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Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (2001)

Spirited Away (2002)

From the mind of one of the greatest animators of our time, Miyazaki has created numerous classic films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Memorable characters, captivating story, and breathtaking visuals are qualities we have come to expect in his works, and this continues to be true in Miyazaki's latest feature length movie, Spirited Away.

Set in modern day Japan, 10 year old Chihiro is moving away. Despairing over the loss of her friends, she finds herself in the middle of the woods after her father takes a wrong turn. Stopping the car in front of a dark tunnel, her parents decide to look around, despite Chihiro's protests. Emerging from the structure, it turns out that this is an abandoned park built several decades ago. At her father's urging, the three of them travel deeper into the grounds. Soon they're surrounded by buildings long deserted. To their surprise, they discover a counter full of delicious food. Since the owner of the restaurant is nowhere to be found, Chihiro's parents proceed to help themselves to a meal. Refusing to eat Chihiro takes off and chooses to explore on her own. As dusk begins to settle, she stops in front of a bridge that leads to a huge bathhouse. From the outside it looks like it is still in operation.

Suddenly, a boy few years older than Chihiro appears in front of her. He urges her to get out of town quickly before sunset. Turning around, she frantically calls out to her mom and dad, barely noticing the strange shadows walking in the streets as the place comes alive with activities. To her horror Chihiro finds her parents replaced by two fattened pigs, in confusion she heads for the exit, only to find a huge river separating her and the tunnel in the distance. Lost and utterly alone, thus begins Chihiro's adventure in this strange realm with even stranger rules.

The most prevalent theme throughout Spirited Away is downfall brought about through greed. It was because of greed, namely the parents' act of engorging themselves with food that was meant for the patrons that trapped Chihiro's family in this mysterious world in the first place. Furthermore, the effect of greed can be seen most clearly in one of the characters Chihiro encounters later. Kaonashi, or literally translated as No Face, is a lonely spirit with an unknown background. After being let into the bathhouse, he quickly becomes tainted with greed. As he indulges in gluttony he transforms into a grotesque and dangerous creature. Kaonashi is the polar opposite of Chihiro. This can be seen in his attempts to befriend Chihiro by offering her a handful of medicine tags he has stolen, and again with gold. Twice she refuses to accept his gifts. While Kaonashi succumbs to the temptation, Chihiro was able to resist it.

Another important aspect the movie dealt with is the importance of one's identity, specifically a person's name. After Chihiro signs the contract sealing her employment in the bathhouse, Yu Baaba magically takes away part of her name and calls her Sen instead. This can be seen as the final act of binding the girl to this world, and giving the witch control over her. Haku, the sorcerer's apprentice, later tells her to never forget who she is and her real name, because it will help her to escape in the future. One other motif worth mentioning is Miyazaki's concern for the environment. While not as heavy handed as it was in Princess Mononoke, it is still a significant portion of Spirited Away.

Visually, Spirited Away is stunning, with bright and vibrant colors splashing across the screen. One particular scene that comes to mind is when Haku leads Chihiro through a garden to visit her parents. As the camera moves into first person, it is as if we were transported into the film. The flowers rush past, looking so realistic and exquisite. A traditional animator, this is the first time Miyazaki used CGI extensively (even more so than in Princess Mononoke), which flowed seamlessly with the hand drawn sections of the movie. Joe Hisaishi did a wonderful job with the music. At times soft and soothing, at times majestic and thrilling, the score blends beautifully with the action, and sets the mood perfectly.

It is obvious that a lot of attention went into creating these characters. Their personalities and relationships with one other demonstrate the level of detail Miyazaki put into each of them. Unfortunately, this didn't satisfy as expected. I wouldn't mind a little more background on some of the cast, such as the mysterious Kaonashi, and the rift between the twin sisters Yu Baaba and Zeniiba. Although this doesn't detract from the film as a whole, it is a tiny blemish in an otherwise masterpiece.

I cannot say enough good things about Spirited Away, clocking in at a little over two hours, this film has charm, humor, action, and drama. Children will probably be able to identify with Chihiro, while the adults can appreciate the richness of the story and luscious animation. I haven't heard the English voices yet (except in the trailer that was released recently), but with John Lasseter from Pixar Studios handling the production, I believe it is in good hands. A huge success in Japan breaking all kinds of box office records, Spirited Away has already amassed numerous awards since last summer. It will have a limited domestic release initially on September 20th, so don't miss your chance in seeing one of the best movie this year.

- Zalasta

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