Movie: Spirited Away

Genre: Fantasy/Horror

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Running Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG, for scary moments

Company: Disney/Studio Ghibli, 2002

Summary: A girl named Chihiro and her parents are trapped in the spirit world. Her parents are turned into pigs after eating food from the spirit world. She is helped by a boy named Haku, who is really a dragon. She meets a sorceress named Ubaba, who takes her name away from her (and also her memory). She must regain her memory and break her parents’ spell in order to return to the real world.

The Good: The animation is excellent and beautiful. The story is very entertaining to watch.

The Bad: The movie is a little slow at times.

Offensive Material: The story’s environment is filled with magic and occult themes. The movie is kind of scary for small children.

Overall: If you’ve never watched anime before, this is a great place to start. This breathtaking movie is very entertaining.

My Review (out of 4): 4.0 Age Rating: B (Borderline—Parental Guidance suggested)

Note: Hayao Miyazaki’s credits include My Neighbor Totoro, Nadia of the Blue Water, Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Whisper of My Heart. Viz has published a graphic novel based on the movie. The Art of Spirited Away is also available.