SPIRITED AWAY

[lxr205]

Hello, this is Xuanrui Li. I really love this film and have watched it for several times. I think this movie is not a typical animation which is for kids. Instead, this is an animation for adults, and there are some things you can take out from the film. Here are my answers to the prompts:

First, as for the bathhouse, I feel like it is the innocence and purity within people's heart. Human's society is really complex full, and people intrigue against each other. Such complexity can stain people's soul. The bathhouse is the place where people can find the purity again. That is also why all the people working in the bathhouse can smell Chihiro and think she is stinky. Therefore, the spirits in the bathhouse are the representation of people's pure souls.

Haku supposes to be the henchman of Yubaba, but he helps Chihiro a lot, because he feels he knows Chihiro but can not remember exactly, so he was curious about this. Also, his name was also taken away by Yubaba, so he is sympathetic to Chihiro. Finally, Habu loves Chihiro.

By the end of the story, she becomes more independent and strong. She also knows how to deal with different situations and how to get along with different people. Through the experience she works in the bathhouse, she becomes much maturer.

[ClaireL]

I can still remember watching Spirit Away for the first time. Because of my age and life experience, I failed to get the meanings behind this beautiful story and only focused on the magical world that Miyazaki Hayao built. This was my second time watching it and I started to understand this movie from a different level. Actually, being suitable for any age groups is one of Miyazaki’s films’ feature.

This movies contains so many meanings. Generally, it’s about the growth of Chihiro. At the beginning, she is just a spoiled little girl who is lonely and afraid of changing. She forgets to say thank you to Kamaji and she can’t mop the floor. However, with the help of Haku, Kamaji and Rin, she finally grows up to a better person. When Haku is injured and covered with blood, she stretches her arms into his mouth to feed him the medicine without a little fear. After that, she goes on a trip by herself to visit Zeniba, in order to save Haku’s life. The experience in the bathhouse, although may not be beautiful, turns her in to a courageous, kind and hardworking girl.

Besides growth, I think this movie is also about never forgetting who you are. All the people working in the bathhouse have their real name changed by Yubaba, which is the witch’s way of controlling. Chihiro is changed to Sen. She tries very hard to remember her real name and that is necessary for her to leave this bathhouse. Growth is always a good thing, but we must keep being ourselves. Although Chihiro changes a lot in the movie, she never forgets who she is and why she is working in the bathhouse, which is the most important thing.

Everyone can find themselves on the characters in Spirit Away. Life is complicated and magical, just like the bathhouse. Sometime we get into trouble and have to grow up and rely on ourselves, like Chihiro. Sometime our lust for love makes us lost and even hurt other people, like No Face. Sometime we forgets who we are and do something that we shouldn’t do, like Haku. I think this is the most beautiful thing about Spirit Away.


Claire

[Taro]

Although Spirited Away is really famous in Asia, I haven’t watched before. However, it is the first time that I watched the movie in class. I really appreciated it and the movie inspired me a lot. As an international student in USC, leaving far away from my country and came here to study. Like Chihiro, I felt scared, lonely and unwilling to change at the beginning.

The bathhouse for spirits reflects the real world. Some of the characters impressed me a lot. For one thing, the monster who is stinky with mouthful trash reveals the protection of environment. As we human, we always throw rubbish to the river while the factories emit waste water to the ocean. For another, the no-face felt lonely and he wants to spear no efforts to satisfy others whatever they want, which returns him accompanies. However, it betrays the nature and make things evil.

As for Haku, he may seem powerful at times, but he is also weak—he cannot remember his name, which means he can never leave the spirit world, and he is under Yubaba’s control. However, he really wants to help Chihiro to get back to the world. Therefore, he asks Chihiro not to forget her name.

When it comes to Chihiro, during her adventure in the Spirit World, she matures from an easily scared girl with a childlike personality to match her age to a hard-working, responsible, and brave young girl who has learned to put her fears aside for those she cares for. Also, I appreciated her kindness. To protect her friends and rescue her parents from a spell that has turned them into livestock, Chihiro sheds her former personality and adapts to her environment to become a courageous, quick-witted and reliable girl.

As for me, I am willing to challenge myself in the future. Also, I am looking forward to the end of the movie next class.

However, I still have some questions. Why did Chihiro’s parents become pigs? What does the paper represent for? I think each character represents a social problem. Hopefully, I am eager to watch the movie again and try to find the answers.

Taro (Siyu Wei)
07/12/2015

[Yuqing sun]

Spirited Away is not only a masterpiece in Movie Industry but also a though-provoking movie that influences lots of people worldwide. It's not the first time for me to watch this movie but still I develop more thinking than the last time I saw it.

Hayao Miyazaki, the maker of this film, a giant behind camera, is a very detail-cared and passionate person with tons of imagination so that he crafted the mysterious bath house, the vicious and greedy Yubaba, the confused young Haku who struggles all his life to find out who he is and the longly man without face.

When we give more closer scrutiny of these characters we can find out that all these characters have their prototypes in real life. Spirited Away is a movie originally made for ten year old children. A ten year old may start to think about who he/she really is just like what Haku did in the movie and start to shape his/her personalities. The man without face is resemble to those lonely child who desires for love and companies.

Spirited Away is a adventure of Chihiro, the heroine of the movie. In this adventure, Chihiro learns to be brave and starts to take the responsibility of taking good care of the people she loves. I was impressed by the inner power busted out from a little child and was encouraged to be a strong person under any circumstances.

I was also impressed by the artful balance created by Miyazaki between terror and joy that make this movie really unique. I'm sure some of us must be scared by Yuaba. The scary face and the dark magic that turn human into animals make Yubaba a vicious character. However Yubaba is also a caring mother who loves her baby so much. It is the conflict and convergence make this movie a masterpiece.

[YiminGu]

When I first watched this movie, it was the time that I just got into middle school, away from home in another city. I strongly identified myself with the character Chihiro. I can remember my feelings when I when I saw Chihiro choke up with tears eating the magic rice roll that haku gave her. When people, especially kids, step into an unknown place, faced with tremendous trouble, they would always remember the first person that helps them or even just talks to them. First day at middle school, I was the last one to arrive and there’s no other choice for me than a seat beside that girl. She gave me a big smile with her shining braces. That girl has become my best friend ever since then.

The bathhouse in the movie symbolizes the society. There is greed: those who idles about and eat for free would be turned into pigs. There is hierarchy: everyone should follow the orders of Yubaba. There is also kindness and love: Haku, Rin, Kamajii and No Face.

What really inspires me is that Chihiro wasn’t lured by indolence, voracity, money or any other temptations. Confronting all kinds of difficulties and obstables, she fought bravely and grew to maturity. At the very beginning, Chihiro is sort of a spoiled brat. But as she goes through all kinds of troubles with help from different people, she learns her lesson in the spirit world and becomes more independent and respectful.

[Gus]

1) The bathhouse is where the spirits can relax after a day of work with human, that's why they really don't like humans there since they want to relax and they don't want to have issues.

2) So since we didn't finish the movie in class, i watched the rest in home to answer this question the best way, so we can see during the story haku and chihiro meet each other in the past when chihiro was a child, and haku in some part of the movie, he helped chihiro to remember her real name and he said that he couldn't remember his name but he could remember her name for some reason. In the end of the movie it is explained that chihiro when she was a child, she fell in a river trying to get her pink shoe and then haku was the spirit of the kohaku river that saved her.

3)So it is easy to see how chihiro changed and how she grow by the story, so in the beginning she was upset to go to a new place and she couldn't stand this fact, then in her first moments in the spirits world she was clumsy like when she was moving downstarts going to the boiler man. And then in the end of the story she turned independent, solving problems of the bathhouse, she could run in a pipe trying to help haku when he was in trouble, and then when she was with parents in the end of the movie and the parents started to say to her about new school, new home, she said that she was going to be ok and she said that she can handle the situation.

So spirited away is a really good movie in terms of the artistic aspect with beautiful songs, good drawing aswell. And it is a story basically of a girl growing up during the movie and this girl trying to handle the situation without her parents. Hoonestly i like the beginning of the movie and the ending aswell. It is a good movie.

[1993iris]

Although Spirited Away is a household movie, this is actually the first time I've ever watched it. I am already too old to be fond of cartoons, but Spirited Away surprises me. Chihiro is such a kind, brave and innocent girl that I wish I could be just like her.

This movie told a story about friendship, kindness, greedy and growing mature. At the beginning of this movie, Chihiro's parents ate too much of the foods which they shouldn't eat and turned into pigs. This scene indicates how greedy human being, especially adults, can be. People always want too much and end up destroying themselves. For example, we are using too much of the natural resources, such as woods, fossil fuel and water, which may cause serious consequence. There is also a similar scene when no face provides endless gold to workers in the Bathhouse. The workers try their best to satisfy no face and earn the gold, which causes their own doom.

Another thing is the friendship between Chihiro and Haku. Haku helps Chihiro when she first arrives in this strange world. He gives her a job, provides her food, even takes her to see her parents. This selfless gesture really helps Chihiro, especially when she has no one to depend on. Hence, when Haku is in trouble, she decides to help him in no time. She even gives half of the magic pill which is given by river spirit to Haku. And she gives another half to no face to help him return normal. She should save the magic pill to save her parents, but instead she uses the pill to help her friends. The kindness she shows is beyond our imagination.

Moreover, in the whole journey, Chihiro grows up. She becomes more mature. She was just a little girl who always depended on her parents before, but she becomes a brave little girl who can accomplish a journey by her own. She survives in this magic world and even saves her parents. This is the most important part of the whole movie.

Siying Li (Iris)

[yuzhang]

Spirited away is a movie full of symbolic meanings. I would like to explain a few of them.

The story seems like an unexpected adventure: a little girl accidentally comes to a mythic world where she has to work at a bathhouse ruled by a witch. With a brave and kind heart, she finally finds her way out. However, the story conveys deeper meanings. The bathhouse itself reflects the society, where you must work hard and find your own value or you will be turned into a pig waiting to be butchered. Therefore, the whole story actually tell us about how a naïve little girl fight for her life in the cruel world. If you agree on that, we can discuss about all the symbols and characters in this movie and what they represent for.

When Chihiro is hired by Yubaba, parts of her name is stolen and her name becomes Sen. After that, Haku warns her never to forget her name or she will be stuck in this place. Why is name so important after all? In my opinion, that’s because the story is about finding our inner truth: Before we enter the society, everyone has his dream and belief, but world might change us when we become a part of the social machine. Many people abandon their dreams and distort their belief, turning to some stranger busy dying. Miyazaki hopes that people could keep their nature and let no one steal it.

The monster “ No-Face” is also an interesting symbol. He represents all the modern-day working classes who always feel lonely and empty inside. They eager for love desperately but they don’t know how to get it. Just like “No-Face”, many people think money could buy love, but turn out to drunk themselves with lust. They swallow so many things but nothing could fill the emptiness inside. Miyazaki’s has the solution: Get rid of unnecessary desires (like “No-Face” throws up the filth inside) and return to yourself (take on the train to your inner self).

Just like Chihiro’s tough days in the bathhouse, no one lives an easy day in the real world. But we shall all be brave and don’t forget the beginner’s mind, so that we won’t get lost in the wild world.

[haoqiulyu]

Hi it's Jessica, I am very happy to say something about this fantastic movie. Actually it is my second time watching Spirited Away, and this time I had completely different feelings than last time. I used to focus only on the beautiful pictures and enchanting music, but this time I am deeply touched by the friendship between Chihiro and Rin, the love between C and Haku, and Chihiro's bravery. The bathhouse is like the adult world that everyone would eventually enter, where both friends and opponents exist, people have to count on themselves, and nobody gets anything without efforts.

In the story, "name" is the only thing that could bring humans who trapped in the bathhouse back to the outside world. Haku no longer remembers his name, so he would be there for good. Most "people" in the bathhouse are greedy and selfish, but Chihiro is different. Chihiro cares for everyone and never retreat from difficulties. Haku thinks she is different and kind of like s her, so he always appear when Chihiro needs him.

The movie is impressive. Hayao Miyazaki created a world where Chihiro, just like every 10-year-old teenage, learns to be mature and tough. Greed will be punished, and kindness will always be rewarded.

[JackieDu]

It's my first time to watch this movie, although I have heard its name for long. Why didn't I watch it before? I think the same as some characters in this move, I was just too busy, too obsessed to what I was doing such as work, shopping, having fun with friends etc. I hardly found the right mood to watch this pure-hearted movie. So thanks to Mike for providing me this opportunity eventually.

Japanese do have very different culture from other countries'. Even as a Chinese who is supposed to know Japan better than a lot of western people do, I realize there are so many myths and symbols I can't understand for 1st time watch. So let me try to catch up some surface realization as introduced below:

This is s story about a little girls' growing up journey. Although she has managed to change herself a lot throughout the whole movie, there are something remaining the same as beginning. She always keeps her pure heart and clear head, no matter what has happened. She remembers "Chihiro", her real name, and that's a sign of her consistent personality. From the beginning, she has shown some unique characteristics from other kids. For instance, she knew clearly what she wanted or what she did not want, she insisted her own opinion by staying away from external seductions. Actually these helped her a lot to skip away from dangers and survive in the end. On the other side, she did change a lot. With friends' help, she learned how to gain strengthen, overcome difficulty, get what she aimed at through hardworking and open mind. Most important, she can really help others, and even sacrifice her own benefits to help others. In this case, she has made significant movement towards future.

Haku helped Chihiro because he is a sympathetic man and somehow share the similar feelings with this little girl. He also often feels lonely and helpless, but he cannot come home because he has forgotten his real name. He looks powerful and cool from outside, but from inside, he is weak and vulnerable, and needs others' help.

Some other interesting characters has appeared in the movie, such as No face, the monster etc. They are not bad buys, but they easily get lost. The more they get, the more they want. So they once fed themselves with too many unnecessary things and add on burden to their life. They should not be abandoned or denied by the world...What they require is a help or at least kindness from the society.

The bathhouse is a fantastic place! I keep asking myself " Where does it exist? For me, it looks like a magic place for living beings to get rid of their sins. Everyone needs a cleaning bath! Imagine, during the night, when you fall in sleep, your soul will sneak out from your body and enjoy in the wonderland. Thus the soul can remove the dirts accumulated in their daily life, and then feel refreshed. That's why normal human beings are not allowed to enter the place. However, the bathhouse is not a pure wonderland. It's also affected by the outside worlds, because human being's soul do bring a big amount of dirts, such as greed and lust etc. So to some extent, it's also a reflection of real word.

Last but not least, I am looking forward to watching the last 20 minutes to figure out the answers of questions hovering in my mind:)