Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away)

Chihiro and her parents were on their way to their new home. Reluctant to leave old friends behind, Chihiro wasn't as excited as her parents and was indifferent to the new sights. When her father took a wrong turn and ended up near a tunnel entrance, he urged the family to explore further probably both out of curiosity and to cheer up Chihiro. At the end of the tunnel was a theme park. Chihiro finds herself all alone when her parents were turned into pigs after they ate food from an enchanted stall. It turns out that the theme park was used by spirits for amusement at night. Luckily, she finds help in a boy named Haku who told her she has to work in a bathhouse and seek the witch Yubaba. Chihiro's misfortune became an adventure where she met new friends and some difficulties along the way as well.

Some things came into mind while watching Spirited Away. Chihiro's blossoming into a confident and brave girl, qualities she already possessed at the outset, reminded me of Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland. This part of growing up, when we realize that we cannot rely on adults forever to solve our problems, is something we can relate to. Part of its appeal to me is Chihiro's character as an ordinary girl placed in an extraordinary situation. Her reactions and emotions were believable because they're natural when she was confronted with something so impossible. It also acknowledges the flexibility and power of the child's mind to adapt and to make decisions. The adults in the movie, particularly Yubaba, was stuck in her narrow-minded adult view of the world. Chihiro was endeared to the other characters because she sees things differently and acts accordingly and honestly.

Rating: 10 out of 10