Howl's Moving Castle

Admittedly the only reason I really really wanted to watch this was because Howl's voice is done by Kimura Takuya (木村啦，木村). After watching it I have to say his voice is like his face...unremarkable. *Gets trussed and roasted on fire by legions of Kimura fans*

Okay okay *holds up hands in surrender* I don't dislike him, I just don't fangirl him and would not vote him in as the "man whom one wants a hug most from, 2006" (or any other calendar year, for that matter).

But he's an able actor for all his celebrity status, and Howl - though I like him much better than Haku from Spirited Away - is hardly explored to the depth where he would have difficulty with the role. In fact Howl seemed so perfectly cheery from beginning to end one wondered if he actually changed during the course of the movie, but we are supposed to believe he has.

There are more themes in the movie than I picked up on - there's got to be more to this story than the most obvious "love restores one's youth", but I suspect too much of the original book from which this was adapted has been condensed. Especially about warfare, which formed the backdrop to this fairytale.

For some bizarre inexplicable reason, I really liked Howl, even though he's no different from your average cardboard hero, with a few minor changes (he's a self-professed coward and is pathetically vain and childish). I still don't understand why he made a pact with Calcifer if the two of them so desperately want to break it. Though Sophie meeting Howl in the past and therefore Howl waited for her in the future (the heck?) was very sweet and probably explained the speed at which they suddenly became smitten with each other....

I have to confess, the first time I set eyes on Howl, the first name that popped into my mind (from the murky pool of "hey, he reminds me of...") was Lymond. *Hides*

Even if it's for really stupid reasons like his impeccable extravagance, the cool elegance as he fights off his enemies, the way he drives himself to battle, the blonde hair and blue eyes (through some mishap, his hair returns to its original colour which makes him look like Touya Akira and strangely enough not like Athrun), and...most stupid of all...the aristocratic shirt and hose.

But he smiles...I think he has a magician's smile. Steady, confident, and all a flawless pretence.

(I also like Howl because he's so damn useful! The next time one wants to renovate, make breakfast, look at sparkly lights at the edge of the milky way - call Howl!)

He's still underdeveloped because I feel that even at the end, we're missing large parts of his story and motivation. In true Studio Ghibli tradition, the focus is more on the lead girl maturing into her own, the male lead relegated to play saviour without much complexity.

This makes me mightily interested in Gedo Senki. Arren might actually have a story of his own.



(Oh yeah. The interview offer officially came yesterday.)

 

veronica has such cool friends XDD

Not saying mine aren't cool, of course =P

I can't believe Channel 10 is going so low-key about it ~~;; It's the season finale next week. So yes, we find out (finally) who killed Lilly Kane. Of course, me being me, and the net being the net, and America being not Australia and is thus 1 entire season ahead (yes, they just finished their run of the 2nd season), I already know who did it, and it's not one of the major suspects thus far.

Aww. Poor Duncan.

Feel so sorry for the guy. He's one of those archetypal ideal romantic leads who, aside from all the superficial appeals, has the nauseatingly sweet quality of trying to take the entire burden upon his own shoulders. I bet if this was some crummy tuppenny love novel, it would run something along the lines of "he didn't want to tell Veronica that [he found out from his 8itch of a mum] that they were [supposedly] siblings, and would rather be hated by her for the sudden unannounced breakup than tell her the reason and make her feel guilty about it too".

See what I mean? Nauseatingly sweet ~~;;;;; (It also makes me annoyed the way he was bunked off the show, but that's another season's story altogether. On the other hand, it was really neat how they got rid of Lilly's murderer. Oh, that's also another season's story altogether.)

I'm still not a big Logan fan, who is a perfect ass at his worst. Weevil and Wallace are full "awww-ness" though, especially all Wallace x Veronica moments XDDD

I'm not actually holding much hope out for Ten renewing this for the next season, although I'd vote this any day over trashy stuff like The O.C., although that show gets a loud cheer and applause for booting its main character off the cast >__>;



...Someone please verify the rumour that JAG is back on? What channel? What time? And what season is it on? I want to catch the one where the NCIS team appears ;__;

...Should stop watching so much TV. Hey, at least I've crossed Futurama off my regulars list.