Kiki's Delivery Service
GKIDS | Release Date: July 29, 1989 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
85
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Time Out LondonTom HuddlestonMay 24, 2016
As a story about how hard it is to make your own way in the world, Kiki’s Delivery Service is truthful and scalpel-sharp. That it manages all this while remaining consistently funny, optimistic and exciting – even for little ones – is a mark of Miyazaki’s genius. Read full review
100
CineVueDavid Sugarman
It’s a sweet, small story that deals comfortably in big emotions when required, whilst also taking time to speculate on the nature of art and the difficulties of navigating adolescence. One of the greatest triumphs of Miyazaki’s movie, however, is how well-defined each of its characters truly are. Read full review
100
TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)
Deliberately eschewing the fast pace, strenuous action, frenzied special effects and wall-to-wall songs of the standard Disney animated feature, the film allows the audience to get to know the character of Kiki and feel the emotional highs and lows she undergoes in the course of her year in training. Read full review
100
VarietyKen Eisner
Overall, thoroughly delightful tale is stronger on character and texture than on plot, with Miyazaki’s masterful use of quiet spaces and expansive moods (especially in flying segs) offering a fresh contrast to hyped-up Yank toons. Read full review
91
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Kiki's slow pace and light-on-conflict plot may surprise kids used to American animation, but it's difficult not to be won over by the film's endearing characters and beautiful animation, as well as a storyline that stresses the values of independence and friendship. Read full review
91
IndieWireCharles Solomon
Much of Kiki’s charm comes from Miyazaki’s understated approach to the material. Instead of grabbing the viewer by the lapels and insisting everyone’s having a great time, Miyazaki leads the audience into the story with unobtrusive grace. Read full review
88
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
The characters are gently and warmly rendered, and a climactic action sequence involving an unmoored dirigible hints at the stately grandiosity of Miyazaki's masterpiece Howl's Moving Castle. Read full review
80
IGNCindy White
At its core, Kiki's Delivery Service is about the conflict between becoming your own, independent person and relying on the support and comfort of others. Not every child who watches it will get that message, but like so many other Miyazaki's films, it strikes a chord deep down. And that's not the kind of thing you ever grow out of. Read full review
80
Orlando SentinelJay Boyar
With its simple characters and episodic narrative, Kiki's Delivery Service has an unpretentious fairy-tale charm. [04 Sep 1998, p.29]
80
EmpireAndrew Osmond
A terrific alternative to the diabetic's nightmare that is most of Disney's output, Kiki's Delivery Service takes pride of place in Miyazaki's exceptional body of work. Read full review
80
The GuardianSteve Rose
This sunny 1989 fantasy by master animator Hayao Miyazaki broaches the issue of female sexuality more boldly than any Western children’s movie would dare. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineEric Henderson
Kiki presents a world of fantasy in such a genteel, unforced manner that it only seems ordinary and mundane. As such, it feels like a touchstone for all of Miyazaki’s later, even greater works of cartoon storytelling art. Read full review
75
The Seattle TimesJohn Hartl
While it suffers from the limited facial animation of so many Japanese cartoons, the backgrounds, characterizations and story are consistently pleasing. [03 Sep 1998, p.D6]
70
The New York TimesMike Hale
A conventional but delightful tale of self-discovery and heroism from Mr. Miyazaki, it feels like Disney one moment, Truffaut the next. Read full review
70
Film ThreatStaff (Not Credited)
It’s a film my kids still enjoy, although it’s a bit lightweight as Miyazaki’s works go. Read full review
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