Spirited Away

Spirited Away has existed for my entire life. It’s the exact kind of generation defining staple I feel like I should have grown up with, so it feels wild that I’ve waited this long to finally experience it. I am completely spellbound. What blew me away about Chihiro is how unapologetically human she is. Ghibli doesn’t write her as a fearless hero. She’s clumsy, whiny, and anxious. Her growth feels so real because she doesn't stop being afraid. She just learns how to move forward despite it. In a lesser film, a protagonist in a magical world instantly gains unearned confidence or magical powers to cope with their surroundings. Chihiro gets neither. When she is terrified, her knees literally shake. When she is overwhelmed, she collapses and cries until she can breathe again. Her heroism doesn't come from a sudden burst of bravery, but from her willingness to show up every single day in a world that terrifies her. In a chaotic bathhouse driven entirely by corporate greed and transactional relationships, Chihiro is the only person who looks at No-Face and offers selfless kindness without wanting anything in return. Watching him absorb the filth and greed of the workers only to be completely cleansed by Chihiro's purity is such a brilliant commentary on how our environment shapes us. Visually, it is an absolute masterpiece. The animation feels so rich and alive, balancing the terrifying, overwhelming chaos of the bathhouse with moments of pure, quiet beauty. The flooded train ride sequence alone is one of the most mesmerizing, atmospheric things I have ever seen in a movie. It’s rare for a movie to feel this massive in scope yet so deeply intimate and emotional. A flawless first watch.