85
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Time Out LondonTom HuddlestonTime Out LondonTom HuddlestonAs a story about how hard it is to make your own way in the world, Kiki’s Delivery Service is truthful and scalpel-sharp. That it manages all this while remaining consistently funny, optimistic and exciting – even for little ones – is a mark of Miyazaki’s genius.
- 100VarietyKen EisnerVarietyKen EisnerOverall, thoroughly delightful tale is stronger on character and texture than on plot, with Miyazaki’s masterful use of quiet spaces and expansive moods (especially in flying segs) offering a fresh contrast to hyped-up Yank toons.
- 100It’s a sweet, small story that deals comfortably in big emotions when required, whilst also taking time to speculate on the nature of art and the difficulties of navigating adolescence. One of the greatest triumphs of Miyazaki’s movie, however, is how well-defined each of its characters truly are.
- 100TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineDeliberately eschewing the fast pace, strenuous action, frenzied special effects and wall-to-wall songs of the standard Disney animated feature, the film allows the audience to get to know the character of Kiki and feel the emotional highs and lows she undergoes in the course of her year in training.
- 91The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsKiki's slow pace and light-on-conflict plot may surprise kids used to American animation, but it's difficult not to be won over by the film's endearing characters and beautiful animation, as well as a storyline that stresses the values of independence and friendship.
- 80The GuardianSteve RoseThe GuardianSteve RoseThis sunny 1989 fantasy by master animator Hayao Miyazaki broaches the issue of female sexuality more boldly than any Western children’s movie would dare.
- 80IGNIGNAt its core, Kiki's Delivery Service is about the conflict between becoming your own, independent person and relying on the support and comfort of others. Not every child who watches it will get that message, but like so many other Miyazaki's films, it strikes a chord deep down. And that's not the kind of thing you ever grow out of.
- 75Slant MagazineEric HendersonSlant MagazineEric HendersonKiki presents a world of fantasy in such a genteel, unforced manner that it only seems ordinary and mundane. As such, it feels like a touchstone for all of Miyazaki’s later, even greater works of cartoon storytelling art.