“Spirited Away” is a movie like no other. Combining so many exceptions to common themes and doing it successfully while maintaining an interesting and enjoyable plotline is truly a feat that has rarely been achieved before. The story takes place in a remote theme park that the main character Chihiro and her parents stumble onto on their way to finding there new home. Unbeknownst to them, the theme park is actually the residing place of the Japanese Kami, or spirits. Separated from her parents and aided by the mysterious Haku, Chihiro must find a way to return home without getting eaten by one of the local inhabitants or being turned into an animal by the evil witch taskmaster, Yobaba.
The story has a unique logic system based heavily upon the theme of cause and effect. For example, part of the way into the movie Chihiro is charged with bathing a massive “stink spirit” who, after she completes the task, turns out to be a very rich water spirit who rewards her with an herbal cake. Later when a massive monster named No-Face attacks the bathhouse Chihiro makes him eat the cake and he ends up vomiting up all of the people it had eaten. That is not to say, though, that the spirit world revolves around Chihiro’s actions, as one of the exceptional realities is that the movie’s events happen largely independent of her.
Another notable feature of the film is its total lack of a narrator. The entire story is just following Chihiro’s stay in the spirit world and all of her mishaps and good fortune. In terms of plot line, “Spirited Away” is also noteworthy in the fact that the entire plot shows a combination of traditional Japanese culture with modern commercialism. For instance, many of the Kami are depicted as greedy gold grubbing pigs whose whole purpose of being at the bathhouse is to make as much money as possible. Conversely, the Water Kami is depicted as a traditional Japanese Dragon who gives Chihiro a Herb cake, definitely an Asian food.
As a final point, “Spirited Away” also has its own view of time and space. From the very beginning of the movie it is evident that space has been warped, like when Chihiro could hold her breath and become invisible or how the huge sprawling bathhouse could fit in the relatively small building, but what is really interesting is its way of tracking time. “Spirited Away” features many sunrise and sunset scenes that allow for the viewer to make assumptions on how much time has passed and also give a feeling by Chihiro’s actions that only a couple of days have passed, until the end of the movie. Then as she passes back into the real world it becomes apparent that multiple months have passed, showing that the Spirit worlds time is much different then in the real one.
I would recommend the film to anyone who likes unusual films, Japanese anime, or just an all around good story. Combining excellent animation and a well flowing plot, “Spirited Away” is one of the best animated films I have seen.
