Spirited Away: Not really just for kids

Spirited Away is one of the most beautiful anime movies I have ever watched.

It seems that people tend to think that cartoons should be made simple enough so that children understand them immediately -- not the kind of deep, abstract, meaningful and sometimes confusing as Ghibli films are made to be -- which is why, contrary to the belief that Miyazaki films are "for kids", I believe they are especially meaningful to adults, who are able to pick subtle cues up.  They have way more depth than Disney movies and way more craziness for the children.

You can watch Spirited Away at any point in your life and still find a lot to think about in it.  Its messages come so gently and naturally.  Enjoyment aside, Spirited Away has massive themes involved.  It's a fictional representation of one's passage into adulthood, and each encounter that Chihiro faces is representative of a person's inner conflicts between the nostalgia of childhood and the hardships and responsibilities an adult must face.  As a kid, the only thing that would appeal to me in that film is the train scene and the spirit world.  The messages are so subtle that little kids think the movie does not live up to its reputation.

It's not exactly for kids.

Spirited Away squeezes many messages into a 2-hour movie.  The outstanding soundtracks that play throughout the movie.  The memorable train scene.  But atmosphere and animation are not things that many children appreciate.  And the English dub oversimplifies things.

Spirited Away is something that sort of passed me by the first time I watched it, but really sticks with me upon 2nd watch.  I understand the story more upon a rewatch.
First time watching:  I found the characters extremely interesting and the imaginations beautiful.  I was fascinated by the spirit world and wished that our theme parks could be like it.  But many of its messages were lost on me.

Second time watching:  Now that I had already watched it once before, I knew what to look for and all the 'hidden' messages came hitting me in the face.  I experienced this film on a more emotional level and I also understood the characters more deeply upon 2nd watch.  A great thing about S.A. is that every time I rewatch it, I find something new, depending on where I am in my life.  Now that this film will stay with me forever.

Things that passed me by on the first watch:

- The contrast between the working class (Yubaba’s slaves) and the elite (the ghosts who visit the Bathhouse).

- It is said that the river is still flowing under the residences.  That's why Haku couldn't find his way home.  Where he originally met her, he exists as a subterranean river.

- At the beginning, we are shown that Chihiro’s parents are somewhat careless toward her and things they do.  Haku represents a proper guardian to Chihiro - one who is caring and helping her overcome her fears.

- Haku is willing to give his life so Chihiro and her parents can return to the human world.

- Since Haku has remembered his name, he is free from Yubaba (If he hadn’t remembered his name, he might have been “torn into pieces” by her).  Not only that, he can return to “the real world” as he says when he’s parting Chihiro.

It is a story about personal growth.  In a world without family or familiarity, Chihiro learns how to survive, live, interact and make meaningful connections with others.

Spirited Away has a level of creativity and imagination you don't see very often anymore, especially if you watch it not knowing what to expect.  It's a great story, wonderfully animated, and it's also an experience or even an adventure for some.  To me, it doesn't feel like I'm just watching a movie, more like being in a dream, and you're drawn in by a character with a plight everyone of all ages can relate to: being lost in a strange place.  I think it's very down to earth.  The way it mixes unbelievable creatures with the mundane is masterful.

Another interesting thing about Spirited Away is that there’s no real division between good or evil, which is interesting considering most Western animation always has a very clear line between who’s good and who’s evil, and there’s usually a very clear hero and villain present.  What makes Spirited Away so good is that each of the characters has good and bad qualities, and each of the characters really show both sides, which is very much like the real world.  Everyone has their better and worse sides, and they come out in different situations.  That there’s no real villain in the film that’s through and through bad like you usually would see in Western animations.

The design, look and feel of this film once again speak of Miyazaki’s brilliance.  He managed to create a unique and really beautiful world that just makes you want to be part of it.  After seeing this film, I just wanted to explore this world myself which is actually a very rare feeling.  He created an authentic world inhabited by a group of unique and intriguing characters that have all become iconic.  Each one is like nothing you’ve seen before, and each and every one of them is masterfully brought to life by the film’s amazing animators.

Spirited Away truly is a timeless classic.  Many people have described the film as a classic fairy tale, and I think it definitely lives up to that standard.  It’s an amazing story with complex characters, a wondrous world, and beautiful visuals!