A young woman named Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste, turns
into an old woman, and is unable to tell anyone of her plight. Unable
to continue her job at her mother's hat shop, she goes to the
ambulatory castle of the notorious wizard Howl and insinuates herself
into his household. Sophie befriends Calcifer, the fire demon who
powers the castle and who is bound to Howl by a contract, the terms of
which Calcifer cannot reveal. They promise to help each other with
their problems. Like Calcifer, Howl can also see through the Witch's
spell, and he and Sophie fall in love. Sophie helps Howl confront his
former teacher, and the Witch of the Waste.