<em>Spirited Away</em>: Negotiation between Capitalism and Reminiscent Environmental Ethics

Abstract

“Enchanting,” “magical,” and “interconnecting” are words casually fitted to describe Spirited Away, the animation film about a mysterious world and childhood by the Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. With charming features, this film has successfully captured attention from audiences around the globe. In the Wall Street Journal, Joe Morgenstern praised the film as bringing a profound pleasure as well as a sense of loss when the film was over (2002). Peter Bradshaw reviewed this film, in the Guardian, as something that left him feeling lighter than air (2003). In Thailand the film has been considered as one of the greatest Japanese animations at all time. In Siamzone the film has been admired for mirroring morality and commitment to family and friendship (2012). Spirited Away deserves all these compliments and much more. The film’s narration follows the adventure of a tenyearold girl named Chihiro Ogino, who steps into the realm of gods and spirits, which humans are not supposed to enter, with her parents when they are moving to their new home. In this dimension, her parents break the rules and are punished by being cursed and turned into pigs. In order to rescue her parents, Chihiro has to stay in this dimension and work at the steaming bathhouse run by the witch named Yubaba. Facing a number of challenging circumstances in this mysterious setting and with assistance from her spirit friends and coworkers, who appear in anthropomorphic form, Chihiro grows up from being a spoiled kid to being an understanding and responsible young woman.