Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi: Character and Theme Analysis The film Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi is a Japanese animated film. It was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli in 2001. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi is a fantasy film that addresses several themes and carries various messages. It is full of Shinto beliefs and symbolisms. Shinto elements can be found throughout the film, from character design to simple acts such as crossing a tunnel/bridge to reach another
Spirited Away, titled Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi in Japan, follows a young girl named Chihiro on an adventurous, yet threatening journey into a magical realm after her parents are turned into pigs. She forms relationships with people that will help her find her way back home such as Haku, Zeniba, and Mr. Kamaji. She also encounters those like Yubaba who try to make her time in the realm of spirits difficult. Spirited Away quickly became Japan’s highest grossing film of all time. It received many
In Spirited Away, emphasis is placed on the importance of collectivism for Chihiro to achieve her goals - most prominently through the varied interaction with different characters, driving this narrative plot. Such a method of storytelling thus express how the force of the community is fundamental to the Japanese society. Chihiro’s success in saving her parents hinges on the help she receives and gives in the spiritual world. In particular, Haku’s emotional support allows Chihiro to survive in a
Kamikakushi means ‘hidden by God (Kami)’. Therefore, Kamikakushi is used when someone mysteriously disappears or passes away due to an angered god that took the person away. In this resort for super-natural beings, Chihiro and Haku both get something taken away from them and in order
Kamikakushi literally means: hidden by kami, which are Japanese spirits or deities that are believed to inhabit everything (Reider 8). In the past sudden disappearances were often attributed to spirits taking the person away to the spirit world (Reider 9).
and the family; and cleanliness (Picken 1994:9-10). For the scope of this article, I will be looking at how respect for the kami and nature inform two of Miyazaki’s films Princess Mononoke (Mononokehime 1997) and Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi 2001). The key to Miyazaki’s work lies in his knack of transformation and transfusion. He transforms and reinvigorates the tenets of Shinto and also elements of Japanese myth such as dragons and gods. His films do not rework specific stories