Hayao Miyazaki's Magnum Opus

Rating: 10/10 (4 February 2018)

Like many people, I adore the work of Hayao Miyazaki, let alone Studio Ghibli. Not only are the worlds he creates through animation highly imaginative and gorgeous, but his characters and stories really make one think, especially with such themes like finding yourself, dangers towards the environment, survival, courage, over consumption, etc. So with that said, I not only deem his 2001 feature Spirited Away his best work, but also one of my personal favorite films of all time (and no Academy Award will ever be the reason why).
The story is that after getting lost on the drive to their new home, a couple and their 10 year old girl named Chihiro enter a tunnel passage that leads them into some spirit world. After eating a bunch of the spirit's food, the parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba, the head of a bathhouse that many of the spirits work at. In order to save herself and her family, Chihiro takes a job working in Yubaba's bathhouse in order to get back to the human world, while also building up her courage and rediscovering memories she lost long ago.
I think this is the perfect set up for a great fantasy film, and the film does not fail in its execution. While the film focuses more on the plot, there are just enough fantasy moments to keep one's interest. Whether they be dark like the parents turning into pigs or Yubaba taking center stage, disgusting like the famous bath scene or the spirit No-Face hurling excruciatingly, or amusing like Chihiro working in the bathhouse, the film never holds back in letting its imagination run wild.
That being said, what really makes this film for me are the characters themselves. Chihiro could have easily been annoying, but the film managed to balance her anxious fear and emotions to where you relate to her in situations like....well, having to save your parents and overcome your biggest fears. The spirit Haku, while sometimes thieving, only does so to find his way home and remember who he is, considering how much he despises working under Yubaba's wing. Speaking of Yubaba, while she can be very threatening and rather bossy, she also tries her darnedest to keep her workforce stable, so one can relate to such pandemonium (even if one could resent her).
As for the other cast, No-Face is essentially a spirit who wants to get into the hearts of others, but simply doesn't know how. This is what causes him to go somewhat insane in the bathhouse and start consuming everything uncontrollably; good thing Chihiro came along to snap him out of reality. Sometimes, we can fly off the handle and only those who care for us can really make us feel better. In terms of supporting players, Lin can be saucy but does have a big heart and also has dreams of her own, Kamaji has a bit of a temper but also cares much for the support of Chihiro, Yubaba's baby goes from being a whiner to a kind soul through a spell that turns him into a mouse in order to teach him some manners, and the other spirits can range from weird to rather rude. Spirits sure are prejudice to humans, aren't they?
Given that this is a Studio Ghibli flick, it's no surprise that the animation is splendid beyond reason. The designs of the spirits are highly imaginative and strange, Chihiro's movements look very much like that of a little girl, the backgrounds are breathtaking, the effects are lavish, the CGI blends very well with the 2D environments, and the world building really makes one wish the film showed more. Each scene (whether comedic, dramatic or frightening) are all played up with just the right amount of tension to detail. I think the train scene with Chihiro, No-Face and the baby is one of the greatest scenes in all of cinema if only for how quiet and atmospheric it is, just letting the scenery do the talking for the audience rather than dialogue.
Lastly, the music score by Joe Hisaishi is a melodious treat. Like the animation, each track fits perfectly with whichever scene comes afloat, especially the train scene where it's more somber and mellow. The flying scenes have a lot of emotional appeal from the highly enchanting score that define just how gorgeous they look. Not to mention, the ending song might be stuck in your head for quite some time as it's heartwarming and symphonic enough to hit the right emotional spot for viewers.
To quote Rotten Tomatoes, Spirited Away is a "gorgeously drawn fairy tale that will leave viewers a little more curious and fascinated by our world". There's a reason this film still remains one of the greatest accomplishments in all of animation, let alone film. Not only does it embrace the world of fantasy to such an emotional and thought provoking degree, but it makes one think how they themselves would overcome moments of losing loved ones, or having to work to save themselves, or remembering who they are. Of all the wonderful features that Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have cranked out, none of them will ever leave the same impact on me as this masterpiece did. If you are yet to see this film, track it down as soon as you can. You yourself might be inspired by your own personal struggles that would fit in the world of fantasy, just like what Miyazaki did with this gem.