Spirited Away (2001)
Film · Animation, Family, Fantasy
Stream itbecause it is a breathtakingly imaginative journey that captures the strange, bittersweet transition into independence.
A visually stunning masterpiece that balances surreal wonder with a grounded emotional journey, capturing the beautiful disorientation of growing up. Widely considered one of the greatest animated films ever made, it offers a rich, immersive world that feels both haunting and awe-inspiring.
What it is about
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
Trailer
What Spirited Away is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
Watching this is like stepping into a lucid dream that shifts seamlessly between gentle wonder and claustrophobic intensity. The pace is deliberate, allowing the viewer to soak in the intricate, hand-drawn details of the bathhouse and its bizarre inhabitants. It feels vast and ancient, yet intimate, balancing moments of quiet reflection with chaotic, high-stakes encounters that never feel cheap or rushed.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
It is essential for anyone who values visual storytelling and rich, metaphorical world-building. While it is marketed as a family film, it may be too intense or surreal for very young children, as some transformations and spirits are genuinely unsettling. Skip it if you require a straightforward, linear plot with Western tropes; this is a dense, symbolic narrative that asks for your full attention.
The right evening for it
It suits an evening when you want to be completely transported to another world. It is perfect for a quiet night in where you can appreciate the artistry and let the atmosphere wash over you.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
Another trailer
Trailer · Ghibli Fest 2023 Trailer
How Spirited Away leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
It leaves you with a profound sense of nostalgic melancholy and quiet strength, like waking from a dream that has subtly changed your perspective on the real world.
How Spirited Away ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
After Haku flies her back to the bathhouse, Chihiro faces Yubaba's final test. She must identify her parents from a group of pigs, but correctly asserts that none of the animals are her mother and father. This successful identification breaks the contract, restoring her name and freeing her parents. Haku leads Chihiro to the now-dry riverbed, promising that they will meet again, but warns her not to look back until she has passed through the tunnel.
The film ends with Chihiro reuniting with her parents, who have no memory of their time as pigs. As they walk back to their car to continue the move to their new home, Chihiro briefly looks back at the tunnel entrance. Although she returns to the human world, she is still wearing the magical protective hairband given to her by Zeniba, which glitters as she departs.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
the dark fairy-tale logic of a child navigating a frightening supernatural world
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
the surreal journey through an illogical, high-stakes realm of bizarre characters
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
the bittersweet feeling of a child confronting complex emotions through fantasy
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More clips
Trailer · Official Trailer
Trailer · Spirited Away - English Theatrical Trailer [4K] [35mm Film Scan]
Teaser · Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 Spot
Spirited Away soundtrack
Music by Joe Hisaishi and Youmi Kimura
- 1One Summer's Day
- 2A Road to Somewhere
- 3The Empty Restaurant
- 4Nighttime Coming
- 5The Dragon Boy
- 6Sootballs
- 7Procession of Gods
- 8Yubaba
- 9Bathhouse Morning
- 10Day of the River
Album and songs from Apple Music.
Awards
Spirited Away won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. It also won at Berlin.
Oscars
- Won: Best Animated Feature · 2003
Berlin Film Festival
- Won: Golden Bear · 2002
8 other awards and nominationsShow
- Won: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature · 2002
- Won: Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature · 2002
- Won: Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year · 2002
- Won: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film · 2002
- Won: Animation Kobe Theatrical Film Award · 2001
- Won: Annie Award for Directing in a Feature Production · Hayao Miyazaki · 2002
- Won: Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production · Hayao Miyazaki · 2002
- Nominated: European Film Award for Best Non-European Film · 2002
From Wikidata, which can miss some.
Questions people ask
- Is Spirited Away an epic film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Epic. A visually stunning masterpiece that balances surreal wonder with a grounded emotional journey, capturing the beautiful disorientation of growing up. Widely considered one of the greatest animated films ever made, it offers a rich, immersive world that feels both haunting and awe-inspiring.
- How long is Spirited Away?
- Spirited Away runs 125 min and was released in 2001.
- Where can I watch Spirited Away in the UK?
- In the UK, Spirited Away is included with Netflix (all plans).
- What awards did Spirited Away win?
- Spirited Away won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. It also won at Berlin.
- Who composed the music for Spirited Away?
- The music for Spirited Away is by Joe Hisaishi and Youmi Kimura. The soundtrack album, Spirited Away (Original Soundtrack), has 21 tracks.
- What songs are on the Spirited Away soundtrack?
- Spirited Away (Original Soundtrack) has 21 tracks, including “One Summer's Day”, “A Road to Somewhere”, “The Empty Restaurant”, “Nighttime Coming” and “The Dragon Boy”, and more. It is on Apple Music.
- Is Spirited Away worth watching?
- Stream it: because it is a breathtakingly imaginative journey that captures the strange, bittersweet transition into independence. IMDb users rate it 8.6 out of 10 from 964,088 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 96%, Metacritic 96 and TMDB users 8.5.
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