One of the things that makes this movie magical is how appropriate Chihiro behaves for a 10 year old. It makes the stakes feel real. She isn't some wise sage child or a complete brat. She is complex and interprets the world as a 10 year old would.
SAMEEE. I didn't watch most of the Ghibli films, until a few years ago, and was very very impressed with how much Chihiro FEELS like a 10 year old girl. Having helped raised 2 this is exactly how both of my sisters acted at 10 years old. I think it's a large part of the reason I love this movie.
Also, I liked how they make her reaction as a person so real. Like when she actually cries about her situation out of the blue, when Haku brings her food, and not during a difficult time, as you would expect a character to cry in other movies
I saw some other comments discussing asexuality and that can be a little difficult. My following comments have nothing to do with the movie. Romantic love by nature comes with a degree of selfishness. A desire for possession and exclusivity. That desire can take on many forms, both healthy and unhealthy. How a couple actually defines their relationship is up to the individuals involved. That’s why it is possible to have romantic love without sexual desire AS LONG AS the other partner wants the same thing. If either party wants more there will be inevitable conflict. I don’t necessarily mean an argument. Your partner can be hit very hard if you are NOT sexually attracted to them. Platonic love is an ideal, yet it doesn’t always translate very well into a dedicated relationship. It can make your partner feel very neglected or even unloved. As a very tactile person, nothing can feel worse than being rejected physically by someone you love. I don’t mean just sex to be clear. There are many ways to communicate love physically, such as holding hands or cuddling. I am not asexual although I personally don’t feel physical attraction without the presence of emotional attraction, but I recognize that attraction in general is important for long term relationships. You need to have a genuine like for your partner beyond love. Emotions can sublimate over time. Love evolves. I guess what I am saying is that you should not fully discount the importance of the physical aspects of love even if they aren’t a priority for you. This can potentially lead to your partner feeling insecure. The key to any relationship is communication. I imagine that someone asexual might have to find other ways to communicate their desire if they are uncomfortable with physical touch. If physical touch is okay and your partner prefers it, then it’s a only a matter of learning their language even if it just starts with touching knees together when sitting next to each other on the couch. You don’t want your partner to feel unwanted. I’m speaking as a person who has been down both sides of that street. I was a little too honest in my first relationship and I think it really hurt my partner that I was much more emotionally attracted to them than I was physically. We never progressed beyond kissing, but that was part of what we agreed upon when we started the relationship since my partner was the wait until marriage type. Well, they hurt me just as much before it was over with some extreme neglect in the last 2 years or so of our relationship. Their family disapproved of us so they put me on ice after a few years of dating rather than just breaking up with me. I cannot stress enough that communication is really important for every relationship. Actions can communicate as much as if not more than words. This is important with or without progressing into a physical relationship.
Spirited Away started as a bedtime story that Hayao Miyazaki was telling to a friend’s ten year old daughter. He got inspired to continue it and make it a movie. This was written for a child. To give a small girl a hero.
@Quotenwagnerianer Miyazaki or his co-workers (not sure which party) admitted in an interview that a lot of inspiration for his protagonists stem from his fictional childhood crush from an animated movie he watched when he was 10.
I love how kind and unselfish Chihiro is. She's surrounded by greedy people who get taken in by no-name, but Chihiro doesn't, because she doesn't want anything from him. Instead, she GIVES him something, something she thinks she NEEDS to save her parents. But she decides he needs it more. That kind of pure empathy is her strength.
I find it a bit funny that the spirits there are pretty expressive and vocal about what they think about humans (albeit a bit condescending), and yet when faced with material riches like gold, they become exactly like humans. I found that pretty interesting. Then here is Chihiro, who is basically the antithesis to their general opinion. Who, led by her empathy, rejected riches in favor of helping a friend. And I absolutely love that her presence and kindness did leave an impression on them as well in the end.
That stink spirit turned river spirit part felt like a slap. Like how all the trash that got dumped(by mostly elder generation) into the river is the thing that made it to stink so much in the first place. And how it all fell into the hands of a child (next generation whose fault it isn't) to clean them all out. Thank god atleast everyone helped in the end or else I would have been hating the scene all my life.
Not necessarily the older generation doing the littering and the younger cleaning up--a lot of older people grew up with recycling via hand-me-downs, etc, and things were made of a better quality and lasted longer. Meanwhile now we just want the latest thing and there's lesser quality. Yet the actions of the older generation can help spur the younger generation on to change--as how Chihiro was inspired and able to help the river spirit only because Yubaba insisted on allowing it inside and her serving it.
@papa bear lives Yup, the bicycle is one of the things that was pulled out that stuck out to him so he included that in the movie. He's a staunch environmentalist, which is what Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke were all about (Princess Mononoke came about because he felt Nausicaa was too subtle lol)
I feel like the unappreciated superhero of Ghibli films is Joe Hisaishi. I feel like how well the music is written, how it creates atmosphere when it's there and when it's not there. The dialog, the presentation, the music, it's all a sensory overload to get you immersed in the world. I can't wait to see Princess Mononoke be done.
The music compliments the art and the story of the movies so, so well. Joe Hisashi is truly a master and the movies wouldn't be the same without his music.
Fun fact to add to the name-stealing discussion: Chihiro's name in the Japanese language is written with multiple characters. But when Yubaba steals her name, Yubaba takes all the characters except one that, when by itself, is pronounced "Sen," which means thousand. She's literally reducing Chichiro to a number. Which tells you everything you need to know about how the witch sees the people in her employ.
Not just that, but 1000 is also the lowest value of a bill in the Japanese currency, Yen. So not only does she reduce Chihiro's identity to a number, but also the number with the lowest worth to her, since her intention is to make money by controlling her. But there is another layer of symbolism in here which relates more to the overall theme of the movie. It's clear that this movie is about growing up from a dependent child, into an independent adult. Chihiro in Japanese, means 1000 questions. Which refers to the fact that at the beginning of the movie, she started of as very much a child. We see that she is very dependent and clingy to her parents, easily scared, afraid of being alone and that she tends to quickly rely on others for help. But after her parents are turned into pigs, she can no longer rely on them for help. She has to do it herself. She is the one who has to go save them. And so after Yubaba takes her name away from 1000 questions, and turns it into just 1000, this symbolizes this fact, that she will have to figure everything out herself. And that she will have to work for it herself, just like she will in the bathhouse. And of course she gets help form Kamaji, Lin and Haku, but in the end, the bulk of the hardwork she does herself. She is the one who found out what was wrong with the River Spirit and healed him, making the bathhouse a lot of money. She was the one who saved Haku's life. She was the one who led No-Face away from the bathhouse. And when she, Boh, (insert name for the little Tengu birdlady) and No-Face went on the train, she was the one who was in charge. While No-Face was kind of looking around, uncertain and insecure, Chihiro told him to sit down and behave, almost like a parent would say to their child. Which shows that she took the lead. Hayao Miyazaki said that the train scene, for him, was the peak of Chihiro's character development, and the moment where she finally became an independent person. So I love the double symbolism there. That Chihiro her name being changed to Sen means a devaluation of her person in Yubabas mind, but in actuality means that the door has been opened for Chihiro to grow. Meaning that she will actually become a better version of herself.
@The Misfit Owl About deadnaming, isn't it weird that we keep calling Haku "Haku"after the movie? because Haku is his dead name. His real name is Kohakugawa (Kohaku river)
@msk One of the most important (and culturally agreed upon) rules when interacting with supernatural beings is to not give them your “true name”; you especially hear this about the Fae. Names hold power. While I’ve never noticed this detail (yay for excuses to watch the movie again🎉), what Chihiro did could have gone sideways and off those terrifying stairs. There’s a fine line between lies and loopholes. Thankfully Yubaba didn’t seem to care.
Spirited Away makes more sense the more you know about Japanese culture and society, both fantasy feudal and modern real-life. That said, I always enjoy its complete disregard for standard film structure and pacing. The thing about Chihiro is, she already knows how to force herself to function when terrified. Her fearfulness (but not her fear, not in this bizarre spirit world) is like a disability she's learned to compensate for. And fearful children can learn from her example! The parents' fate also demonstrates why fear is an important and necessary survival trait. Sometimes fear and caution are a sensible response. We tend to forget that in our war against "negativity."
OH YES ALL THIS! People are often very quick to dismiss caution and appropriate anxiety as baseless fear, and you're absolutely right that this shows that fear IS an appropriate response in many situations, especially as a survival trait. People who wander through life entirely unafraid or unweary have little to no survival instinct and almost always end up in serious trouble they don't take seriously, relying on others to bail them out or save them. This comment is A+, totally agree.
There is so much japanese folklore to this film. One such thing is the believe that children have a closer relationship and intuition towards spiritual stuff. Chihiro knew something was off from the start. She felt it. 😅
I think that by the end Chihiro understands that Yubaba isn't a person who can be judged purely as a person--she's a magical being, a god, a fairy, and her morality just works differently. She shows her kindness and gratitude not because she deserves it, but because Yubaba as a spirit deserves respect. And we see Yubaba softening a little bit--just a tiny bit--because of it.
I agree! I didn't think of Yubaba as an "abusive" character or representation, she's a spirit who just is what she is, and Chihiro sees that from the start. Yubaba never presents as anything but a cranky controlling witch right from the start, but without being terrifying or what could be called straight up "mean" or "evil", and Chihiro senses that, being the spirit-tuned child she is, and isn't unafraid but also is able to give her respect as the caretaker of her temporary spirit-bath-house home. It's like that one teacher you had in school who wasn't really *scary* or evil, but was so strict and intense that it made you nervous, but also you still gave them respect and raised your hand, etc. Yeah. To me the only character who could represent some kind of "abusive" was the No-Face dude, he arrived as a seemingly docile friendly being, but later showed a darker side that threatened to destroy everything and everyone around them.
Ponyo will definitely win the poll, but one of my favorites is Howl's Moving Castle. I really identified with Sophie, who lacked in self-confidence and struggled with her looks. Howl acted as her contrast, in that he obsessed with his looks, and was overly prideful. In the end, both of their problems stemmed from fears of being vulnerable, and ultimately, the possiblity of getting hurt or rejected as a result.
As a Hafu (half-Japanese) and an immigrant myself... Spirited Away is a story about growing up and losing yourself and rebuilding yourself and your identity, without losing your true self in the process. Chihiro is moving to a new city because her father got a new job. She's migrating and she had no choice on going or not. She just needs to. At the beginning of the movie she's deeply displeased (with reason) and she's basically committing to the fact that she'll be deeply unhappy forever. She's being spoiled and she's not contemplating the growth opportunities she will have. She's also afraid. And through her journey on the Spirit Helm, she basically needs to grow up and find herself again to save her parents and herself, or they would be trapped there forever. On the other hand, the No-Face is, for me, depression or people who try to fill a void with material things... No matter how much you try to fill it with things, it'll never be satisfied unless you treat the root cause of why you're feeling empty. You should definitely watch Mononoke Princess. It's my favorite Ghibli movie and it's just amazing to its social critics and the discussions it raises from beginning to end.
yeah, after watching this video (and people around me encouraging me to watch anime) I decided to watch this movie. And for some reason it is now my favority movie of all time. I think it is a mix of things that make me love this movie. First of all the world, and this mysterious magical feel it has. I grew up with avatar the last airbender, so therefore this movie also gave me some nostalgic feeling towards east asian cultures and mythology. But mostly, I think I love the character of Chihiro/Sen and her arc in the movie. How she starts of as a scared little girl, but overcomes her fears multiple times in the story despite everything. From the scene where she goes down the stairs, to where she has to confront Yubaba. But also how she shows compassion and kindness, through danger and fear. Of course, how she was the only one to initially show kindness to the stink spirit. But mostly when she offers No-Face the one thing that could save her parents, because she thinks he needs it. And after No-Face than starts to chase her, and tries to literally kill her, she still shows compassion for him by saying "he needs to get out of here" (probably refering to the fact that No-Face is negatively impacted by the greed of the bath house staff. Because in the company of Chihiro, and later in Zeniba's home, he is surrounded by kind people and so he is also at peace) and even offers him a ride to accompany her on the train. Despite the fact that not even ten minutes ago, he was trying to murder her. Or at least eat her. This courage, this kindness and this growth that she displays in the movie is why I love this character so much. And why I love this movie so much. She is just a child and yet she inspires me to be more brave. What I also very much like about this movie, and that's the case with Ghibli movies in general, is that it makes you feel like you are a child again. Of course we see this movie from the perspective of a 10 year old girl. But because of all the magic, the mystery and the beauty of this world, it feels like when you would fantasize as a kid. And so if there is one set of words that could describe the feeling I get from this movie, it would be: "The feeling of childlike wonder"
I mean if you have limited ways of expression. I love this film because it animated beautifully, it's whimsy and there is a general theme about growing up. And many more reasons
I didn't have access to Ghibli movies when I was younger. I only had Spirited Away on DVD back then, which I busted the disk for replaying it so many times. So I watched the other movies just recently, within the last 3 years, and every movie I watched gutted me to my core, from Totoro to Kaguya.
@Katie.L Hall Historical speaking this nuclear bomb actually liberated my country from Japanese invasion ☺️, Japanese military had done many2 cruel and horrible things to our nation in the past and if you are not an Indonesian or not really into history, you wouldn’t have known. So i 100% agree with you. This lesson should be taught in the class history and also the bad stuff the Japanese did to mine, China etc☺️
Shout out to Joe Hisaishi and his masterwork of music that is both heartfelt and heartbreaking. When I listen to his scores, it’s almost like the music speaks straight to my soul without any lyrics.
Please do Kiki's Delivery Service! Also, in the Japanese version, Chihiro does not say "I think I can handle it", because she has forgotten her whole experience in the Spirit World.
What i love is that Chihiro at the end of the movie has one thing on her person from the other world that she didn't have when she first went in. The hair tie, it's a link to the place, and with the way it shimmers at the end, it's hinting at that she's taking part of the magic of that place with her, but also at that she could come back someday should she find her way back there again.
My vote is Howl's Moving Castle next. It's my favorite Ghibli film because I feel it has a bit of a better balance between the weird and the actual storytelling. Also Sophie's journey of finding her own self worth in the film is quite touching.
Cihiro's parents' lack of fear and respect was a warning about ignoring culture and traditions. Chihiro's mom started to tell her about the shrine statues and then just waved off the idea. The theme of forgetting one's identity leading to their downfall is prevalent throughout the film. The river spirit, by contrast, NEVER forgot who he was, even though no one else recognized him. It's a detail I've always loved about this film.
That's what I really loved about this movie. Also for me two, let's call them "mini themes", was acceptance amd growth. I might have felt that because I was going through a hard time when I first watched this, but in a way for me, over the course of the movie, it felt like it was ok to accept that what I had lost was gone and I could still grieve, but it wouldn't take away a part of me (like how the witch takes her name). And that growth can come despite that. They kinda intermingled with the identity thing in the movie.
@Hunter I'm sorry it's been difficult to type but I'm glad you got in on the Convo 😊. The "Stink Spirit" was always a river guardian spirit. He didn't look that way because he sat for too long. Humans polluted his river making it sludgy and gross. A bunch of trash pours out of him after his bath. A fridge, a toilet, and all kinds of things that were dumped into the river.
But I’d also say that with the stink monster, may be a message about Sitting still and stagnant for too long, but casting all of that junk aside might be about indecision causing issues. ....Jesus Christ you have no idea how much trouble it’s been to write.... . They comfrtabkec..... I am practically going in and out or consciousness while I’m types mathing this stuff so much harder than not.
Hayao Miyazaki's films are amazing! But I wish you could've invited a Japanese artist to go deeper with this because it is fascinating. (I took a six-month film class in Osaka about "Spirited Away" for people studying Japanese cinematography. I'm far from an expert on the film, but humbled by how little I understood before the class.) Every book, every window design, every little detail is intentionally crafted for symbolism or foreshadowing in stunning ways. I thought you missed a lot, both cinematography and psychologically/socially, because it's Japanese culture.
"If you can be grateful for hardships, it means you are an exceptional person who is doing things right." I don't really know why, but this sentence really hit me. I mean, there is a truth in that claim that just cannot be denied, it kind of feels like one of the greatest thoughts humanity has ever produced (though it could be phrased a bit differently tbh). I feel like I really need to step up because of this. I need to fully understand it and live by it. Thank you Alan, and I hope you will achieve this goal yourself one day.
That quote really speaks to me. As a bisexual man who’s been out for about four years now, I’ve finally gotten to a place of being fully confident and comfortable in my identity as an LGBTQ person. Part of that comes from the fact that, while I nowadays mostly don’t think anything of my sexuality, I also have frequent moments of suddenly being taken out of myself for a second, and just remembering and appreciating where I was several years before, versus where I am now, and the impact that being in the closet and discovering my sexuality, and coming out had on me as a person. I couldn’t be more grateful that I ended up being attracted to both men and women, and I wouldn’t want things to have turned out any other way. For all the good and the bad that came with it, realizing and asserting this part of myself has been ultimately the part of my personal journey that I’m most proud of. And part of it is absolutely because I am grateful for those years of hardship in the closet, and the strength and resilience gained during that period. If it hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have discovered how strong I could be mentally, and I wouldn’t be as truly confident and appreciative of who I am as a result. Thank you Alan, for that quote of yours
Kiki’s delivery service is my favorite because to me it was a story about a girl who grew up and dealt with very normal emotions and problems but because they are her problems they are made to be incredibly important in the film, which resonated with me as I have led a mostly normal life and sometimes feel that most movies only capture the problems of people on the fringes of society, basically please watch this film next
I would love it if you guys watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind! The compassion shown by the main character makes it one of my favorite movies, and the message that compassion and pacifism in the face of violence is not a passive decision but an active one.
yessss!! nausicaa is my favorite miyazaki film (even though it's so hard to choose)!! from the score to the animation to the main character and the deeply moving story... truly a masterpiece. i feel like not a lot of people really know about it compared to the other more popular films like totoro, spirited away, & mononoke hime
My favorite ghibli movie - even if it's hard to choose. Has it all - a new world were getting to know, a kickass female hero that defends her people, friendship, love and starting again after major destruction
Fun fact: The Stink spirit is actually a River spirit. He was just so contaminated and polluted that he needed someone to free him from all the trash he was carrying and that had clogged up his body. And you should definitely watch Castle in the Sky next! That one's amazing.
And a VERY powerful and old one at that. The way he speaks is kinda archaic or how older people talks to youngsters (it's more obvious in the Japanese and Korean dub the way I see it). His size is honestly impressive and the money he first gives is quite a lot but he also leaves gold and also gives Chihiro the mcguffin medicine.
Ya'll made me realize something about the symbolism in this movie. Chihiro goes from not being able to cross a simple stream at the beginning of the movie to literally helping out TWO whole water/river spirits. Such an interesting way to show her growth. Not being able to cross a small stream to being completely surrounded by water of her own will.
Howl's Moving Castle will be a gold mine for both relationship therapy and self-love. Sophie's growth is so excellent through that film. Plus, Christian Bale's voice acting is so messy b**** drama king perfect.
Princess Kaguya! I cried at the final arc of the story. The cry was different from the cry I had watching Grave of the Fireflies. I cried watching Grave of the Fireflies is because I sympathies with the character. But this cry in Princess Kaguya, is something more personal. I can feel the pain from a parents perspective for losing a child. It is a last gift from director Isao Takahata, another storytelling genius .
Funfact; Miyazaki said in an interview that the real reason Chihiro stared at the tunnel at the end was because she had forgotten everything that happened. It was part of her breaking the curse and leaving the other world. That's also part of the reason why she wasn't allowed to look back as she and her family were leaving. It would have broken the magic and she would be trapped once more. Pretty scary.
@Bluebittercoffee She didn't forget the lessons. Even if she forgot what happened, it still changed her for the better and she gained a lot of courage. Just like Zeniba said to her: "Whatever happens is never forgotten, even if you don't remember it." The end of the film shows how she's changed after Haku tells her not to look back. After she meets her parents again, it can be assumed that her memories are starting to get wiped, but just as she's about to look back, she stops, and keeps moving forward. This is a stark contrast to the beginning of the film, where when she went into the tunnel and clung onto her mom, she instantly looked back. And the fact that she still had the hairband at the end proved that it did happen, and that it did mean something.
@Zaddy Faye Yeah, I don't think the ending is ambiguous because we can clearly see her changed demeanor at the end. She might have forgotten everything but she still has the hairband that her friend made, and that I think is the symbol that tells us (the audience) that she did not leave empty handed. To me, her hairband represents the growth she takes with her by the end of her journey.
@NicciJemz I agree the analysis is very weak, most of the spirits and themes in the film are derived from Japanese mythology, I learned a lot about them recently, it's such a colorful world
@Aetriex in Japanese mythology, it's the creation tale of Izanami and Izanagi. I think part of what weakened the analysis in this video is looking strictly through an American interpretation. There are a lot of subtleties throughout this film that heighten the viewing experience
i first saw this movie when i was about the same age as chihiro, and to say it was formative is probably a vast understatement, particularly as its one of my favorite films and i have seen it so many times i can recite it. and yeah, miyazaki kind of throws ALL his ideas into his movies, he has confirmed that they all have an environmental messages, and all contain a flying scene, but there are other themes that run through his works. one of my favorites is that pure love doesn't necessarily mean romantic love, and i love that in this movie, the exact nature of chihiro and haku's feelings for each other is left open to interpretation, but they definitely love each other. also the gift from the river spirit seems to be a traditional medicine, and is a purgative, hence making no face throw up and drip everything that made him sick, and making haku throw up the seal and the slug thing.
What really impacted me about chihiro is that she never cried. I used to cry a lot and still do when I'm scared, I just thing that's the bravest part of her
Thank you for this! Right now I’m in the scary process of graduating from college soon and looking for a job, and this brought me a lot of comfort. It reminded me that it’s okay if it’s terrifying, I can still do it and get through it. Thanks for all that you guys do!
When Chihiro expresses her gratitude to the Witch, she actually means it. Despite all the circumstances, Yubaba provided her with a place to stay and foods to eat. If anything Yubaba could just do away with her existence or leave her to perish. Despite the cold-hearted, calculated look Yubaba has on herself, Chihiro looks right through it and sees the good in her. Which you guys seem to miss.
Well I mean, even at the end Yubaba still tried to trick Chihiro by asking her to identify her parents when they weren’t there. Yubaba loves her son and I agree she’s not all bad (a classic Miyazaki antagonist trope) but Chihiro is fortunate to get the heck out of there.
I took a film class in my sophomore year of college and for my final paper I chose to write about spirited away. It was an analysis paper about Chihiro maturing throughout the entire film overcoming her fears and such. It was probably the easiest and best paper I’ve written to date.
I’m surprised they didn’t talk about the scene where he gives her food and she burst out crying. I love that scene so much. It’s like she’s finally able to process and deal with all the trauma
YES I really connected with that too. As someone with ptsd as well as a eating disorder when I was a teen-that scene took a different meaning for me. Food is healing, and allowing yourself to finally unleash and experience emotionally the trauma you’ve stored in your body is extremely painful.
He says specifically "eat this, it will make you strong" and I always loved that as soon as she finished eating it she bursts into tears. Like sometimes that IS strength, processing your emotions and letting them out takes strength
Same! I was watching this recently with my sister and it hit us so hard now that we're older and we realized that. As kids, we had no idea why she was crying - we thought the human food might have just been hard to eat? Then we realized no... the kid lost her parents, was forced into labour, and almost forgot her name! She literally rediscovered her humanity in this simple, beautiful moment of respite! Ghibli movies are amazing at making the little moments of life seem so extraordinary!
Omg yes. Obviously they can't get to all the scenes. The onigir scene makes me cry every time. It's just a sweet moment where she's comforted and nourished and given space to just RELEASE.
Howl's moving castle please! So many layers in that movie. It talks about accepting old age, love, finding beauty within, forgiveness, and more. A real masterpiece.
As movies I grew up with, Ghibli films have always had a special place in my heart. I've watched this movie so many times but it never fails to amaze me--the art, animation, characters, music, messages. But for some reason I hadn't realized how much Chiriho changes from a fearful little child to a brave mature person who knows who she is looking back into the tunnel unafraid that she was so scared of at first. Now the contrast between the first and last scene really jumps out! Thank you for sharing this ❤️
This movie has been my comfort movie for the very first time it came out. The artwork, the music (Joe Hisaishi is a genius), all the little details and a lot of japanese mythology it has. I've lost count of how many times I've seen it and every time I see something different but fills me with joy and a sense of fulfillment. Miyazaki is very methodic and everything he puts in a movie has a reason to be, at the same time, it gives you the option to interpret things on your own and that's okay because the main purpose is completely clear, about Chihiro's growth and understanding of her own worth, of what things are the ones who matter the most and the values that will help her become a beautiful human being. She's a hero without fighting great battles with inhuman superpowers, she learns to take the reins of her life, she's a "stinky" human worthy enough to work with the high spirits of the world (eg. the great river spirit she cleaned), even befriend a few, she's the representation that any simple girl can become great if she works hard on her objectives and overcomes her fears, without losing herself in the way with the help of a good friend. I mean, the lessons never end with this one and, for that and many other reasons, I keep watching it over and over again, cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who hasn't seen it. 2 hours very well spent. And for the next one How'ls Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, Porco Rosso, Kiki's Delivery Service, Grave of the Fireflies, Whispers of the Heart, The Tale of Princess Kaguya... yes, all of them :D
Honestly, the most beautiful thing that I love most about Ghibli films is how well they romanticize living. For people who are depressed, it makes the most simple thing absolutely freaking magical, and whimsical. It reminds me of the beauty of a simple life, and it makes me fall in love with living.
As someone who is depressed, has suicidal thoughts, has high anxiety, has low self-esteem, insecurity issues, has a lot of self-hatred and self-loathing, and just generally a lot of self-doubt, I need to watch Ghibli films. The only Ghibli film I've actually seen is _Tales from Earthsea,_ I'll have to watch the others.
Kiki is the one that's always had that effect on me when I feel low because she goes through the same thing. Idk it just has always hit different. They all hit harder at different points in my life but especially kiki.
I would love to see you guys' take on Howl's Moving Castle. Bonus points if either of you (or maybe your kids) have read the original novel. The movie is a visual and auditory feast, and the version of the story that Miyazaki made is such a layered, beautiful, heartwarming (see what I did there?) look at doubt, insecurities, how nations and societies view themselves and how they try to force others to view them, family dynamics that are healthy and some that are unhealthy. It illustrates how found family and chance companions can be as important and as meaningful as the blood related group you're born into. It's just...one of my absolute favorites. If you two are going to further along the animated Japanese masterpiece list, I wholeheartedly recommend Millennium Actress & Metropolis. Two magnificent films that are great places to start.
What I think gets missed in some of the observations is that Miyazaki takes his culture and the spirits are ALL from stories and kami that are in Japanese culture, folklore and mythology! Even Yubaba is from Japanese folklore! All of these represent kami/spirits in Shinto.
Spirited Away is such a profound story, it has so many layers and deep meanings. Hayao Miyazaki said the character of Chihiro is inspired by the daughter of one of his friends whom he would affectionally call something that you could translate to "lazy bun". Spirited Away is Miyazaki's way to tell children "wake up lazy buns your parents may have been consumed by greed but you still can save them. The future is in your hands." Chihiro needs to grow up and stop being so coddled, learn about the value of hard work and persistance but she's also advised not to lose herself in such work and always lead with understanding and love. Gorgeous film.
I always read this film as a metaphor for the fear of growing up/going through puberty. It starts with her moving to a new town, and she's at the age to go through puberty. She doesn't know anyone there, she's leaving behind everything she knew, and it makes her worried for the future and worried about herself. Her parents stop down a wrong path and are unafraid of going into something scary; "Come on, it'll be fun" - like how becoming an adult/being an adult is fun once you're actually there. She's terrified of having to ask for a job (late teen years, heading to adult age), she's initially terrified of the giant baby (parenthood?), and in the middle of all this she begins to forget her name (like forgetting who she is/her roots or where she came from. Who is she in this new town? Who is she on the other side of puberty? Who is she in adulthood? She doesn't know yet and she's scared! And she has nothing to remind her!) She makes new friends along the way who show her she doesn't have to grow into a piggish adult or cruel woman (boss/old grandmother), and she's saved by something (someone) who knew her since childhood (her past/her roots), the Han River, when she remembers him (like remembering her childhood self). I think it works wonderfully as an allegory for being afraid of the changes of aging, puberty, reaching into adulthood, and finding strength in remembering who you are at your core.
Honestly, Princess Mononoke's story is very sophisticated in how everyone who is given a "face" is extremely nuanced and are definitely virtuous in their own right. Well...minus the people the drunk monk is working for.
Bless the random video store guy who sent my dad home with Mononoke when they didn't have the DBZ movie we wanted when we were in middle school lol lifelong love at first watch
her screaming that she wants a job spoke to me when watching it as a child, i accidently remember watching it as a 7-year-old not knowing anyyything about the anime or anything. but i recently went through a paper that had "future jobs" that i wrote when i was 7. My mom was extremely poor with me growing up, so me not only wanting a future for me. But also my mom.. this anime made me bawl my eyes out..
Thank you for such an amazing video! I watched the film for the first time when I was 11 and spending my last night with a family friend before going into foster care. Your clear insight into Chihiro's everyday fears at the start, how her bravery grows and how her respect and compassion is rewarded, has unlocked a powerful insight into myself and why I love this film so much and has left me in tears T_T I think I've just been therapized! Cheers
I'm feeling lazy so I don't wanna get deep and elaborate but I think this movie hits different if you are ASIAN. A lot, most, if not every Asian culture has stories about being "SPIRITED AWAY." I am not Japanese but I can relate with a lot of things in this movie. Reminds me a lot of stories told to me by my grandma and a teacher of mine. Love this movie, Studio Ghilbi movies in general are just GOOD. Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are definitely my faves though.
Grave of the Fireflies was one of the most challenging movies I’ve watched - it’s as close to real grief as I’ve ever experienced via a movie. Would love to hear your insights on that one!
I think Kiki’s would be absolutely perfect for them to talk about. The depression and burnout that are major themes of the story, it’d be great to see them talk about it
I love that you guys are so pleased with the wholeness you saw in the themes even though y'all were confused by it. pretty sure others have said but it's all folklore and so that's why it feels put together though random. because it really is put together through a culture
PLEASE do more studio Ghibli!! Kiki's delivery service I feel like has a good plot point with depression, whisper of the heart is one of my favorite romantic ones! Love to hear your thoughts on that relationship. Howl's moving Castle is pretty good also a crazy nonsense one. Princess mononoke is a bit more graphic but also fantastic. JUST WATCH ASK THREE MOVIES😭🙌🏼💙🙏🏼
I certainly can attest to my change in fear levels during the pandemic. My whole entire life, I suffered from panic attacks from being a hypochondriac. Once I graduated college and entered the market right before the pandemic, with everything entering into chaos, I've been so accustomed to self regulating techniques and just being in constant anxiety 24/7, that I was shocked to find that most people freaked out more than me. It was bizarre, and without any job experience and my mother loosing her job, our livelihood was on the line. I was fortunate enough to find a full time courier job in delivering chemo treatments and covid-19 vaccines to hospitals, where I could've easily got sick with Covid. Ironically, I never got sick once, despite being in environments that would raise my chances of getting Covid. The job also covered our costs until my mother found a job and my courier job left me secure until the job market began opening back up again, finding another job. Long story short, I'm not a hypochondriac anymore and never got panic attacks since.
Princess Mononoke and Grave of Fireflies are two of my favorite Studio Ghibli films and I would love to see you cover those. Howl's Moving Castle is really good as well, but I think considering the other two films would be really cool. Grave of Fireflies has a distinct and recognizable story and it is not as surreal as most of the Studio Ghibli films, but it is extremely powerful!
The movie spoke a little differently to me, I agree that’s what makes these movies so great is how we are able to connect with them. I saw her courage and kindness growing through hardship as one way she was able to trust herself through her big life change and move. But also I think it was about the spirituality of friendship. In the beginning I didn’t see her as self absorbed, I saw her as grieving. She’s in the backseat clinging to the the flowers her friend gave her to say goodbye, already worried about them dying. She’s feels like she’s already lost her friend and her life. But along her journey she makes so many new friends. There’s Haku of course, who turns out to be the spirit of a river who saved her life when she fell in it. They have this like eternal connection. And even as she leaves the spirit realm, the hair band her friends (No Face, the baby and the heads) wove for her sort of glints, like a reminder that her friends are always with her. I think she feels ready to begin her new life because she trusts herself (she can hold onto her spirit) now and she knows she has the strength of her friends too, and that she will only meet more friends along the way. In a “we are never truly alone” spiritually kind of way. There is so much more but I wanted to chirp in about that, as I really connected with that personally. I’ve been spirited away and that was one of my lessons.
Howls moving castle is my all time favourite movie - just the correlation between Sophie screaming at young Howl -"find me in the future!" and the beginning of the film when Howl joins Sophie and says "I've been looking for you everywhere" It breaks me
I’ve probably watched this movie over 5 times and never put those pieces together :0 I love this movie so much it’s amazing that you can notice something new every time you see it
after seeing this, looking back to all I’ve been through until today and I am still alive and able to survive, I think I can handle the next day and new chapters of my life.
I really love the train travel scene. It's such a change from the chaos and the colours of the bathhouse. And I think it shows more than anything the "otherworldness" of this place. It looks more like a memory than a real place, dreams and ideas of people. Always made me a bit teary.
I used to be WILDLY afraid of the dark, like ever since I was little I would need a night light and that fear was so strong because I have a very strong and wild imagination (artist lol) it only ended after I was done college and working my first job in my career. I had a mental breakdown and severe depression, being on my own, hating the job I was doing, not feeling in control of my life. I had to take medication to try and help me turned out NOT to be the pills I needed cause I had a psychotic break due to them leading to the event id lovingly call 'the worse night of my life'. Ever since that night though I was never afraid of the dark again, I had tasted real fear in those few hours that the next time I turned off the lights I knew it was all just in my head. I still get spooked from things in shadows from time to time now but since coping with the worst night I have a mantra that plays 'Remember your mind isn't right all the time, take a breath.... what are you actually seeing?' because that's what got me through the worst night (well that and some very patient loving friends who stayed with me until I was stable)
I’m so glad you got through that with loving friends. And more so that you’re happier now! (And I hope you’ll be happy in the future for jobs and self love and healing ^v^)
Thank you got this episode. I watched Spirited Away with my grandfather in the Neptune Theater in Seattle as a premier showing, and I treasure the brief time I had with him. I had very little interaction with my grandfathers growing up, as my mum's had passed while she was a teen, and my dad's passed when I was an infant, but Bill was my birth mother's father figure- not blood related, but damn intent on making sure she had a positive parental figure in her life when she was little, especially as her mother treated her terribly. He never married my mother's mother, but he stayed in her life as much as he could, and eventually mine, though he didn't do much more than come to birthdays and Christmases until I was in high school when we went to watch movies and go on photo shoots around the city where we took photos of historic architecture, and he taught me about framing photos and how to turn photography into art. I haven't seen him in many years, and miss him very much, but this movie will always stand out to me as the first thing I did with him that really drove home to me that I DO have a grandfather that I can make memories with and cherish.
For me, No-Face represents loneliness. It can feel like hunger, and it can feel like the solution is to give everything the others want to make them like you. But what he really needed was to be seen, and to be met with compassion. She became friends with loneliness.
I heard once in an interview that Miyazaki said the he modelled No-Face after himself. He talked about loneliness and how you're so desperate to be loved that you will do/be whatever it takes but even when you get everything you want, the loneliness won't go away. That's why he wanted Sin so badly, she was the one person who still said no and he felt if he could just have her, it would solve everything. He gave gifts in order to receive love and attention, like a contract instead of from the heart. I believe what really changed him was when he still found love and compassion from Sin and Zubaba even though after the bath house he had nothing left to give. His gifts and connections with the people at the bath house were empty, just dirt in the end, while his gift (hair tie) to Chihiro survived a transition to the real world and stayed with her.
That explains why he’s one of my favorite Ghibli characters: I resonate with those that represent loneliness! Him finding a home at the end of the movie is one of my favorite scenes. I even have a No-Face music box where he’s sitting and knitting, which is one of my hobbies.
The quote that I thought you guys were gonna say was "Courage isn't the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." (Same concept though lol). Ever since I heard that quote from The Princess Diaries, I've carried that quote with me ever since. There's been times where I've been scared to death, but over the years, because of that quote, I've been able to take a breath and say "I can do this, I'll get through this."
After watching all the ghibli movies, I think it would be really wonderful for you to go over and rate the couples from all the films like you've done with Disney couples. I always felt Miyazaki's take on romance to be one of the healthiest examples of relationships. I'd love to hear your input on this subject.
I’d love to see you guys do Howl’s Moving Castle next! The four main characters represent four clear personality types so well, and it’s so interesting to see how they play together.
i love the Ghibli films, from the characters to the music to the art. Princess Mononoke is my #1 favorite. followed by howls moving castle. Kiki's delivery Service was the first one i watch but wasnt until Princess Mononoke that i knew it was a Ghibli film. So cool you guys are doing them.
I love them all, but Kiki’s Delivery Service means so much to my family. It was our first movie in Okinawa, Japan when we were stationed there. My sons named our dog Kiki after the main character and she was an amazing pup.
i wish you can take the time to do all the miyazaki's movies (and ghibli's if possible) because there are just a treasure, all of them when people ask me which character is my role model, I immediately think, even at thirty, of the characters in Miyazaki's films, both female and male characters. I am so grateful to know these masterpieces and to continue to evolve and build with them for many years. and thank you so much for being here on youtube because you are people who help me to understand feelings, to be caring and to feel connected with the world around me. Love for both of you !
I love this as an Alice and Wonderland archetype where the main character enters another world and has an adventure and comes back to the regular world where nothing is different but themselves. I think you should do Naussica next! Or Up on Poppy Hill!
Oh man can't wait for them to go through all of these. Kiki would be a great one to analyze. My personal favorite is Porco Rosso. No one ever watches it, so I'd love to see your take on it.
Yes, Howl's Moving Castle is the first on my list, there are many things that I like about this movie but Sophie's transformation is the one thing that calls my attention every time I re-watch! I tend to cry every time the movie ends with the castle in the sky, the kid with the dog, the grandma, the kiss, Sophie's hair and the soundtrack 😂
@Ray Lee GotF should probably wait a bit since Jonathan has only seen two Ghibli films so far. But as for the existence of "innate beauty," you only have to look at the WILDLY differing beauty standards across cultures/subcultures, and across time even within those same cultures, to see that there is clearly no such thing- unless we're talking about the beauty that is inherent in each and every unique person. And honestly those beauty standards can usually be boiled down to things that require wealth to achieve, so most of the time it's just a case of internalized class bias...
Hey y'all, what do you think... about them watching Grave of the Fireflies next? Is that too heavy for this channel? Because, christ... THAT is an enormously imperative movie to psychoanalyze. The severe consequences of dogma and nationalism, communal division, PTSD in warfare. Otherwise, I agree Howl's Moving Castle. The movie itself is a good commentary on appearances; aging, beauty, so on. As someone who has a deformity, I'm very lone in terms of finding my deformity beautiful. My mother absolutely raised me right and only built up my confidence in it; she made me appreciate that it's not a disability and that I really can do what I aspire to. But most people still prioritize the whole "well, there IS innate beauty" thing, which bothers me. Yes there ARE differences, but "conventional beauty" is not some pinnacle, it's just not. I get that most people have a drive or attraction for it, but that still doesn't mean that everything else is OBJECTIVELY "hideous" or otherwise "inferior."
My favorite thing about Spirited Away is that Chihiro is based on an actual little girl. Miyazaki-sensei said he was inspired by the daughter of a friend. And I think that's why she's so relatable--she's not a "hero" or a "character." She's written as a little girl in an impossible situation. I think that's what made me fall in love with the film the first time I watched it.
I would really love if you guys reacted to Nausicaa from the Valley of the Wind. It's truly a beautiful story as pretty much all ghibli films are, however, this one stands out to me the most. What really has me coming back to it again and again Is Nausicaa's character. No-one understands the situation and truth at hand quite like Nausicaa does. The story also says a lot about us as humans and our reality, I especially love Nausicaa's symbolism at the end, and the beautiful music.
I've re-watched this movie a MILLION times and only just now noticed in the end when Chihiro's mother said "Don't worry, everything's going to be okay," the hair tie that was given to her by Zeniba glowed and spread through her hair. That's such an AMAZING touch since the hair tie had a spell to protect her. I wonder if that was a sneaky way of saying the magic still carried on to the real world and she would be protected by the people she befriended.
This film had me in a chokehold ever since I was a kid. It's my ultimate comfort film for many reasons. It really helped me through the pains of having to grow up fast as well as facing fear and scary situations. I will forever be glad to my little brain for only picking up this movie because it was an anime like Sailor Moon and it looked like KIKI's delivery service (although the VCR for that was gone so Spirited Away was truly my first Ghibli film), so my little brain simply thought well I like Sailor moon so I'll like this too. She was very right though.
Been doing a Cinema Therapy binge for the last few days and enjoying every second of it! I would love to see your perspective onmy personal favourite Howl's Moving Castle, since I feel like the message behind the movie is pretty underappreciated :))
His movies are made with motives like “having a great role model for young girls” and “making a magical world where the magic is never explained” it makes them unique and perfect for kids ❤
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke are also fantastic Ghibli films. It's hard to pick, but Mononoke may be my personal favorite from them
On the pandemic, my husband and I made a habit of watching one Ghibli film each sunday night until we watched them all. We watched the ones that we've already seen and all the remaining ones. My takeout each time was "this is time well spended" or as we say in Venezuela "No tiene pérdida". Every single one is worth your time and will leave you with a sense of hopefulness that is hard to get from adult life 😅 Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle are great options for you to take on next, though. Looking forward to it!
No face's greed is such a compelling story. Especially when he echoes, "I want Sen, I want Sen," because the ultimate form of greed is to posess a person. He is lonely and tries to fill that space with power, money, food, and adoration. But ultimately what he wants is a friend. That's why it's so lovely that the end of his arc is to live in a little cottage with a kind old witch who knows how to call people out and how to give all the love in her heart.
I felt kind of bad for him during his "corruption arc", where he was clearly trying to repay and/or befriend Sen with things that she needed, and then he got swept away by the idea of gold and consumerism (thinking that giving away riches would make the others like him, but all they wanted was his money). By that point, he was so sick and gorged with food that all he wanted was Sen, because only Sen had been truly nice to him. After he's cured by the medicine, he gets to have his redemption arc by gradually returning to his polite and calm self, making Sen a loving gift, and staying in a place that gave him stability, respect, and a purpose. :)
I kind of like that he reflects the environment that he’s in. In the bathhouse he’s affected by the greed and gluttony there, so he focuses too much on consumption. Then in Zeniba’s cottage it’s calming, so he eats neatly instead of mindlessly gobbling and is good at handicrafts.
There was something that I've noticed when I watched last week : everyone belittles her, even before knowing her. They keep telling her that she's stupid, lazy and can't do anything right, and yet she doesn't care. She's just vibing lol
Oh men this film is *amazing* 💚 I've known it since I was a little kid and the impact it had was incredible. It still feels like it connects to my soul, and the characters, the setting and the _music_ just captivates me... I think you should watch all Ghibli films (I'm still exploring as well) and I challenge you to watch them in their original language; Japanese, and add subtitles ;) Honestly it has been so WEIRD hearing all those English different voices and they feel ucky x'D Also, if you wanna see more weird, wth-is-going-on, dreamlike kinda films, check out *Mirrormask from 2005*
I really love the sparkle of her hair tie as she turns to leave in my opinion it suggests she is looking at the tunnel and realizing that, although she can't go back, the changes and growth she has gone through are still there and won't disappear from her head it's being "held in place"
Regarding the greed of No Face and the bathhouse employees, I think one reason Chihiro is so empathetic about it is because she's already seen what greed can do: her parents were turned into pigs in the first place because they stuffed themselves with food meant for someone else (her dad especially sounded so entitled when he told her not to worry about payment because he had cash and credit cards, even though there was clearly no one there to take payment). Also I think Chihiro could definitely teach people a lesson by her gratitude to Yubaba, not simply for freeing her and her parents but for teaching her lessons. Nowadays society is so resistant to fear, pain and suffering, and while it's important to try to relieve others, and not want to purposely inflict it, the fact is that it's going to happen at times anyway, and we can't avoid it but we can learn and grow from it. It's not enjoyable but it can protect us and develop us. Now all we want to do is be victims without suffering, yet ironically we refuse to be victims by accepting it and using it to our advantage.
Another animated film you might want to take a look at is Millennium Actress (2001). That film is such a journey. Also, I vote for Howl's Moving Castle!
Spirited Away tells how scary it is to grow up: moving cities, getting a job, losing your name, working with strange people you don't know. But Chihiro showing bravery through all of it is some of the best cinematic story telling out there. There's a reason this movie still holds up more than two decades later. Thank you for delving into more anime films!
Yes! Came here to say this exactly. Watching it when I was younger I didn't really get the deeper points. I felt her fear running down the stairs (que me running down dark hallways to "outrun the shadows") but as an adult in my 30s I remember the fear and uncertainty of 18-24 year old me and see it in Chihiro, I can definitely see my first "tough" boss in yubaba, that "work mom" in Lin who takes you under her wing, the kindly neighbor in Zeniba. Although my parents are rather young, I also get the pressure of eventually have to take care them in future that is present throughout. It all just hits different when you are older.
You talking about bravery at the beginning reminds me of my favorite quote "Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the realization that there is something stronger than fear."
I’m a 24 year old girl, and I saw this movie when I was 5 years old. The first time I watched this, my 7 year old sister and I were involved in a drunk driving accident, and were taken away from our family. I watched this movie the night after we were taken away. This movie to this day resonates with me more than any other film, because Shihiro at such a young age, despite her great fear, continued to be brave and strong and resilient. It was a dream-like metaphor that made perfect sense to me as a little girl, and still does. I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL GUYS I JUST DISCOVERED IT AND HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN THE RABIT HOLE! MUCH LOVE!
You mentioned at how sometimes when something terrible happens you stop being afraid of it anymore and I felt that. My family lost our home and everything except 3 days worth of clothes a piece in hurricane Katrina - I was a teenager at the time. Now, I will of course prepare properly for a hurricane but as long as I and my loved ones are safe, I know it can't take anything from me that I can't live without. I've started from nothing before and it was terrible but I know I can handle it. There's a weird peace that comes with that.
Before watching, I'd just like to mention that I love this movie so much ever since I first saw it at the age of... I don't know, three our four, I guess. By now, I've seen it probably over 60 times and I still enjoy it every time. I love Studio Ghibli movies in general, but Spirited Away is my absolute favorite.
One of the things that makes this movie magical is how appropriate Chihiro behaves for a 10 year old. It makes the stakes feel real. She isn't some wise sage child or a complete brat. She is complex and interprets the world as a 10 year old would.
Princess mononoke should be the next ghibli react ❤
SAMEEE. I didn't watch most of the Ghibli films, until a few years ago, and was very very impressed with how much Chihiro FEELS like a 10 year old girl. Having helped raised 2 this is exactly how both of my sisters acted at 10 years old. I think it's a large part of the reason I love this movie.
@GwaGwa I think it could be interpreted either way. Could be romantic or platonic
Also, I liked how they make her reaction as a person so real. Like when she actually cries about her situation out of the blue, when Haku brings her food, and not during a difficult time, as you would expect a character to cry in other movies
I saw some other comments discussing asexuality and that can be a little difficult. My following comments have nothing to do with the movie.
Romantic love by nature comes with a degree of selfishness. A desire for possession and exclusivity. That desire can take on many forms, both healthy and unhealthy. How a couple actually defines their relationship is up to the individuals involved. That’s why it is possible to have romantic love without sexual desire AS LONG AS the other partner wants the same thing. If either party wants more there will be inevitable conflict. I don’t necessarily mean an argument. Your partner can be hit very hard if you are NOT sexually attracted to them. Platonic love is an ideal, yet it doesn’t always translate very well into a dedicated relationship. It can make your partner feel very neglected or even unloved. As a very tactile person, nothing can feel worse than being rejected physically by someone you love. I don’t mean just sex to be clear. There are many ways to communicate love physically, such as holding hands or cuddling.
I am not asexual although I personally don’t feel physical attraction without the presence of emotional attraction, but I recognize that attraction in general is important for long term relationships. You need to have a genuine like for your partner beyond love. Emotions can sublimate over time. Love evolves.
I guess what I am saying is that you should not fully discount the importance of the physical aspects of love even if they aren’t a priority for you. This can potentially lead to your partner feeling insecure. The key to any relationship is communication. I imagine that someone asexual might have to find other ways to communicate their desire if they are uncomfortable with physical touch. If physical touch is okay and your partner prefers it, then it’s a only a matter of learning their language even if it just starts with touching knees together when sitting next to each other on the couch. You don’t want your partner to feel unwanted.
I’m speaking as a person who has been down both sides of that street. I was a little too honest in my first relationship and I think it really hurt my partner that I was much more emotionally attracted to them than I was physically. We never progressed beyond kissing, but that was part of what we agreed upon when we started the relationship since my partner was the wait until marriage type. Well, they hurt me just as much before it was over with some extreme neglect in the last 2 years or so of our relationship. Their family disapproved of us so they put me on ice after a few years of dating rather than just breaking up with me. I cannot stress enough that communication is really important for every relationship. Actions can communicate as much as if not more than words. This is important with or without progressing into a physical relationship.
Spirited Away started as a bedtime story that Hayao Miyazaki was telling to a friend’s ten year old daughter. He got inspired to continue it and make it a movie. This was written for a child. To give a small girl a hero.
@Quotenwagnerianer That’s true, and if not the boy and the girl are equal protagonists like Pazu and Sheeta in Castle in the Sky
That somehow does not surprise me. What a masterful result of that bedtime story
Funny, that’s kind of also how Lewis Carrol came up with the idea to write Alice in Wonderland. And the two have a lot of similarities.
@Quotenwagnerianer Miyazaki or his co-workers (not sure which party) admitted in an interview that a lot of inspiration for his protagonists stem from his fictional childhood crush from an animated movie he watched when he was 10.
That is so cool, I love that!
Howl's moving castle 100% mostly because of how Sophie learns to accept herself and how Howl grows
Yes please!!!
@wolflink9000 honestly I agree, I think Howl is a really poor character and the romance doesn’t work
Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite Ghibli film, so I'd love if they reviewed it!
That movie was mediocre
I love how kind and unselfish Chihiro is. She's surrounded by greedy people who get taken in by no-name, but Chihiro doesn't, because she doesn't want anything from him. Instead, she GIVES him something, something she thinks she NEEDS to save her parents. But she decides he needs it more. That kind of pure empathy is her strength.
Oh I thought he gave it to him because she knew it would make him puke 🤣
No-Face, not No-Name
I find it a bit funny that the spirits there are pretty expressive and vocal about what they think about humans (albeit a bit condescending), and yet when faced with material riches like gold, they become exactly like humans. I found that pretty interesting.
Then here is Chihiro, who is basically the antithesis to their general opinion. Who, led by her empathy, rejected riches in favor of helping a friend. And I absolutely love that her presence and kindness did leave an impression on them as well in the end.
That stink spirit turned river spirit part felt like a slap. Like how all the trash that got dumped(by mostly elder generation) into the river is the thing that made it to stink so much in the first place. And how it all fell into the hands of a child (next generation whose fault it isn't) to clean them all out. Thank god atleast everyone helped in the end or else I would have been hating the scene all my life.
Not necessarily the older generation doing the littering and the younger cleaning up--a lot of older people grew up with recycling via hand-me-downs, etc, and things were made of a better quality and lasted longer. Meanwhile now we just want the latest thing and there's lesser quality. Yet the actions of the older generation can help spur the younger generation on to change--as how Chihiro was inspired and able to help the river spirit only because Yubaba insisted on allowing it inside and her serving it.
@papa bear lives Yup, the bicycle is one of the things that was pulled out that stuck out to him so he included that in the movie. He's a staunch environmentalist, which is what Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke were all about (Princess Mononoke came about because he felt Nausicaa was too subtle lol)
I believe that the director included this when he was helping clean up a river.
I was disappointed that they didn’t catch this. They just called it a weird “stink spirit” and “old man”.
I feel like the unappreciated superhero of Ghibli films is Joe Hisaishi. I feel like how well the music is written, how it creates atmosphere when it's there and when it's not there. The dialog, the presentation, the music, it's all a sensory overload to get you immersed in the world. I can't wait to see Princess Mononoke be done.
THANK YOU for naming this! I was waiting for someone to mention how beautiful and heartfelt but also heartbreaking Hisaishi’s music is
Joe Hisaishi is my favorite modern composer ever. He makes me want to learn piano. Haha
The music compliments the art and the story of the movies so, so well. Joe Hisashi is truly a master and the movies wouldn't be the same without his music.
Fun fact to add to the name-stealing discussion: Chihiro's name in the Japanese language is written with multiple characters. But when Yubaba steals her name, Yubaba takes all the characters except one that, when by itself, is pronounced "Sen," which means thousand. She's literally reducing Chichiro to a number. Which tells you everything you need to know about how the witch sees the people in her employ.
@Silvan Van Der Horst
Agreed, but then it would spoil the ending if we used his real name. 😇
Not just that, but 1000 is also the lowest value of a bill in the Japanese currency, Yen. So not only does she reduce Chihiro's identity to a number, but also the number with the lowest worth to her, since her intention is to make money by controlling her.
But there is another layer of symbolism in here which relates more to the overall theme of the movie. It's clear that this movie is about growing up from a dependent child, into an independent adult. Chihiro in Japanese, means 1000 questions. Which refers to the fact that at the beginning of the movie, she started of as very much a child. We see that she is very dependent and clingy to her parents, easily scared, afraid of being alone and that she tends to quickly rely on others for help. But after her parents are turned into pigs, she can no longer rely on them for help. She has to do it herself. She is the one who has to go save them. And so after Yubaba takes her name away from 1000 questions, and turns it into just 1000, this symbolizes this fact, that she will have to figure everything out herself. And that she will have to work for it herself, just like she will in the bathhouse. And of course she gets help form Kamaji, Lin and Haku, but in the end, the bulk of the hardwork she does herself. She is the one who found out what was wrong with the River Spirit and healed him, making the bathhouse a lot of money. She was the one who saved Haku's life. She was the one who led No-Face away from the bathhouse. And when she, Boh, (insert name for the little Tengu birdlady) and No-Face went on the train, she was the one who was in charge. While No-Face was kind of looking around, uncertain and insecure, Chihiro told him to sit down and behave, almost like a parent would say to their child. Which shows that she took the lead. Hayao Miyazaki said that the train scene, for him, was the peak of Chihiro's character development, and the moment where she finally became an independent person.
So I love the double symbolism there. That Chihiro her name being changed to Sen means a devaluation of her person in Yubabas mind, but in actuality means that the door has been opened for Chihiro to grow. Meaning that she will actually become a better version of herself.
@The Misfit Owl About deadnaming, isn't it weird that we keep calling Haku "Haku"after the movie? because Haku is his dead name. His real name is Kohakugawa (Kohaku river)
That's so interesting ❤
@msk One of the most important (and culturally agreed upon) rules when interacting with supernatural beings is to not give them your “true name”; you especially hear this about the Fae. Names hold power.
While I’ve never noticed this detail (yay for excuses to watch the movie again🎉), what Chihiro did could have gone sideways and off those terrifying stairs. There’s a fine line between lies and loopholes. Thankfully Yubaba didn’t seem to care.
Spirited Away makes more sense the more you know about Japanese culture and society, both fantasy feudal and modern real-life. That said, I always enjoy its complete disregard for standard film structure and pacing.
The thing about Chihiro is, she already knows how to force herself to function when terrified. Her fearfulness (but not her fear, not in this bizarre spirit world) is like a disability she's learned to compensate for. And fearful children can learn from her example! The parents' fate also demonstrates why fear is an important and necessary survival trait. Sometimes fear and caution are a sensible response. We tend to forget that in our war against "negativity."
@Ishki R Thank you so much... it means a lot to me!
OH YES ALL THIS! People are often very quick to dismiss caution and appropriate anxiety as baseless fear, and you're absolutely right that this shows that fear IS an appropriate response in many situations, especially as a survival trait. People who wander through life entirely unafraid or unweary have little to no survival instinct and almost always end up in serious trouble they don't take seriously, relying on others to bail them out or save them. This comment is A+, totally agree.
There is so much japanese folklore to this film. One such thing is the believe that children have a closer relationship and intuition towards spiritual stuff. Chihiro knew something was off from the start. She felt it. 😅
I think that by the end Chihiro understands that Yubaba isn't a person who can be judged purely as a person--she's a magical being, a god, a fairy, and her morality just works differently. She shows her kindness and gratitude not because she deserves it, but because Yubaba as a spirit deserves respect. And we see Yubaba softening a little bit--just a tiny bit--because of it.
I agree! I didn't think of Yubaba as an "abusive" character or representation, she's a spirit who just is what she is, and Chihiro sees that from the start. Yubaba never presents as anything but a cranky controlling witch right from the start, but without being terrifying or what could be called straight up "mean" or "evil", and Chihiro senses that, being the spirit-tuned child she is, and isn't unafraid but also is able to give her respect as the caretaker of her temporary spirit-bath-house home. It's like that one teacher you had in school who wasn't really *scary* or evil, but was so strict and intense that it made you nervous, but also you still gave them respect and raised your hand, etc. Yeah. To me the only character who could represent some kind of "abusive" was the No-Face dude, he arrived as a seemingly docile friendly being, but later showed a darker side that threatened to destroy everything and everyone around them.
Ponyo will definitely win the poll, but one of my favorites is Howl's Moving Castle. I really identified with Sophie, who lacked in self-confidence and struggled with her looks. Howl acted as her contrast, in that he obsessed with his looks, and was overly prideful.
In the end, both of their problems stemmed from fears of being vulnerable, and ultimately, the possiblity of getting hurt or rejected as a result.
Yes, I feel the same way!
As a Hafu (half-Japanese) and an immigrant myself... Spirited Away is a story about growing up and losing yourself and rebuilding yourself and your identity, without losing your true self in the process. Chihiro is moving to a new city because her father got a new job. She's migrating and she had no choice on going or not. She just needs to. At the beginning of the movie she's deeply displeased (with reason) and she's basically committing to the fact that she'll be deeply unhappy forever. She's being spoiled and she's not contemplating the growth opportunities she will have. She's also afraid. And through her journey on the Spirit Helm, she basically needs to grow up and find herself again to save her parents and herself, or they would be trapped there forever.
On the other hand, the No-Face is, for me, depression or people who try to fill a void with material things... No matter how much you try to fill it with things, it'll never be satisfied unless you treat the root cause of why you're feeling empty.
You should definitely watch Mononoke Princess. It's my favorite Ghibli movie and it's just amazing to its social critics and the discussions it raises from beginning to end.
Shouldn't refer to yourself as a slur, it's disrespectful to yourself.
“I love this film and I couldn’t possibly explain why” pretty much how I feel for every Studio Ghibli movie ever 😂
yeah, after watching this video (and people around me encouraging me to watch anime) I decided to watch this movie. And for some reason it is now my favority movie of all time. I think it is a mix of things that make me love this movie. First of all the world, and this mysterious magical feel it has. I grew up with avatar the last airbender, so therefore this movie also gave me some nostalgic feeling towards east asian cultures and mythology. But mostly, I think I love the character of Chihiro/Sen and her arc in the movie. How she starts of as a scared little girl, but overcomes her fears multiple times in the story despite everything. From the scene where she goes down the stairs, to where she has to confront Yubaba. But also how she shows compassion and kindness, through danger and fear. Of course, how she was the only one to initially show kindness to the stink spirit. But mostly when she offers No-Face the one thing that could save her parents, because she thinks he needs it. And after No-Face than starts to chase her, and tries to literally kill her, she still shows compassion for him by saying "he needs to get out of here" (probably refering to the fact that No-Face is negatively impacted by the greed of the bath house staff. Because in the company of Chihiro, and later in Zeniba's home, he is surrounded by kind people and so he is also at peace) and even offers him a ride to accompany her on the train. Despite the fact that not even ten minutes ago, he was trying to murder her. Or at least eat her. This courage, this kindness and this growth that she displays in the movie is why I love this character so much. And why I love this movie so much. She is just a child and yet she inspires me to be more brave.
What I also very much like about this movie, and that's the case with Ghibli movies in general, is that it makes you feel like you are a child again. Of course we see this movie from the perspective of a 10 year old girl. But because of all the magic, the mystery and the beauty of this world, it feels like when you would fantasize as a kid. And so if there is one set of words that could describe the feeling I get from this movie, it would be: "The feeling of childlike wonder"
I mean if you have limited ways of expression. I love this film because it animated beautifully, it's whimsy and there is a general theme about growing up. And many more reasons
I didn't have access to Ghibli movies when I was younger. I only had Spirited Away on DVD back then, which I busted the disk for replaying it so many times. So I watched the other movies just recently, within the last 3 years, and every movie I watched gutted me to my core, from Totoro to Kaguya.
@Katie.L Hall Historical speaking this nuclear bomb actually liberated my country from Japanese invasion ☺️, Japanese military had done many2 cruel and horrible things to our nation in the past and if you are not an Indonesian or not really into history, you wouldn’t have known.
So i 100% agree with you. This lesson should be taught in the class history and also the bad stuff the Japanese did to mine, China etc☺️
@ChilliKatsuRamen I almost think it should be part of world history classes. It is so sad and is a simple devastating story of suffering due to ww2
Shout out to Joe Hisaishi and his masterwork of music that is both heartfelt and heartbreaking. When I listen to his scores, it’s almost like the music speaks straight to my soul without any lyrics.
Please do Kiki's Delivery Service!
Also, in the Japanese version, Chihiro does not say "I think I can handle it", because she has forgotten her whole experience in the Spirit World.
And I was wondering, cause in the German version, there are also not more explanations like chihiros last sentence etc.
@Purpelotamus disney did the same shit just made it more obvious
@Dreigonix yay.
@Alejandro Luna I have two cats, actually. They’re quite wonderful.
@Dreigonix 😂😂😂 my gosh, can you please stop? Go get a pet.
Jono saying, "You don't stand up for yourself if there's no self to stand up for" really hit me hard. Love you guys.
What i love is that Chihiro at the end of the movie has one thing on her person from the other world that she didn't have when she first went in. The hair tie, it's a link to the place, and with the way it shimmers at the end, it's hinting at that she's taking part of the magic of that place with her, but also at that she could come back someday should she find her way back there again.
My vote is Howl's Moving Castle next. It's my favorite Ghibli film because I feel it has a bit of a better balance between the weird and the actual storytelling. Also Sophie's journey of finding her own self worth in the film is quite touching.
Cihiro's parents' lack of fear and respect was a warning about ignoring culture and traditions. Chihiro's mom started to tell her about the shrine statues and then just waved off the idea. The theme of forgetting one's identity leading to their downfall is prevalent throughout the film.
The river spirit, by contrast, NEVER forgot who he was, even though no one else recognized him. It's a detail I've always loved about this film.
I was just thinking of commenting that it was more about the parents' lack of respect than a lack of caution
That's what I really loved about this movie. Also for me two, let's call them "mini themes", was acceptance amd growth. I might have felt that because I was going through a hard time when I first watched this, but in a way for me, over the course of the movie, it felt like it was ok to accept that what I had lost was gone and I could still grieve, but it wouldn't take away a part of me (like how the witch takes her name). And that growth can come despite that. They kinda intermingled with the identity thing in the movie.
@Hunter I'm sorry it's been difficult to type but I'm glad you got in on the Convo 😊.
The "Stink Spirit" was always a river guardian spirit. He didn't look that way because he sat for too long. Humans polluted his river making it sludgy and gross. A bunch of trash pours out of him after his bath. A fridge, a toilet, and all kinds of things that were dumped into the river.
But I’d also say that with the stink monster, may be a message about Sitting still and stagnant for too long, but casting all of that junk aside might be about indecision causing issues.
....Jesus Christ you have no idea how much trouble it’s been to write.... . They comfrtabkec..... I am practically going in and out or consciousness while I’m types mathing this stuff so much harder than not.
And there are those who prey on others if you forget your identity.
Hayao Miyazaki's films are amazing! But I wish you could've invited a Japanese artist to go deeper with this because it is fascinating. (I took a six-month film class in Osaka about "Spirited Away" for people studying Japanese cinematography. I'm far from an expert on the film, but humbled by how little I understood before the class.) Every book, every window design, every little detail is intentionally crafted for symbolism or foreshadowing in stunning ways. I thought you missed a lot, both cinematography and psychologically/socially, because it's Japanese culture.
"If you can be grateful for hardships, it means you are an exceptional person who is doing things right."
I don't really know why, but this sentence really hit me. I mean, there is a truth in that claim that just cannot be denied, it kind of feels like one of the greatest thoughts humanity has ever produced (though it could be phrased a bit differently tbh). I feel like I really need to step up because of this. I need to fully understand it and live by it.
Thank you Alan, and I hope you will achieve this goal yourself one day.
That quote really speaks to me. As a bisexual man who’s been out for about four years now, I’ve finally gotten to a place of being fully confident and comfortable in my identity as an LGBTQ person. Part of that comes from the fact that, while I nowadays mostly don’t think anything of my sexuality, I also have frequent moments of suddenly being taken out of myself for a second, and just remembering and appreciating where I was several years before, versus where I am now, and the impact that being in the closet and discovering my sexuality, and coming out had on me as a person. I couldn’t be more grateful that I ended up being attracted to both men and women, and I wouldn’t want things to have turned out any other way. For all the good and the bad that came with it, realizing and asserting this part of myself has been ultimately the part of my personal journey that I’m most proud of. And part of it is absolutely because I am grateful for those years of hardship in the closet, and the strength and resilience gained during that period. If it hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have discovered how strong I could be mentally, and I wouldn’t be as truly confident and appreciative of who I am as a result. Thank you Alan, for that quote of yours
@Lyn van der Wel would you care to explain?
I can confirm that this is the best representation of a job interview.
Haha yesss
Kiki’s delivery service is my favorite because to me it was a story about a girl who grew up and dealt with very normal emotions and problems but because they are her problems they are made to be incredibly important in the film, which resonated with me as I have led a mostly normal life and sometimes feel that most movies only capture the problems of people on the fringes of society, basically please watch this film next
I would love it if you guys watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind! The compassion shown by the main character makes it one of my favorite movies, and the message that compassion and pacifism in the face of violence is not a passive decision but an active one.
yessss!! nausicaa is my favorite miyazaki film (even though it's so hard to choose)!! from the score to the animation to the main character and the deeply moving story... truly a masterpiece. i feel like not a lot of people really know about it compared to the other more popular films like totoro, spirited away, & mononoke hime
GREAT movie.
Dude that movie makes me cry so hard when she is trying to stop the creature from going into the lake of acid. I loose it.
My favorite ghibli movie - even if it's hard to choose. Has it all - a new world were getting to know, a kickass female hero that defends her people, friendship, love and starting again after major destruction
Fun fact: The Stink spirit is actually a River spirit. He was just so contaminated and polluted that he needed someone to free him from all the trash he was carrying and that had clogged up his body.
And you should definitely watch Castle in the Sky next! That one's amazing.
good catch, though it was literally said in the film
And a VERY powerful and old one at that. The way he speaks is kinda archaic or how older people talks to youngsters (it's more obvious in the Japanese and Korean dub the way I see it). His size is honestly impressive and the money he first gives is quite a lot but he also leaves gold and also gives Chihiro the mcguffin medicine.
I loved Castle in the Sky! I'd be great to see their thoughts
Castle in the Sky and Kiki's Delivery service are masterpieces I'd love to see an analysis of them. :)
I thought this was obvious, but I guess not lol
Ya'll made me realize something about the symbolism in this movie. Chihiro goes from not being able to cross a simple stream at the beginning of the movie to literally helping out TWO whole water/river spirits. Such an interesting way to show her growth. Not being able to cross a small stream to being completely surrounded by water of her own will.
Howl's Moving Castle will be a gold mine for both relationship therapy and self-love. Sophie's growth is so excellent through that film. Plus, Christian Bale's voice acting is so messy b**** drama king perfect.
“Once you've met someone you never really forget them. It just takes a while for your memories to return.”
- Zeniba
This film is one of my favorites, the bravery and love is on another level. The normal strange occurrences makes this so fun to watch.
Princess Kaguya!
I cried at the final arc of the story. The cry was different from the cry I had watching Grave of the Fireflies.
I cried watching Grave of the Fireflies is because I sympathies with the character. But this cry in Princess Kaguya, is something more personal. I can feel the pain from a parents perspective for losing a child. It is a last gift from director Isao Takahata, another storytelling genius .
Funfact; Miyazaki said in an interview that the real reason Chihiro stared at the tunnel at the end was because she had forgotten everything that happened. It was part of her breaking the curse and leaving the other world. That's also part of the reason why she wasn't allowed to look back as she and her family were leaving. It would have broken the magic and she would be trapped once more. Pretty scary.
@Bluebittercoffee She didn't forget the lessons. Even if she forgot what happened, it still changed her for the better and she gained a lot of courage. Just like Zeniba said to her: "Whatever happens is never forgotten, even if you don't remember it."
The end of the film shows how she's changed after Haku tells her not to look back. After she meets her parents again, it can be assumed that her memories are starting to get wiped, but just as she's about to look back, she stops, and keeps moving forward. This is a stark contrast to the beginning of the film, where when she went into the tunnel and clung onto her mom, she instantly looked back. And the fact that she still had the hairband at the end proved that it did happen, and that it did mean something.
@Zaddy Faye Yeah, I don't think the ending is ambiguous because we can clearly see her changed demeanor at the end. She might have forgotten everything but she still has the hairband that her friend made, and that I think is the symbol that tells us (the audience) that she did not leave empty handed. To me, her hairband represents the growth she takes with her by the end of her journey.
@NicciJemz I agree the analysis is very weak, most of the spirits and themes in the film are derived from Japanese mythology, I learned a lot about them recently, it's such a colorful world
@Amy this one seemed to focus on Japanese folktales, legends, culture, and superstitions though
@Aetriex in Japanese mythology, it's the creation tale of Izanami and Izanagi.
I think part of what weakened the analysis in this video is looking strictly through an American interpretation. There are a lot of subtleties throughout this film that heighten the viewing experience
i first saw this movie when i was about the same age as chihiro, and to say it was formative is probably a vast understatement, particularly as its one of my favorite films and i have seen it so many times i can recite it.
and yeah, miyazaki kind of throws ALL his ideas into his movies, he has confirmed that they all have an environmental messages, and all contain a flying scene, but there are other themes that run through his works. one of my favorites is that pure love doesn't necessarily mean romantic love, and i love that in this movie, the exact nature of chihiro and haku's feelings for each other is left open to interpretation, but they definitely love each other.
also the gift from the river spirit seems to be a traditional medicine, and is a purgative, hence making no face throw up and drip everything that made him sick, and making haku throw up the seal and the slug thing.
What really impacted me about chihiro is that she never cried. I used to cry a lot and still do when I'm scared, I just thing that's the bravest part of her
She did cry! But she always got back up and continued even if she cried while doing it. Which I love!
She did cry tho
Thank you for this! Right now I’m in the scary process of graduating from college soon and looking for a job, and this brought me a lot of comfort. It reminded me that it’s okay if it’s terrifying, I can still do it and get through it. Thanks for all that you guys do!
When Chihiro expresses her gratitude to the Witch, she actually means it. Despite all the circumstances, Yubaba provided her with a place to stay and foods to eat. If anything Yubaba could just do away with her existence or leave her to perish. Despite the cold-hearted, calculated look Yubaba has on herself, Chihiro looks right through it and sees the good in her. Which you guys seem to miss.
Well I mean, even at the end Yubaba still tried to trick Chihiro by asking her to identify her parents when they weren’t there. Yubaba loves her son and I agree she’s not all bad (a classic Miyazaki antagonist trope) but Chihiro is fortunate to get the heck out of there.
I took a film class in my sophomore year of college and for my final paper I chose to write about spirited away. It was an analysis paper about Chihiro maturing throughout the entire film overcoming her fears and such. It was probably the easiest and best paper I’ve written to date.
I’m surprised they didn’t talk about the scene where he gives her food and she burst out crying. I love that scene so much. It’s like she’s finally able to process and deal with all the trauma
I’m so glad to hear you all picking up on that too!💖 That’s my favorite moment in the film, it helped me to process my own stresses
YES I really connected with that too. As someone with ptsd as well as a eating disorder when I was a teen-that scene took a different meaning for me. Food is healing, and allowing yourself to finally unleash and experience emotionally the trauma you’ve stored in your body is extremely painful.
He says specifically "eat this, it will make you strong" and I always loved that as soon as she finished eating it she bursts into tears. Like sometimes that IS strength, processing your emotions and letting them out takes strength
Same! I was watching this recently with my sister and it hit us so hard now that we're older and we realized that.
As kids, we had no idea why she was crying - we thought the human food might have just been hard to eat?
Then we realized no... the kid lost her parents, was forced into labour, and almost forgot her name! She literally rediscovered her humanity in this simple, beautiful moment of respite!
Ghibli movies are amazing at making the little moments of life seem so extraordinary!
Omg yes. Obviously they can't get to all the scenes. The onigir scene makes me cry every time. It's just a sweet moment where she's comforted and nourished and given space to just RELEASE.
Howl's moving castle please! So many layers in that movie. It talks about accepting old age, love, finding beauty within, forgiveness, and more. A real masterpiece.
As movies I grew up with, Ghibli films have always had a special place in my heart.
I've watched this movie so many times but it never fails to amaze me--the art, animation, characters, music, messages. But for some reason I hadn't realized how much Chiriho changes from a fearful little child to a brave mature person who knows who she is looking back into the tunnel unafraid that she was so scared of at first. Now the contrast between the first and last scene really jumps out!
Thank you for sharing this ❤️
You should do all of them, but Kiki's Delivery Service was my favorite as a kid! I'd love to see your perspective on it!
All of them. I love Miyazaki's works, he's an incredible artist and storyteller.
This movie has been my comfort movie for the very first time it came out. The artwork, the music (Joe Hisaishi is a genius), all the little details and a lot of japanese mythology it has. I've lost count of how many times I've seen it and every time I see something different but fills me with joy and a sense of fulfillment. Miyazaki is very methodic and everything he puts in a movie has a reason to be, at the same time, it gives you the option to interpret things on your own and that's okay because the main purpose is completely clear, about Chihiro's growth and understanding of her own worth, of what things are the ones who matter the most and the values that will help her become a beautiful human being. She's a hero without fighting great battles with inhuman superpowers, she learns to take the reins of her life, she's a "stinky" human worthy enough to work with the high spirits of the world (eg. the great river spirit she cleaned), even befriend a few, she's the representation that any simple girl can become great if she works hard on her objectives and overcomes her fears, without losing herself in the way with the help of a good friend. I mean, the lessons never end with this one and, for that and many other reasons, I keep watching it over and over again, cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who hasn't seen it. 2 hours very well spent.
And for the next one How'ls Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, Porco Rosso, Kiki's Delivery Service, Grave of the Fireflies, Whispers of the Heart, The Tale of Princess Kaguya... yes, all of them :D
Honestly, the most beautiful thing that I love most about Ghibli films is how well they romanticize living. For people who are depressed, it makes the most simple thing absolutely freaking magical, and whimsical. It reminds me of the beauty of a simple life, and it makes me fall in love with living.
@Hannah Metzger sending virtual hugs from one depressed person to another
As someone who is depressed, has suicidal thoughts, has high anxiety, has low self-esteem, insecurity issues, has a lot of self-hatred and self-loathing, and just generally a lot of self-doubt, I need to watch Ghibli films. The only Ghibli film I've actually seen is _Tales from Earthsea,_ I'll have to watch the others.
Kiki is the one that's always had that effect on me when I feel low because she goes through the same thing. Idk it just has always hit different. They all hit harder at different points in my life but especially kiki.
fr, studio ghibli movies impacted me so much on living my life
OH, THIS!
I would love to see you guys' take on Howl's Moving Castle.
Bonus points if either of you (or maybe your kids) have read the original novel.
The movie is a visual and auditory feast, and the version of the story that Miyazaki made is such a layered, beautiful, heartwarming (see what I did there?) look at doubt, insecurities, how nations and societies view themselves and how they try to force others to view them, family dynamics that are healthy and some that are unhealthy.
It illustrates how found family and chance companions can be as important and as meaningful as the blood related group you're born into.
It's just...one of my absolute favorites.
If you two are going to further along the animated Japanese masterpiece list, I wholeheartedly recommend Millennium Actress & Metropolis. Two magnificent films that are great places to start.
1 vote here for Kiki's Delivery Service, it is hands down my favourite Ghibli movie and I don't think I can fully explain why lol
What I think gets missed in some of the observations is that Miyazaki takes his culture and the spirits are ALL from stories and kami that are in Japanese culture, folklore and mythology! Even Yubaba is from Japanese folklore! All of these represent kami/spirits in Shinto.
Spirited Away is such a profound story, it has so many layers and deep meanings. Hayao Miyazaki said the character of Chihiro is inspired by the daughter of one of his friends whom he would affectionally call something that you could translate to "lazy bun". Spirited Away is Miyazaki's way to tell children "wake up lazy buns your parents may have been consumed by greed but you still can save them. The future is in your hands." Chihiro needs to grow up and stop being so coddled, learn about the value of hard work and persistance but she's also advised not to lose herself in such work and always lead with understanding and love. Gorgeous film.
I always read this film as a metaphor for the fear of growing up/going through puberty. It starts with her moving to a new town, and she's at the age to go through puberty. She doesn't know anyone there, she's leaving behind everything she knew, and it makes her worried for the future and worried about herself.
Her parents stop down a wrong path and are unafraid of going into something scary; "Come on, it'll be fun" - like how becoming an adult/being an adult is fun once you're actually there. She's terrified of having to ask for a job (late teen years, heading to adult age), she's initially terrified of the giant baby (parenthood?), and in the middle of all this she begins to forget her name (like forgetting who she is/her roots or where she came from. Who is she in this new town? Who is she on the other side of puberty? Who is she in adulthood? She doesn't know yet and she's scared! And she has nothing to remind her!)
She makes new friends along the way who show her she doesn't have to grow into a piggish adult or cruel woman (boss/old grandmother), and she's saved by something (someone) who knew her since childhood (her past/her roots), the Han River, when she remembers him (like remembering her childhood self).
I think it works wonderfully as an allegory for being afraid of the changes of aging, puberty, reaching into adulthood, and finding strength in remembering who you are at your core.
My favourite is Princess Mononoke. An episode about Ashitaka’s selflessness and the fact that there is no “good guys” or “ bad guys” would be amazing!
Honestly, Princess Mononoke's story is very sophisticated in how everyone who is given a "face" is extremely nuanced and are definitely virtuous in their own right. Well...minus the people the drunk monk is working for.
To add on Ashitaka shows great resolve in the face of a "disease" that's killing him.
Bless the random video store guy who sent my dad home with Mononoke when they didn't have the DBZ movie we wanted when we were in middle school lol lifelong love at first watch
Yes princess Mononoke please
Yes!!! Princess Mononoke was the first Ghibli movie I actually felt I understood
her screaming that she wants a job spoke to me when watching it as a child, i accidently remember watching it as a 7-year-old not knowing anyyything about the anime or anything. but i recently went through a paper that had "future jobs" that i wrote when i was 7. My mom was extremely poor with me growing up, so me not only wanting a future for me. But also my mom.. this anime made me bawl my eyes out..
Thank you for such an amazing video! I watched the film for the first time when I was 11 and spending my last night with a family friend before going into foster care. Your clear insight into Chihiro's everyday fears at the start, how her bravery grows and how her respect and compassion is rewarded, has unlocked a powerful insight into myself and why I love this film so much and has left me in tears T_T I think I've just been therapized! Cheers
I'm feeling lazy so I don't wanna get deep and elaborate but I think this movie hits different if you are ASIAN. A lot, most, if not every Asian culture has stories about being "SPIRITED AWAY." I am not Japanese but I can relate with a lot of things in this movie. Reminds me a lot of stories told to me by my grandma and a teacher of mine.
Love this movie, Studio Ghilbi movies in general are just GOOD. Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are definitely my faves though.
Grave of the Fireflies was one of the most challenging movies I’ve watched - it’s as close to real grief as I’ve ever experienced via a movie. Would love to hear your insights on that one!
I would vote for ALL of the Ghibli films, but Howl’s Moving Castle is my favourite
I think Kiki’s would be absolutely perfect for them to talk about. The depression and burnout that are major themes of the story, it’d be great to see them talk about it
@Insomnaholic that’s my favorite too!
My favorite Miyazaki film is Nausicaa, but Kiki would be a perfect film for a Therapist to react to.
@cecizilla youre right they need to do that one
I also, want them to do The boy and the Beast. While it is not a Ghibli film, it is still a similar style.
Bro I wrote the exact same comment 🤣
I love that you guys are so pleased with the wholeness you saw in the themes even though y'all were confused by it. pretty sure others have said but it's all folklore and so that's why it feels put together though random. because it really is put together through a culture
PLEASE do more studio Ghibli!!
Kiki's delivery service I feel like has a good plot point with depression, whisper of the heart is one of my favorite romantic ones! Love to hear your thoughts on that relationship. Howl's moving Castle is pretty good also a crazy nonsense one. Princess mononoke is a bit more graphic but also fantastic. JUST WATCH ASK THREE MOVIES😭🙌🏼💙🙏🏼
I certainly can attest to my change in fear levels during the pandemic. My whole entire life, I suffered from panic attacks from being a hypochondriac. Once I graduated college and entered the market right before the pandemic, with everything entering into chaos, I've been so accustomed to self regulating techniques and just being in constant anxiety 24/7, that I was shocked to find that most people freaked out more than me. It was bizarre, and without any job experience and my mother loosing her job, our livelihood was on the line. I was fortunate enough to find a full time courier job in delivering chemo treatments and covid-19 vaccines to hospitals, where I could've easily got sick with Covid. Ironically, I never got sick once, despite being in environments that would raise my chances of getting Covid. The job also covered our costs until my mother found a job and my courier job left me secure until the job market began opening back up again, finding another job. Long story short, I'm not a hypochondriac anymore and never got panic attacks since.
Princess Mononoke and Grave of Fireflies are two of my favorite Studio Ghibli films and I would love to see you cover those. Howl's Moving Castle is really good as well, but I think considering the other two films would be really cool. Grave of Fireflies has a distinct and recognizable story and it is not as surreal as most of the Studio Ghibli films, but it is extremely powerful!
The movie spoke a little differently to me, I agree that’s what makes these movies so great is how we are able to connect with them. I saw her courage and kindness growing through hardship as one way she was able to trust herself through her big life change and move. But also I think it was about the spirituality of friendship. In the beginning I didn’t see her as self absorbed, I saw her as grieving. She’s in the backseat clinging to the the flowers her friend gave her to say goodbye, already worried about them dying. She’s feels like she’s already lost her friend and her life. But along her journey she makes so many new friends. There’s Haku of course, who turns out to be the spirit of a river who saved her life when she fell in it. They have this like eternal connection. And even as she leaves the spirit realm, the hair band her friends (No Face, the baby and the heads) wove for her sort of glints, like a reminder that her friends are always with her. I think she feels ready to begin her new life because she trusts herself (she can hold onto her spirit) now and she knows she has the strength of her friends too, and that she will only meet more friends along the way. In a “we are never truly alone” spiritually kind of way.
There is so much more but I wanted to chirp in about that, as I really connected with that personally. I’ve been spirited away and that was one of my lessons.
Howls moving castle is my all time favourite movie - just the correlation between Sophie screaming at young Howl -"find me in the future!" and the beginning of the film when Howl joins Sophie and says "I've been looking for you everywhere"
It breaks me
I’ve probably watched this movie over 5 times and never put those pieces together :0 I love this movie so much it’s amazing that you can notice something new every time you see it
I’m so glad you picked up on that! I love that moment too😁💖
I'm just waiting , its gotta be howls reaction next , please cause i need that in my life
after seeing this, looking back to all I’ve been through until today and I am still alive and able to survive, I think I can handle the next day and new chapters of my life.
I really love the train travel scene. It's such a change from the chaos and the colours of the bathhouse. And I think it shows more than anything the "otherworldness" of this place. It looks more like a memory than a real place, dreams and ideas of people. Always made me a bit teary.
I used to be WILDLY afraid of the dark, like ever since I was little I would need a night light and that fear was so strong because I have a very strong and wild imagination (artist lol) it only ended after I was done college and working my first job in my career. I had a mental breakdown and severe depression, being on my own, hating the job I was doing, not feeling in control of my life. I had to take medication to try and help me turned out NOT to be the pills I needed cause I had a psychotic break due to them leading to the event id lovingly call 'the worse night of my life'. Ever since that night though I was never afraid of the dark again, I had tasted real fear in those few hours that the next time I turned off the lights I knew it was all just in my head. I still get spooked from things in shadows from time to time now but since coping with the worst night I have a mantra that plays 'Remember your mind isn't right all the time, take a breath.... what are you actually seeing?' because that's what got me through the worst night (well that and some very patient loving friends who stayed with me until I was stable)
I’m so glad you got through that with loving friends. And more so that you’re happier now! (And I hope you’ll be happy in the future for jobs and self love and healing ^v^)
Thank you got this episode. I watched Spirited Away with my grandfather in the Neptune Theater in Seattle as a premier showing, and I treasure the brief time I had with him. I had very little interaction with my grandfathers growing up, as my mum's had passed while she was a teen, and my dad's passed when I was an infant, but Bill was my birth mother's father figure- not blood related, but damn intent on making sure she had a positive parental figure in her life when she was little, especially as her mother treated her terribly. He never married my mother's mother, but he stayed in her life as much as he could, and eventually mine, though he didn't do much more than come to birthdays and Christmases until I was in high school when we went to watch movies and go on photo shoots around the city where we took photos of historic architecture, and he taught me about framing photos and how to turn photography into art. I haven't seen him in many years, and miss him very much, but this movie will always stand out to me as the first thing I did with him that really drove home to me that I DO have a grandfather that I can make memories with and cherish.
Thank you for doing the dub of this movie, Lilo's voice actor does so great here!
For me, No-Face represents loneliness. It can feel like hunger, and it can feel like the solution is to give everything the others want to make them like you. But what he really needed was to be seen, and to be met with compassion. She became friends with loneliness.
Sorry,must have hit it by accident.
I heard once in an interview that Miyazaki said the he modelled No-Face after himself. He talked about loneliness and how you're so desperate to be loved that you will do/be whatever it takes but even when you get everything you want, the loneliness won't go away. That's why he wanted Sin so badly, she was the one person who still said no and he felt if he could just have her, it would solve everything. He gave gifts in order to receive love and attention, like a contract instead of from the heart. I believe what really changed him was when he still found love and compassion from Sin and Zubaba even though after the bath house he had nothing left to give. His gifts and connections with the people at the bath house were empty, just dirt in the end, while his gift (hair tie) to Chihiro survived a transition to the real world and stayed with her.
@Luneowl I love that!! Makes me wonder what song it is playing. 🎶
That explains why he’s one of my favorite Ghibli characters: I resonate with those that represent loneliness! Him finding a home at the end of the movie is one of my favorite scenes. I even have a No-Face music box where he’s sitting and knitting, which is one of my hobbies.
@Jeanette Carnell what's 9 mean?
Cannot begin to describe to you how magical these movies are to grow up on.
The quote that I thought you guys were gonna say was "Courage isn't the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." (Same concept though lol). Ever since I heard that quote from The Princess Diaries, I've carried that quote with me ever since. There's been times where I've been scared to death, but over the years, because of that quote, I've been able to take a breath and say "I can do this, I'll get through this."
My mother who passed away when I was 18 loved Spirited Away. I think Chihiro has some of the best character development I've ever seen in a movie.
After watching all the ghibli movies, I think it would be really wonderful for you to go over and rate the couples from all the films like you've done with Disney couples. I always felt Miyazaki's take on romance to be one of the healthiest examples of relationships. I'd love to hear your input on this subject.
I’d love to see you guys do Howl’s Moving Castle next! The four main characters represent four clear personality types so well, and it’s so interesting to see how they play together.
@MyMediaDiary oh God. I'd be crying through that WHOLE interview
What ate the chances they do grace of the fireflies at some point? Not exactly fa.ily friendly, pretty dark, but I just wanna see them cry.
One is my favorite movies! Would love to see them cover it.
I CANT WAIT TILL THEY DO HOWLS MOVING CASTLE!!! They said more studio ghiblii movies are coming and I can't wait 😭😭
i love the Ghibli films, from the characters to the music to the art. Princess Mononoke is my #1 favorite. followed by howls moving castle. Kiki's delivery Service was the first one i watch but wasnt until Princess Mononoke that i knew it was a Ghibli film. So cool you guys are doing them.
I love them all, but Kiki’s Delivery Service means so much to my family. It was our first movie in Okinawa, Japan when we were stationed there. My sons named our dog Kiki after the main character and she was an amazing pup.
i wish you can take the time to do all the miyazaki's movies (and ghibli's if possible) because there are just a treasure, all of them when people ask me which character is my role model, I immediately think, even at thirty, of the characters in Miyazaki's films, both female and male characters. I am so grateful to know these masterpieces and to continue to evolve and build with them for many years.
and thank you so much for being here on youtube because you are people who help me to understand feelings, to be caring and to feel connected with the world around me. Love for both of you !
I love this as an Alice and Wonderland archetype where the main character enters another world and has an adventure and comes back to the regular world where nothing is different but themselves.
I think you should do Naussica next! Or Up on Poppy Hill!
Oh man can't wait for them to go through all of these. Kiki would be a great one to analyze. My personal favorite is Porco Rosso. No one ever watches it, so I'd love to see your take on it.
Howl’s Moving Castle would be a great one to analyze next! You could dig into Sophie’s transformation from being insecure to finding self-confidence.
Yes, Howl's Moving Castle is the first on my list, there are many things that I like about this movie but Sophie's transformation is the one thing that calls my attention every time I re-watch! I tend to cry every time the movie ends with the castle in the sky, the kid with the dog, the grandma, the kiss, Sophie's hair and the soundtrack 😂
YES
@Ray Lee GotF should probably wait a bit since Jonathan has only seen two Ghibli films so far.
But as for the existence of "innate beauty," you only have to look at the WILDLY differing beauty standards across cultures/subcultures, and across time even within those same cultures, to see that there is clearly no such thing- unless we're talking about the beauty that is inherent in each and every unique person. And honestly those beauty standards can usually be boiled down to things that require wealth to achieve, so most of the time it's just a case of internalized class bias...
Omg! Agreed. Would love to see a reaction to that.
Hey y'all, what do you think... about them watching Grave of the Fireflies next? Is that too heavy for this channel? Because, christ... THAT is an enormously imperative movie to psychoanalyze. The severe consequences of dogma and nationalism, communal division, PTSD in warfare.
Otherwise, I agree Howl's Moving Castle. The movie itself is a good commentary on appearances; aging, beauty, so on. As someone who has a deformity, I'm very lone in terms of finding my deformity beautiful. My mother absolutely raised me right and only built up my confidence in it; she made me appreciate that it's not a disability and that I really can do what I aspire to. But most people still prioritize the whole "well, there IS innate beauty" thing, which bothers me. Yes there ARE differences, but "conventional beauty" is not some pinnacle, it's just not. I get that most people have a drive or attraction for it, but that still doesn't mean that everything else is OBJECTIVELY "hideous" or otherwise "inferior."
My favorite thing about Spirited Away is that Chihiro is based on an actual little girl. Miyazaki-sensei said he was inspired by the daughter of a friend. And I think that's why she's so relatable--she's not a "hero" or a "character." She's written as a little girl in an impossible situation. I think that's what made me fall in love with the film the first time I watched it.
I would really love if you guys reacted to Nausicaa from the Valley of the Wind. It's truly a beautiful story as pretty much all ghibli films are, however, this one stands out to me the most. What really has me coming back to it again and again Is Nausicaa's character. No-one understands the situation and truth at hand quite like Nausicaa does. The story also says a lot about us as humans and our reality, I especially love Nausicaa's symbolism at the end, and the beautiful music.
I've re-watched this movie a MILLION times and only just now noticed in the end when Chihiro's mother said "Don't worry, everything's going to be okay," the hair tie that was given to her by Zeniba glowed and spread through her hair. That's such an AMAZING touch since the hair tie had a spell to protect her. I wonder if that was a sneaky way of saying the magic still carried on to the real world and she would be protected by the people she befriended.
This film had me in a chokehold ever since I was a kid. It's my ultimate comfort film for many reasons. It really helped me through the pains of having to grow up fast as well as facing fear and scary situations. I will forever be glad to my little brain for only picking up this movie because it was an anime like Sailor Moon and it looked like KIKI's delivery service (although the VCR for that was gone so Spirited Away was truly my first Ghibli film), so my little brain simply thought well I like Sailor moon so I'll like this too. She was very right though.
Been doing a Cinema Therapy binge for the last few days and enjoying every second of it! I would love to see your perspective onmy personal favourite Howl's Moving Castle, since I feel like the message behind the movie is pretty underappreciated :))
His movies are made with motives like “having a great role model for young girls” and “making a magical world where the magic is never explained” it makes them unique and perfect for kids ❤
Ya it really leaves so much space to fill it up with your own imagination. Extremely rare in children's movies!
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke are also fantastic Ghibli films. It's hard to pick, but Mononoke may be my personal favorite from them
It feels like they think like I think and allow themselves to feel the way I feel. I love these guys and I love this show.
On the pandemic, my husband and I made a habit of watching one Ghibli film each sunday night until we watched them all. We watched the ones that we've already seen and all the remaining ones. My takeout each time was "this is time well spended" or as we say in Venezuela "No tiene pérdida". Every single one is worth your time and will leave you with a sense of hopefulness that is hard to get from adult life 😅 Ponyo and Howl's Moving Castle are great options for you to take on next, though. Looking forward to it!
Spirited Away is one of my favorite films! When I was a kid and even as an adult I still love it!
I’ve watched every movie made by Hayao Miyazaki multiple times and honestly Spirited Away is still my favorite.
No face's greed is such a compelling story. Especially when he echoes, "I want Sen, I want Sen," because the ultimate form of greed is to posess a person. He is lonely and tries to fill that space with power, money, food, and adoration. But ultimately what he wants is a friend. That's why it's so lovely that the end of his arc is to live in a little cottage with a kind old witch who knows how to call people out and how to give all the love in her heart.
I felt kind of bad for him during his "corruption arc", where he was clearly trying to repay and/or befriend Sen with things that she needed, and then he got swept away by the idea of gold and consumerism (thinking that giving away riches would make the others like him, but all they wanted was his money). By that point, he was so sick and gorged with food that all he wanted was Sen, because only Sen had been truly nice to him. After he's cured by the medicine, he gets to have his redemption arc by gradually returning to his polite and calm self, making Sen a loving gift, and staying in a place that gave him stability, respect, and a purpose. :)
Sen is also literally a coin in Japan, so No Face goes from material Sen to spiritual Sen :)
I kind of like that he reflects the environment that he’s in. In the bathhouse he’s affected by the greed and gluttony there, so he focuses too much on consumption. Then in Zeniba’s cottage it’s calming, so he eats neatly instead of mindlessly gobbling and is good at handicrafts.
There was something that I've noticed when I watched last week : everyone belittles her, even before knowing her. They keep telling her that she's stupid, lazy and can't do anything right, and yet she doesn't care. She's just vibing lol
Oh men this film is *amazing* 💚
I've known it since I was a little kid and the impact it had was incredible. It still feels like it connects to my soul, and the characters, the setting and the _music_ just captivates me...
I think you should watch all Ghibli films (I'm still exploring as well) and I challenge you to watch them in their original language; Japanese, and add subtitles ;)
Honestly it has been so WEIRD hearing all those English different voices and they feel ucky x'D
Also, if you wanna see more weird, wth-is-going-on, dreamlike kinda films, check out *Mirrormask from 2005*
I really love the sparkle of her hair tie as she turns to leave in my opinion it suggests she is looking at the tunnel and realizing that, although she can't go back, the changes and growth she has gone through are still there and won't disappear from her head it's being "held in place"
Regarding the greed of No Face and the bathhouse employees, I think one reason Chihiro is so empathetic about it is because she's already seen what greed can do: her parents were turned into pigs in the first place because they stuffed themselves with food meant for someone else (her dad especially sounded so entitled when he told her not to worry about payment because he had cash and credit cards, even though there was clearly no one there to take payment).
Also I think Chihiro could definitely teach people a lesson by her gratitude to Yubaba, not simply for freeing her and her parents but for teaching her lessons. Nowadays society is so resistant to fear, pain and suffering, and while it's important to try to relieve others, and not want to purposely inflict it, the fact is that it's going to happen at times anyway, and we can't avoid it but we can learn and grow from it. It's not enjoyable but it can protect us and develop us. Now all we want to do is be victims without suffering, yet ironically we refuse to be victims by accepting it and using it to our advantage.
Another animated film you might want to take a look at is Millennium Actress (2001). That film is such a journey.
Also, I vote for Howl's Moving Castle!
Spirited Away tells how scary it is to grow up: moving cities, getting a job, losing your name, working with strange people you don't know. But Chihiro showing bravery through all of it is some of the best cinematic story telling out there. There's a reason this movie still holds up more than two decades later. Thank you for delving into more anime films!
also that kinds "strangers" aren't always kind and can be sus- example no face.
Yes! Came here to say this exactly. Watching it when I was younger I didn't really get the deeper points. I felt her fear running down the stairs (que me running down dark hallways to "outrun the shadows") but as an adult in my 30s I remember the fear and uncertainty of 18-24 year old me and see it in Chihiro, I can definitely see my first "tough" boss in yubaba, that "work mom" in Lin who takes you under her wing, the kindly neighbor in Zeniba. Although my parents are rather young, I also get the pressure of eventually have to take care them in future that is present throughout. It all just hits different when you are older.
I can't believe it's been 21 years 😐😑😐😑😐
I could wrap it up as facing and going through Change with bravery, maturity and grace
You talking about bravery at the beginning reminds me of my favorite quote "Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the realization that there is something stronger than fear."
I’m a 24 year old girl, and I saw this movie when I was 5 years old. The first time I watched this, my 7 year old sister and I were involved in a drunk driving accident, and were taken away from our family. I watched this movie the night after we were taken away. This movie to this day resonates with me more than any other film, because Shihiro at such a young age, despite her great fear, continued to be brave and strong and resilient. It was a dream-like metaphor that made perfect sense to me as a little girl, and still does. I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL GUYS I JUST DISCOVERED IT AND HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN THE RABIT HOLE! MUCH LOVE!
You mentioned at how sometimes when something terrible happens you stop being afraid of it anymore and I felt that. My family lost our home and everything except 3 days worth of clothes a piece in hurricane Katrina - I was a teenager at the time. Now, I will of course prepare properly for a hurricane but as long as I and my loved ones are safe, I know it can't take anything from me that I can't live without. I've started from nothing before and it was terrible but I know I can handle it. There's a weird peace that comes with that.
Before watching, I'd just like to mention that I love this movie so much ever since I first saw it at the age of... I don't know, three our four, I guess. By now, I've seen it probably over 60 times and I still enjoy it every time. I love Studio Ghibli movies in general, but Spirited Away is my absolute favorite.