Kiki's Delivery Service (novel)

Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便, Majo no Takkyūbin, lit. 'Witch's Express Home Delivery') is a children's fantasy novel written by Eiko Kadono and illustrated by Akiko Hayashi. It was first published by Fukuinkan Shoten on January 25, 1985. It is the basis of the 1989 Studio Ghibli anime film of the same title and of the 2014 live action film also of the same name.
The book won numerous awards in Japan. Encouraged by this and by the success of the Ghibli film, Kadono has written eight more novels over a period of more than thirty-five years. The most recent was published in January 2022.
The book follows Kiki, a young witch from a long line of witches on her mother's side. Kiki is now thirteen and must spend a year on her own in a town without other witches, proving that she can make a living. Accompanied by her talking black cat Jiji, Kiki starts a delivery service by flying on her broom. Over the year (and eleven chapters) notable misadventures include:
After a year of self-doubt and some setbacks, Kiki returns home in triumph, but then soon decides to return to the city and her delivery business.
The word takkyūbin (宅急便, lit. 'home-fast-mail') in the Japanese title is a trademark of Yamato Transport, though it is used today as a synonym for takuhaibin (宅配便, lit. 'home-delivery-mail'). The company not only approved the use of the trademark—though its permission was not required under Japanese trademark laws—but also enthusiastically sponsored the anime film version of the book, as the company uses a stylized depiction of a black cat carrying her kitten as its corporate logo.
Non-Japanese versions of Majo no Takkyūbin were not published until 2003 when the book became available in English, Italian, Korean and Chinese. The Swedish and Indonesian editions were published in 2006. The Russian version was released in 2018, the French one in 2019 and the Hungarian in 2023.
Not all translations of the book follow the original title. Some include the name of the central character.
The first English edition was translated by Lynne E. Riggs and with a cover by Irvin Cheung, but retaining the original illustrations by Akiko Hayashi. This was released on February 1, 2003 by Annick Press in paperback. A new English translation by Emily Balistrieri, with cover and internal illustrations by Yuta Onoda was released in hardcover by Delacorte Press on July 7, 2020. Another hardcover version, illustrated Joe Todd-Stanton, was released by Penguin Books under their Puffin Books imprint on August 20, 2020 and in paperback on July 1, 2021. The Yuta Onoda-illustrated version also appeared in paperback under the Yearling Books imprint on June 8, 2021.
The book was adapted as a 1989 animated film by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Walt Disney Pictures was also interested in its own live-action take on Kiki in 2005 with Jeff Stockwell writing the script and Susan Montford, Don Murphy, and Mark Gordon as producers, but no developments have emerged since then.
A 2014 live-action film adaptation directed by Takashi Shimizu. The film is based on the first two novels and has figure skater turned actress Fuka Koshiba playing Kiki.
In 1993, a musical version of the story was produced. Yukio Ninagawa wrote the script and Kensuke Yokouchi directed the show. The role of Kiki was portrayed by Youki Kudoh and the role of Tombo was portrayed by Akira Akasaka. Akasaka was replaced by Katsuyuki Mori within the year. A cast recording was produced by the original cast, and the show was revived in 1995 and 1996.
Another musical, based on the Ghibli's film, ran at the Southwark Playhouse in the United Kingdom from December 8, 2016 to January 8, 2017. It was adapted by Jessica Sian and directed by Katie Hewitt.
In 2017, another musical version was produced, written and directed by Koki Kishimoto. It was revived in 2018 and 2021.