So, for adults and those unfamiliar with the medium, this movie might take a bit of effort to fully enjoy, though with more and more children being familiar with and loving anime, it's very likely your kids will love it and will then be able to explain it to you!! As for the film, the animation is the best I have seen in any Miyazaki film, the story deep and fascinating and it's full of cute and endearing little touches that make the movie magical. Now, several years after I first saw it in the theater, I have seen a lot more Japanese anime and films and it's practically second-nature to follow the film. I know that each time I did, the film became more and more enjoyable and I began to notice so many cultural references. See it, but be willing to see it without trying to think out the odd plot too much or even try seeing it several times. And this may be exactly how you might want to approach the film unless you already are a die-hard anime fan. Interestingly, when I saw the film again, I understood it much better and appreciated it much more. Now this isn't to say I didn't like it, but so many times I just couldn't understand exactly what was happening. Yet, with my background I still felt pretty confused and baffled by the strangeness of this movie. In addition, unlike many parents, I have seen a lot of anime that my kids have watched so at least I have some familiarity with the medium. I have seen many international films over the years and quite a few of these were Japanese.