Spirited Away   [DVD 2003]

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• 1) Tips For Non-Japanese Speaking Fans: This Is a Masterpiece

  by Tsuyoshi on September 17 2002
    760+ helpful votes

  Released on July 20th, in 2001 in Japan, "Spirited Away" stayed in theaters for almost 10 months, breaking all the previous box-office records in Japan, including that of "Titanic" and "Princess Mononoke" by the same director Hayao Miyazaki. With this astonishing film about a girl's spiritual journey, Mr. Miyazaki again showed that he is one of the best directors living in the world. This animation film was also awarded prestageous Golden Bear Prize in Berlin Film Festival, and that is not a surprise at all, after you see this movie.
  
  The film's story traces a girl's strange and fascinating life in another world, where her parents are accidentally and magically transformed, and she has to survice herself and return to her own world. To do so, this pudgy-faced little girl Chihiro, now deprived of her name by a greedy witch Yu-baba, has to work at the baths where gods and sprites all over Japan come to take a rest. Chihiro's life is full of wonderful (and often hard, even terrifying) things, and through her experiences she learns how to live, gaining the true will and power, changing from a sulky girl languidly lying on the backseat of a car, into a lively and truely courageous girl.
  
  That's all you have to know: you don't need to see its trailer (English version trailer is a bit misleading), and just watch this masterpiece. Though there is a character called "Kao-nashi" (meaning "Faceless"), who out of loneliness does something harmful to the place; and there is an episode about a very stinking monster who turns out something very different, there are no villains, no heroes, and no so-called actions. And another strength of the film comes from its designs of the baths. It is based on a mosaic of Japanese and Western traditions (the witch's office looks obviously Western while Chihiro and other female workers room is inspired from the texitle factory girls' residence 100 years ago) Incredibly, some part are even from Chinese style.
  
  The story, some say probably rightly, goes slower in the latter half (of the film that runs more than 2 hours), but "Spirited Away" never lets you down. It's time for any American audience to know Miyazaki's name, and that animation films are not meant for only kids, but for adults.
  
  [The following might hopefully help understand some part of the film. No spoilers contained, but you might read them after watching them. Al the names referred to are from Japanese original print.]
  
  [1] The name "Chihiro" is, when written in Chinese letters, divided into two parts: "Chi-hiro." The first part "Chi" has another way of pronounciation, "Sen," which becomes her temporary name.
  [2] Chihiro's real name is "Chihiro Ogino" which is briefly seen on the contract paper she signs.
  [3] The handsome boy who offers a help to Chihio is called "Haku" which means in Japanese, "white."
  [4] Haku's real name is "Migihayami Kohakusui." All the Japanese audience, as Chihiro in fact was, would be surprised to hear this long and old-fashioned name, which clearly suggests his ancient and aristocratic origin. (CORRECTION added on 1/1/2007) I came upon recently Sonomi's review pointing out the mistake I made here; Haku's name is really "Nigihayami Kohakunushi." I apologize for the mistake.
  [5] The witch's spoiled baby is called "Bou" (and his name is written prominently in a Chinese letter on his clothes). This is shrewd naming because the word "bou-ya" (which is used to call, affectinately, to baby boys) implies too much fondness to the babies on mother's side.
  [6] Chihiro's father, at the diapidated red gate, talks knowingly about the posibility of a disused theme park. It is true that Japan saw economic depression after the boom of the 80s, and his remarks, though half telling of his too much confidence, have some ring of truth.
  [7] For Miyazaki's fans, there are some extra fun: see, for example, the re-appearance of "Susuwatari"s, tiny black speck-like creatures that carry coal in a boiler room. As fans know, they are also seen in Miyazaki's delightful film "My Neighbor Totoro." And check out one of the "guests" at the spa who looks and moves exactly like Totoro.
  [8] And those harmless "Susuwatri"s eat Japanese traditional, very sweet confectionary called "Konpeitou" made from sugar. This is the part Japanese viewers smile because of the unexpected combination.
  [9] In the same boiler room, the spider-like veteran master gives Chihiro "Kaisuu-ken," coupon-style tickets for train. This is also the part we would smile because we all somehow share the same experience of giving them to children who go somewhere by train or bus, or of finding very old ones somewhere in the desk.
  [10] That same kind master, seeing Chihiro step on the crawling worm, makes a gesture of a knife with his hand, and touches Chihiro's hands in a unique way. This is a (now out-of-fashion) custom when touching something very dirty, symbolizing the total safety from the object in case, often accompanied with Japanese word "Engacho" (no more connection). This part is also funny to us.
  [11] In the opening scene. behind the back of Chihiro, you can see the glimpse of half-hidden, red-colored package of chocolate bar, which looks like one famous brand. Probably, this is a small token of thanks for the company (famous for coffee, too), which joined in the tie-in campagin for the film's promotion in Japan.
  [12] Finally, director Miyazaki says that the film is originally made for unnamed 10-year-old girls he and the movieproducer are both acquainted with, and hope that those girls are delighted to see the film. No doubt they are.

• 2) An outstanding breath of fresh air

  by Jason Rabin on March 15 2003
    260+ helpful votes

  Spirited Away is yet another masterpiece from Japan's undisputed master of animation. Although I did not enjoy it as much as Princess Mononoke, I was more entertained by this film than by any Disney movie made in the past five years. Speaking of Disney, I thought I would clear up a few misconceptions that some people have concerning this film. Firstly, for those people who complain that Miyazaki's films (as well as other anime) are for adults, and not children, I should point out that Miyazaki has explicitly stated that Spirited was made for young girls. (in other words, Chihiro's age) This doesn't mean that the film can only be enjoyed by pre-pubescant girls (I myself am a 22 year old male); it just means that you should not go into this film expecting something geared towards adults, the way Mononoke was.
  Now I have noticed several people on this site comparing Spirited to Disney. Everyone seems to agree that it is nothing like Disney, because it is scary. Some parents even go so far to say that Spirited is inappropriate for children. Let me just say that you are all both right and wrong on this issue. Spirited Away is nothing like Disney as it is NOW. However, if you look at classics like Snow White, and especially Pinocchio, you'll see that these films have much more in common with Spirited Away than with, say, Hercules, or Tarzan. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who claims that Spirited is too scary for children ought to remember what Disney used to be like. In Snow White, the wicked Queen ordered the huntsman to cut out Snow White's heart. Even more telling, in Pinocchio, the main character ends up on an island for wicked children, who are mercilessly transformed into beasts and sold into slavery. Can you honestly say that this is somehow more wholesome or less nightmarish than what goes on in Spirited? Anyone who remembers these films recognizes that Spirited Away's often nightmarish sense of morality and justice (parents being turned into pigs for their greed) is not novel to the American imagination, but something old, something many of us have clearly forgotten, even though we saw these very films as children! This harkens back to a time when Americans had a much clearer sense of morality, a much greater willingness to recognize an absolute line between right and wrong. For me, this is refreshing, for you it may not be. As for your children being scared, I agree it is a possibility. I was scared when I saw Snow White and Pinocchio, yet I enjoyed those two films immensely. Moreover, they are both considered to be undisputed classics of American animation. So to all those parents who think they can comfortably dismiss Spirited Away as some alien abomination, you had better look closer to home, because it may not be quite as alien as you thought.

• 3) The only word is "Wow"

  by Christopher Fung on November 04 2002
    60+ helpful votes

  I've seen this movie twice and I don't usually do that kind of thing (the last time I did that was for "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and in fact, there are some interesting similarities between the two movies). So here's the capsule: A truly excellent piece of art. Funny, moving, beautifully-rendered and thus PERHAPS a little more than slightly scary for younger kids. I think you have to use your judgment for this one, but if your kids can watch Buffy or the death of Bambi's mother, they'll be able to handle this for sure.

  Miyazaki has been described as the greatest (or one of the greatest) anime directors ever and this stunningly well-textured movie is definitely his best visual work yet. In fact the only thing about this movie that was at all disappointing was the sickly music at the end over the credits but even this is part of the cultural experience of modern Asian pop culture so it has relevance even if it makes you leap for the exit as if you were pursued by a vomiting monster.

  I disagree with those reviewers who thought the characters were one-dimensional. While it is true that the plot was very linear, there were a bunch of more subtle things in the movie that suggested some interesting character development. This was (I think) more evident in the subtitled version than the dubbed version: Chihiro/Sen goes from being a fairly spoilt and clingy child to a self-reliant and confident figure (a point underlined needlessly by voice-over dialog in the final scene of the dubbed version). Haku is not the defiant, noble dragon for the whole movie and in fact only really comes into his own after Chihiro feeds him the River Spirit's medicine. Before this point he is caught between his own kind impulses (In the Japanese version, Zeniba tells Chihiro "Dragons are always kind, it's in their nature") and his (originally), willing collaboration with Yubaba. Even Yubaba herself is not totally evil, although she is totally mercenary ("A deal's a deal").

  This last point, I think, is one of Miyazaki's major ideas in the movie. I did not come to this realization until I had been thinking about the character of No Face for two weeks. I was wondering why a disembodied spirit go from being a gentle, generous ghost to a ravening, gluttonous monstrosity. And I think the answer lies in Miyazaki's gentle but pointed rejection of modern, possessive, materialist life (it's not "Western" life he's criticizing. "Materialism" is no more Western than "Spirituality" is Asian, every region of the world has these things. It's just a question of degree and detail).

  Chihiro tells us "It's not good for him [No Face] to be in the bathhouse". After she feeds him some of the River Spirit's medicine, No Face returns (somewhat graphically) to his former self but clearly the environment of the bath house with its overwhelming spirit of greed and indulgence (served, but never made concrete by Yubaba) is what lies at the core of Miyazaki's critique of modern society.

  Think about the way Yubaba's empire is set up: Everyone must work for a living. The work is endless and while satisfying and rewarding in the short term, clearly in the long term it is soul-destroying -not in a dramatic Hollywood-style shoot-out but by slow, routine and deathly poison. Even Kamaji has a train ticket stashed away for his eventual escape. Perhaps its not too far-fetched to suggest that Chihiro's travels through the spirit world and the spirits' desire to escape Yubaba's world of toil are both manifestations of the human spirit's desire for escape from the tyranny of the mundane and the material. Ultimately, perhaps everyone in the bathhouse (with the exception of Yubaba) helps Chihiro because she represents the flight to freedom.

  The incident with the Stink God illustrates the same critique with respect to the environment. Industrial humanity has reduced the beauty and power of a river to a noxious, gasping mass of garbage and industrial pollutants. The visuals in this sequence are just stunning.

  Miyazaki's exteriors of the spirit world by contrast, (except for the ghostly theme-park town which was wonderfully charming and creepy at the same time) are almost all pastoral, evocative and hauntingly beautiful. My favorite however was the train journey which allowed Miyazaki to display his talent for capturing the essence of water with subtle reflections and whispers of sound, while also revealing an ineffable (and very Japanese) sadness in the spirits traveling on the train.

  This is also a land where no-one is what they seem to be. No matter how beautiful the surfaces. People become pigs (revealing the gross nature of humanity perhaps), ghosts become monsters, Zeniba is both malicious and motherly, Haku is a dragon and a boy. Remember too that the most overtly violent scenes (at least as far as bloodshed is concerned) in the movie involve birds made of paper!

  Nope, I don't think this was a simple-minded movie at all. Go see it. You will not be disappointed if you have even half a soul. It's the kind of thing that will stay with you for a very long time and that you'll find yourself going to see again years later. Probably more than once.

• 4) A Lesson For Disney

  by A. Liu on March 14 2003
    50+ helpful votes

  While Major Hollywood studios believe the audiences are tired of watching plain hand-drawn cartoons and began to incorporate more special effects into 2-D animation, yet with disappointing results (Titan A.E., Atlantis, and the most recent Treasure Planet), they have almost totally given up on traditional animation, and focus on producing 3-D computer animation. After a series of successful and charming CG cartoon, one could not help but to wonder: is this the end of hand-drawn cartoon artists? (some may argue that they could get the job as storyboard artists)

  The point that they are really missing is, what is missing from the recent 2-D animation features, is not the blasting visual effects, or floor cracking sounds. The real thing that is missing from them is a "heart".

  See "Toy Story", "A Bug's Life", and "Monsters, Inc." (all produced by Pixar Studio, who is, in the writer's opinion, superior than their rival competitors), while they are indeed visually revolutionary, the focus is still on story telling - story that combines humor, excitement, and ultimately family-oriented heart-warming theme.

  "Spirited Away" is simply magical, enchanting, funny, and genuinely touching. In the beginning of the film some may be distracted by the in comparison lower frame-rate (i.e. the character movements may not seem as smooth compare to the Hollywood animations), but you will not be able to help but to awe at each beautifully rendered frame. The artistic level and the use of colors in the drawing are all first class. Moreover, 30 minutes into the film, you will probably forget it is drawings that you are watching, because everything inside the screen all comes alive! (Perhaps because it reaches a certain realistic level, some of the scene may be too grizzly and scary)

  It did not become the highest grossing movie in Japan ever for no reason, and it certainly deserves more attention it received in the western world. The ballroom scene in "Beauty and the Beast" never fails to bring tears in my eyes, and it reminds us why we watch cartoon in the beginning. "Spirited Away" achieves in the same way, and it achieves it like a breeze among all these competitions today.

• 5) More than you expect...

  by N. Acevedo on April 03 2003
    40+ helpful votes

  I had the privelege of seeing this movie on the big screen in a subtitled and dubbed version. To say I was impressed was an understatement at the very least.

  Being an animation major and having a serious interest and passable knowledge of Japanese Culture/History I was in seventh heaven when I saw this film. The use of 2D traditional cel animation as the primary storytelling device is both refreshing and important. Flashy 3D effects do not a better story make (Treasure Planet and this year's academy award winning short The ChubbChubbs being good examples of that). The 3D effects in this film are subtle and are used to enhance the story rather than cover up for gaping plot holes. Character design is on spot and the backgrounds sport more details than the past three Disney movies. One of the things I've always loved about Miyazaki is the way he makes things look real. They don't look like stage sets (as many of Disney's films do) and add an element of realism/depth that make the story all the more relevant. Things are messy and imperfect.

  I KNOW how hard it was to make this film and because of its sophisticated themes (greed/gluttony, environmental pollution/cleansing), dark ideas (slavery, death, etc) and somewhat scary moments I was very sure it wouldn't make it to big screen at all. Disney for once did the right thing and despite their lackluster promotion of the film it did receive the American accolades it deserved (99 top 10 lists and the Academy Award Best Animated Picture) This movie is not for young kids, as there are real moments of danger for the main characters and things that little children will not understand. Miyazaki is NOT Disney. Unfortunately a lot of people see animation and think it must automatically be kid friendly. It is important you do your homework before taking a young child to this movie.

  That being said if you are at all interested in fantasy adventures like Alice in Wonderland (the original not the Disney treatment/sanitization) or The Neverending Story this is for you! For film buffs I suggest the original Japanese soundtrack with English subtitles as they speak much more to the Japanese culture aspects that were squashed in the Disney dub.

• 6) Supreme Craftsmanship, and a well paced story to boot!

  by Anonymous on August 24 2002
    30+ helpful votes

  I saw 'Spirited Away' in a Tokyo theatre last year while visiting, and then bought the Japanese DVD with English subtitles to understand the story. Each time the film improved even though the first viewing was stunning enough. Watching this lush visual film in the theatre will show viewers how limited DVD video is in detail. After seeing the Disney trailer I can admit they did the voices very very well, and the interpretation helped massively from the trailer alone.

  Mr. Miyazaki's imagination explodes across an Asian 'Alice In Wonderland' tale of a girl, Chihiro (shortened to Sen by a witch during the story) caught in a realm inhabited by gods and spirits seperated from the real world by a widening river she and her parents accidentally cross. Underneath the playful designs and truely scary, yet uplifting, scenarios lies a strong story dealing with greed and its abuses. Chihiro's pure heart is the only free path avoiding the pitfalls of gods, spirits, and her own parents which brings revelation and culmination to the twisted circumstances confusing the world she is placed within. Never a dull moment, and the story doesn't wander aimlessly between confusing B and C plots as some Miyazaki films have done.

  This is a brilliant film for any member of the family, although it could be intimidating for some younger children. There is no gore, sex or prolonged and gruesome battles which splatter the anime screen, but there are rather creepy moments dealing with spooky appiritions while Chihiro attempts to regain her composure as she gets surrounded by the spirits appearing in the world, and then being chased by a vomitous, spidery goliath which entrances, then devours its greedy prey (but don't fear, it resolves well). Hopefully this is the film that breaks Miyazaki to the average American movie goer. This and Porco Rosso are his greatest animated films due to their subtlety, variety and skill along with strong story line and truely appropriate acting conveying intentions and plot perfectly. Congrats, Ghibli.

• 7) Academy Award-winning for a reason!

  by Simon Knowles on March 26 2003
    30+ helpful votes

  At the time of this review's writing, Spirited Away just won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, beating out Lilo & Stitch, Treasure Planet, Spirit, and Ice Age. It also bears the distinction of being the first Japanese animation to win the award. I say, there was no contest.

  Spirited Away is a fantastic and deep movie, with characters that feel very much alive, even though they're obviously animated drawings. Miyazaki, the director, deliberately instructed his animators to focus on the tiny human details of everyday actions, such as eating. The animators were actually in the studio's cafeteria, filming their coworkers. This attention to detail is what makes the movie come alive. Chihiro sits down and carefully inches her way down a steep stairway on the outside of a building. Chihiro's mother bites a strip of meat off a cooked bird, and pulls sideways with her jaw, not straight out. (The meat doesn't streeeeetch and pop, either.) It just seems REAL.

  And then, of course, the movie really begins and things get somewhat surreal. The parade of creatures crossing the bridge is just the beginning: Robed figures wearing masks and holding fans in front of their faces, creatures that appear to be giant chickadees, weird monster-like creatures with tusks and horns and green hair. And they're being welcomed by humanish frogs. And that's just the beginning of the movie.

  But, at the same time, with all these fantastic spirits and creatures, the movie maintains its human element: Chihiro. She is the only real human in most of the movie, and it is her ability to adapt, and to care, that propels the story. Chiriho grows. She learns that she has to make it on her own initiative if she wants to get what she needs.

  If you're still with me, hopefully you're not of the mind that cartoons are just for kids. This movie has a PG rating for a reason. It's not for young children. There is some blood, and a few moments that would probably scare anyone under the age of 8 or so. However, this movie is for kids and adults not because of that, but because of how deep and meaningful its story is. Months after seeing it in theatres, I was still picking out pieces of theme from the film. There is a lot in here: Themes of identity and names, friendship, giving, family, greed, love, bravery, survival, maturity, and self-sacrifice.

  Miyazaki also gave the story another aspect of realism: There is no clearly-defined "good" and "bad" guy. The heroine (Chihiro) is not perfect, though she tries hard to be strong. The 'villain' has a warm, caring side that she reserves for only one person. The mysterious character with unclear motives takes an unexpected turn. Miyazaki refuses to paint the story in extremes of black and white. What does this mean? He writes the story with all the detail and care it deserves, knowing you'll have to be paying attention.

  All of this to say, watch this movie. I believe you'll thank me for it.

• 8) Great Movie!

  by Anonymous on April 06 2003
    30+ helpful votes

  I really didn't want to see this movie at first, but I forced to as it was my brother's birthday, and he is an animation fanatic.

  Even though I'm fifteen and like to think of myself as above cartoon movies, this has quickly turned into one of my favorite movies, prompting a fifth visit to my local theater to see it. Everytime I see it, I notice something different about it, that I didn't before.

  It has a fantastic plot, and really transports you to a different world where not everything is as it seems on the surface. It really absorbs you. There are sad parts, and well as funny parts, and you feel the emotions of the charachters.

  Despite the PG rating, this movie may scare little kids, as there is some pretty weird stuff going on in the movie, such as people beng transformed into pigs, several monsters, dragons, and some animated blood.

  This is definitely one of the most enjoyable movies I have seen in a really long time.

• 9) Miyazaki's Masterpiece

  by Michael H. Siegel on April 22 2003
    30+ helpful votes

  I am gratified to see that Spirited Away is finally getting the attention in this country that it has long deserved. Buried by Disney until the Academy Awards, the latest creation of Japan's animation guru is simply stunning -- the best animated feature since Snow White.

  You've read the plot summaries and perhaps the idea of a Japanese film about a 10-year old girl who gets trapped in the spirit world sounds strange. But this picture has universal appeal. I'm an 30-year old white American male and I love this movie. The (mostly) hand-drawn animation is lush, gorgeous and incredibly dynamic. And how nice is it to see 3-dimensional characters in a complex touching story that goes in unexpected directions every chance it gets? It leaves anything produced by Disney/Pixar in the dust.

  Disney has done an excellent job of bringing this movie to America. The copy is crisp and clear -- although obviously not as magnificent as on the big screen. The voice-dubbing is very good, matching the character's mouths without losing content. I had a slight problem with Princess Mononoke's dubbing because some of the celebrity voices (especially Thornton and Anderson) were distracting. That's not the case here. The english voices are perfectly cast (especially Suzanne Pleshette as Yubaba/Zeniba).

  A few notes on the DVD. The extras are OK with the exception of an outstanding Japanese TV special on the making of Spirited Away. Rather than focus on the technical aspects, it focuses on Miyazaki himself and his uber-talented group of artists at Studio Ghibli. It's definitely worth your time.

  Also, some comments have unfavorably compared this version to the Japanese version. For the record, Disney is contractually forbidden from changing a single frame of the movie -- not one frame. Period. There *are* some differences in dialogue but you can watch in Japanese with more literally translated subtitles (subtitle track 2) if you prefer.

  Final comment: this movie may not be suitable for very young children as it has some scary sequences and is over two hours long. But for everyone else, this is an incredible movie. And for animation fans, it's a must-have.

• 10) I was Blown Away

  by Royce E. Buehler on February 19 2003
    30+ helpful votes

  Chihiro, a typical slightly spoiled ten year old girl, wanders off the beaten path with her parents, and is thrust into a bewildering otherworld. Her parents have soon fallen under a malign enchantment, and suddenly it falls to her, with the aid of a mysteriously familiar boy named Haku, to rescue them. She has to decide where to place her trust, as it becomes apparent that Haku is in the service of the villainous tyrant grandmother Yabubu, who rules over this otherworld.

  It is Chihiro's spirit that steers her through these uncharted waters. We watch her discover in herself and exhibit, tentatively at first but with growing confidence, all of the virtues a fairy-tale hero must learn: resourcefulness, compassion, politeness (hey, this *is* Japanese!) and courage. Because we've witnessed her ordinary beginnings, we identify with and believe in all her emerging qualities. It's all done with a deft matter-of-fact touch that never cloys and never preaches. The animation is quietly dazzling. The plot is dense and full of surprises. The symbolism is as exotic as a Shinto shrine, and as familiar as the echos set up by the best fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen or old Russia.

  The cream of American animation for children in recent years - films like Aladdin or Monsters Inc - have drawn in audiences with screenplays written on a double track: a simple, comforting story for the kids, and a long series of nods and winks over the kids' heads to the adults, catering to our sense of irony and patting us on the back for catching all the topical and cinematic references. And that's been fun as far as it goes.

  "Spirited Away" throws all that into the dustbin, goes back to the basics, to the conventions and surprises of timeless fairy tale, to a character-based humor that appeals to all ages, and to the sense of wonder that reawakens the child in everyone. It's an hour and a half of pure, funny poetry. It hits every mark it aims for. It's an unqualified classic. And it will become the first DVD I buy for my two year old grandson, even though it will have to be held in trust until he turns six, and can watch it without being freaked out by the spooky parts.

• 11) A magical ride!!!!

  by Mark Twain on April 02 2003
    20+ helpful votes

  When animated films were just about going downhill with Disney's direct-to-video releases, and Warner Bros. poor attempts at imitating quality Disney classics, along came Lilo and Stitch, Spirit, and the little seen Spirited Away, an amazing film from Japan that deservedly beat its competition to win Best Animated Feature at this year's Academy Awards.

  Writer/director Hayao Miyazaki's animé fantasy epic is the first animated film in the 50-year history of the prestigious Venice Film Festival to win the top prize. In Japan, the movie earned $230 million, dethroning "Titanic" as the country's box office champ. Miyazaki knows all the uses of enchantment. "Spirited Away" references everything from Grimms' fairy tales to Greek myths as it plunges us into a world that gets curiouser and curiouser and curiouser.

  The simple, yet elegant story follows10-year-old Chihiro (expertly voiced by Daveigh Chase from "Lilo & Stitch"). Tucked into the back seat of her parents' car, she refuses to be happy about the family's move to a new suburban neighborhood. "It'll be an adventure," Mom and Dad insist. More so than they could possibly imagine. Dad takes a wrong turn and comes upon what appears to be an abandoned theme park. Chihiro would rather stay in the car, but her folks want to explore. Finding a sumptuous unattended feast, they hungrily gobble down everything in sight, despite protests from their daughter.
  Her parents refuse to listen, so the brave little girl wanders off to explore. When she returns, her parents have been horribly transformed -- and once the sun goes down, the park is transformed, too. It becomes filled with an astonishing array of gods, spirits and unimaginable creatures. Haku (Jason Marsden), a handsome boy with Prince Valiant bangs, helpfully explains that she's accidentally stumbled into a kind of spa for the spirit world.

  Everything and everyone in "Spirited Away" can turn into something entirely different. Transformations and metamorphoses are the essence of Miyazaki's film. Even Chihiro is transformed by her adventures. As in all classic fairy tales, she learns that if you're clever, brave and good, you can triumph over even the most desperate and unnerving ordeals.

  Miyazaki's nonstop images are so stunning, and his imagination so vivid, that the only possible complaint you could have about "Spirited Away" is that there is no rest period, no timeout. Everywhere you look, there's something incredible. It's a marvel to behold.

  The English-language version comes courtesy of Disney (the producer is John Lasseter of "Toy Story" fame), but please note the PG rating. "Spirited Away" is not for younger kids or anxiety-prone adolescents. A lot of this is the stuff bad dreams are made of. For everyone else, "Spirited Away" is not to be missed. It's what movie magic is all about. One of the best animated films ever made.

• 12) Greedy to Disney no Distributor

  by Courtland J. Carpenter on November 28 2002
    20+ helpful votes

  To begin with I can't help but agree with all the accolades for this movie. English version or not, this plays as well as any picture I've ever experienced. Over 40 years ago as a boy, I was enchanted by a special animated film (of who's name I can't remember, and I've never found again). The film was about a young boy learning to be a man. He was taught by a wise man, wizard, sensei or something like that, in ways that changed his view of the world and his perception of himself. The challenges he faced were very "Eastern", (yet still universal) and the philosophy learned has carried through my life to this day. Spirited Away is the type of movie that can have this kind of effect on young viewers. The positive experience we can draw from movies like this, can't be compared to banal animation films with dancing tea cups, and weak lessons in PC morality.
  Unfortunately Disney wants to control the animation market for young children. Its pathetic efforts in the releasing of Spirited Away, and the previous Ghibli Studio movie Princess Mononoke, provide compelling evidence that Disney fears the intrusion of quality competition into its US marketplace. I had to drive over 100 miles to see Spirited Away because Disneys maximum release was 151 theaters, and that was only for a week. I would encourage any anime fan or any discerning parent to buy the DVD or video when it is released. If you should get the chance to see the movie on the big screen, don't miss it, its a real treat for the eyes and the mind.

• 13) the most breathtaking...

  by Anonymous on April 12 2003
    20+ helpful votes

  amazing movie i have seen in a long time. i only went to watch it after reading awsome review from critics and watching it win the oscar for best animated feature. never did i expect to be totally enchanted by this wonderful film. the animation is simply beautiful, the story is heartbreaking and touching, the characters are ones you will never forget. my ten year old sister would not stop talking about it and even I could not help but think about it. as a word of caution, there are some gross and really creepy moments that will scare little children and the entire movie lasts well over two hours. but don't think for even a second that this is a children's movie. the complexity and rich detail makes this a masterpiece of artwork. this movie, with its adorable and moving nature, is destined to become a modern american classic even though it is japanese anime. i just wish that more people would go see it and experience this magical treat for themselves. this really was worth my time.

• 14) A remarkable journey

  by Veggiechiliqueen on February 11 2003
    10+ helpful votes

  I saw ýSpirited Awayý two times in Spain (in Spanish, naturally), and it has become my absolute favourite of all of Hayao Miyazakiýs films. Miyazaki is, for me, the epitome of Japanese animation and the undisputed master of his craft. He fills the screen with minute details, doing most of the painstaking animation by hand in an age of computer animation (see Disney). His films are always unique both in visual style and in plot, expressing lost mythologies, alternate worlds, and the spirits that surround us. In Japan anime is not only for children, a concept which Western audiences have difficulty understanding. These are more than mere cartoons; they are explorations of self, nature, and in some ways Japanese society (there are frequently Japanese elements in many of Miyazakiýs films although most are set in fictitious places).

  ýSpirited Awayý tells the lovely story of Chihiro, a ten-year-old Japanese girl that is moving to a new town. Along the way the family stops to explore a mysterious tunnel that turns out to be a pathway into an alternate world filled with gods, witches and strange creatures. Chihiroýs parents are transformed into large pigs as punishment for their gluttony (there are frequently morals in Miyazakiýs tales as well), and Chihiro begins work for the witch Yubaba while desperately trying to find a cure for her parents before they are eaten (!). She befriends Haku, a mysterious boy whom she feels some past connection to, and together the two attempt to overthrow the tyrannical reign of Yubaba.

  A gorgeous film, with a beautiful soundtrack by frequent Miyazai collaborator Joe Hisaishi (ýPrincess Mononoke,ý ýKikiýs Delivery Service,ý ýTotoroý). There are some elements that may be disturbing to very young children (the threat of Chihiroýs parents being eaten even as a pigýs head is shown at a feast, several scary rampages, some blood), but overall this is an excellent, quality film that is a feast for the eyes, ears, and imagination, and a true journey of the spirit.

• 15) The greatest animated movie ever

  by Paul Ferrell Brown on February 05 2003
    10+ helpful votes

  It's difficult to write anything that truly does justice to "Spirited Away"; it is one of the most beautiful and deeply moving films I have ever seen, animated or not. I've loved Miyazaki's work since I first saw "My Neighbor Totoro", and all of his films are magnificent; but "Spirited Away" is simply on a higher plane than any of them. From the visual splendor of the animation-- a blend of traditional hand-drawn characters and backgrounds with CG elements so seamless you'd never realize it was a fully digital production just from watching it-- to the inventive story and realistic portrayal of its heroine, everything about "Spirited Away" is an unqualified success.

  It's this last quality, the believability of Miyazaki's characters, that distinguishes his films from the more simplistic tales that tend to dominate American animation. Has there ever been a young girl as true to life as "Spirited Away"'s protagonist, Chihiro? She starts out as a sullen, whiny, and somewhat unlikeable child, unhappy about moving to a new home and leaving her old school and friends behind; but once her parents get turned into pigs and she has to go to work at the spirit bathhouse to save them, she gradually becomes a resourceful, courageous individual. And there's never a moment where the story becomes unbelievable, even when she's dealing with a gargantuan radish spirit or the mysterious, virtually non-verbal No Face. (It would be possible to write an entire essay on No Face alone-- he's a philosophical argument brought to life in the context of an animated fantasy, and how often do you see that?)

  I'd seen "Spirited Away" in its original Japanese version, on an import DVD, prior to its U.S. release, and wondered how it would be possible to translate it in a way that would make sense to an American audience. Fortunately, John Lasseter did a magnificent job with the dubbing-- this is the first time I've seen a dub that's every bit as good as the Japanese language soundtrack. In particular, Daveigh Chase gives what has to be the finest voice performance ever by a child actor as Chihiro. There are a few explanatory additions that purists might find annoying, and a couple of new lines added at the end, but the English language script is remarkably faithful to the original, and while I normally prefer to watch anime in Japanese with subtitles, with "Spirited Away" I actually enjoy the dubbed version even more.

  It's unfortunate that Disney didn't give "Spirited Away" a wider release; the audiences I viewed it with were mesmerized, especially the children, and I have no doubt it could've been a massive hit if it hadn't been treated as an art film (though it certainly is a work of art). I hope more people will discover it when the DVD comes out; but you really need to see it on a big screen to fully appreciate its visual majesty. I've seen it four times, and each time I discover something I hadn't noticed before. Most animated films are marketing-driven products; "Spirited Away" is a magical experience, as close to poetry as a movie could possibly be.