Kiki, a young witch, has turned 13, and according to the ancient tradition she must leave home to find her own place in the world.
She flies her broom to a coastal town where she finds a room above a local bakery, run by Mrs Osono, and sets up a delivery service.
Despite a few misadventures, Kiki is doing fine until one day she discovers that her powers have disappeared - she cannot fly her broomstick and she can no longer communicate with her cat Jiji.
Ursula, a painter Kiki has met on one of her delivery runs, explains artist's block and how something similar may have affected Kiki.
