Jiji loses his voice halfway through the film and even though he comes back to Kiki, we never hear him speak again. There is something irreversibly lost even whilst gaining what seems to be a maturing for Kiki and a place for her within this town. This could be seen as the integration of the country aesthetic into the city life. Both Kiki and Jiji are influenced and pulled to the city. We see the city life as harsh at first but soft and likeable later on. This harshness is heightened most of all with the granddaughter of the pie woman. It is interesting that in the end credits, while all the other city kids are with Kiki, this girl alone is not present.
Miyazaki's love of flight shows very much in this film, with both Kiki and Tombo striving for a better flight. The name Tombo is interesting as well as it means dragonfly in japanese. This gives a Japanese sensibility and softness to the western Tombo. There is a sensibility in Japan of children capturing dragonflies during the end of summer. Therefore, there is a sense of nostalgia and common history to the name Tombo that will perhaps bring him closer to the hearts of Japanese audiences.
Also, the fact that the music used in the film, "やさしさに包まれて”and "ルージュの伝言" by Yumi Arai is used is a nice touch. Even though they are songs made before the film, their lyrics resonate well with the scene.
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