Howel's moving castle - random comment

First time I watched Howl's moving castle, it is in Japanese original voice with Chinese subtitle.   This time, with my daughter, we switch to English dub.  I generally dislike voice dub for Japanese Animes.  Japanese, as the language, sounds very cute, which match the big eye, perfect doll like characters very well.  The sound are often short and bursty and very "Kawaii".  However, this time, I am falling in love with the voice dubbing of Howl.  His voice is low and slightly coarse.  To be honest, Miyazaki version of Howl is a bit too soft wimpy and feminine to be liked. The English dub give Howl a more mature charm and transform the character completely. He suddenly became so much more attractive that had inspire my desire to learn more details about the character from the book.

However the book and the movie are very different.  Although much of the setting and plot and characters remained the same, because the way character are portraited, the characters in the book are much more complex and all around therefore more real life like.   In the movie, Sophie, the heroine,  are stamped with Miyazaki's signature.  In all Miyazaki's work, the heroines are more or less the same: strong minded and determined with a somewhat fragile and delicate look and love for the nature.  They all show great courage under the special circumstance and are all very noble, almost too noble and kind for my liking.  The book version of Sophie is more normal, in such way that she react to the scarecrow the same way a normal girl would. Who wouldn't creep out from a one foot scarecrow stalking you?  She also shows more jealousy and can get mean from time to time.  Where in the movie, Sophie is more accepting and kind and despite of all the wrong that has been done to her, remain gentle and kind.

In the movie, Howl's love for Sophie is also more obvious and Sophie's admiration is written on her face from scene one.  With the book, because of the point of view is limited from Sophie's angle, the chemistry between the two are much more subtle.  You literally have to read between the lines to feel the attraction between the two who fights on daily basis.  Both characters are flawed but somehow they complemented each other in a strange way and was always there when needed help most.

And most importantly, the movie has a great deal of anti-war theme,  and that just parted the movie and book their separate ways.

Naturally I was a bit unsatisfied after reading the book, as my original purpose of reading the book, was to search more details about the character Howl.  But because the book and movie are so different, that goal is not accomplished. I honestly cannot say I like one or another better just because they seem to be complete different story to me, much like two historic novel base on the same historical figures if you know what i mean.

I went further search for the voice actor for the dub, and find out it is actually by a profession actor, unlike some of the cheaper production of dubbing.  It is Christian Bale.   All of the sudden, I love batman that much more and hope he come out with more movie soon.