Fun to watch and a fresh look

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2003)

Spirited Away is an amazing movie. I've been getting so used to animation getting increasingly graphically detailed with computer-aided animation (Beauty and the Beast) or computer animation (Pixar stuff) that I forgot how good simple animation can be. Like much Japanese artwork, a lot can be said with simple strokes of a brush. Details here are applied to the areas they are required and not where they are unneeded. This helps focus the eye and alleviates the nonstop detail that tends to numb you after an hour of a Pixar flick (although I love them all too).
I loved the creativity of it. Since I'm a Westerner, it probably seems even more creative and new to me since I'm not used to dragons and spirits. Accordingly, the color palette seemed unique as well which made the movie seem fresh.
I'll agree with what others said about the movie being more of an uncontrolled wild ride rather than a plot, but that was OK for me.