Kiki’s Delivery Service is a heartwarming animated movie that was released in 1989 by one of Japan’s biggest animation studios, Studio Ghibli. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, a big name not only in the Japanese animation industry but also the film industry around the world, Kiki’s Delivery Service takes the viewer on a magical journey with its protagonist Kiki who is a young witch. At the tender age of 13, she leaves home with her black cat to find a town where she can settle in and start her training as a witch. The movie revolves around the delivery service that Kiki starts as a result of wanting to help the townspeople and the quests she stumbles on.

After putting off watching the movie for years, I finally decided to watch it when I came to Sweden. I had heard that Miyazaki drew inspiration from different parts of Sweden when it came to the creation of Kiki’s Delivery Service, which piqued my interest and motivated me to give the movie a chance. For what it is, Studio Ghibli’s animation never ceases to amaze me. The friendly and peaceful atmosphere of the movie created by the beautiful Swedish scenery and architecture alone makes the movie worth watching. Additionally, the soundtrack which was composed by Joe Hisaishi, best known for his score in Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, contributes to the nostalgic ambiance.

As I mentioned earlier, the movie is heavily based in Sweden, specifically parts of Stockholm like Gamla Stan and Visby. There is a strong sense of nostalgia in the colors and architectural details, reminiscent of the old parts of the city. Some real-life locations include: 

• Malmskillnadsbron (The Malmskillnad Bridge) located near the exits of the Hotörget station
• Statue of Karl XIV Johan at Karl Johans Torg square outside the Royal Palace
• The clocktower of Storkyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral) in Gamla Stan

If you haven’t watched Kiki’s Delivery Service yet, does knowing about the movies striking resemblance to Sweden make you more interested in seeing it? Or perhaps you’ve already seen the movie; if so, what did you think of it?

For the people that are interested, Kiki’s Delivery Service is available on Swedish Netflix and is a must-watch movie while you’re still in Sweden.