A wonderful display of storytelling that can enchant just about every viewer.

Rating: 9/10 (5 May 2002)

This has been my first exposure to the much-acclaimed works of Miyazaki (and this comes from a self-proclaimed anime & manga fanatic - how embarrassing >.<), and I fully see what the fuss is all about now, as this is simply brilliant. It's been re-baptised 'Le voyage de Chihiro' for it's French release and it's being shown in French theaters both in a subtitled and a dubbed version as I write this. I strongly encourage any Francophone to jump at this opportunity and see the film subtitled. But I imagine not even a dub, or even meddling from the editing-happy Yanks could really ruin a film as beautiful and enthralling as this.
No doubt you've seen how Disney keeps claiming that the latest drivel they spit out is "a timeless classic full of wonder for the whole family to enjoy". It would be an insult to compare the beauty of this film to any Disney rubbish, but the phrase "a timeless classic full of wonder for the whole family to enjoy" describes what this film accomplishes very well. I've gone to see it twice, and noticed that the theater was filled with such diverse viewers as late teens, students their twenties and even middle-aged married couples. Yup, this whole spectrum of 'adults' had gone to see a so-called children's cartoon. And judging from the laughs and chuckles that the film's many charming moments raised (the fat mouse was a huge hit), everyone genuinely enjoyed it, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality or whatever else. Sen to Chihiro has a kind of charm that can touch everyone (it says a lot if a fussy homosexual otaku can drag both his parents and grumpy kid brother into this and they all come out loving it to bits).
The story is quite simple, at first sight. On their way to their new home in the country, young Chihiro and her parents come across a tunnel which leads them to a strange-looking abandoned town. Her parents discover a restaurant packed with attractive food and immediately start to stuff their faces while Chihiro wanders off. It's then that things take a turn for the bizarre; night falls, and the town begins to fill with all sorts of ghosts and goblins, while Chihiro's parents have suddenly turned into pigs, and the way back is cut off. A young boy named Haku seems to be the only unexpected ally Chihiro has in this strange new world. To save her parents and make it back home eventually, Chihiro has to find work in a huge public bath house run by the witch Yubaba who seems to rule the place. Among the many strange and mysterious creatures there, she has to make friends, build up her courage and eventually find her way back to the normal world again.
There must be heaps of different possible interpretations and underlying depths to the film, and no doubt each viewer will experience it in his own personal way. The animation has already been greatly praised, and rightly so; it's gorgeous. Every scene is rich in color, crystal-clear fluidity and intricate detail (check out all the things moving in the backgrounds - there's a lot of silly mischief going on for you to discover). And best of all, the beauty never seems to strike a blunt in-your-face note - they're not trying to push big gasps of admiration out of the viewer with flashy CGI or over-the-top shots. The visuals' excellent just quietly seeps in and sweeps you away all the more efficiently for it. This isn't just brilliance, it's refined brilliance.
While every element of this little marvel deserves paragraphs of praise, I'll limit myself to the one element that impressed me the most - the very vivid atmosphere of Chihiro's world. The rich color palettes and the unusual architecture of the settings set a strong feeling of surreality. It's innocently colorful and rather spooky at the same time. And for such a fascinating world, it has inhabitants to match. The myriads of creatures that pop up all ooze personality with far more than just their weird looks. Watching the bizarre animals in motion really draws you in, and you cannot help but grow to like them. The frog in the blue kimono and the giant yellow birds really struck a note in me personally, while the aforementioned fat mouse and it's tiny bird companion raised so many laughs they must've stolen the show (somebody make us plushes of these critters, please!). And there are so many others to enjoy. To name but a few, the trio of bouncing green heads or the 'no-face' black Kaho-nashi who sways between endearing and frightening are brilliant ideas. Watching how these mysterious creatures behave adds loads to the fun of this movie.
All in all, an enchanting experience for any viewer, and a killer uppercut to the bloated jaw of Mickey Mouse. See it for yourself and let yourself be gently carried away to a dream-like world that your inner child can't resist to explore through your eyes. It looks like anime fanatics may finally have the cure for Akira Aftertaste. If there's a film that can to rub out the bad impressions left by the cheap violence-fests released by clueless companies and establish the international respect that the anime medium deserves, Chihiro has all it's chances. But more importantly, it's a wonderfully accomplished film full of imagination - a glimpse into a world that can make everyone dream. Very strongly recommended, for absolutely anyone.