Review: Spirited Away (2001)

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan and David Ogden Stiers

There's no doubt about it. Studio Ghibli has been making animated features that capture the imagination in a way few others can for over thirty years, and surely will for decades to come. Whether it's their fantasies like Princess Mononoke or their more reality-driven tales like Only Yesterday, it's hard not to be amazed by their feats. Though I haven't seen every film in their library yet, my favourite is by far Spirited Away. It's the film that really gets the balance right. It's one of those movies that brings you back to your own childhood, builds an astonishing world right in front of you and leaves you feeling positive and bettered by its message.

Chihiro is a ten-year-old girl feeling bitter over her parents' decision to move to a new town. During the trip they come across a mysterious gate that leads them to a magical world ruled by spirits. Her mother and father are transformed into pigs, leaving Chihiro to fend for herself against something she doesn't understand. With the help of Haku, a boy of unknown origin, Chihiro starts working in a bathhouse owned by a cruel witch known as Yubaba. From there she searches for a way to break the spell on her parents and return to the human world.

Like many Studio Ghibli efforts, Spirited Away comfortably sits on the boundary between child and adult appeal, and I think this appeal primarily comes down to one factor: the degree of creativity and how it invites speculation and surprise. There's no way of predicting what's around the corner in this world of spirits. It has a combined effect of making the audience feel anxious for our young heroine, confused by absurdities and yet completely wowed by writer-director Miyazaki's originality. This is enhanced by the animation, which competently adapts to the needs of the scene. Sometimes it's like looking at an attractive painting and absorbing the atmosphere, while at other times it's more of a visual representation of the characters feelings or a demonstration of the possibilities in the fantasy genre.

Despite how abnormal this place is, there's a sense of clarity that builds up over time. I think Spirited Away is trying to say something about the mind of a child and what it's like to grow up. Chihiro transforms from a self-indulged, close-minded brat who's completely lost and dependent on the help of others to someone that's responsible, selfless, grateful and willing to work and learn. While this message and how it's realized applies more to younger audiences, it still entertains adults with by bringing us back to that age.

There's no Studio Ghibli movie that's objectively the best, and one could make just a sound a case for Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbour Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle and probably many others, but this is my choice. It's a stunning movie full of wonders that leave you full of joy and thirsting for more.

My Rating: 10/10