Which author wrote the novel that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle?

Diana Wynne Jones wrote the novel that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle.

Jones’s 1986 book, Howl’s Moving Castle, is a British fantasy novel about Sophie Hatter, a young woman who is transformed into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste. Studio Ghibli’s 2004 animated film uses the novel’s characters and central premise, but Hayao Miyazaki substantially reshaped the story, adding a stronger anti-war theme and changing several plot details.

The film was directed and written by Miyazaki and became one of Studio Ghibli’s best-known international releases. Its moving residence, the wizard Howl, and Sophie remain recognizable from Jones’s book, although the film’s visual design and political themes are distinctly Miyazaki’s.

A common mistake is identifying Ursula K. Le Guin as the source author. Her Earthsea novels inspired Studio Ghibli’s Tales from Earthsea, while Mary Norton wrote The Borrowers, which inspired The Secret World of Arrietty. Eiko Kadono wrote the novel on which Kiki’s Delivery Service was based.