Fantastic

Rating: Null/10 (21 September 2004)

I have to say that this is one of my favorite Anime movies of all time.
First off I have to admit that I watched the subtitled version, so I have no idea what was done with the dubbed version and how well that was handled. Still, the movie itself (plot, characters, design, animation, etc) I found to be incredible.
The most obvious comparison is to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, although Spirited Away is quite unique in its own right. I personally did not find Spirited Away to be significantly darker than Alice in Wonderland. After all, Alice in Wonderland had drug references, an insane murderous queen, a creepy disappearing cat, the monstrous Jabberwocky, and other surreal characters. While the characters of Spirited Away are probably a lot more surreal it's not any harder to deal with than your typical fantasy.
It does indeed seem like child's nightmare, which works quite well. It is about Chihiro's journey from a sullen child with a child's reaction to hardship (which in her life is moving to a new town) to becoming a young woman, able to handle difficult situations with much more grace and independence.
Not to say that it's not weird, because it is. Then again, most fantasies are. I found the characters intriguing and imaginative, and many of them lovable. The art was amazing and the overall story was enjoyable and intelligent (if rather bizarre). The pacing was well done. All in all, a good execution of a cool concept. I'd definitely recommend it. Of course, if you're the type of person who prefers movies more grounded in reality this might not be your cup of tea. If you like a bit of fantasy, however, it's more likely you'll love this movie.