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THEDORAMA.COM Review
To call Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" merely an animated film is to miss the forest for the beautifully rendered trees. This is not entertainment; it is an immersion into the subconscious, a carefully constructed dreamscape that speaks to the anxieties and resilience of childhood. From the moment Chihiro's suburban apathy is shattered by the grotesque transformation of her parents, Miyazaki, with the assured hand of a master director, pulls us into a world that is both terrifyingly alien and profoundly familiar.
The genius here lies in the narrative's refusal to spoon-feed. There is no convenient exposition; we are, like Chihiro, thrown into the deep end, forced to decipher the rules of this spirit world as she does. This directorial choice fosters a unique empathy, making her journey of self-discovery, beautifully voiced by Rumi Hiiragi, feel authentically earned. The animation itself, a testament to the art form's potential, transcends mere visual spectacle. Every frame is a painting, imbued with a meticulousness that allows for subtle emotional cues to resonate. Consider the fleeting expressions on Haku's face, a testament to the power of nuanced character design to convey complex inner turmoil without a single word.
However, even in a masterpiece, one can find points of reflection. While the episodic nature of Chihiro's trials contributes to the dreamlike quality, there are moments where the sheer breadth of the spirit world's inhabitants, while visually stunning, threatens to dilute the emotional impact of individual encounters. Some might argue that the resolution, while satisfying, feels almost too neat given the existential dread preceding it, perhaps a slight concession to the "family" genre it inhabits. Yet, this is a minor quibble against a film that dares to explore themes of environmentalism, consumerism, and the loss of innocence with such poetic grace. "Spirited Away" is not just a film to be watched; it is an experience to be absorbed, a reminder of cinema's power to elevate and transform.
