Verdict:
Spirited Away was the strangest acid trip I ever had. Hayao Miyazaki is the master of the gorgeous and lively animation with a kooky side and Spirited Away is, arguably, his magnum opus. As such, it is also the…kookiest.
Spirited Away has a premise but not really a story. The premise is that a girl named Chichiro gets stuck in the spirit world, and then random magic events take place, as the girl starts building relationships with the spirits.
This is an experience of exploration and discovery, with Chichiro growing as a person. On occasion, very little transpires, while the mood or tension is being set up, but the experience is captivating enough, so that those pauses don’t feel like a problem.
I may be reading more into this film than there is, but certain images and characters appear to comment on or be inspired by real cultural situations, specifically from contemporary Japan. There is a ghost character that eventually starts talking with an old person’s voice. He really wants to be with Chichiro, gets aggressive and intrusive but then explains that he is just really lonely…Dude, Hayao, wanna talk about it?
As the movie was drawing to a close, the tale started getting wrapped up rather unnaturally. It felt sappy, which is fine for the kids but may be a bit harder for adults to swallow.
There are also some issues with the characters. Their behaviour changes suddenly, as well as the attitude of other characters towards them. It’s possible to attribute this to the fact that the characters are fickle spirits, but they do behave more consistency at other times, so the occasional sudden shift is jarring.
Miyazaki’s style of drawing is a matter of taste. It can be argued that the style of Spirited Away is not particular flashy or complex. The eyes are round, the mouths are simple. However, the movement is very lively, and the colours are great. Miyazaki achieves this in part by adding little details, little extra movements that are not necessary but add life, like someone stumbling briefly. Subtle animations add realism to fear and hesitation of the main character.
Spirited Away is a very trippy beautiful experience that requires some patience on the part of the viewer, as the narrative is blurry.