Film Studies II: Spirited Away (2001)

Spirited Away is a Japanese anime fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 2001. I know this movie when I was in primary school, but I have not watch the whole movie before, I just read through the story book that followed what exactly the movie shown, something like picture book. After I read the books, I feel like the story is really attract me so I start to search for the movie. I think I have watch this movie more than 10 times but it still remains the classic for many people. Normally, I will prefer America cartoon compare to Japanese anime, because I like the character design and the stories especially the musical part. But Hayao Miyazaki’s film is an exception. He always puts in some ideas of nature, spirit and God to alert people to take good care of nature. His films also bring out the idea of love, courage and growth of somebody. All of this we can see in Spirited Away.

The settings shows Japanese tradition as the main location where everything happen is Yubaba's bathhouse. Bathhouse is a common bath area that Japanese bath and pay for entrance. Besides, the characters in film also use their local dialect to communicate which is Japanese language.

One of the idea that I like the most in this film is about natural environment issue. Haku and the ancient river spirit are the example. Haku is a river spirit at first but his home is paved over to build an apartment complex, so he is homeless now. He has no choice but to go to Yubaba’s bathhouse. Besides, people thought that the ancient river spirit is a stink spirit at first because it is polluted by human waste, rubbish, old furniture, bicycle and etc. Whether industrial civilization should be based on the damage of environment, this is still an issue that cannot be ignore by society. Hayao Miyazaki puts in these scenes not just to alert the people, but also teach the young generation to take care about environment. They can learn something while they are watching animation.

There are many characters in this film such as Chihiro, Haku, Yubaba, Kamaji, Lin and Zaniba. All of them have very solid and clear characteristic and personality. Some of the characters are inspired by the spiritual God in Japan such as those Gods that visit to Yubaba’s bath house. The character I like the most in this movie is No Face. At first, I think that he is a mystery character because of his whole black body with mask. And he is quiet all the time. Some people said that he is a bad guy and some said he is good. I think he has both side. He is alone when the movie just starting, he just stands on the bridge, looks aimless and helpless, do not know where can he goes to. After he enter Yubaba’s bathhouse, he influenced by others, he thinks that gold is everything. Then, Chihiro brings him out of that place that made him become greedy, he returns to the quiet guy again, but this time he is not lonely anymore, he has his friend, Chihiro. I think this situation just like our life, as we enter the society, we are influence by others no matter good or bad, so we must have a clear mind to differentiate that what is true and what is wrong, do not lost ourselves like No Face, he is lucky because Chihiro is going to help him, but we are not as lucky as him all the times.

The music that used in film also an important factor. I love the background music (BGM) that used in this film especially “On Summer Day” and “Always with Me”. It makes me feel warm and comfortable. All the scenes are recall in my mind every time I listen to the music.  This music can really pull the audience into the story, follow the rhythm to lost, to cry and to laugh.

“Here I can only send you, the rest of the way you have to go yourself, do not look back.”

This is what Haku said to Chihiro before she returns to her ordinary world. I think that this is so true. We need to leave our comfort zone as we grow up, our parents cannot protect us all the times, so we need to be strong enough to face all the problems and difficulty ourselves in future. We should keep moving in our life and do not live in the past although it is wonderful. The way we can make ourselves better is just looking forward, upgrade ourselves all the times, then we can create more beautiful memories.

This film won a lot of awards such as Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards. It is the only hand drawn animated film and Japanese animated film to win best animated film. It also won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival. It is a success animated film that can accept and love by the audience that come from all over the world. It is really a movie that worth to see it. It brings out a lot of meaning to define life.