Customer Reviews

Spirited Away [VHS]

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I saw Spirited Away two times in Spain (in Spanish, naturally), and it has become my absolute favourite of all of Hayao Miyazakis 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 Miyazakis films although most are set in fictitious places).

Spirited Away 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. Chihiros parents are transformed into large pigs as punishment for their gluttony (there are frequently morals in Miyazakis 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 (Princess Mononoke, Kikis Delivery Service, Totoro). There are some elements that may be disturbing to very young children (the threat of Chihiros parents being eaten even as a pigs 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.

In 2000 I was introduced to the world of Hayao Miyazaki when "Princess Mononoke" made its debut on DVD. That movie was so incredible I chose it as the best film of 1999. (I missed it in theaters when it was playing during its Christmas run). After that, I watched every Miyazaki movie available on video. I never thought he could possibly make a better film than PRINCESS MONONOKE, but he has done it with SPIRITED AWAY, It's the best movie of 2002.

Why did I choose this movie as the best film for that year? Why not? Remember in 1992 Disney's "Beauty & The Beast" was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, the only time that has ever happened. And since then, Disney has learned what the Japanese have known for decades: Animation isn't just kiddie entertainment. It is a serious art form. It can make your imagination soar, and show you things that are impossible for any live action movie. Both of those things are done with every Hayao Miyazaki movie, but SPIRITED AWAY, like PRINCESS MONONOKE does something else. It has a combination of a powerful story, characters that I really care about, and all these astonishing eye-popping visual scenes that caused me to completely forget I'm watching the movie. I truly felt like I was IN the movie. That's my annual requirement for the best film of the year.

Those visual images I cannot describe without spoiling the movie for you. I also cannot give you any background of the story. I began watching this film without any real knowledge of the story except for this. A little girl finds herself in a world like "The Wizard of Oz", and "Alice in Wonderland". Period. That's all I knew, and that's all I will tell you about it.

I have seen and own six of Hayao Miyazaki's movies. THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO(1980) is a hilarious action comedy that also introduced me to the world of Monkey Punch's Lupin the 3rd. CASTLE IN THE SKY (1986) was just released and is also a visual wonder. (It is clearly an influence on the animators of Disney's "Atlantis") MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO 1988) is one of the all time greatest children's movies available and one of the best films I ever saw. (As a video clerk it is one film I'm constantly recommending for parents with very young children.) KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) is an entertaining and terrific family film. And PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997) I've already talked about. The best film of 1999 (when it came out in America) Now SPIRITED AWAY (2002). No wonder Hayao Miyazaki is an animation god at the Disney studio. He has claimed he made this movie for 10 year old children. That may be the youngest age limit for the audience, (It's PG rating is appropriate, because some scenes may scare the littlest ones.) but the audience is far bigger than that.

SPIRITED AWAY didn't do anywhere near the business it did in Japan: The biggest hit of all time in that country. And I bet it was one of the biggest hits in countries all over the world before and after its American release. It would never have come here had it not been for Pixar's John Lasseter. And I hope that he will continue to bring other Miyazaki films to the US that were never brought here, including NAUSICAA IN THE VALLEY OF THE WINDS (1984), (a movie that is considered to be one of his greatest films, but was practically destroyed in a severely edited version in 1985), and PORCO ROSSO(1992) Both of those films and any future Miyazaki movies should be brought to American films. We haven't seen anywhere near enough of this animation master's work.

Disney has done a wonderful job in bringing this movie to DVD. Like PRINCESS MONONOKE, it is a film that demonstrates the sharpness and attention to detail that DVD can bring you. And the sound is actually better in SPIRITED AWAY than the other film. PRINCESS MONONOKE had a rather muffled English version. It was good, but the Japanese version sounded more dynamic. The English version of SPIRITED AWAY is so good in sound quality that the Japanese version is only slightly better. Thus, I found I could enjoy both versions equally. Only small changes were made to the dialogue, and none to the images.

If this review has made you interested in seeing SPIRITED AWAY, that's great. And believe me, don't refuse to see it just because you hate animated films. If you are someone who hates this genre you're probably watching the wrong animation. Check out SPIRITED AWAY, then see all the other Miyazaki movies I've mentioned.

(note) A splendid book about Hayao Miyazaki is available by Helen McCarthy: HAYAO MIYAZAKI, THE MASTER OF JAPANESE ANIMATION.