Tadpole Monsters

Tadpole Monsters are flying monsters featured in the film, Howl's Moving Castle.

Background[]

Soldiers of the Kingdom of Ingary, Howl identifies them as Suliman's henchmen. They resemble tadpoles and share many similarities to blob men. They are former wizards that have transformed themselves.

History[]

These black monsters are ejected from the back of the flying battleship and attack Howl and Sophie. They wear hats and masks like the dressed up blob men.^[1] As Howl transforms, he takes Sophie and flies towards the cottage door.

Hatshopmen — Tadpoles and blob men investigating the Hat shop

Tadpole2 — Another variant of tadpole monsters with colorful wings

They are also seen later in the film surrounding the Hatter's Hat Shop with the Blob Men.

There is another version of the flying tadpole monster with a different appearance. They have colorful purple and yellow pattern bat-like wings, bumps on its abdomen, a larger mouth and a sleek profile.

References[]

↑ "The Art of Howl's Moving Castle, p.164

Navigation[]

Howl's Moving Castle
Characters
Main Cast	Howl \| Sophie \| Calcifer \| Markl \| Turnip Head
Kingdom of Ingary	Suliman \| King \| Heen \| Kosho \| Witch of the Waste
Hatter Family	Honey \| Lettie
Others	Bessie \| Madge (Howl's Customer) \| Mayor of Porthaven \| Star Children
Miscellaneous
Locations	Ingary \| Market Chipping \| Cesari's \| Hatter's Hat Shop \| The Waste \| Porthaven \| Star Lake \| Kingsbury \| Royal Palace \| Howl's Castle \| Howl's Bedroom \| Cave of Mind \| Secret Garden \| Howl's Cottage
Mechanical Designs	Battleship \| Flying Battleship \| Bomber \| Flying Kayak \| Palanquin
Magical Objects	Magic Ring \| Peeping Bugs \| Blob Men \| Tadpole Monsters
Music	Soundtrack \| The Promise of the World

V • T • E

Studio Ghibli

Animated features

Feature films	Castle in the Sky (1986) • Grave of the Fireflies (1988) • My Neighbor Totoro (1988) • Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) • Only Yesterday (1991) • Porco Rosso (1992) • Ocean Waves (1993) • Pom Poko (1994) • Whisper of the Heart (1995) • Princess Mononoke (1997) • My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) • Spirited Away (2001) • The Cat Returns (2002) • Howl's Moving Castle (2004) • Tales from Earthsea (2006) • Ponyo (2008) • The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) • From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) • The Wind Rises (2013) • The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) • When Marnie Was There (2014) • Earwig and the Witch (2020) • The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Short films	Nandarō • On Your Mark • Ghiblies • Film Guru Guru • Ghiblies Episode 2 • Imaginary Flying Machines • The Invention of Imaginary Machines of Destruction • The Whale Hunt • Koro's Big Day Out • Mei and the Kittenbus • Looking for a Home • The Day I Bought a Star • The Night of Taneyamagahara • Water Spider Monmon • Iblard Jikan • A Sumo Wrestler's Tail • Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess • Treasure Hunting • Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo • Boro the Caterpillar

Documentaries

The Story of Yanagawa's Canals (1987) • Miyazaki and Kurosawa Fireside Chat (1993) • Ghibli Was Born This Way: A Birth Story Spelled Out With Reproduced Images (1998) • World Journey of My Memory / Journey of the Heart (1998) • How Princess Mononoke Was Born (2001) • Lasseter-San, Arigato! (2003) • Hayao Miyazaki Produces a CD (2004) • Yasuo Otsuka's Joy of Motion (2004) • Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum (2005) • Ghibli: The Miyazaki Temple (2005) • The Work of Toshio Suzuki (2006) • Scenery of Ghibli (2006) • A Ghibli Artisan – Kazuo Oga Exhibition – The Man Who Painted Totoro's Forest (2007) • How Ponyo Was Born (2009) • Poppy Hill - 300 Days of War Between Father and Son (2011) • Ghibli's Bookshelf (2011) • The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013) • Until The End of The Creation of When Marnie Was There (2015) • Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (2016) • NHK Image File: I Want To Meet This Person - Isao Takahata, Animation Film Director (2018) • 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki (2019) • Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron (2023)

Television series

The Blue Seed (1992) • Ronja, the Robber's Daughter (2014)

Concerts

Joe Hisaishi in Budokan • Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert: The Music of Studio Ghibli

Video games

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Video Game) • Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu • Jade Cocoon 2 • Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color • Ni no Kuni (Series) • Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn • Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch • Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Printed works

Animage • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga) • Starting Point: 1979-1996 • Turning Point: 1997-2008 • Kaze no Kaerubasho • People of the Desert • The Age of the Flying Boat • Hayao Miyazaki's Daydream Data Notes • To My Sister • The Journey of Shuna • Studio Ghibli's Trajectory as Seen on Animage (1984-2011) • The Art of My Neighbor Totoro • The Art of Castle in the Sky • The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service • The Art of Porco Rosso • Princess Mononoke: The First Story • The Place Where Totoro Was Born • The Bountiful Food of Studio Ghibli • Children's Picture Book Ghibli's Dining Table Earwig and the Witch

Co-Productions

Flying City Plan • Shiki-Jitsu (Studio Kajino) • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence • Nasu: Summer in Andalusia • Nasu: A Migratory Bird with Suitcase • Portable Airport • Red Crow and the Ghost Ship • Space Station No. 9 • The Red Turtle

Pre-Ghibli works

Hustle Punch (1965) • Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968) • Animal Treasure Island (1971) • Lupin the Third Part I (1971) • Panda! Go, Panda! (1972) • Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974) • Dog of Flanders (1975) • Future Boy Conan (1978) • Anne of Green Gables (1979) • Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) • Chie the Brat (1981) • 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1981) • Gauche the Cellist (1982) • Sherlock Hound (1984) • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Ghibli-related labels

Animage • Animage Home Video • Ghibli ga Ippai Collection • Ghibli Museum • Ghibli Museum Library • Ghibli Park • Totoro no Furusato Foundation • Totoro no Mori

Unproduced projects

Border 1939

Related productions

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind • Mary and the Witch's Flower • Modest Heroes • Natsuzora • World Masterpiece Theater