The film starts off with the protagonist of Howl’s Moving Castle, Sophie, a timid and unconfident 18-year-old girl who works in her late father’s hat shop in the town of Market Chipping. While walking to meet her pretty younger sister Lettie at the bakery one day, Sophie has a chance encounter with the handsome but mysterious wizard Howl, who rescues her from some menacing soldiers. Howl charms her with his looks and dashing feats of magic, briefly sparking happiness in Sophie. But later that night, the vain and jealous Witch of the Waste appears in Sophie’s hat shop in the form of an obese, wealthy woman, along with several of her minions. The Witch hints at a prior connection to Howl (the Witch of the Waste once came to Howl as a beautiful young woman, which there Howl pursued her as a lover, but rejected her after seeing her true form. The Witch now assails Howl with the fury of a jilted lover) and curses Sophie by transforming her into a 90-year-old woman before disappearing and the story starts from there.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7