Messing With Perfection? A Preview of the new live action Kiki's Delivery Service

Eight years before anyone had even heard of Harry Potter, there was Kiki's Delivery Service. Best known as the 1989 Studio Ghibli Classic by renown master Anime director Hayao Miyazaki, Kiki's Delivery Service had prior been known from Children's fantasy books about a young teenage girl who leaves home to as what Spectrum News called an "Alternate Europe of the 1950's where WWII never happened" to study how to become a witch on her own. While this may sound like a familiar premise, all comparisons to any other teenage witch in training stories end there.

Enter actress Fuka Koshiba as Kiki who will star in the upcoming live action film that is slated for a March of 2014 release date. As live action films based on animated films go, there is always apprehension for potential disappointment. As one can expect or at least deduce from the trailer, the live action will be set in Japan for practical reasons. You would need a Walt Disney sized budget to recreate a fantasy Europe let alone what your special effects budget will run you. All that aside, there may still be story people of all ages can enjoy in this. While we have never read the original books, we know that most opinions that have been put out on reviews and other blogs will base it on the Studio Ghibli Anime Classic which for many will be unavoidable. As part of a unique promotion, Miss Koshiba will personally deliver meals to 20 lucky students in Japan as part of a contest. We know that winning audiences with such a build up can be tough if not done right. Just look at the Warner Brothers disastrous attempt to mess with the 47 Ronin story. While we don't foresee that level of delineation from the original Kiki's to the live action story, we'll keep an open mind and hope for the best. Until that time, please enjoy the trailer we have included below.