scented // sea breeze

Spirited Away is a Japanese movie made by Hayao Miyazaki and presented to America in a (surprisingly good) dubbed version through Disney. It tells the story of a ten-year-old girl named Chihiro, who, along with her mother and father, stumbles into a strange spirit world. When her parents are turned into pigs, Chihiro has to find a way to free them. Luckily, an enigmatic boy named Haku befriends her and shows her how to survive in the Spirit World.

It's hard to say exactly why this movie is so good, or why I find it so powerful. Certainly it has some of the most gorgeous animation I've ever scene, effortlessly coordinated with beautiful music. Miyazaki has a stupendous imagination, with a knack for the surreal and hauntingly bizaare.

But I think what really captured me was the characters: Chihiro, who changes from a timid, sulky little girl into a brave and confident young woman; and Haku, who is mysterious, kind, and just all-around cool.

This page is my tribute to Spirited Away. Its main purpose is to look pretty and tell the world how much I love this movie. But because I need just a bit more of an excuse to inflict it on the world (and because those who've bothered reading the intro really deserve a reward), I'm putting up an image gallery of pictures from the movie.

Chihiro :: Haku :: Haku & Chihiro :: Other/Group