Viewing the world through the eyes of a child can be cathartic — thrilling even. Spirited Away was created by Studio Ghibli, a beloved animation studio led by Hayao Miyazaki and other directors/animators. The studio’s films typically follow the adventures of a young protagonist facing some of life’s hardships and turmoils. This particular film is no different.
I decided to shelf this film until it arrived in theaters as part of last year’s Studio Ghibli Fest (a cinematic event where classics from the studio are re-released for a small theatrical window of 4-5 days that changes monthly), sponsored by Lusca Film Fest. The result was extremely rewarding.
For those who are unaware of the film’s plot, it follows a young girl named Chihiro who stumbles upon a strange world on the same day she moves into a new town. She must complete a quest in order to escape said world and save her family from a grisly fate. Moving to a new town is already difficult enough, but entering an actual ghost town riddles Chihiro with an existential dread, driven by a gigantic determination to focus on what’s best for her family. She encounters mentors such as Haku (a young man who’s a spirit dragon) and Lin (a former human who’s stuck with an endless job), as well as an adversary and formidable foe named Yubaba. Chihiro faces trials of temptation, corruption, and loyalty that test her obstinacy beyond what she could’ve imagined. As chief of this spirit realm, Yubaba challenges the protagonist’s might through these trials that would normally weaken any human. However, when a child is surrounded by love and taught the golden rule of kindness, like Chihiro was, their true weapon of resistance against obstacles of malevolence and the unknown is paying that kindness forward.
Regarding the technical aspects, every detail is plastered across the big screen, and over 50 speakers of the theater further immerse the audience within the experience. Miyazaki’s films use pastel color schemes with a balanced proportion before they reach a level of visual saturation. Two-dimensional animation is the studio’s trademark style, but the blend with three-dimensional techniques that are reserved for key scenes is part of what earned this film its Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003 — a monumental achievement for both the studio and the animation industry as the second film to ever earn the award. As a fan of film scores, music is a crucial, salient detail that I’m always keen to analyze and absorb. Joe Hisaishi, the composer for Spirited Away and a frequent collaborator of Miyazaki’s, creates dreamy melodies that usually mellows one’s ears with a piano andante (which, in layman’s terms, it’s an estimate of 79-80 beats per minute) until eventually escalating to a grand orchestra. The score ebbs and flows with the intensity or precarity that each scene requires.
While Miyazaki’s stories typically carry a poignant tone and emotional depth, Spirited Away’s script possesses both qualities while enriching the plot with humor and more eccentricity than the Studio Ghibli films I have watched to date. (The comparison will vary once I continue to expand on this wonderful collection.) Examples of eccentricity can be found in incorporating Japanese folklore through characters previously mentioned (Haku as a dragon, an integral creature of Japanese culture, and Yubaba, based on Yuma-Aba, an old woman who lives on the mountains) as well as No-Face (Kaonashi in Japanese), an enigmatic spirit who feeds on greed yet treats Chihiro, an enemy of greed, with gingerly care.
Greed is precisely one of the big themes at play in Spirited Away, and the first subjects who were tested were Chihiro’s parents. During their first visit to the ghost town, feasts of food were seemingly left unattended. Against Chihiro’s wishes, they vigorously consumed the food and transformed into pigs, which is perhaps one of the most impactful scenes. In my opinion, this scene represents many perspectives of greed. This may allude to an adult’s greed within a capitalist world, where any opportunity to acquire materials for free is never taken for granted. No context of the family’s circumstances prior to the film’s events is provided. However, the ecstasy plastered across the faces of Chihiro’s parents conveys the idea that they are vessels through which greed manifests itself in.
Gluttony is also showcased in this scene, as it is the much more literal depiction of what pushes her parents beyond their breaking point. While greed is the larger theme at hand, her parents’ voracious consuming paves the way for a direct consequence, which in their case is gluttony.
Both themes are typically perceived as sins, which can be seen both in the Bible, or even as far back as Circe in The Odyssey, who inflicts the same curse on sailors. Whatever interpretation is absolutely valid, and it’s fascinating to view how greed is a universal theme that cracks at the seams of society — with the exception of children. Chihiro is exempted from this curse because her heart is pumped by purity and kindness that, despite the experience in the spirit realm, has not been corroded by the turbulence of the real world.
Spirited Away may have been released 25 years ago, but its relevance cements its legacy as a leap of Studio Ghibli’s evolution in the animation industry. While it’s categorized as a children’s film, Spirited Away knows no bounds because it reels in audiences of all ages and walks of life. Its oddity may be incomprehensible at first, but once the character arcs begin churning, you’re in for a wild ride that hopefully captivates you as much as it did me. Lastly, Spirited Away invites audiences to reflect on the hidden challenges in life and how much one lesson can forever mark a child in their journey to grow up.