Its childlike wonders will spirit you away.

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2002)

I enjoyed this movie very much. I can still recall when I was watching it the first time round, I could not take my eyes off the spell binding visuals and ended up missing some of the subtitles. Its that good!
In Spirited Away, a little girl was marooned in a spiritual world and subsequently enslaved by an 'Enterprising' Witch to work in a bath house for gods and demons. Literally signing her name away in this strange new world, we join the little girl in her fascinating journey to regain her freedom(name) and save her parents( who were unceremoniously turned into pigs by the evil witch prior) along the way.
Spirited Away's awesome sights and sound elevates it into a classic amongst animated films. The film can be enjoyed solely on the level of a family entertainment/ kid flick. Which is why I admired the director(Japanese Master animator Hayao Miyazaki) even more as he has also crafted a fabled story with shaded hues, where nothing presented is clearcut black or white. I particularly liked the way they treat gods and spirits in a manner befitting its heritage. Infact, this unpretentious film can also be viewed as an allegorical meditation on innocence, Asian values, spirituality and existentialism - deep issues worth pondering for folks out there.
Anyone from 6yrs to 106yrs old will enjoy Spirited Away as it brings out a child like wonder within you, while simultaneously offering a wealth of wisdom and insights. However cynical you are of 'cartoons', you will be charmed. This should be one reason why this CARTOON has become the All time Biggest Box Office Hit in Japanese History, grossing more than US$200million in Japan alone!!