"Spirited Away": A thorough review of the fusion of moving story and beautiful visuals

Spirited Away - Sentochihiro no Kamikakushi

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

July 20, 2001 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho

■ Eirin Number

116086

■Frequencies

125 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Hayao Miyazaki

■ Director

Hayao Miyazaki

■ Production

Studio Ghibli

■Works

© 2001 Studio Ghibli・NDDTM

■ Story

On the way to the town they are moving to, Chihiro and her parents find a strange tunnel. Once they leave the tunnel, they come upon a vast grassy hill, and further in, they come to a place that looks like a shopping street. It is a world that humans are not allowed to enter. Chihiro's parents eat food that is on the counter of a shop without permission, and are turned into pigs. The only conditions for Chihiro to survive are to work for Yubaba and to lose her name and become a part of the human world. Chihiro begins working at the bathhouse under the name Sen, and with the encouragement of Haku, Rin, Kamaji, and others, she gradually regains the strength to live.

■Explanation

This fantasy film won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and an Oscar at the Academy Awards. It also set a new box office record in Japan, drawing 26.5 million viewers and earning 30.4 billion yen. Director Hayao Miyazaki's works are always highly acclaimed, and "Spirited Away" is one such example that is loved around the world. The story depicts a journey of growth and self-discovery set in a fantasy world that symbolizes the problems of modern society. In particular, Chihiro's growth and her relationships with the characters around her deeply move the audience. Furthermore, the beautiful visuals and meticulous drawings also make it visually appealing. This work is supported by a wide range of people, from children to adults, and is an immortal masterpiece that you will want to watch again and again.

■Cast

・Chihiro Ogino/Rumi Hiiragi・Haku/Miyu Irino・Yubaba・Zeniba/Mari Natsuki・Akio Ogino/Toshiyuki Naito・Yuko Ogino/Yasuko Sawaguchi・Father/Tsunehiko Kamijo・Brother/Takehiko Ono・Frog/Tatsuya Gashuin・God of the river/Hayashikoba・Bo/Ryunosuke Kamiki・Kamaji/Bunta Sugawara・Rin/Yumi Tamai・Frog at the reception/Yo Oizumi

■ Main staff

・Screenplay/Hayao Miyazaki ・Chief animation directors/Masashi Ando, ​​Kitaro Kosaka, Ai Kagawa ・Animation check/Hitomi Tateno, Mariko Suzuki, Masaya Saito, Minoru Ohashi ・Art director/Yoji Takeshige ・Color design/Michiyo Yasuda ・Digital animation director/Mitsunori Katayama ・Video direction/Atsushi Okui

■ Main Characters

・Chihiro Ogino
A 10-year-old girl. A very ordinary, weak girl. She is the protagonist of the story, and her process of growing up is depicted. Her courage and growth deeply moves the audience.
Haku
A white-faced boy around 12 years old. He is in charge of the bathhouse's accounting department. A mysterious character who protects, advises and encourages Chihiro from the moment they first met. His presence becomes a source of emotional support for Chihiro, and holds an important key to the story.
Yubaba: An old woman with a giant head, age unknown. She uses magic to run and control a bathhouse called "Yuuya". Her strictness and deep insight give the story a sense of tension.
・Akio Ogino
38 years old, Chihiro's father. Optimistic and unfoundedly confident. An important character whose actions trigger the beginning of the story.
・Yuko Ogino
35 years old, Chihiro's mother. Realistic and strong-willed. Her realistic perspective influences Chihiro's development.
・Father: A giant frog who leads the frog men who work at the bathhouse. His presence symbolizes the organizational structure of the bathhouse.
The older brother is like a section chief, whereas the father is like a department manager. He manages the frog men together with the father. His role is important in supporting the operation of the bathhouse.
The Frog Men who work at the Frog Bathhouse. Their presence is essential to depicting the daily life of the bathhouse.
・The famous river god with the face of an old man mask and the body of a white snake. His appearance symbolizes Chihiro's growth and trials.
・Bo Yubaba's son. A giant baby. He suffers from an obsession with food and is selfish. His existence is important in portraying Yubaba's humanity.
・Kamaji An old man with six arms who manages the boiler room in the basement of the bathhouse. He prepares the medicinal bath with Susuwatari by his side. His presence is essential to depicting the behind-the-scenes of the bathhouse.
Rin: Chihiro's senior at the bathhouse. A girl around 14 years old. She's blunt, but she also has a kind side. Her presence plays an important role in supporting Chihiro's growth.
A giant frog who is in charge of the bathhouse's reception desk. His presence is vital to the operation of the bathhouse.

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song ・Always With Me ・Lyrics by Wakako Kaku ・Music by Yumi Kimura ・Singer by Yumi Kimura

■Detailed review

"Spirited Away" is one of director Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces, and its profound themes and beautiful visuals leave a strong impression on the audience. The story begins when a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro, on her way to a new town with her parents, passes through a strange tunnel and gets lost in a world where humans are not allowed to enter. There, her parents are transformed into pigs, and Chihiro is forced to work for Yubaba. She is given the name "Sen" and is no longer of the human world, but with the help of her friends, she gradually regains the strength to live. The story is a journey of growth and self-discovery, and Chihiro's courage and growth deeply move the audience.

Particularly impressive is Chihiro's growth and her relationships with the characters around her. Haku provides Chihiro with emotional support, and his presence is key to the story. Yubaba's strictness and deep insight give the story tension and encourage Chihiro's growth. Characters such as Rin and Kamaji also play important roles in supporting Chihiro's growth. Through her relationships with these characters, Chihiro reexamines herself and grows.

The film's beautiful visuals and detailed drawings are also part of its appeal. Studio Ghibli's technical capabilities are fully demonstrated, depicting the beauty and realism of the fantasy world. In particular, the depiction of the bathhouse and the scene where the river god appears are full of visual appeal. These visuals deepen the theme of the story and leave a strong impression on the audience.

Furthermore, the film is set in a fantasy world that symbolizes the problems of modern society. The world that Chihiro finds herself lost in is a place where humans should not enter, and the events that occur there reflect the problems of modern society. For example, the scene in which Chihiro's parents are turned into pigs is a metaphor that criticizes the excessive consumer society, and Chihiro's growth shows the importance of self-discovery and self-actualization. These themes have resonated with a wide range of people, from children to adults, making this a timeless classic that people want to watch over and over again.

■Recommendation details

"Spirited Away" is the pinnacle of fantasy animation, and a work that fully displays the talents of director Miyazaki Hayao. In particular, Chihiro's growth and her relationships with the characters around her deeply move the audience. Furthermore, the beautiful visuals and meticulous drawings are full of visual appeal, making it a timeless masterpiece that you will want to watch again and again. This work can be recommended to a wide range of people, from children to adults. It is a must-see, especially for those who are interested in themes of growth and self-discovery, and those who enjoy beautiful visuals.

Furthermore, this work is set in a fantasy world that symbolizes the problems of modern society, so it can also be recommended to those who are interested in social themes. Through Chihiro's growth and her relationships with the characters around her, we can learn the importance of self-discovery and self-actualization. In addition, the beautiful visuals and detailed drawings are full of visual appeal, making this a timeless masterpiece that you will want to watch again and again. This work can be recommended to a wide range of people, from children to adults. It is a work that should especially be seen by those who are interested in the themes of growth and self-discovery, and those who want to enjoy beautiful visuals.