Highlights
- Howl's Moving Castle is a beloved Studio Ghibli film with a troubled production that could have resulted in a vastly different movie.
- Mamoru Hosoda was initially chosen to direct the film but left during the early stages of development, possibly due to creative differences.
- Despite his departure, Hosoda went on to create successful films and establish his own studio, while Hayao Miyazaki directed Howl's Moving Castle into an instant classic.
When you ask people what their favorite Studio Ghibli film is, you will get a lot of different answers. However, one film that pops up quite frequently is Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle.
While the film is a beloved classic in the anime industry, it is also the film that had one of the biggest troubled productions for the studio and could have very well been a very different movie had original plans for the film went through. What happened that could have resulted in a vastly different film? Let's discuss the troubled production of Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle.
What is Howl's Moving Castle?
Howl's Moving Castle is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film is loosely based on the 1986 novel of the same name by British author Diana Wynne Jones. The story is set in a fictional kingdom where both magic and early 20th-century technology co-exist. The movie follows the adventures of a young woman named Sophie, who is cursed by a wicked witch to transform into an elderly woman. She seeks refuge in a magical, walking castle owned by the reclusive and enigmatic wizard Howl.
Together with Howl (who is harboring secrets of his own) Sophie embarks on a journey to break her curse and finds herself entangled in a conflict that could bring war to their land. As with many Studio Ghibli films, Howl's Moving Castle received widespread acclaim (as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature) for its artistry and narrative depth. While the final project was well received, it was reported later on that Miyazaki was not the man who was initially supposed to direct the movie, as the project was originally being developed by an (at the time) upcoming director named Mamoru Hosoda. This is where the story gets weird.
Who is Mamoru Hosoda?
Mamoru Hosoda is a renowned Japanese film director and animator known for his work on several highly acclaimed animated films such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Mirai (the latter of which netted him an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature). Though Hosoda is renowned now, there was a time when he was a struggling animator himself.
Much like how Miyazaki and fellow Studio Ghibli director Isao Takahata got their start on animating and directing episodes of Lupin III (as well as other anime you likely haven't heard of), Hosoda got his real start working with Toei Animation on Digimon: Adventure. After directing the first two Digimon films, he caught the attention of Toshihiro Suzuki, who felt the young director would be a fresh new talent to bring onboard. Studio Ghibli had started hiring new talent in preparation of Miyazaki's impending (and now often delayed) retirement, and Hosoda seemed to have all the makings of a great director. Despite the promising start though, after almost a year of pre-production Hosoda was let go from directing the film and Miyazaki came on board to save the project.
Why Was He Let Go at Studio Ghibli?
Although we wish we could offer a concrete answer on this one, the sad reality is that Mamoru Hosoda's departure from Howl's Moving Castle at Studio Ghibli is a subject that has been discussed at great length but with limited answers. What is known is that Hosoda was initially chosen to direct the film but left the project during the early stages of development.
Some reports suggest that creative differences between Hosoda and Studio Ghibli were the reason for his departure. Studio Ghibli (and particularly Hayao Miyazaki) has a well-defined style and approach to storytelling, and it's possible that Hosoda's vision for the film did not align with the studio's expectations or philosophy. Hosoda has discussed the experience in interviews, acknowledging that it was a challenging time but also a period of growth that helped shape his future works.
The specifics, however, remain largely private, and the exact reasons for his departure from Studio Ghibli may be known only to those directly involved. The good news is, everything ultimately worked out for the better. Hosoda returned to Toei Animation briefly to direct the One Piece film One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island, widely considered one of the best films in the franchise (though ironically never released in America). He then would form his own studio and direct successful films like Summer Wars and The Beast and the Boy.
His latest film - Belle - was an acclaimed international hit with audiences both in Japan AND America! Miyazaki would of course make Howl's Moving Castle into an instant classic and went on to make a few more instant classics (his latest classic - The Boy and the Heron - is scheduled to be released in America around the holidays). Thankfully, everyone went on to bigger and better things, and the world has been enjoying both men's work ever since.
SOURCES: Screen Daily, Polygon