X
- 2002
- TV-PG
- Walt Disney Studios
- 2 h 5 m
- 2002
- TV-PG
- Walt Disney Studios
- 2 h 5 m
Summary A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. [Walt Disney Studios]
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
Written By: Hayao Miyazaki
- 2002
- TV-PG
- Walt Disney Studios
- 2 h 5 m
- 2002
- TV-PG
- Walt Disney Studios
- 2 h 5 m
Spirited Away
9.0
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Summary A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. [Walt Disney Studios]
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
Written By: Hayao Miyazaki
Where to Watch
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 41 Critic Reviews
96
100% Positive
41 Reviews
41 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 41 Critic Reviews
96
100% Positive
41 Reviews
41 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Miyazaki celebrates individualism and nature’s simple, untainted beauties, subsequently pondering the transcendent power of communication between the “inside” and the “outside.”
The fact that Miyazaki and his team hand-draw the images before they're digitally coloured and animated gives them an artistry that has been woefully lacking from so many recent American features.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 1,802 User Ratings
9.0
94% Positive
1689 Ratings
1689 Ratings
3% Mixed
57 Ratings
57 Ratings
3% Negative
56 Ratings
56 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 1,802 User Ratings
9.0
94% Positive
1689 Ratings
1689 Ratings
3% Mixed
57 Ratings
57 Ratings
3% Negative
56 Ratings
56 Ratings
A young girl is drawn into a transparent world populated by gods, spirits, monsters and fantasies, where she struggles to understand the ground rules amidst the bustle of a busy bath house. This setting - unmistakably Japanese - provides endless amounts of nourishment as a massive showpiece of imagination, attention to detail, fancy, delight and cultural lore. There's more going on in the backdrops of Spirited Away's throwaway scenes than many of its contemporaries can manage to plaster up-front and center.
It's a bit less focused than Princess Mononoke, which preceded it in the Miyazaki timeline, but that's because it's such a decidedly different, strange creature altogether. Here we're taking the time to embrace and celebrate the inherent weirdness of Studio Ghibli's world, where I could happily sniff daisies and people-watch for the rest of my days. The primary storyline is steadfastly unpredictable, twisting and writhing like a wild beast caught on a leash, but is able, with time, to pluck most every last plot thread and leave us all with a deep sense of satisfaction. Ambitious, fiery, awe-inspiring and diverse, it's worth repeated viewings amidst audiences of all ages.
Updated thoughts after a 2023 re-watch: An accumulation of Studio Ghibli’s greatest hits, all melted and churned and mixed together in a great stew that, once cooked, might just surpass the sum of its own components. Part vaguely-unfamiliar fairy tale, part wide-eyed fantasy adventure, part adolescent ordeal, all charm. Stuffed to the brim with memorable characters and irresistible tidbits, it’s a world that merits ten times as much attention as it ultimately gets. And it’s all been blessed by that special brand of quiet, yet spectacular, Ghibli magic. Maybe my favorite animated film of all time.
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it’s a great movie to watch all cozied up in bed. i’m not really a fan of anime but this movie will always make me rewatch it.
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An out-and-out charmer. It's almost impossible to do justice in words either to the visual richness of the movie, which melanges traditional Japanese clothes and architecture with both Victorian and modern-day artifacts, or to the character-filled storyline, with human figures, harpies and grotesque creatures.
Wondrously strange and just plain wonderful.
Enchanting and impressively crafted.
Offers a ride worth taking -- an excursion through a fantastical pop universe that is pure, enchanting magic. Try it; you'll like it.
Too intense for the youngest viewers, but teenagers will enjoy it -- an ill-smelling "stink-god" character is almost worthy of a Kevin Smith gross-out movie -- and grown-ups should find it diverting, if not exactly deep.
Spirited Away is probably the only Hayao Miyazaki movie I think is decent. The art is really the only thing that saves it for me since I couldn't get a feel for the characters outside the animals and minor ones. It just falls flat in many parts to me especially with Haku.
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Decent movie worth a watch, with a strong storyline and a good script. However, I am not a fan of the animation, it reminds me too much of Pokemon and the typical Japanese cartoons.
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Production Company
Tokuma Shoten,
Studio Ghibli,
Nippon Television Network (NTV),
Dentsu,
Buena Vista Home Entertainment,
Tohokushinsha Film Corporation (TFC),
Mitsubishi
Release Date Sep 20, 2002
Duration 2 h 5 m
Rating TV-PG
Tagline The tunnel led Chihiro to a mysterious town.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Tokyo Anime Award
• 8 Wins & 8 Nominations
Mainichi Film Concours
• 5 Wins & 5 Nominations