Check Google Play Movies availability
Rent or buy
LOADING
MOVIE DECISION GUIDE
Howl's Moving Castle
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. With Chieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Akihiro Miwa.
8.4/10
MOVIHERO RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.
Watch NowWatch trailer
8.4/10
MOVIHERO RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTSophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his r…
MAKE THE CALL
Does this belong in your night?
A decision, not a review. Choose the kind of night you want and keep your queue honest.
RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for Howl's Moving Castle.
MoviHero lists September 9, 2004 as the release date for Howl's Moving Castle. Hayao Miyazaki is the listed director. The listed cast includes Chieko Baisho as Sophie (voice), Takuya Kimura as Howl (voice), Akihiro Miwa as Witch of the Waste (voice), Tatsuya Gashuin as Calcifer (voice). A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateSeptember 9, 2004
GenresAdventure · Fantasy · Animation
Runtime1h 59m
DirectorHayao Miyazaki
CastChieko Baisho as Sophie (voice), Takuya Kimura as Howl (voice), Akihiro Miwa as Witch of the Waste (voice), Tatsuya Gashuin as Calcifer (voice)
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is Howl's Moving Castle right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
Howl's Moving Castle runs 1h 59m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 7/10: a middle-ground pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 3/10. The profile suggests a lower-demand watch, although preferences vary.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 4/10, suggesting a lighter emotional load. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with Howl's Moving Castle. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
MOVIE RATING
MoviHero Rating
MoviHero Rating: 8.4/10 from 11,638 votes. Updated Nov 3, 2026.
Rating data supplied by TMDB, shown on a 10-point scale. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from scores submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
What did you think?
Your movie rating. Your audience score.
CHECK AVAILABILITY
Check Howl's Moving Castle on Google Play Movies or Apple TV Store
Find rental or purchase options. Confirm availability, price and quality in your region on the store.
Check Apple TV Store availability
Rent or buy
Quality isn’t confirmed yet. Check the viewing option on the provider’s site.
OPTION 2
Other ways to watch Howl's Moving Castle
Compare reported U.S. streaming, free, rental and purchase options in one place.
United States
HBO Max Amazon Channel
SubscriptionCheck quality on provider
Price varies by providerWatch on Prime Video
HBO Max
SubscriptionCheck quality on provider
Price varies by providerVisit HBO Max
Amazon Video
RentBuyCheck quality on provider
Price varies by providerRent or buy
WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing7/10
Emotional Impact4/10
Mind-Bending3/10
Scary4/10
Violence2/10
Rewatchability7/10
Attention Required3/10
VIEWER REVIEWS
What viewers say about Howl's Moving Castle
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“Really good movie staging in a fictional center European country.”
Viewer reaction
“Certainly my favourite Miyazaki film. The animations are a touch angular, but colourfully and stylishly depict this story of a beautiful young girl who is…”
Selected review excerpts supplied by TMDB. Opinions belong to their original authors.
A CLOSER LOOK
Stay with the image.
CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
voiceWitch of the WasteWitch of the Waste appears in Howl's Moving Castle (2004).Open character guide voiceCalciferCalcifer appears in Howl's Moving Castle (2004).Open character guide voiceMarklMarkl appears in Howl's Moving Castle (2004).Open character guide voiceSophieSophie appears in Howl's Moving Castle (2004).Open character guide voiceHowlHowl appears in Howl's Moving Castle (2004).Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
Keep the night going.
7.8/10
MOVIHERO RATINGShrek
2001·Adventure · Family · Comedy · Fantasy · Animation
7.2/10
MOVIHERO RATINGFrozen II
2019·Adventure · Family · Comedy · Fantasy · Animation
7.6/10
MOVIHERO RATINGMinions & Monsters
2026·Adventure · Family · Comedy · Fantasy · Animation