Miyazaki's Spirited Away Anime Movie Review

Miyazaki's Spirited Away Anime Movie Review 

A few years ago, I watched Miyazaki's Spirited Away. I liked the anime film a lot. Basically, this anime movie is about the puppy love between Chihiro and the Water Spirit Dragon Haku (or Kohaku). The movie begins with Chihiro being sad because she is moving to a new place. Her family is telling her to cheer up. On the way, Chihiro sees an odd waystone. Her father decides to take an alternative route. As it is usual, shortcuts always lead to trouble. When her family got out of the car, they made it through a doorway. Beyond it, they saw a cute traditional Japanese looking place. That place featured succulent foods. Chihiro's parent choose to eat at the place.




Chihiro thought there was something suspicious about the place. Her father told her not to worry, because he had money. The issue is that credit cards are not an accepted currency in the spirit world. The owner of the place turned Chihiro's parents to pigs. Chihiro tried to run away, however, the way back was covered in water. All about her, spirits began to manifest. Chihiro was not alone. At a certain point, she was intercepted by Haku. He was protecting her from the owner of the place.

In order to help Chihiro survive, Haku recommended her to Yubaba. She was the evil witch owner of the spirit bathhouse. Chihiro was to work to keep her parents alive. Since she was a witch, Hubaba made a contract with Chihiro. Part of the contract required for Chihiro to give up her true name. Thus, Chihiro lost her true name. Her slave name was Sen. This renaming of people was common among slave owners. This trick helped to make the slave loose its previous identity. All the slave would know was their life as a slave.

I think that is enough of about the plot. I want to avoid spoiling the ending. What I liked best was the design of the Dragon Haku. Like Chihiro, he too had lost his name when he apprenticed for Yubaba. The No Face spirit was pretty interesting. In any case, Spirited Away deserves 5 stars rating. If I remember correctly, this movie caught Disney's attention. Now, Studio Ghibli is a subsidiary of Disney. Yeah, those Disney guys know where the money is at.