'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle' by Haruki Murakami is about a young man named Toru Okada who searches for his wife’s missing cat—and then for his wife as well—in a netherworld beneath the city’s placid surface. As these searches intersect, he encounters a bizarre group of allies and antagonists. The novel is gripping, prophetic, and suffused with comedy and menace.

Pros of 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle' include that it showcases Murakami at his best and is a long, captivating read. However, a con is that some chapters were cut out in the English translation.

'Howl's Moving Castle' is an animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It features the adventure and romance of an otherwise normal girl, allowing viewers to dream about adventure.

Pros of 'Howl's Moving Castle' include its beautiful animation and the fact that it is a Hayao Miyazaki movie. However, it can invoke a sense of longing and melancholy in some viewers.

'Howl's Moving Castle' was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, a renowned filmmaker known for his beautiful and imaginative animated films.

'Howl's Moving Castle' belongs to the genres of adventure and romance, with a touch of fantasy.