Spirited Away
Directed by Hiyao Miyazaki
Written by Hiyao Miyazaki
Starring Rumi Hiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki
Released July 20th, 2001
My first exposure to the amazing art form that is Japanese animation came in early 2002 with my personal discovery of Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis; a glorious combination of wildly imaginative visuals and adventurous storytelling. I am certain that Metropolis went to make my Top 10 of the year that year, it absolutely blew my mind. And yet, Metropolis wasn’t even the best Japanese animated film of that year. In Hiyao Miyazaki's moving and evocative masterpiece Spirited Away, I found not just the best animated movie of 2002, but arguably the best work of film art of that long ago year.
The story of Spirited Away begins with a family moving into their brand new home. However, on the way there, a detour takes them in the wrong direction, leading the family to what they believe is an abandoned amusement park. The young daughter, Chihiro, is terribly frightened by the place but, on her parents' urging, she explores the grounds and discovers its strange secrets. Chihiro's explorations lead her to what looks like a normal Japanese bathhouse. There she meets Haku, a young boy who urges her to leave the park before she and her family become trapped forever.
Find my full length review at Geeks.Media, linked here.
