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theory

Kiki's Delivery Service: More Than Just a Cute Witch?

Okay, so I just rewatched Kiki's Delivery Service (again...I think this is my 5th time this year). And I had a thought – a theory, if you will. Is Kiki's slump just about self-doubt, or is there something else going on? Like, she's not just losing her magic 'cause she's sad. "Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart.", right? But what if the real issue is that she's becoming too normal? Think about it: she moves to a new city, starts a business, interacts with regular people ALL the time. She's surrounded by non-magical mundanity. Remember when she loses her ability to understand Jiji? That's huge! Jiji is her connection to her magical side, right? Maybe being around so much 'normal' energy is, like, draining her powers? We see her making human friends and she's slowly assimilating into that world. It's like osmosis! Kiki IS her delivery service. It's like she's losing faith in herself! Consider Ursula. She's deliberately isolated herself, living in the woods, painting. Keeping her artistic, and I'd argue magical, spirit alive. "We each need to find our own inspiration, Kiki. Often, it's not easy.". Kiki, by trying to integrate so seamlessly, is almost suppressing the very thing that makes her special. The whole "flying to save Tombo" thing? That's not just her regaining confidence. That's her re-embracing her identity. Reminds me of something, but "I can't think of the name of this tune!" Anyway, just a thought! What do y'all think? Am I reading too much into things, or is there something to this 'losing magic through normalization' theory? It's one of the best animated movies I've ever seen. I think I'm gonna watch it again...

scottscreens
23 days ago
7 comments
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