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Howl's Moving Castle London Lecture By Helen McCarthy on February 25

The British anime commentator Helen McCarthy will give a lecture on the art history of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli film Howl's Moving Castle in London on Tuesday February 25. The lecture will also be livestreamed.

The lecture on "The Art History of Howl's Moving Castle" will be given at Juju's Bar & Stage in London, near Shoreditch High Street station. The event will start at 7,30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.) and tickets, including livestream tickets, are available here. The event is described as follows:

"What do a Welsh children's book, the Iraq War, and a master of Japanese animation have in common? They collide in Howl's Moving Castle—the dazzling follow-up to Hayao Miyazaki's Academy Award-winning Spirited Away. Though now beloved by audiences worldwide, the film almost wasn't Miyazaki's. Originally intended for another director, this spellbinding story only came under his care after global events reshaped its destiny.

"Howl's Moving Castle, like many other Ghibli films, finds its roots in a European children's book, in this case Diana Wynne Jones' 1986 book of the same name. It was an important book for the New Mythology movement, which is defined by the emergence of a new heroic archetype that transcends old cultural concepts and confronts them with modern ideals. The central character, Sophie Hatter, with her courage and determination in the face of difficulty, is an ideal New Mythology hero. Sophie also fits neatly into the Miyazaki canon of brave, capable female leads – with a unique and interesting twist. Miyazaki's adaptation, however, adds his signature touch: a poignant anti-war message, breathtaking artistry, and one of Studio Ghibli's rare adult romances."