962. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
Spirited Away
2001
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

It is currently quite difficult to write, as I have an adorable cat lying on my chest.  I don't have the heart to move her, so I suppose I will try to write this post on my laptop by depending on my typing skills, as I can't really see through the black fur.  I apologize if parts of this entry are unreadable; just know that I sacrificed quality for cuteness, and I don't regret it.

Speaking of cuteness, let's talk about Spirited Away.  Ten year old Chihiro is upset that her family is moving to the suburbs.  On the way to their new home, her parents take a wrong turn and end up in the spirit world.  Her parents eat the food at an abandoned restaurant stall, which transforms them into pigs.  Chihiro meets a boy, Haku, who tells her to ask for a job at the bathhouse.  Is anyone else suspicious?

I sensed something dark about the "bathhouse" but I thought I might just be being paranoid. However,  I did some research and apparently there are hints about prostitution all over the place.  For example, the name of the witch who runs the bathhouse is "Yubaba" which is the word for "madam" in Japanese.  Chihiro is also forced to change her name, which is common in brothels.  So perhaps Chihiro was really kidnapped and sold into prostitution and merely imagined the spirit world as some sort of coping mechanism.  And people think animation is just for children.

Anyway, this is a very beautifully done film.  I thought Princess Mononoke was a bit too "video game-y" to be enjoyed by a large audience, but I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this.  At the very least, the Sootballs are delightful enough to make this film worth your while.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

First anime film to be nominated for (and win) an Academy Award.

915. Mononoke hime

Mononoke hime
Princess Mononoke
1997
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

I am not sure how nerdy my readers are, but I kind of excel in that department.  This film actually played out like a lot of video games I have enjoyed.  While I can understand why this wouldn't appeal to everyone, it certainly appealed to me.

In the Muromachi period of Japan, Ashitaka defeats a demon before it destroys his village.  However, the demon cursed him, giving him superhuman powers that will eventually kill him.  Ashitaka searches for a cure but finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and a mining town.

This really does sound like a Legend of Zelda game, so much so that I am kind of starting to think Ocarina of Time is a rip off.  Perish the thought.  Anyway, it probably would have worked better as a video game, but it was still visually stunning.  After Akira, I was a bit wary of anime and this was a pleasant surprise.

Still, I understand if the fantastical plot would turn some people off.  As I own my own Link figurine (with detachable parts!), I enjoyed it.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

In Japanese mythology, wolves and dogs always have male voices, while cats always have female voices.  For this reason, a man does the voice of the mother wolf.

550 colors were used in the film.