Some screenshots of Kiki's Delivery Service on Blu-Ray. The picture quality is astoundingly good and a big upgrade over DVD, just like all of the Studio Ghibli movies. Colors just pop off the screen and flow with grace and style.
I always think of Kiki as a quiet film, much like My Neighbor Totoro, with its focus on personal growth and relationships. It's about the beginning of adolescence, the journey from childhood to adulthood, and the joys and turbulence that inevitably result. It is a time of discovery and wonder and new horizons, but also a time of loss. New connections are forged, but old connections are lost.
It's a great testament to Hayao Miyazaki's skills as a storyteller that this movie embraces all of these moods and contradictions, while maintaining a pastoral, almost nostalgic tone. There is no emotional manipulation or cheesy melodrama, no forced plot points or tired coming-of-age cliches. What we see is a character who is very relatable and honest. We can understand Kiki's journey because it reminds us of our own. We can relate.
To date, the only home video release to have proper English subtitles belongs on the Hayao Miyazaki Blu-Ray box set, which is becoming increasingly rare and expensive. If you're still on the fence whether to purchase one, you better do it now before Ebay requires you to send in a major organ as payment. Hopefully, GKids will use the correct subtitles (and not the ancient Streamline "dubtitles") for their upcoming BD/DVD reissue this fall. If they do so, I will gladly double-dip and grab another copy.
4 comments:
I wouldn't hold my breath in regards to GKids' blu-ray release of Kiki's having properly translated subtitles considering from I heard that the recent U.S. theatrical showing of Kiki's used the Streamline "dubtitles" for the Japanese dub showing of the film.
Also, from what I've looked up at least, even the Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki blu-ray boxset uses the Streamline "dubtitles" for the Japanese dub of Kiki's.
So I guess in general Kiki's has never had properly translated subtitles in any sort of home media release.
Ah, is that true about the Miyazaki BD set? I don't have a copy myself (d'oh), so I cannot confirm one way another. But if that version of Kiki uses the dubtitles, just as the recent theatrical run, then we should expect that on the upcoming Blu-Ray. That's too bad. The dubtitles are pretty close, aside from one line here or there, so it's not the end of the world. But it remains a rare misstep in an eare where Ghibli always excelled. Thanks for sharing!
Wait even the JP Blu release didn't have the correct subs?
Here's two of my initial sources in regards to the information of the Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki blu-ray boxset using the Streamline "dubtitles" for the Japanese dub of Kiki's.
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/24307/thecollectedworksofhayaomiyazakiamazonexclusive.html
http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=265220&page=13
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