And still... Why are both kids and adults in love with this anime? Spirited Away amazes with its bright graphics, enchanting soundtracks, unique characters, and fantastic plot. Moreover, it has a deep meaning and its heroes remind us of ourselves in childhood, when we had certain fears and anxieties. This movie is a story about Chihiro, a ten-year-old girl, who faces a new stage in life: another town, school, surroundings, self-awareness of personality, and breaking with her past. Every child goes through such a difficult period trying to define who he/she is. At this turning point of Chihiro’s life, she and her parents accidentally visit the abandoned village on their way to a new home. The arch through which the characters passed is the bridge between the world of people and spirits, deities. Chihiro’s father supposes that they turn out to be in an old-themed park.

He does not notice the Shinto shrine and kami (Japanese spirits) stone statues, which point to the essence of the inhabitants.Obviously, there are special rules in the village, but Chihiro’s parents easily break them. Without demand, the characters eat dishes prepared especially for the guests-gods. The arrogant and unceremonious behavior of the adults underlines the fact that they are used to living in abundance, and abundance is a symbol of capitalism that Miyazaki has criticized throughout his life. The director as a post-war child understands the value of food. That is why he is extremely dissatisfied with the consumer society.
We will find out in this article what other significant issues Miyazaki considers in Spirited Away and how much will Chihiro change, overcoming all the difficulties in the spirit world.

Have you heard of such a Japanese concept as Kamikakushi? It is literally translated as people hidden or abducted by the kami. It reflects the belief that the spirits and deities of Shintoism are capable of hiding people. If a person is deprived of his name, then he is also deprived of the past, which means that he/ she completely loses himself/ herself, “dies” as a person. He/ she can be controlled or completely destroyed. This happened to Nigihay Kohakunushi, "the master of the Amber River", and now Haku, who serves Yubaba and learns witchcraft from her, but does not remember who he is and where he is from.

So, I guess now you can understand the meaning of the anime’s name in the original: “Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi” in translation will be “Sen and Chihiro abducted by the kami”. Yubaba takes the girl’s name and leaves only one hieroglyph - Sen, which means “a thousand”. This way the witch tries to depersonalize Chihiro, making her look like other workers of the bathhouse. As you can see, Miyazaki pays a lot of attention to name symbolism. Let’s also remember some other characters’: Yubaba means “ an old woman from the baths” and Kamadzi, for example, - “an old stoker”.

A significant place in the film is occupied by the subject of the main human vices. From the very beginning, Miyazaki shows us how they appear in the characters. Chihiro's parents try to eat as much as possible at the cafe for spirits and deities. This scene causes us disgust and embarrassment since the Japanese are naturally rather reserved and such behavior is unacceptable. As you can see, Miyazaki criticizes gluttony and demonstrates that any sin is always punishable. Another human vice common to many characters is greed. It is almost impossible not to notice that Yubaba constantly counts gold and examines gems.

She personifies a businessman whose main goal is to enrich. That is why the witch asks Sen to take as much as possible gold from No-Face. But who is actually No-Face? He is the god Kaonashi or the vagabond god. No-Face travels, searching for his destiny in the world. He does not know who he is and where he is from. This character is desperately looking for friends, a cozy place to live, his face, himself.

No-Face is lonely, that is why Chihiro’s kindness attracts him and makes him help her. What also matters, the character feeds on the greed of bathhouse workers, which turns him into an intimidating and powerful creature. Only Chihiro, who is pure in heart and soul could save everybody by destroying the force of No-Face. Miyazaki puts a deep meaning into the image of this vagabond god, making it clear that no amount of wealth can make a person happy. What is more, the director refers to the Buddhist concept in anime: all the troubles of people - from the raging passions. He thinks that only a rational and conscious approach to life can lead to happiness.

However, after all, there are not only good and only bad characters. Miyazaki made them realistic with their own strengths and weaknesses.

On the one hand, baths in Spirited Away symbolize the ruthlessness of business as we can notice how Yubaba takes Chihiro’s name, her identification, and reduces the girl's functions to her own benefit. On the other hand, there is also a purification motif. In Japan, visiting thermal baths is an important part of ancient culture and religion. In Shinto, it is believed that water washes away dirt not only from the body but also from the soul, healing and purifying a person physically and spiritually. Additionally, Miyazaki touches on the important topic of ecology. The spirit of garbage, who comes to the bathhouse in the mud and with a terrible smell turns out to be a famous river god. While Sen and other characters are getting out an old bicycle, cans, tires from the guest, we start to understand that people are to blame for this. They polluted the river and made the god suffer.

This also happened to Haku as we can hear from Chihiro's monologue: Haku, you know, my mother told me, I myself hardly remember anything. When I was little, I fell into the river. Now this river is filled up. People built houses there, but I just remembered …
I remembered what it was called. It was called Amber River - Kohakugawa. Miyazaki is against concrete streets and houses that take up all the places. He loves nature and stands for the conservation of forests and parks, fields, and gardens.