I wanted to force myself to be with someone wasn't remotely spiritually and emotionally attracted to, sure, I could be with someone. But if genuinely terrible and even evil people don't have to settle, those of us who try our best to be good sure as hell shouldn't have to. This world is cruel and extremely lonely for people like us.
Agree 🙈😊
@@spphrmediathank you for that… I’m really glad I ran into this video
I totally agree with what you're saying. I used to defend the whole 'you can't love someone else until you love yourself' notion but people would point out its still possible to heal in relationships, rather than avoid them to work on yourself. I think the reason I resisted this view and got mad is I can't find anyone who's willing to do that, even if I want them, and no matter how I try its very hard to find ways to love myself. When the rejections pile up enough you start to believe you are not wanted or worthy, and that is a very depressing thing to deal with :(
I think you'll find the right person eventually, its best not to rush these kinda things
As someone who just got diagnosed with body Dysmorphia, it’s kinda crazy how much this video sticks with me. like my self love for myself atm is a big fat 0, I never buy myself clothes or makeup because I don’t wanna pay attention to myself, and whenever I get complimented or hit on I make the automatic assumption that people are lying. It’s kinda crazy how relatable I find Sophie now. I think I needed this video, to remind myself that I’m still worthy of love even if I don’t see myself that way.
you deserve love even if you can't see that yet 🖤
It's so funny how in the book, their personalities are way different. I totally recommend reading it because the story beats shown (with the wicked witch etc.) suddenly start to make so much more sense when you understand what it is all really based on. The very British writing is delightful and very humorous too and I personally loved the illustrations as well
interesting yeah, ive had a few comments saying I should read the book it's one I'll definitely have to look into
I luvvvv how she was able to handle Calcifer, I feel like Cal was somehow a metaphorical idea trying to make implications towards Howl’s heart.
☺️
oh yeah there's so much symbolism with calcifer, I could probably make a video on him and what he represents
This is true actually! It's explored in the books as well. Calcifer's responses to Sophie - being yielding, blushing/pumping up when she compliments him, etc - are indicative of Howl's feelings towards her, who becomes smitten with her when he first sees her in her frumpy grey dress at the start of the book. But Howl himself is unable to really properly express his feelings towards her because he is "heartless" so long as Calcifer has his heart. It's after his heart is returned to him that he and Sophie express their love for each other.
Though it should also be noted that their personalities are a *bit* different in the books, but I believe this aspect about Calcifer and Howl's heart were conveyed in the movie too.
yeah, I've heard that things are a bit different from the book and film, but also have heard that they're both great in their own regard
Insecurity isn't an issue if the other person is not a toxic, narcissistic person. In this instance, Howl wasn't a toxic narcissist. He was just an immature vain guy with his heart in the right place (no pun intended). Hence why it's not a big deal that Sophie was also insecure. Had Howl been an a-hole (as the novel Howl was more so than the Studio Ghibli animated Howl) it might've caused problems for Sophie. I found the novel Howl was more problematic and can't see the novel Sophie blossoming to be as strong as the animated Sophie, tbh.
I agree, their relationship worked because Howl isn't a narcissist he had his problems for certain, but he never brought Sophie down
The Howl and Sophie in the novels are very different to their movie versions, in my opinion they work well in the books because Sophie is headstrong and not at all afraid to go against Howl's wishes, and Howl falls for her stubborn nature since he can see who she is from the start. While movie Howl is very charming, I wouldn't call book Howl an a-hole, he's quite literally a looser an a coward, he only steps up and owns up to his crap when Sophie comes into his life. They drive each other crazy, but they make each other better if that makes sense.
Insecurity is an issue. You cannot get the most out of life if you're insecure and past a certain point you become a burden to those around you.
@@funkystudios12 agree, I know most people hate on book Howl, but I find him more relatable compared to ghibli howl which is more fitting for the typical"prince charming" trope. Book sophie was also far from perfect, they were just to imperfect people finding solace in each other.
@@golDroger88Jesus, people aren't perfect. They have faults. Stop piling on their backs for every single little thing they do that's not perfect and productive, messiness and "issues" are just facts of life.
I apologize for the anti-copyright mark over the entire video, but without it the video would get completely blocked even though it's fair use...
Fair use doesn't exist in Japan 😅
Finally someone who gets this movie 😭 I’ve seen so many ghibli reviews or tier lists where people go “idk man this one just didn’t make sense to me”. This is my favorite ghibli movie.
it could be because it's my first Ghibli film but I really like it too definitely gotta see more though
This was such a sweet and yet profound video. I think the saying "you should love yourself before you try to love another" is superficial, as ironic as that is. In my opinion, we should accept ourselves and with that comes accepting that we are beings worthy (but not entitled) to love. It's also very important to acknowledge that this is a lifetime process. You're never just done with it; as such, one is never perfectly content with one's self, for one has always things to work on.
It's also important to mention that in a healthy relationship, both partners can positively contribute to this journey of self acceptance, they cannot force it upon one another as it's mostly an individual process, but they'll not hinder it.
oh I completely agree, you're never just done with it, there's always room to improve that's why if you're waiting to be some version of "perfect" for someone else you'll be waiting forever
I broke up with my ex not long ago and this video hits me right in the head. I am exactly like Sophie, who always needs external validation while my ex was the total opposite of me. I am still trying to find myself and my identity, but I am doing way better than before. Thank you so much for posting this video.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video hopefully this video helps you on that journey of identity and finding yourself
We can do better than Howl
Ive never been so inspired by a character as I have sophie. May we all learn how to break our own curses, and inspire others to break theirs ❤
I love Sophie she's a great character
This is the perfect video to explain to people what I'm looking for in a relationship. I just want to lift someone up when they need it, like Howl and Sophie do. I want my Sophie too. Which is probably why this is my favorite Ghibli film.
Loved the video, great look at this classic. Hope we can all find our Howl's and Sophie's
thank you! I hope one day you find your Sophie too :)
I've always said that I want to support someone whilst they support me and this video perfectly explains what I mean when I say that. Thanks for making this video
I once had a relationship like this and it was beautiful while it lasted. I truly hope you find your Sophie and that you might progress further in life together.
Sadly in my case she left me: she had changed and no longer saw me as a suitable partner to accompany her reaching her objectives. I know struggle with self hatred, so this video engages me from both sides. I'm happy I found it.
I love this movie to death and have so many thoughts on it, but you worded this in a way that offered me a whole new perspective on the characters and myself. Amazing video!!
thank you, the more I think about this movie the more I like it
I feel like there's new details to appreciate about it every time I rewatch it. I wish you the same experience!!
Now I understand why I was crying so much after this movie. I'm also looking for my Howl
you'll find you're Howl eventually I believe in you 🖤
short n sweet, heartfelt, analytical, i love it ! you did a great job analyzing these character's relations with each other, as well as their own inner demons. a great analysis, keep up the good work man :]
thank you so much I really appreciate it !
This was my favorite studio ghibli film due to its relatability, and for so long I thought the same thing, how can you love someone if you don’t love yourself, but for those who get scared or might feel unworthy, I’ll have you know, that through trying to love someone, it can unexpectedly help you realize that you are worth so much love and more, a beautiful surprise I learned once starting a relationship in my later years 🥰
I'm glad it worked out for you, proof that you can learn to love yourself while loving someone else
It is absolutely crazy that this popped up in my reccomended. My ex partner and I just broke up and they had a lot of self hatred and were unable to accept that I genuinely enjoyed them and had feelings for them. I felt really blindsided by our breakup but this video is the icing on the cake of my evolved understanding of who they are. It blew my mind. They were obsessed with this movie and said it was their favorite movie all time but we had never watched it together, and I had never seen it.
maybe this is your sign to finally watch it
What a great analysis of one of my favorite movies. As someone who herself is insecure, this makes me think of my partner who loves me and recognizes me for the things i forget about myself.
it's important not to let your insecurities bury you, I'm glad you like my video it means a lot :)
I always found it surprising that no matter how many times I watched Ghibli movies there would always be a new small aspect of the movie that ppl could talk about. Howl's Moving Castle is one of my favourtie movies since childhood. I adore this animation, those views, music and ofc characters and the plot. Personaly, there is also this thing that as soon as I saw Sophie when I was a child I knew I could relate to her wholeheartedly- with looks, her way of viewing the world around her, the way she thought about herself and how she treated others, so maybe that why this specific movie from studio Ghibili stood out for me the most. I really liked your analysis :) I enjoyed your take on their insecurities, I think most of the time watchers might think that Sophie is the only insecure person but the truth is that Howl is also an example of that. As you have mentioned there is this scene when he has a breakdown after his hair changed colour :'D 'There is no point in living if i can't be beautiful' - says Howl and ofc the first thing that pops out to a mind is that its superficial, trivial rather than insecure but then for some ppl it might click that maybe he also worries about his looks on a deeper level? All in all, I like the message of the video- that you can be insecure and unsure about yourself and still find love, relationship and hapiness. You don't have to be super confident, what is meant to be will happen on their own I guess :) Its comforting since many ppl preach about loving yourself first before you find a significant other but its not that easy and I think if you find the right person those things can happen simultaneously. Bonus info, in my country (Poland) the name of Howl was changed into Hauru :) It was normal for us that it always has been Sophie and Hauru but then when I finally watched in English version I was like huuh, so his name is Howl :'P
I'm glad you liked my video! Often times when I finish writing a video I think it's not very good or I haven't explained things clearly enough, it's an insecurity of my own writing and as a RUclipsr, so this one was personal to me and to see so many people connect with this video kinda proves my point. if you're waiting to become "perfect" to foster a relationship you'll never achieve what you're searching for instead it'll stop you from even trying.
In the German version it's Hauro! I'm pretty sure Hauru/Hauro is the original (as it sounds and looks way more japanese):and they changed it to Howl for the english version, because Hauru/Hauro is hard to pronounce for an english speaker
@@lucian7490 no waay! That would actually make so much sense! Many times when I saw english speaking person who tried to learn Japaneese they would always have problems with letters that have kinda sharp pronunciation and also with syllables since I guess thats how Japaneese sounds, you can clearly hear syllabic division of words, specific rhythm wheras in English there are many words that don't really apply to this pronunciation and you read differently than it appears? And for me Japaneese pronunciation was always maybe not easy but still possible since in Polish its exactly the same- syllables and some sharp letters :) But I have heard that Japaneese don't really use 'r' but sometimes I can hear it in certain words....I need to explore this topic more! Thanks for letting me know about those names, I need to dwell on that cause I really need to know if its true :D
@@Aleex111 yeah right?!
Tell me, when you found out!
criminally underated video
criminally underrated comment
This interpretation of the movie may shed some light on why this movie is one of my wife's favorites.
could be, there's so much to love about this movie
*sigh* guess I gotta watch howls moving castle again
I see this as an absolute win
for 26374 times because I just freaking love this movie 😭
I have loved this movie dearly for years. What I enjoy most is now matter how many times I watch it, I can find a new insight on Sophie and Howl’s dynamic and how the growth of the cast of characters is representative of so many struggles people have with identity, it’s a testament to how well fleshed out they are. Thank you for this video! ❤️ :)
of course, yeah this film has a lot of depth to it and it's interesting that so many people have gotten so many different things out of it, a true testament for sure
There’s a lot of elements of shadow work, Jungian psychology, In the film which I find a be very beautiful. In fact a lot of fantastical fairytales like this and other studio ghibli movies Have themes of shadow projection shadow integration. Spirit away has no face which in someways represents the shadow projection of the main character. Thank you for your presentation it was really informative and made my day a little brighter
I didn't even think of shadow work when making this I'll have to keep that in mind for future essays
3:40 Oh my gosh, I feel robbed. In my native language that line was translated like "they keep the wich of the waste away", which completely changes Howl's character arc and personality
oh no lol what's your native language if you don't mind me asking ?
These past few months I’ve been so hard on myself, for every little thing about me, from the way my eyes look to even my voice. It’s crazy how insecurities can ruin a person, because I used to never be so insecure only until recently, although I’ve found ways to manage them in a healthy way, and everyday I still find a lot of things to criticize myself for, but I’m slowly getting better at being more compassionate, and that everyone also has their own insecurities, and I’m not alone on this journey of fighting them, and realizing that, it doesn’t define who I am
you aren't defined by your insecurities, past mistakes and you're definitely not alone on this journey. I'm glad you're becoming more compassionate to yourself you deserve it!
THEY MAKE ME WANNA CRY OH MY GOOOD
this was so good ishidnisndidn
as you said with your own sophie, im waiting for the day i find my howl
im like sophie in a way, i strive for others to say good things about me because if they dont i feel worthless
ive tried focusing on myself lately
and ill wait as long as it takes
keep working on yourself friend, you're far from worthless and you'll find your howl one day too!
0:45 This has been my favorite movie for years, even before I met my partner. It took us 10 months for us to be official because we were two imperfect people who didn’t think a fairytale-like love could be real. And in fact, one of the times I was rewatching the movie, I was texting him and I realized a few things. 1) He loves me, 2) He was waiting for me to be ready, and 3) I fell in love with him and should give it a shot. We became an official couple soon after. The “Merry-Go-Round of Life” will be one of our wedding songs ❤️
That's so sweet I'm happy for you 🖤
This translates pretty well in my relationship. We don't always feel good enough for eachother love but we see it within eachother, wich in turn let us to understand we can be loved and are worthly of love. So i appreciatie to hear this, thanks
It’s so sad that some people can’t see past the anime, and just get bored, and not pay attention to the story
Like I’ve tried, showing Howells, moving castle to several people that are older, and they just can’t see past anime
Yeah, anime does seem to be a barrier for some people I also don't really understand it
@@spphrmedia it’s sad they can’t see past the animation, and the fact that the the lips don’t sync up to the words and lose out on an entire magical story that has better rating than any western movie
Like the average anime writing is of Oscar quality
That's wack they're really missing out. Do they not like any foreign films or just anime specifically?
Despite how scared both main characters start of themselves, their gifts and the overall world around them. The mystery of the magician's lore is used to keep people at a distance and to make a profit. Only the witch of the waste and solomon really know more of Howl's history then us. Until the end when love unlocks the past and eventually the key to both spells to Sophie when the door opens to Howl's heart/childhood. Why i named my daughter after the courageous Sophia.
Subscribed! This video was beautiful, I find myself to relate to Sophie 100%, and your comments in the end were heartfelt, kind and compassionate to all the Sophie's and Howl's in the world. This is a wonderful lesson that you made more visible to vulnerable people who need it. May we all find our Howl/Sophie :)
thank you I'm so happy you enjoyed my video, I wish you all the best in finding your Howl/Sophie :)
This is a really beautiful video and it helps me understand Howl's and Sophie's connection so much better. I never noticed all the parallels!
This is the best howls moving castle video Ive watched by far, it genuinely clicks with me
thank you, I'm so glad that it does :)
I needed this video and it found me, thank you for the analysis.
you're welcome I'm glad you enjoyed it
I also don’t think that it’s true that you must love yourself before you can love another. I think the real problem is that when you love someone without loving yourself, you can’t tell the difference between them loving you back, and them using you. When you don’t love yourself, you are primed to accept mistreatment, because however bad they may treat you, you will perceive it to be better than how you would treat yourself. But if you do actually fall in love with someone who is also in love with you, then your love for each other teaches each other how to love yourselves.
i'm still working on not accepting mistreatment because it's childhood trauma thing to me to get victim-blamed for standing up when bullied
You made me cry. Beautiful analysis. Watched it multiple times and never noticed this...
wow. made you cry? I never thought these videos I make could ever impact someone like that. thank you
Aww that last line..I hope you find your sophie too!
This was the best overview I’ve heard of Howl’s Moving Castle! Could’ve listened to it for another hour!
thank you, I suppose I gotta write longer videos then!
wonderful video and reflection
both Sophie and Howl go through so much growth I really love this movie
Having watched this movie a while back, I didn't realise how similar I am to Sophie in relation to her insecurities and measures of self worth. Definitely needed that message at the end, thanks for this video.
Hopefully, I too can find my Howl 😀
I was in company of a guy that made me insecure about my each and everybody part my personality my speech style my dress style every single thing he made bad comments on them and the fact I had one sided love for him have now made me plunge in a sea of self hatred what a turn of event for me ….
I hope you can get out of that sea of self-hatred, I know it's easier said then done, but I'm really rooting for you here. you got this!
I hope to find my Howl too 💔 thank you for this beautiful video, this has been my favourite movie since I was a little girl and The books are just beauty ❤
you'll find your Howl someday
@@spphrmedia and you’ll find your sophie 🖤
i never grew fond of howls on the first watch, love the music tho. But after watching this video I never realized how far off I was in truly understanding the movie
I think you can interpret the story in many different ways, but I'm glad I helped you understand how I interpret it
I met him a few months ago. It's funny, we even watched this movie together. It wasn't until this last week when I watched it on my own just how eerily similar we were to Howl and Sophie's story. I wonder what he thought of when we watched it, and I hope we watch it together again. I feel like he would see it, too. Thank you for this analysis.
1:04 I sure do love Holw’s Moving Castle.
oops typo
@@spphrmedia No problem my dude. You made someone smiel at the least.
thanks this all went over my head when I watched lmao
I love this film so much, it's so beautiful in looks and in emotions it sets to invoke.
completely agree
Thank you for this presentation. I grew up needing high prescription glasses that made my eyes look big and always hated it since a boy made fun of me in elementary school. Recently as an adult, my soft contacts tore (even my backups) so I was forced to wear my glasses. The thing is these glasses at the time I received them were new of course only my nephew who is autistic scratched them cause he liked the way it looked. So I’m wearing my glasses and have finally accepted myself truly. My coworkers accepted me and a young woman accepted me. It’s pretty cool. Years ago I prayed to God to help me accept myself in general. Now I’m chilling lol
you're welcome, and I'm glad you were able to accept yourself
I agree on the selfconfidence and loving part. But what i didn’t see anywhere is the way they see love and the world when they are young and old. When they are young, they are so much more full of life, more moving of everyting (flying, running, fast eating, and so on) while when Sophie and the Witch of the waste are older, everything is mich slower, loving the quiet (sitting aside the lake, she also says that she ‘enjoys the quiet’ or something in that line for example) and are much more focused on the heart (literally in the movie), while it’s the heart that moves the whole castle (eg the person) and gives live (the casle, Howl, Witch of the waste). We also see it when calcifer is being fed by different stuff (Sophie’s hair, the blob worm), or when he doesn’t getting attention and starts to being burnt up. I don’t know dude, just my idea.
It’s sad how relatable this is. But I don’t know if I ever want to watch this movie
why not ? it's really good
Saw this on my red when it first uploaded. After just finishing this movie again today, I thought this would be more than fitting to watch this now! 😊
and how does my video stand up after rewatching ?
Finally somebody talks about this
This reminds me of my previous love attempt. It didn’t go well. And Im mentally unstable, and slowly getting better and actually appreciating myself.
I hope things get better and you can learn to fully appreciate yourself :)
This was beautifully done. Thank you for the video essay. I enjoyed it a lot.
thank you I really appreciate it and glad you enjoyed it :)
I love this movie, as I’ve loved any kind of “beauty and the beast” themed story. As a Christian, these stories always reminds me that despite my failings or insecurities, Jesus has and will always love me. I pray for that salvation and love for everyone! 😊💜🙌✝️
I've seen this movie so many times. There's something special about it. I even read the book the movie was inspired from. But I have never looked at it from this perspective, and it makes so much sense! They are indeed two sides of the same coin. Thank you for sharing your thoughts 😊
thanks for the kind words :)
Beautiful analisis. In a world obsessed with self love this feels refreshing
it's a balancing act for certain, self love is good and all, but it's definitely not everything
Damn. I need to watch this movie now. Bc you sold it to me
it's really good, I definitely recommend
Good study! Also that was so cute when you said you wanna find your Sophie ♥️😭
I loved the video and how honest you were. Thank you for your openness.
thank you I'm glad you enjoyed the video, this is a place where I try to be more open with my emotions
This was a beautiful video :) thank you
of course, I'm glad you liked it :)
Nailed it! Thank you for making this video.
Well done. 👏👏👏
thank you!
This was so beautiful.
this video was amazing!! Please keep doing this
thank you I have no plans on stopping anytime soon!
Great analysis!! This is one of my favorite movies of all time ❤
thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
That’s perfect I needed this
this is such a beautiful video and it couldn't have showed up on my fyp at a more perfect time
thank you I'm so glad you liked it :)
thank you! i fall in love again with the movie
there's just so much to like about Howl's moving castle!
my favourite movie of all time. got a tattoo of the star children last year
I needed this today. Thank you.
Wow such a great analysis! It's surprising for me that you haven't got 10K+ likes, but I strongly believe that your chanel will get popular soon💪
This whole topic is so me. Right now I work hard to improve my self love and life in general, but lately I started to unconsciously avoid meeting new people, especially young guys. I was (and am) insecure about my performance, looks and skills (like Sophie and even Howl). So I decided to "polish" myself, make myself stronger-happier-more peaceful until my condition becomes "just right"(read: perfect), so I could reach out for external love. I've really became much stronger, hapier and more peaceful despite that I mostly live alone now. However, I sometimes chatch myself thinking about some extra love from others. And thanks to that video I finally recognise this need so I will work on it!
thank you so much making this video I truly never thought so many people would connect with it they way they have.
love this so much
I really like spirited away but my bf doesn’t but we can both agree on how much we love this movie along with the music 💕 he so cute when I told him they based it off the book he wants to read it even tho it’ll be slightly different
I think both movies are fantastic, I guess I was just a little surprised that Howl's Moving Castle won because of how much I hear about Spirted Away
Love is a natural thing that comes to us in waves, but the complexities of life and the conditions of being an individual make us choose paths and actions that reflect what we thing is “worth” something.
Though love is in all of us it’s the decision to share love with someone that makes you pick how much or how little of yourself you will give and why.
These “trades” of love is where one must understand themselves so they don’t either give too much of themselves without getting anything in return or if they give so little of themselves that it isn’t enough for the other.
The saying of “you must love yourself” doesn’t say you CANT love
Just that love is like an open field, one can lose oneself if they aren’t in touch with what they need balanced with what the other person needs
And this is where the difficulty in love comes from
It’s not impossible to love others while not fully loving yourself but it just makes it that much harder than if you understood/love yourself to that level
I agree, very well said
after watching this recently for the first time, I now want this typa love, and yes my sophie will come!
I believe in you, you'll get that kind of love and find your Sophie one day!
I never watched this but the old lady is so cute
Huh. You know, I've always loved this movie, and your video finally made me realize why. I relate a lot to Sophie and it's crazy to think I never noticed until now. Great video, great little analysis. I think you'd be great at doing hours long break downs, though I know that is tough work. 😅
I definitely want to do some bigger, longer break downs, but I gotta build up to an hour first maybe 15-20 mins
Beautiful and super insightful interpretation , thank you!
thank you :)
I Love this! It's wonderful just finished binging your videos and there great! looking forward to more of your work:)
thank you my next video is already in the works!
One thing that confused me in the movie is that when sophie goes back in time to howls childhood and tells him “I know how to help you know, find me in the future.” And so howl does find her! But without howl finding her in the first place she wouldn’t be able to go back in time to his childhood……
yeah, it's a time loop it's one of my favorite things about this movie
Really loved this video, it's straight to the point and perfectly explained, thank you
of course I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
I read the book in 2003 I think, I remember keeping it hidden because I was embarrassed to read fantasy in front of my super cool friends. Little did I know that Diana Wynn Jones was a literary genius. I highly recommend her work. I know people say this all the time and it gets annoying, but the book is so much better, it's so much deeper, there is SO much they left out of the film The love story is... you'll never forget it.
I guess I really gotta read the book then because I thought the film had a lot to say
@@spphrmedia it was a great breakdown.
Amazing Video!
What a wonderful video you've put together ❤
you're welcome :)
Great analysis. Loved it.
much appreciated!
such a beautiful sentiment, thanks for the vid!
of course, I'm glad you enjoyed :)
This video is so great and makes such a good point!!
thank you much!
I love this movie ❤❤
this video made me go and watch the movie!!! If youre thinking about it you definitely should Wow what a beautiful movie :,) Very relevant to me rn...
This channel has a lot of potential keep posting bangers!
thank you I appreciate it!
Insightful & heartwarming analysis 👏
thank you!