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Princess Mononoke Film ComicKiki's Delivery Service
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A young witch girl starts a broomstick-riding delivery service. This is a classic anime movie from Hayao Miyazaki (who also did "My Neighbor Totoro"). I have a color manga book made from the movie that I will be translating here bit-by-bit.
This is the English-only version. There is also
a version with Japanese.
There are two parts to the text. One is Kiki's story in her own words. The other is in the captions on the pictures, which just say what Kiki and others did. I will mark the captions with "*".
Part 1
My name is Kiki. I'm a 13-year-old witch girl. When a witch turns 13, the custom is that she must leave her home town on a chosen night with a full moon. For witch training, she must live in another town for one year on her own.
Tonight is the full moon. I've been thinking I would leave at the next full moon. But I've been listening to the radio and they didn't say tonight will be clear. I've decided! I'm leaving tonight. I've decided to hurry up and do it. "Gigi!"
Gigi is also 13. When a witch girl is born, they look for a male cat born the same day and bring the witch and cat up together so they will become able to speak to each other. Naturally, when I leave tonight Gigi will be with me too.
* Gigi, taking a nap near the window, had scarcely asked anything about starting tonight's trip. He jumped up in a big hurry.
* "I'm worried about what's going to happen. Because once you make up your mind, you act quickly. A journey should be planned carefully," Gigi said with a preaching tone.
* "I'm feeling as excited as if I were opening presents," Kiki said, packing with enthusiasm.
* Kiki's mother, Kokiri, can even make medicines. She's a good witch! According to Granny Dori, Kokiri's medicines are the best!
Mother's a top-senior witch. She made a black traveling outfit for me. I wonder about the fit. I wonder more about wearing "witch" black clothes. I wish it were at least a pastel color like a cosmos flower.
Father, who has been saying he hopes I will find a good town, said "If you have trouble you can always come home." That's _not_ going to happen!
* Father, who had a weekend's rented camping gear, was discouraged! "Ah! I'm sorry you're leaving."
* "When did you grow so big without my realizing it?" he said when he lifted Kiki and felt her weight.
* "I hope you'll find a good town." he said very gently.
More to come...
