Anime HATERS Watch *Spirited Away* | Reaction/Review 

There's something about this film that has my heart involved in every second of it. I will never stop loving this movie.

I like that many of Miyazaki's movies have environmental themes. It's powerful when Chihiro sees that the stink spirit turns out to be a river spirit severely hurt by pollution. In a behind-the-scenes video I saw, Miyazaki said that the river/stink spirit was based on his own experiences cleaning a river when he was younger. He was part of a team that pulled tons of trash (including a bicycle) from the river.

just a side note: Lin isn't a human she's still a spirit but she's just portrayed as humanoid. I think she's supposed to be a fox spirit

This movie contains many deep messages. For example, Kaonashi(No face) is a symbol of the endless desires, unfulfilled desire for approval, and emptiness that we humans always have. And in this mysterious world, there are no living humans other than Chihiro. In other words, Rin and other employees are not human beings either.

If I remember correctly, in the Miyazaki documentary Hayao mentions that the inspiration for Chihiro was a friend's young daughter. He wanted to show that someone small and without any extrodinary powers or characteristics could still learn and grow, and affect the people and enviroments around them despite their seemingly diminuitive stature or influence. And what a extrodinary gift to not only children but to all people who might feel a sense of powerless or lack of agency.

I love how ghibli movies depict water and tears as how they feel rather than how water actually works.

As you may already know, in order to understand this movie, you need to understand the unique worldview and religion of the Japanese people, which has continued from ancient times to the present day. Japanese thought basically originates from anism. Simply put, it is a worship of nature and the idea that all beings have a soul. Therefore, it is said that there are eight million “KAMI” in Japan. It's Gods, it's spirits, it's fairies, it's demons, it's neighbors. Nature such as trees, stones, rivers, etc. An animal other than humans. Everyday items such as mirrors, weapons, and combs. And the food. There is a "KAMI" in everything.

The storytelling in this movie is wild because so much of the lore just *exists* and they don’t have to explain it for it to feel right or justified.

So the thing about No Face as said by Miyazaki himself "There are many No-Faces around. I think there are people everywhere who want to be attached to someone else, but don't have a sense of self. No-Face is a being that has no self, but changes depending on what and who it encounters." So No-Face is not devil spirit, it resembles the people around him, if someone is greedy he'll be greedy, if someone is nice to him, he'll be extremley nice, the sam goes if someone is bad. That's why he's nice to Chihiro, and then Zeniba's place and Zeniba itself is really calm, gentle and lives happy, then No Face lives like that. You can take that both ways as a person who mirror themselves on other or as a mirro on humanity itself.

The point of the story is to find your Determination and your Courage. Chihiro is a teenage girl that is uprooted from her home to go life somewhere else where she knows no one and nothing. There is only questions and anxiety and fear. By going through these ordeals, she find the bravery and courage within her to face those and find her place. Its about maturity and accepting changes no matter how strange they are, cause you know that things are gonna be ok as long that you have the courage.

Carter, I'm really impressed with the approach you now have on films and anime. You used to hate these kinds of movies, but now you analyze them well. You question the cultural aspects, the context, the symbolics and you even analyze the acting (like praising Chihiro for acting exactly her age). I like your curiousity for things out of your comfort zone. I also understand those who didn't like it because it was weird. It's indeed a weird story. I personality like it because it's just the perfect level of weirdness (like in a dream)

I think you might find *_Princess Mononoke_* will be your favorites Ghibli film

Carter being the only one who has seen it before, it really feels like turn tables. Also dude can't keep his reactions in check hilarious

In the original version, Yubaba's line in this scene 37:00 is not "I will give Sen the final test," but "What will you do after that? Are you ready to be torn to pieces by me?". And the conversation between Chihiro and her father at the very end is a complete addition in the translated version. The scene where Chihiro goes through the tunnel to get back to the car is intentionally the same as the beginning of the movie, and Chihiro seems to have forgotten everything and is back to her fragile girl self. However, the leaves on the car and the hairpiece still in Chihiro's hair indicate her slight but definite growth. The translation in this movie makes the characters and the story too simple.

All of the Studio Ghibli stuff is amazing.

The movie is nothing random, a good movie doesn’t mean everything has to be explained, it gives us the part to imagine. Best animation movie ever!

I watched this movie with my dad when I was 6 years old. It was the first anime I had ever watched (although I didn't know what anime was back then) I've watched this movie multiple times over the years and it feels like with every watch, I find a new layer of meaning within it because I'm a bit older each time. It truly is a phenomenal movie!

I am Japanese! I am glad you all liked the film. Whenever I watch this movie, it always reminds me of the anxiety and fear I felt on my first day at my new job. And I have started studying English again, which I neglected for many years, in order to understand what you guys are talking about.

Something you'll notice as you keep watching Studio Ghibli movies, is there's always a theme about the real world in them, like pollution or war. That's why the spirit that flooded the bath had a bunch of trash be cleaned out of him. Or in Howl's Moving Castle, the wizards who turned themselves into monsters to fight a war. Both Princess Mononoke or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind are great examples of this.

The concept of Shinto is deeply involved in this movie, so it must be difficult to translate it accurately, but I think it's wonderful that many people still loved this movie. And English voice actor's voice sounds similar to the Japanese one! English dub is very good!

@4:24 howl’s moving castle door - I never caught that! I think you’re right! This is the doorway that brings them to another “world” and that stained glass looks just like the dial above howl’s door.

watching this as a kid, it always reminded me of the dreams i would have, not so much the context but the feeling. the whimsical but anxious atmosphere, the feeling of being lost and surrounded by people who don't listen, discovering beautiful and horrifying things. it was my overactive imagination playing out in front of me, and i looked up to Chihiro's eventual bravery so much. i'll always appreciate how they portrayed a little girl so well

THIS is old time classic LEGENDARY anime movie

7:44 This scene traumatized every little kid around the world 😭it was crazy

Something I love about the ending is in the original Japanese dub there are no words between Chihiro and her father in the end but in the English dub he asks if shes gonna be ok and she responds "I think I can handle it". Its such an amazing testament to the translators and English writers how well they understood the original script and made it work for English speaking audiences while adding some extra love to the story they were translating. Its also a really nice touch to Chihiro's story and how she grew as a person throughout the film in a matter of days when faced with incredible hardships.

Fun facts: The hopping lantern at Zaneba's that leads them to the house is a nod/homage to Pixar's hopping lap in their title card. Yes, that was Meg's voice actress from Hercules. Chihiro/Sen is the same voice actress as Lilo from Lilo & Stitch. Haku is Jason Marsden who voiced Max in A Goofy Movie and Chester in Fairly OddParents. Yubaba's giant baby was voiced by the legendary Tara Strong.

Spirited Away will always have a place in my heart

Just so you know, that is the same voice actress who voiced Meg in Hercules! Also, I agree with Carter that this movie is better on a second watch, because on a first watch it does hit you with a lot of weird stuff. It's not my favorite Ghibli movie, but still a really great one that I love. If I had to choose, I'd say Princess Mononoke is my favorite, so I'm very excited that you guys are reacting to that next! Can't wait!

I'm recommending Princess Mononoke, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Most children in Japan grew up watching this🥹I'm glad you guys are watching.

I love how you could see that at least two of you became emotional in the Kohaku River scene. I cry so hard in that scene everytime I watch this movie...

i have loved this movie since i was a little girl and the guy who says chihiro embodies love hits the head right on the nail but theres also so many other mini things in there as someone who struggles with an eating disorder the subtle ways they potray food helps bring me comfort. when Haku says "eat this you wont turn into a pig" & when he gives her the rice balls to give her back her strength this movie means just so much to me. it helped me get clean. it has so many amazing lessons in it and the more you watch the more you pick up on. thats the beauty of this film, it never gets old because you always get something new out of it.

LOL, my first Ghibli film was "when marnie was here" then i doubled down with "grave of the fire flies".So basically with ghibli all I've ever known was tears and confusion

Spirited Away is just one of those movie that you don't need to be an anime watcher to appreciate. Even on it's own, it's just a masterpiece of a film.

As a Japanese, this movie doesn’t give me weird feeling. First, spirits are very close idea to us, doesn’t mean that we are really religious to it but just like god exists in every aspects of surroundings, and we are familiar to myth, stories or appearances of them (like knowing them as character in a story of nature), so the setting that many spirits come to bathhouse to relax and release their stress, actually it was very cute and unique humor I thought when I watched it in childhood. I was like “yeah okay, of course spirits go to bathhouse like us hehehe”.

“One Summer’s Day” was on repeat after my 1st time watching this 🎶🔥

I remember going to the cinema when this movie came out, my absolute favorite... And you can tell it's not just the nostalgia. There are no peak backs, Cannon, go, and don't look back... bittersweet. All of the music is done by Joe Hisaishi. HE is a master when it comes to piano and composition, I very very much recommend just going and listening to his releases of the ghibli songs, there are recorded live and studio versions that really showcase how hypnotic these songs are. Princess Mononoke next?! :)

You guys analyze these movies and series so well, it’s smt you won’t see in every reaction channel. Really enjoying your reactions. Keep uploading them pls

i think is time for the next anime movie~ laputa the castle in the sky

ちょっと補足を。日本の古い話には「名前を知られると支配される」という迷信がたくさん見られます。特に平安時代には女性は名前を秘匿し記録に残らない場合もあるくらいです。そして未婚の女性が相手に名を告げることは求婚に応じた意味になりました。もうわかりますね。「君の名は」というアニメのタイトルの意味が。

Please watch Kiki's Delivery Service next time too 🥹💛

So, fun fact, in an interview years ago, Miyazaki once said that he created this movie for the daughter of a friend of his. She was around Chihiro's age and was really struggling or something, so he wanted to create a movie where even a little girl could be the hero, even without powers. I remember reading that interview as a little girl myself and it's always stuck with me.

Miyazakis creativity and skills are just on another level. It's also very fascinating that especially his old movies were drawn by hand. Imagine each frame, like in a flipbook kinda way, so in my opinion that makes it even more mindblowing, how detailed and smooth the animations are. It's also totally normal to be overwhelmed by the first watch and I'm not an expert but with Spirited Away Miyazaki was showing a lot of the problems in japan for example that big muddy looking monster, that seemed very random first, depicted coastal water pollution, japan suffers from a lot. That's also why the first thing chihiro saw was a bike coming out of the monster and then more trash, until the river spirit was freed. Just an example... but there were more little details, like as you mentioned, that the people were basically forced to work there like slaves, because they lost their names and can't find their way back home, shows also a big problem in japan with their work culture and how toxic and problematic it is... correct me if I'm wrong by the way hahah...but in the end I think Carter made a good point, it get's better after watching it again and when you know the meanings behind it. A lot of the time it seems random 😂but Miyazaki is never doing something without meaning. I also just love how he's showing us his world and stories with different POVs ,we see the world through an old lady, now in this movie from a childs perspective, Male, Female, old or young like I just love the variety . Japan is also well known for their mythologies, spirits and creature looking demons, but what makes Miyazaki so special is that he's always creating the perfect mix of traditions or elements from diffrerent cultures with his own magical touch, so that it always feels like another world ❤ Ok sorry for the spam :)

maybe its the fact i had this movie on repeat while growing up, but the main theme and the final song is nostalgia encapsulated to me. It just feels me with that bittersweet feeling of when you realize growing up means you'll need to leave some things behind.

Spirited Away is such a classic - Hayao Miyazaki and Ghibli are just so unmatched and so many people have left great reds in the comments, but special shout-out to Princess Monoke it’s tied for my #1 Ghibli with Spirited Away and Howl’s. Some other movies/directors I’d recommend- - Perfect Blue (Satoshi Kon) - psychological thriller. Did a lot to inspire Black Swan - Ghost in the Shell (Mamoru Oshii) - sci fi/cyberpunk. the Matrix drew a lot of inspiration from it - Akira - a CLASSIC. Sci fi/cyberpunk. So many movies have referenced the akira slide, including Jordan Peele’s Nope

please watch princess mononoke next its soooooo good!!!

This movie is very special the only foreign animated film to ever win best picture, and until Demon Slayer movie came along it was the highest grossing Japanese film of all time. Held that record for over 20 years.

One of my favorite details is how the creator found the exact car the dad was driving and had it driven through a similar terrain to record the soubds of the car. Amazing little detail that made the movie more realistic

I always appreciate yall's emotional depth with these movies, I hope you keep watching them! Especially with Cannon, to me it seems like he really empathizes with characters when they're struggling. I also love Carter's take on this movie's themes and Chihiro's impact on the spirits in the bathhouse, that's not really a perspective I've heard before

I first saw this movie when I was 4yrs old & I remember the moment incredibly vividly because this movie really impacted me in a way that just shaped me into who I am today. My love for art, history, music, anime, folklore, foreign cultures, my love for learning foreign languages & even my love for storms. Everything that makes up who I am can be traced back to this movie & that one cold & stormy morning when 4yr old me woke up because of the thunder at 3 in the morning & decided that instead of waking up anybody for comfort, I was gonna just put on a random movie & try to comfort myself. I love this movie so much & I'm so happy more people are coming back to watch Ghibli movies again.

please watch "Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki" & "princess mononoke" next!!!!

the memories you guys brought back wow... used to watch this with my grandpa, grandma and my sisters, cant believe time past by so fast

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! Rewatching this today with you guys was an amazing experience, thanks for the great contents!

I was 9 or 10 when my single mother took me to that movie (probably after I asked her to). It sticks with you and it was incredibly frightening at times. Only when I got older I realized what this movie was about and I cry tears of reminiscence whenever I rewatch that movie. It speaks to our soul directly. If Chihiro was able to get through this, I can get through life as well.

Tons of the things that seem random are actually all related to Japanese folklore and mythology like rules to follow and ways the spirits act

I love "Spirited Away" so much and I enjoy watching you all reactions. It's really good anime for reminding our soul. So, I will recommend you to watch "The boy and the beast" . It's really nice too.

Please watch princess mononoke, I think you‘ll like it a lot better 👍🏼👍🏼

この映画を理解する為には、日本の宗教観と慣習を知らなければ疑問は解決しない。多神教が成立する日本では、全てに神が宿ると考え大事にする。あらゆる物に感謝する教えがここにあります。

Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind nexttt!!

6:55 Whatever Carter is feeling right now is exactly how I feel when I rewatch my fav anime...

What I love about studio ghibli films is the magic. The emotional connection to the story and the environment. Also there’s never truly a bad or a good character ...there’s a sense of humanity in all of its creatures and creation.

I love this movie so much. My second favorite of all time. But there a certain thing about this movie where I love it more the more I watch it. My first time seeing it, having never really been exposed to movies outside of the western culture, the whole experience is a mix of weird with wholesome. Every watch after, when you already know what to expect, it gets much, much better. I love this weird little world they created.

Please please PLEASE DO PRINCESS MONONOKE!!! I beg off you it’s *chefs kiss*

Im not entirely sure if you guys picked it up, but the reason why Haku showed up at the bath house is because his river disappeared. I don’t remember why the river is gone, but because he couldn't find his river anymore, he ended up at the bath house where Yubaba was able to steal his name and make him her errand boy

when Chihiro was taking the train to find Yubaba's sister, she passed by a platform and there was a little girl there, that little girl is from movie Grave of the fireflies .......she is waiting for her brother there........

I feel like i've been waiting for the carter glance at 3:40 my whole life Brig and Mckay's turn to get owned

Lin aka the other female worker she's with Chihiro not only voiced Megara in Hercules, but she ALSO voiced Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond in Steven Universe.

So happy you’re reacting to this 💛 can’t wait for you guys to react to Princess mononoke

You guys should watch “Wolf Children” it’s so good

10:40 It was the setting decided by Miyazaki ! I heard he was inspired by the story named Night On The Milky Way Train written by Kenji Miyazawa.

3:37 "I hope that the dad dies" *side looks* In his head- "do yo think he knows ?"

Hello. I am Japanese. I always enjoy seeing your reactions! All the customers who come to this public bath are gods. Japan's religion is Shinto, which believes that gods reside in all things. For example, it is taught that a god resides in a single grain of rice, so if you leave even a single grain of rice behind, you will be punished. That's true for anything.

Now I don't know how many times I watched this film as it was often broadcast on TV in Japan when I was a kid. It may sound strange, but for some reason, I can't hold back my tears every time I watch this nowadays while I was just enjoying it as a fun movie in my childhood. Such a masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli I will probably never meet any anime movie better than this in my life.

Studio ghibli is just so great. I watched this movie as a kid and it felt so…. Crazy. Today I still watch and love it but when you watched this as a kid you know how dynamic this movie felt. I remember getting so many goosebumps amd fearing for chihiro at the stairs scene. I think it’s because as a kid you just really understand chihiro. Children feel, see and measure things just much differently. I was terrified for her all the time. Also, this movie was quite scary. The scenes where her parents turned into a pig, chihiro being found out as a movie, the spider man, YUBABA was so scary, her baby 😭… so many things but at the same time I just loved it all. It’s just a whole different experience when you watch it when being a child. In the end these are children movies (that obviously still can be watched by adults). It’s a true masterpiece.

Simply put, the greatest movie oat imo. Nothing makes you feel quite the same way. It's magical, it's enchanting, it's captivating, it's moving, it's inspiring.

It was really fun watching Carter struggle to keep his pokerface throughout all of this lol I remember enjoying this movie so much as a kid but I was also very confused about the plot and the whole message. It leaves a lot up to imagination, I guess. I've also seen a lot of interpretations from people over the years as well. Another great movie I really recommend is "Laputa - Castle in the sky"! I had so much fun with this one and the storyline is a lot easier to grasp as well! I hope, you guys will check it out some day!

Everything in this movie comes from Japanese culture, Shinto/religion, tradition, fairy tales and stories. There is so much that goes straight over our head when it comes to deeper meaning, symbolism and things we can actually relate to. It's amazing that's it's still such a great masterpiece of animated art despite us only getting maybe 1/3 of it's true meaning.

進撃の巨人の最終話でピークが千尋の階段ダッシュをオマージュしてる所気づいてほしい😂

the one good thing my high school did was have an entire english unit dedicated to studying miyazaki and his movies and i had the luck of this movie being the chosen one for our year group to study (i recall maybe two of the classes ended up watching princess mononoke, but both are incredible) and it was easily my favourite unit we ever did like are you kidding, a whole terms worth of work just for this movie i was thriving. and it was a surprising unit as well coming from an Australian country school, never wouldve expected them to choose something so far removed and i am 100% not complaining.

Fun fact: there is a relationship between Kohaku and Chihiro is that Chihiro had an older brother that died protecting Chihiro when she got caught in the river. And Haku is the reincarnation of the dead brother. The reason why the mom is so cold to Chihiro is because she was the reason why her son died. The mom isn’t trying to be mean but naturally gives it…

My brother took me to this movie when I was 6, it’s a treasured memory for me! I definitely didn’t know what anime was, and I didn’t understand most of it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. After seeing it many more times the themes have become more clear. It’s a weird movie and I love it so much.

Please enjoy the "Music" of Princess Mononoke. I watched it 8 times at the theater and the last 3 times, I just closed my eyes and enjoyed it as a concert. But my favorite Ghibli movies are the more older ones, like Nausicaa, Laputa, Totoro, Kiki Hope you guys watch it someday!

The voice actor who played the baby in this movie is the same voice actor who played Taki in the movie "Your Name." He is an actor who played the main character in the movie "Godzilla-1".

Wherever I'm asked what my favourite film is, this is the first that comes to mind. I'm going to be watching this when I'm 80. Also I'm totally here for Jack my soft spoken king.

日本語で見て欲しかった（ ; ; ） 日本のアニメを見てくれてありがとう😊

If you try watching it with Japanese audio, you might realize how good this work is. The breathing and other things are filled with emotion, which is very good.

I saw Spirited Away a long time ago. Re-watching it with you and seeing your reactions was great and fun. Thank you, Studio Gek!😊

After having watched this more than a few times, I finally understand why Chihiro stards to go see through. She's in the spirit realm, which usually means "dream logic", and she was saying "go away, disappear"

I always thought this movie was about finding courage to move forward and experience new things but to remember your past and the people or experiences that helped form who you are. I'm glad you guys reacted to this 😊 I think you guys would really like Princess Mononoke so I hope you'll check that out some day

I've loved this movie for decades and somehow never realized WHO LIN'S VOICE ACTRESS IS, THANK YOU-

It's not random. US Americans are just very used to simple, direct, obvious storylines ;) Everything in this movie has meaning... Every little detail. It just has a dream-like quality that might feel disorienting. Art is supposed to evoke questions in you, not give answeres. Hayao Myazaki movies are pieces of art, not entertainment.

The Like button here is the like counter from their movie review towards the end. It sounds like they like, liked it

I love how Miyazaki personifies nature. When the River spirit is clean and free I always tear up. If our beautiful planet’s systems had voices and faces I can’t help but think people would take better care of it all

I really like how you talked about the changes that happened to the people at the bathhouse once they met Chihiro. Like the bird and the baby wanting to stay the way they are when they are with Chihiro. It's kind of like how Chihiro is giving away the spirit medicine to Haku and No Face, how they changed to their truer and milder selves, it's a good metaphor for what she does for the people at the bathhouse, she just impacts everyone around her so positively. Great points 👍

i was waiting for thiss 🙌

Wish there was a second one.. It seems like there could be if they wanted.. She still has the hair tie and Haku promised they see each other again.. what happens with no face does it work out? How is her baby now that he’s not afraid to go outside? Or does he go back to burying himself under the pillows? Yubaba did she change become nicer because of her baby seeming better and making her behave..Does she get to see Zinbia again? Such a Great movie Studio Ghibli is the Best!😊💕

Nausicaa, please! And Berserk, the oldest one (1997?) too.

FINALLY!!! been waiting for this one!

You have to do Princess Mononoke!! It’s full of action and overall a completely different tone! Highly recommend it!

This is a very metaphorical film. Most of the scenes has some deeper meaning behind it like the water spirit being filled with garbage and possessions people don't care about anymore. Because of humans neglect the water, the rivers suffered. Its easy to ignore but once it shows up in person and affecting us personal it really does become important. Its these small details you catch more and more and best part is that it comes down to who you are as a person to get a different interpretation.