A young woman named Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and is turned into an old woman who is cannot tell anyone of her plight. Unable to continue her job at her mother's hat shop, she leaves in search of the witch that put the spell on her. On the way, she encounters the untidy moving castle of the mysterious wizard Howl and manages to get herself kept on as the castle's much needed housekeeper. While Howl spends his time fighting to save the innocent victims of a seemingly senseless war in the outside world, 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. Unbeknownst to Sophie, Howl can see through the Witch's spell and falls in love with Sophie. Sophie then helps Howl confront his former teacher, now the Royal Sorceress manipulating the king and the war, and the Witch of the Waste, who is obsessed with Howl. Sophie is eventually able to break the spells on everyone.