Simply Excellent

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2005)

Spirited Away is one of those movies that leaves you with a lingering sense of wonder and happiness as the credits roll. It is one of a handful of movies that after the first viewing, I'm ready and willing to watch it again immediately. I am not an anime fan; I watched this simply due to the rave reviews, and I'm so happy that I did. The only problem now is getting others to watch it ("I HATE anime!" they usually reply.)
This is not the anime I thought it would be... ie., no exclamation marks flying from characters' heads, or giant eyes or overly-dramatic reactions. It's much different from the Cartoon Network anime you might catch as you flip channels. It's a real art form. There were moments of beauty that I can't describe, like the camera soaring over the water-covered railroad tracks with the setting sun reflecting off the water.
I don't recommend movies on a whim; showing a person a movie is like giving them a gift, so I'm always careful about what movies I show to certain people; I can't think of a single person to whom I wouldn't want to show Spirited Away.
If you let yourself get caught up in the magic, it is a magical experience.