Your Hair Looks Like Starlight

Yesterday was a downer, so Ali and I decided to watch some happy animation. I felt like watching Up, but it's no longer streaming, so we settled for the English version of Hayao Miyazaki's 2004 anime film Howl's Moving Castle.

Although I enjoyed the animation, especially the castle, I only really started caring about the story when Sophie turned into an old woman and marched into the Wastes. I think this is due in part to the character's increased confidence and sense of humor and the actress Jean Simmons.

That castle's pretty bad-ass.

From the first moment Howl started speaking, I was thinking "Why is he talking so weirdly? He sounds like Christian Bale's Batman." Uh, yeah...I had no idea that the voice does indeed belong to Christian Bale and I laughed hysterically when the credits rolled. I then felt compelled to check the chronological order of HMC and Batman Begins: 2004 and 2005, respectively. So, now I'm convinced Bale channeled his wizard voice for Batman. I hate that voice regardless.

Batman voice begins.

My favorite characters: Heen and Turnip Head.

Who doesn't love a short-legged, asthmatic dog with a yellow hair tuft? And Turnip Head was such a considerate fellow. He also prompted Ali and I to wonder what turnips taste like. Is that wrong?

I should probably watch the Japanese version, if for nothing else, so I stop laughing at Howl's voice. I should also watch Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, but I only have so much animation attention span.

Howl: "Wow, Sophie, your hair looks just like starlight! It's beautiful!"

Dad, who is silently browsing the Internet in the corner of the room, starts laughing: "I'm sorry."

Me: "You should try that line on Mom."

More chuckling from the peanut gallery.