Synopsis
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 her family.
Director
Cast
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Miyu Irino
Haku (voice)
Tatsuya Gashûin
Aogaeru (voice)
Rumi Hiiragi
Chihiro (voice)
Mari Natsuki
Yubaba / Zeniba (voice)
Yo Oizumi
Bandai Frog (voice)
Michiko Yamamoto
(voice)
Want to Watch
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rasim_aliyev
Other Reviews
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If some films are great at highlighting issues or creating an atmospheric story, then this one opens up a whole culture!
It creates a new experience at the highest cultural level.
Yuliia
Post may contain spoilers
1712611749
GOOD
1726677117
Character arc 4/5
Overall storyline 4/5
Soundtrack 3/5
Rewatch likelihood 4/5
Want to Watch
rasim_aliyev
YevheniiLi
PRO
If some films are great at highlighting issues or creating an atmospheric story, then this one opens up a whole culture!
It creates a new experience at the highest cultural level.
Yuliia
This is not just an anime, it is a true masterpiece of animation from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. It became one of the highest-grossing films in Japanese history. "Ghostbusters" is not just a children's fairy tale, but a deep and multi-layered story that touches on important philosophical issues.
Hayao Miyazaki did not come to the Oscars in 2003, when "Ghostbusters" won the award for best animated feature film, for political reasons.
As he himself later explained in 2009:
"The reason why I did not come to America for the Oscars was that I did not want to visit the country that bombed Iraq."
"Ghostbusters" impresses with its incredible visual component. Each frame is a work of art, filled with small details and bright colors. The animation of fluids, character movements, facial expressions is performed at the highest level, creating complete immersion in a fantastic world.
The complexity of symbolism is one of the key features of "Ghostbusters" ghosts". For some, it is a source of endless interpretations and depth, for others, something that makes the film less "easy" to understand. So there is a risk of misunderstanding (some deep meanings can be completely lost on the viewer without the appropriate cultural background).
Multi-layeredness: Miyazaki does not simply put one symbol into one object. Often, the same element can have multiple meanings or evolve throughout the film.
For example, Yubaba's bathhouse is a metaphor for society, a gateway to the spiritual world, a place to test Chihiro's moral qualities, and even a reflection of the Japanese economic "bubble" of the 80s, when people "ate" without measure.
The Faceless One begins as a solitary being, then becomes a metaphor for consumer greed, seeking to satisfy any desire, and eventually finds peace by working as Zeniba's assistant. His transformation is complex and reflects different aspects of human nature and influence society.
Many symbols are deeply rooted in Japanese mythology, Shintoism, and social norms that are not always obvious to a viewer from another culture.
Kami and Yokai: Without knowledge of these concepts, the beings who come to the bathhouse can seem like just "strange monsters" rather than nature spirits or deities with their own meaning. For example, understanding that the River Spirit was polluted and not just "stinky" makes the scene of his purification much more powerful.
When he first appears, he is called the "stink spirit" or "dirty kami," and everyone recoils from his appearance and smell. This reflects our attitude towards polluted rivers: we see only dirt and disgust, not what was once pure and majestic.
Meaning of names: The loss of a name and its return is a very strong motif in Japanese fairy tales and mythology, where the name was often considered part of the soul. For a Western viewer it may simply be a "loss of identity", but for a Japanese person it is a deeper and more fatal test.
So thanks to the symbols, the film touches on universal human themes (greed, loneliness, growing up) that are understandable in any culture, albeit through a Japanese prism.
1712611749
GOOD
1726677117
Character arc 4/5
Overall storyline 4/5
Soundtrack 3/5
Rewatch likelihood 4/5
1724011680
🌼
proxy
Visually Masterpiece
1711054930
Amazing I loved it
renrose.3108
Okay yeah that was utterly amazing, new favorite movie
adréière
Lord
iamkelp12
Amazing! This is my comfort movie
pt7ddpz8xj
The best movie I’ve ever watched
refisher05
Watched this movie and it was good for an anime movie
Emilie
Relaxing to watch while being super unpredictable and confusing
sbaek293
Relaxing, great music, interesting (maybe a little less exciting towards the end)
(viewed more than 1 time)
ᐯIᑭEᖇ
Thrilling, dazzling, enchanting, beautiful, and unforgettable.
felipe_182
Exciting, exciting and well done.
Elkrie
8.5
timbag
Getting to know Miyazaki's world can be a lot of fun!
1763325658
gsu.ldo
No Discussions
YevheniiLi
3 y