Story perspectives

Eiko Kadono Unveils “Kiki and the New Magic” August Release

7/1/2026

Summary

Story summary

Eiko Kadono’s new book, Kiki and the New Magic, will be released in August, translated by Emily Balistrieri and illustrated by Yuta Onoda.
The 91-year-old author still writes daily from her Kamakura home.
Kadono wrote the 1985 novel Kiki’s Delivery Service, adapted into a 1989 Studio Ghibli film and now in 25 languages.
She won the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award and operates a Kiki’s Museum of Literature in Tokyo.

History

Historical Context

In July 1989, Hayao Miyazaki directed Studio Ghibli’s “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” adapting Eiko Kadono’s 1985 novel and earning ¥4.3 billion, the studio’s first major box-office hit. The film’s worldwide dubbing and critical acclaim launched Japanese children’s animation as a global export. Now, 2024-era Kadono, age 91, teams with translator Emily Balistrieri and illustrator Yuta Onoda on “Kiki and the New Magic,” extending that cross-cultural legacy.

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Story summary

Eiko Kadono’s new book, Kiki and the New Magic, will be released in August, translated by Emily Balistrieri and illustrated by Yuta Onoda.
The 91-year-old author still writes daily from her Kamakura home.
Kadono wrote the 1985 novel Kiki’s Delivery Service, adapted into a 1989 Studio Ghibli film and now in 25 languages.
She won the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award and operates a Kiki’s Museum of Literature in Tokyo.

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