Spirited Away is an intriguing film

For some animated films, the depiction of human emotions can be portrayed as transparent and plain. However, it was Hayao Miyazakis portrayal of strong female characters that puts that notion to shame. In his film "Spirited Away", a ten year old girl named Chihiro goes on a journey through the spirit world when the witch Yubaba turned her parents into pigs. Now with the help of her friend Haku, she must work in Yubabas bathhouse in order to escape the same fate as her parents. Miyazakis 2001 film was budgeted at 19 million dollars, and in its original Japanese cast included Rumi Hiiragi (Chihiro), Miyu Irino (Haku), and Mari Natsuki (Yubaba). Its English cast included Daveigh Chase (Chihiro), Jason Marsden (Haku), and Suzanne Pleshette (Yubaba).

The movie Spirited Away is an intriguing film that takes its audience through a fantasy filled experience. Since Miyazaki had a firm dislike of computer animation, most of his film used his own hand drawn storyboards. This adds to the authenticity of the film because the backgrounds are so detailed and lush, that they fill you with awe. (You get a sense of the smell of the pungent river spirit, the feel of the wind swaying in the flower field, and the mouthwatering food that Chihiros parents scarf down) Even his characters move gracefully as well. For example, when Yubaba is enraged and spewing fire out the mouth because she discovered her baby, Boh was gone, her face was engraved with wrinkles and warts. In addition, when Chihiro and Haku are free falling in the air while holding each other's hands, their eyes were sparkling and filled with tears. Furthermore, the score connects beautifully and adds another element to both the story and plot.

The characters are very complex yet imperfect, which is why it is very easy to sympathize with them. They continuously stay flawed, however its their experiences that help them develop and become better people. Although Chihiro is at first very immature and spoiled, she later becomes driven to help her parents, develops manners, and even develops a better work ethic. Haku, although very silent, is very compassionate towards Chihiro but becomes greedy when he conspires to became Yubabas henchman in order to steal her and her twin sisters witchy powers. Yubaba (the owner of the bath house) is a very strict and money hungry witch, but shes also a caring mother that keeps her baby, Boh, confined from the dangers of the world. Even Noface, a spirit that is corrupted and begins to consume the workers of the bathhouse, ends up befriending Chihiro and finds a home with Yubabas twin sister. (Zeniba)

Miyazakis vision for this film was to make a film that was especially for ten year olds. He got the idea when a friends daughter came to his vacation house and concluded that he wanted to show what ten year olds held closest to their hearts. He even went as far as to research shoujo manga (Japanese comic books specifically made for young girls) but felt that they focused too much on romance and crushes. So he ended up creating a heroine that ten year olds would support through her journey.

This movie is critically acclaimed and received Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, at the 75th show and the Golden Bear in 2002, the Animation Kobe, and about twenty other awards. (In both Japan and Amarica) Overall, this movie is highly praised by both audiences and critics. It scored a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, on Metacritic it scored a 94 out of 100, and Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times praised this film and noted its similarities between this film and Through the Looking Glass. In addition, even Disneys, John Lasseter was so impressed by Spirited Away that he got Disney to buy the U.S. distribution rights so he could dub it in English.

I believe this film tops Disney and other top Western animation studios. It isn't like other films, in which all of its problems gets wrapped up in the end. Spirited Away actually has unresolved issues that actually lets the audience decipher what happens at the end of the credits. For example, Chihiro earns her previously stolen name back (Yubaba had stolen it) and is about to cross the field back into the human world, however it is Haku that tells her that theyd meet again. This causes a surge in questions after the credits like, Are they going to meet again?, Does Chihiro remember her adventures in the Spirit World?, and What happened to everyone after she left? Did anything change? I also like how Miyazaki depicts Chihiro and Hakus love for one another. They don’t kiss or show the "typical" love at first sight interaction. Instead, its a love where both people help and learn together, Chihiro helps Haku by returning a magical seal to Zeniba and apologizing for him and Haku helps Chihiro get a job and not become a pig like her parents. Overall, I believe that this film will forever stay a beautiful masterpiece.

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