Image via Tatsuya Endo, Fukuinkan Shoten
To commemorate 40 years since Kiki's Delivery Service was published, a special edition of the novel will be released with a cover drawn by Tatsuya Endo.
Whether you are an anime fan or not, you may have heard about the 1989 Ghibli masterpiece Kiki’s Delivery Service. The beloved movie, made by Hayao Miyazaki, was adapted from a children’s novel called Witch’s Express Home Delivery by Eiko Kadono. The book came out in 1985, which means 2025 marks its 40th anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, the publishing company Fukuinkan Shoten unveiled a new cover illustration by Tatsuya Endo.
Known for his action comedy series Spy x Family, Tatsuya Endo has become one of the most prolific names in the manga industry. The mangaka drew a beautiful cover featuring the young witch Kiki and her cat familiar Jiji for the book’s special edition cover. Fukuinkan Shoten released this illustration on their official X (formerly Twitter) account. The special edition novel, with the illustration by Endo, will be released in Japan on February 3, 2025. Tatsuya Endo expressed his gratitude at being chosen for this job and talked about how much he loves the novel.
The story of Kiki’s Delivery Service revolves around a young witch named Kiki, who settles into a new town with her talking cat Jiji after completing her training. Once there, the young girl starts living with a couple that owns a bakery and starts a magical delivery service. She meets some amazing people while making deliveries on her flying broom, which completely changes her life. Both the book and the movie are a magical look inside a child’s journey into adulthood.
If you love Kiki’s Delivery Service, here are some comforting slice-of-life anime that you’ll also enjoy.
