Was the granddaughter in Kiki’s Delivery Service Really Ungrateful, or was something deeper going on?

A lot of people criticize the granddaughter in Kiki’s Delivery Service for being ungrateful when she reacts negatively to her grandmother’s homemade herring pie. But I think this take completely misses the real issue—was she actually rude, or was this a case of a grandmother imposing her own tastes and expecting gratitude in return? And beyond that, was Kiki’s emotional reaction to the situation actually about the pie at all?

The grandmother bakes her favorite pie, not the granddaughter’s. It’s clear that the granddaughter doesn’t like it at all, yet the grandmother continues to make it, assuming it should bring her joy simply because it’s an expression of her own nostalgia. When the granddaughter reacts with disappointment, it’s often read as bratty behavior, but she doesn’t throw a tantrum or act maliciously—she simply expresses her feelings. Meanwhile, the grandmother expects appreciation for something that disregards the granddaughter’s preferences entirely. So who is actually being selfish in this scenario? The granddaughter, who reacts honestly, or the grandmother, who ignores what the granddaughter actually wants and assumes effort alone should be enough for validation?

What makes this even more interesting is that we later meet the granddaughter again, and she turns out to be a perfectly nice, friendly girl. This small detail makes it clear that she’s not an inherently ungrateful person—she just had a human reaction to receiving something she didn’t want. If she were truly selfish or spoiled, we’d see that reflected in her character later on. Instead, her initial reaction highlights a deeper issue: the disconnect between generations in how love is expressed.

And then there’s Kiki’s reaction, which is just as important to examine. By this point in the movie, Kiki is dealing with homesickness, self-doubt, and exhaustion. Delivering the pie—especially in terrible weather—feels like an accomplishment, something she’s sacrificed her time and effort for. She needs this delivery to be worth it. When the granddaughter reacts negatively, it doesn’t just feel like the rejection of a pie—it feels like the rejection of Kiki’s hard work, her struggle, and maybe even her own longing for warmth and belonging.

This is where the sunk cost fallacy comes in. Kiki put so much effort into making sure the pie was delivered that she needs it to have mattered. When it turns out that the recipient doesn’t even appreciate it, the disappointment cuts deeper than it normally would. The grandmother’s warm, traditional way of doing things—baking with care, sharing food—mirrors the comforts of home that Kiki misses. In some ways, by delivering the pie, she might have subconsciously been trying to reconnect with that feeling of home and security. The granddaughter’s rejection of it then feels like a rejection of that comfort, deepening Kiki’s growing emotional fatigue.

This moment subtly marks the beginning of Kiki’s emotional decline, leading to her eventual burnout and loss of magic. Her frustration isn’t just about the granddaughter—it’s about her own struggles to find purpose and validation in a world that isn’t always kind or appreciative.

So instead of reading this scene as "ungrateful child vs. hardworking grandmother," it actually reveals a much more nuanced emotional conflict: the way different generations express care, the weight of expectations, and how emotional exhaustion can make even small disappointments feel overwhelming.

Do you guys think people misread this scene? Or do some of you still see the granddaughter as being in the wrong?