“犬 (inu)” & More Animals In Japanese

When watching Studio Ghibli movies, I am always captivated by our hero’s very loyal companion or nakama (仲間) in Japanese. These trusted creatures come in all shapes and sizes. From mystical spirits like No-Face in Spirited Away to fearsome creatures like the wolf-goddess Moro in Princess Mononoke, these precious sidekicks are crucial components of the story's heart.

In Kiki’s Delivery Service, Kiki (a young witch and our main character) has a black cat friend called Jiji. Jiji is not just your typical witty-and-sassy black cat with big, cute eyes; he is also a familiar spirit who offers constant support to Kiki. To put it plainly, Jiji is an essential part of Kiki’s high-flying adventure. What more could you ask for?

Did you know? In Japanese media, personified animals like Jiji are often given female voices on screen. If you’ve seen the movie in the original Japanese (regardless of your subtitle preference), you’ll notice something very interesting about Jiji’s voice… Jiji is actually voiced by a woman (even though he is a male character) to give him that extra youthful "it-factor."