If Spirited Away can be considered the top anime film of this age, Castle of Cagliostro is most certainly its age-old counterpart, and a true masterpiece.
This caper film possesses Miyazaki's usual good-hearted charm, but he injects a manically energetic humor that his more sedate children's films never quite achieve.
The Castle of Cagliostro is thematically slim compared to some of Miyazaki’s later works, but it’s still a fun and visually stunning adventure that rebukes both personal greed and political corruption. [4K Restoration]
75
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
Director Hayao Miyazaki brings a welcome sense of humor to this adventure story. [05 July 1991, p.16]
60
Los Angeles TimesCharles Solomon
Los Angeles TimesCharles Solomon
An exciting, upbeat film, but not a very impressive example of the animator's art. [01 Feb 1989, p.8]
So ingratiatingly good-humored that it's hard to take it seriously enough to complain. Sure, it's no great triumph of moviemaking, but it is entertaining, and a more or less plausible way to kill 95 minutes on a Saturday afternoon.