Great Manga

Rating: 10/10 (24 September 2002)

I have seen Mononoke, an excellent film, but overall I was not that entertained by it. While there was a large amount of action, I felt that some areas tended to drag, the animation was of high quality, but not that imaginative. Plus I saw the dubbed version and Claire Danes gets on my nerves. Overall a 7-8 range movie, good, not great, a video rental but not a DVD purchase.
Spirited Away took my breath away. While less violent than the Princess, it is far more entertaining. Mind you, I enjoy violence in Japanese Animation which makes my approval of this movie all the more suprising. Ninja Scrolls, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, all violent and excellent animation features.
Spirited Away is completely different. Manga targeted towards a younger audience but still highly entertaining to adults. Similar to the Simpson effect. There were so many scenes that amazed me which were all sewn together in an excellent storyline. A few examples, the dragon battling with paper dolls, the train on the water, Haku moving about at blinding speeds, the dust balls, the tiny crow and the rabbit renacting the freeing
of Haku. AWESOME.
Everyone should see this in the theatre. It is truly an event to behold. Particularly since Hollywood these days seems incapable of coming up with anything fresh or new.
This movie is so completely different than any kind of American film its refreshing.
Run, don't walk to a theatre near you.