Hayao Miyazaki and Spirited Away

The former editor of Marvel Comics, Carl Potts, talked to Ithaca College on Wednesday night. He briefly mentioned Hayao Miyazaki, referencing his great films. Miyazaki's amazing films include Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and more. I wanted to go further into the specific movie, Spirited Away.

Miyazaki is an amazing Japanese film director, animator, artist, producer, and screenwriter. His animation will take your breath away, just as much as his charming stories will.

Spirited Away (2001) centers around a 10 year old girl, who is sulking about moving to the suburbs. She unknowingly stumbles into a world ruled by gods, witches, monsters. Her parents are turned into pigs while eating an enormous amount of food that they're not sure if they are allowed to eat. Thus begins her journey to find her parents and make them human again. She befriends a boy who brings her to this bathhouse for magical creatures, where she gets a job.

The entire screenplay is masterfully written. The characters and settings, whether they are frightening or endearing, are beautifully drawn. This film, as well as all of his films, is full of adventure, mystery, and wit. He does not write typical "evil" characters; nothing is black and white.


I highly recommend any of his films. Don't expect the animation to be the same as classic Disney, it's a completely different style. Look for the wonderful settings, charming characters, and creative writing. You won't be disappointed.