Movie Monday March 27: Spirited Away

I was feeling a bit nostalgic, so the movie this week is one I enjoyed as a kid and as an adult. Spirited Away is one of the most iconic films to come from Studio Ghibli, partially because it combines stunning visuals with universal themes. It’s a great film for anyone just getting into animation or for someone who already enjoys the genre.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

While on their way to their new home, Chihiro and her parents stumble upon a mysterious and abandoned amusement park. Though Chihiro wants to leave, her parents find food stalls and sit down to eat. She goes off to explore alone and finds a boy named Haku. He tells her she must leave, but she finds that her parents have turned into pigs and they are cut off from the exit by a sudden river appearing. Haku takes her to the bathhouse at the center of the park. On the way they encounter spirits, talking animals, and other creatures. Once there, Chihiro is taken to meet Yubaba, the witch who runs the bathhouse. Yubaba tries to scare her, but she is persistent. Chihiro is hired as a contract worker and the second character in her name is taken, renaming her Sen. She becomes an assistant to Lin, helping care for the bathhouse patrons. At night the park is full of activity, becoming part of the spirit world. During the day, however, everyone sleeps. In the morning, Haku takes Chihiro to see her parents, who are still pigs. He explains that Yubaba controls people by taking their names. Once they forget who they are, they’re unable to leave the spirit world. One night, Chihiro lets No-Face, a spirit who has been lurking around her, into the bathhouse. A polluted river spirit is Chihiro’s first customer. She removes all the pollution and is gifted a magic dumpling. No-Face begins to run amok, swallowing a worker after luring him in with fake gold. He demands lots of food, and soon eats more workers. Around the same time, Chihiro sees a dragon being attacked by small paper spirits, who she recognizes as Haku. He crashes into Yubaba’s rooms. The paper spirits are actually Yubaba’s sister, Zeniba, who turns Yubaba’s son Boh into a mouse. Chihiro saves Haku by feeding him part of the dumpling, which makes him vomit up a seal stolen from Zeniba. Chihiro then uses the rest of the dumpling on No-Face, who regurgitates everything and everyone he’s eaten. He is lonely, so Chihiro takes him and Boh to return the seal. In exchange for the seal, Zeniba gives Chihiro a magic hairband. Haku as a dragon takes Chihiro and Boh back to the bathhouse, leaving No-Face behind. On the way, Chihiro discovers that Haku is the Kohaku River spirit, a river she almost drowned in before. Back at the bathhouse, Yubaba has a final test for Chihiro: find her parents in the pigpen. She does and they are allowed to leave. Haku promises to see her again as she and her parents depart, who don’t remember anything.

So What Did I Think?

I always love Studio Ghibli’s movies. They are visually breathtaking, have compelling storylines, and interesting lore. Spirited Away is no different. Every frame is a masterpiece. Even the simplest scenes have a beauty about them. The hours that it must’ve taken for each piece to work together is mind boggling and the talent of the artists shines through. The story on a surface level seems simple; a girl trapped in the spirit world who has to find a way back home. There are many complexities and nuances though, from the spirit guests to the names of the characters. Yubaba, for example, is a combination of a Japanese legend and the literal translation of the name to “bathhouse granny.” There are many references to Shintoism and Japanese folklore, too many to name in fact. One of my favorites, though, is the Radish Spirit, an Oshirasama or home spirit, seen throughout. He shows up several times and is super cute.

One thing I love about Spirited Away, and about many of director Hayao Miyazaki’s work, is the use of a strong female protagonist. Chihiro grows as a person throughout, but doesn’t necessarily grow up. Her childlike nature is one of her greatest strengths. She sees past appearances and sees people and creatures for who they really are. 

The movie touches on many serious themes, such as environmentalism, consumerism, and the supernatural. Everything discussed only adds to the story, giving depth to smaller characters like the River Spirit, and is done in a way that still makes the movie appropriate for younger audiences. Miyazaki has stated that he made this film for ten-year-old girls who could relate to Chihiro, but the entire audience can also relate to the young protagonist. Many people know Spirited Away for its Academy Awards win in 2003. It won Best Animated Feature and rightfully so. It’s also so iconic there’s even a stage show based on the film.

Spirited Away looks and sounds amazing, and I haven’t even mentioned the voice talents. I’ve seen both the original Japanese with subtitles and English dub versions. Both are equally as good in my mind. The script is slightly different in English, more to match the original lip movements. I think everyone should watch the original with subtitles to appreciate the full experience, but the dub versions serve a purpose. Instead of reading subtitles, I can enjoy the animation and catch little details I might’ve missed.

Overall, I’d give 9 susuwatari out of 10. (If you know, you know)