Kiki’s Delivery Service Christian Review and Parents’ Guide

This Kiki’s Delivery Service guide serves as both a Christian review and a parents’ guide for the anime film. It explores the film’s age rating, scary content, spiritual themes, and whether the movie is appropriate for kids and Christian families.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is a cozy, family-friendly Studio Ghibli film rated G. While the movie contains witches and mild magical themes, it contains very little violence, language, or frightening content. Christian families may still want to exercise discernment given the film’s portrayal of a young witch.

Is Kiki’s Delivery Service Safe for Kids?

Kiki’s Delivery Service is generally safe for kids. It’s rated G, and it contains very little questionable content from a secular perspective.

What is the Age Rating for Kiki’s Delivery Service?

Kiki’s Delivery Service is recommended for ages 5+ according to Common Sense Media.

Is Kiki’s Delivery Service Safe for Christians?

Kiki’s Delivery Service contains witches and magic that may make it unsafe for Christians.

Does Kiki’s Delivery Service contain witchcraft or occult themes?

Kiki’s Delivery Service features witches, a character who makes potions at the beginning and end of the film, a black cat that can talk to Kiki, flying on a broomstick, and other magical elements.

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Synopsis: What is Kiki’s Delivery Service About?

On the night of a full moon, Kiki, a 13-year-old witch, leaves home for a year of witch training.

She’s excited for her new opportunities and wants to succeed at whatever she does.

However, Kiki lacks a detailed plan. She’s still learning how to use her broom, doesn’t know what city she’ll live in, and when she finally arrives, she doesn’t even have a place to stay!

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Kiki’s Delivery Service Christian Review

Kiki’s Delivery Service, also known as Majo no takkyûbin, is a classic Studio Ghibli film. Eiko Kadono wrote the novel (with the same name as the film) in 1985, which serves as the film’s source material.

It was their fourth film (fifth if you count Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which was released before Studio Ghibli’s founding but is often considered their first).

Kiki’s Delivery Service: A Christian Perspective

Kiki’s Delivery Service follows Kiki, a young witch who starts a delivery business in her new city. She brings along her black cat, Jiji, for the ride.

Based on the description alone, it’s clear that there are definitely magical elements in the story, but the amount of magic present in the film is surprisingly minimal, considering the main character is a witch.

The presence of magic in a fictional story isn’t always a dealbreaker for me. But as a Christian, I like to proceed with caution when fictional stories contain magic, witches, or other similar concepts.

What the Bible Says About Magic

The Bible is clear that doing occult things, such as divination, necromancy, sorcery, etc., is sin (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, Revelation 21:8).

The question of whether reading or watching a story with fictional magic is or isn’t a sin is usually a bit more nuanced for Christians, and some may even view it as a gray area.

The Goal of This Post from a Christian Perspective

I’m not here to tell you whether it is or isn’t a sin to watch a story with fictional magic.

Instead, I’m here to tell you what is in Kiki’s Delivery Service so that you, with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, can decide if the story is something you want to engage with carefully or if you want to skip it.

In the case of Kiki’s Delivery Service, there’s a lot of nuance that Christians considering this film will want to be aware of.

Kiki is a Wholesome Film

On one hand, it’s a very wholesome film, and although Kiki is a witch, the story focuses on her character development.

Some fictional stories cannot separate themselves from their magical elements; without magic, the story wouldn’t work. Kiki’s Delivery Service isn’t one of those stories. If Kiki were a normal girl (not a witch) who could fly on a Nausicaä-style aircraft, the film would still work. It would be different, but Kiki doesn’t need magic in order to be a cute, family-friendly film.

…But Christians Should Still Use Wisdom and Discernment

On the other hand, this hypothetical isn’t reality. Kiki contains magical content, which signals that Christians should use caution with Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Potential Risks of Showing Christian Children Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kiki may be rated G and contain very little questionable content (other than magic), but that doesn’t mean the film is without risk.

Children are very impressionable, and they often want to mimic what they see on screen. If a character is proud to be a witch, the child could try to mimic that, which would be highly problematic from a Christian perspective.

Plus, Kiki is a “good” character, though not without flaws. She is helpful, brave, and determined. But she’s still a witch, and her magical abilities are still connected to witchcraft themes.

Showing children a “good” witch could influence children. It could encourage them to believe that good witches exist. Biblically, there is no nuance: all witches are bad.

Showing a young and impressionable child Kiki’s Delivery Service comes with legitimate concerns.

Potential Pros of Showing Christian Children Kiki’s Delivery Service

But on the flip side, Kiki’s Delivery Service could offer an educational opportunity. You could explain that although Kiki is a nice character, in real life, there are no good witches.

My mom actually used the Wizard of Oz to teach me an important (and identical) lesson: although Glinda claims she’s a good witch, there are no good witches.

Magic and Occultism in Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kiki’s Delivery Service contains magic, but it’s not as much as you’d expect. Kiki is a witch who can fly on a broom and speak with her cat. She doesn’t really cast spells (unless you count Kiki saying “Fly” to her broom), and she doesn’t have a wand.

Kiki leaves home on a clear night with a full moon to do a year of witches’ training, but her training isn’t really magical. She meets a girl early on who can allegedly tell fortunes, but she doesn’t do it in front of Kiki, and they only talk briefly before the character is never seen again.

Her mother creates potions, but this only happens at the beginning and the end.

The vast majority of the film is focused on Kiki’s delivery service, finding her place in the world, and discovering who she is.

(Spoiler) Kiki temporarily loses her magic, which makes her unable to fly on her broom, and this is very difficult for her. She also permanently loses the ability to talk to Jiji.

If you watch with closed captions, there will be more magical references than if you solely use the English dub.

Overall, Kiki contains far less magical content than many viewers might expect, despite its premise.

Reception of Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kiki’s Delivery Service is listed as number eight on Rotten Tomatoes’ “100 Best Anime Movies of All Time, Ranked by Tomatometer” list.* Considering it came out in 1989, that’s a very impressive ranking.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is well-loved and critically acclaimed.

 Entertainment Weekly rated it as Video of the Year in 1998,^[59] and in the same year Roger Ebert went on to rank it as one of the best animated films released in the U.S.^[60] The film also ranked No. 12 on Wizard’s Anime Magazine’s list of the “Top 50 Anime released in North America”.^[61] (source).

Ultimately, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a wholesome and enjoyable film.

Kiki’s Delivery Service: Tone & Scariness

Kiki contains very few frightening moments. The film is cozy, and there are no villains. There are some moments of peril, but they resolve cleanly.

Tone-wise, it’s closest to other Studio Ghibli films like My Neighbor Totoro. Other lighter Studio Ghibli films like The Secret World of Arrietty or Ponyo are also comparable, though to a slightly lesser extent.

Kiki’s Delivery Service English Dub

Kiki’s Delivery Service stars Kirsten Dunst (Anastasia, Jumanji, Little Women) as Kiki and Phil Hartman as Jiji.

Other voices include Kath Soucie (My Neighbor Totoro, Sofia the First, Curious George, Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo, Clifford & Clifford’s Puppy Days), Tress MacNeille (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Tales from Earthsea, Porco Rosso), Debi Dewberry (Castle in the Sky, The Boy and the Heron), and Corey Burton (Princess Mononoke, Whisper of the Heart).

For a full list of Kiki’s Delivery Service English dub cast, click here.

Kiki’s Delivery Service Dub Issues

Although the voice acting is great for the Kiki’s Delivery Service English dub, there are some audio quality issues in the version I used in my rewatch. The audio has been described as resembling someone “speaking into a fan,” which is a very accurate description of the sound.

Here’s a video sharing the difference between the older dub and the newer version:

I’d recommend watching an older version of the film (pre-2010) if at all possible.

Themes in Kiki: Following the Heart

The concept of “follow your heart” is mentioned at the beginning of Kiki’s Delivery Service. Kiki’s mom says, “Just follow your heart and keep smiling.”

From a Biblical perspective, this advice is unsound. The heart is not a reliable source of truth; our emotions fluctuate, and what “feels right” is not necessarily what is right.

This line offers a great opportunity to discuss with children why the heart isn’t a reliable guide, and where we can find a reliable guide: God’s Word and Spirit.

Kiki’s Personality

Kiki is very driven and determined.

She’s very helpful, refusing to take someone’s money for nothing—even if they haven’t fulfilled their side of the bargain. She goes above and beyond, helping her customers bake and work around the house even though she’s only been hired to deliver.

She’s also sometimes rude and snobbish. When she first meets Tombo, he’s really friendly, but she chooses to act stuck up and doesn’t want much to do with him because she thinks he was “rude” for not being introduced first and for not knowing her name.

She maintains this snobbish personality with him for a bit longer, even trying to ignore him. Once he invites her to a party, she decides she wants to go; this is a surprising shift.

She also has questionable morals. When she loses the toy she’s supposed to deliver, instead of admitting her mistake, she has Jiji pretend to be the toy—since they’re nearly identical—until she can find the real one and make the switch.

Kiki as the “Other”

Othering is a term commonly used in literary analysis to describe a person outside of what’s normal or expected.

Kiki, as a witch, faces this in the film. When she goes to the city for the first time, not everyone welcomes her. She eventually makes some friends, but she also chooses to isolate herself from the only friend she has that’s her own age—Tombo. Thankfully, as previously stated, Tombo is persistent.

However, Tombo’s other friends make her uncomfortable and remind Kiki that she’s different—an outsider, if you will. But, they don’t really bully her, and even at the beginning, when Tombo’s friends make a joke about Kiki, it’s that he could use Kiki’s broom to “sweep her off her feet.”

Although othering is a major theme, it feels underdeveloped. Yes, not everyone is friendly to Kiki, but so many people are.

She makes friends with Osono and her husband, Fukuo, who run the bakery and allow her to stay with them. She befriends an old grandmother and her servant, Barsa, who makes her a cake out of gratitude. She befriends Ursula, an artist who lives in a cabin in the woods.

Kiki eventually finds a place in the world, and although she experiences trials—such as temporarily losing her powers—she’s welcomed by many people. This is why her othering is a little undeveloped.

Plus, the citizens of the city have a reason to be wary of her—she flies a bit recklessly and nearly causes an accident. This is why the police go after her. Plus, she’s too young to get a hotel room, which is why she has trouble finding a place to stay at first. Of course, some people are likely just wary of her because she’s a witch—but again, she’s not constantly bombarded by bullies and insults, and she doesn’t even get arrested.

So honestly, Kiki’s othering is partially her own fault.

Kiki’s Delivery Service: The Turning Point (Spoilers)

Midway through the film, Kiki’s powers vanish. She becomes unable to talk to Jiji, her black cat and best friend. She also discovers that she can no longer fly.

She truly believes that “If I lose my magic, that means I’ve lost absolutely everything.”

Kiki’s magic is what makes her Kiki. At least, that’s what she thinks. Losing it is devastating for her, and she falls into a bit of a depression.

Her artist friend, Ursula, learns of Kiki’s plight and invites her to come stay with her. Kiki takes her up on the offer, and the two spend a bit of time together at Ursula’s cabin.

Ursula offers Kiki essential reassurance and guidance, and believes that Kiki will regain her powers someday.

Kiki does regain her powers, but it’s not until the end when Tombo is in grave danger.

More accurately, she regains her ability to fly, but Jiji never talks again.

Where’s Waldo?

I found Waldo!

The boy in this photo is Tombo, whom I’ve nicknamed Waldo. He is fascinated by both flying vehicles (such as dirigibles) and Kiki (she can fly).

Tombo makes repeated attempts to befriend Kiki. At first, Kiki is rude to him and doesn’t like him. But Tombo is persistent. He doesn’t take no for an answer—which is both admirable and concerning.

And eventually, Kiki opens up to him more.

Kiki and Tombo spend some time together, and Kiki seems to enjoy it. But she pushes him away once again after his other friends come into the picture.

By the end, the two are friends again, but Kiki has put this poor boy through a lot.

(Spoilers) Tombo is essential to the plot because when he’s in danger, Kiki is the only one who can save him. She’s temporarily lost her ability to fly, and his plight is what helps awaken her powers once again.

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FAQs for Kiki’s Delivery Service

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Kiki’s Delivery Service Parents’ Guide

Language in Kiki’s Delivery Service

• Kiki says she looks “really dumb.”
• “Geez, what a snob.”
• “Bless my hourglass.”
• Shut up
• “You sound like my grandma.”
• “Snooty cat.”
• Snob
• Tombo inadvertently insults Kiki, using her dress to signify Kiki’s witchhood.
• “My goodness.”/”Oh my goodness.”
• Dumb.
• Stupid.
• Furball
• “Oh my gosh.”
• Gee
• Clown

Gore & Violence in Kiki’s Delivery Service

• None.

Frightening Scenes in Kiki’s Delivery Service

• While Kiki is flying, a thunderstorm occurs. This makes travel difficult for her, so she has to land.
• Kiki doesn’t understand traffic, so she disrupts it and nearly gets hit by a car. She nearly causes an accident.
• Some birds get angry at Kiki and go after her, causing her issues.
• Kiki and Tombo’s bike crashes.
• The TV shows heavy winds and chaos around the dirigible. The dirigible crashes into a car and flies away.
• Tombo hangs from a rope attached to a dirigible that’s floating loose in the sky.
• Tombo falls from the sky, and Kiki catches him.

Romance, Nudity, & Sexual Content in Kiki’s Delivery Service

• Kiki puts on a dress. Her underclothes (modest and archaic) are visible.
• Kiki mentions the possibility of a boyfriend.
• Young girls mention boys on multiple occasions.
• Kiki takes off her dress and sleeps in her underclothes.
• Mention of using Kiki’s broom to “sweep her off her feet.”
• Ursula has very slight cleavage.
• Ursula wants to draw Kiki, and Jiji asks, “naked?” This is, of course, not the case.
• Girls subathe in bikinis, and a man has his swim trunks on, no shirt.
• Ursula says, “What kind of a boy has these legs, mister?”

Substances in Kiki’s Delivery Service

• Alcohol is visible in a window and on a table.

Spiritual Content & Occultism in Kiki’s Delivery Service

• Kiki is a witch.
• Kiki’s mom brews a potion.
• At the age of 13, a young witch leaves home for a year. Kiki is excited because the full moon is supposed to be clear, so she wants to leave tonight.
• Kiki’s mother hasn’t gotten to train her daughter in potion making, and Kiki barely knows how to fly on a broom.
• Kiki takes her mother’s broom because it is more reliable than her own.
• A young witch has a special skill of fortune-telling and tells fortunes about love.
• Mention of trusting one’s spirit. Mention of Kiki using her spirit to fly.

Other Concerns

• Kiki borrows her father’s radio without asking.
• Kiki and Jiji sleep in a train car. Jiji asks if they’d “get in trouble,” and Kiki says that they won’t unless they’re found.
• A character yells “thief” to distract a police officer, giving Kiki time to escape. Kiki disobeys the officer’s order to stay where she is.
• Jiji sticks out his tongue because of a rude girl.

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Conclusion: Kiki’s Delivery Service Christian Review

Kiki’s Delivery Service is a cute, lighthearted film that is generally safe for families. From a faith-based perspective, the witchcraft themes may make it unsafe for Christian families.

Always use wisdom and discernment with every type of media, even G-rated films.

If you’re a Christian looking for a family-friendly, cozy Studio Ghibli film with little to no magical content, The Secret World of Arrietty may be right up your alley. Our review of the film is available here.

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*As of 16 May 2026.

Photo Credit: © 1989 Eiko Kadono/Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli, N. Courtesy of GKids Press Room.