Eiko Kadono's novel supplies Kiki, Jiji, the year away from home at thirteen and the delivery business. The film takes the first of six books and its episodic shape. Filed MEDIUM because the divergence is real and was contested at the time: Miyazaki added the loss of Kiki's powers, the airship rescue and the ending, none of which are Kadono's, and she objected before being brought to the studio and persuaded. Jiji stopping talking is the clearest example of the film making an argument the book does not make.