Last Updated on June 23, 2024 by Sangita Ekka
Spirited Away needs no introduction. Released in 2001, this film continues to be an absolute favorite amongst its fanbase. To date, the movie inspires and intrigues.
In this article, I have collected some commonly asked questions about the movie, analyzed them, referenced from a few books, and answered them. There is space to grow because you cannot encapsulate genius in 10-15 questions.
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How old is Haku in Spirited Away?
Haku could be millions of years old since he is, in essence, a river spirit. When Chihiro recalls that his name is the Kohaku, into which she fell as a child, she also mentions that the Kohaku river doesn’t exist anymore and apartments have taken its place.
Since Chihiro is ten years old in the story and the river existed when she was a child, the form of Haku in the bathhouse could also be around her age; ten years of Haku being a young river spirit without a home to return.
How much time has passed in Spirited Away?
Nine days and eight nights pass in Spirited Away.
It’s a full moon night when Chihiro and Lin share steam buns on the moonlit balcony after cleaning the filthy river spirit. It was her second night in the bathhouse.
On her way back after visiting Zeniba, we get a snapshot of the night sky with a gibbous moon. It takes 7.38 days in the lunar cycle to go from full moon to gibbous moon. On the ninth day, she leaves after passing the test set by Yubaba. Chihiro does not enter the bathhouse but is still in the spirit realm until she crosses the tunnel and returns to the parked car.
Is Spirited Away based on a book?
No, Spirited Away is not based on a book. It didn’t have a script but was developed from the visuals and on the go. Later, “The Art of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away” revealed the background work, aspirations, character design philosophy, and more.
Having said that, Hayao Miyazaki has authored a few books – The House Where Totoro Lives, Shuna’s Journey, Mononoke Hime, From This Point Forward, a.k.a Starting Point, and Turning Point.
Read: The Art of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away: Art Book Review
Does Spirited Away have a novel?
No, as mentioned earlier, Spirited Away was developed on the go. It didn’t have a script, book, or novel.
Is Haku in Love with Chihiro?
If Haku ever loved Chihiro, it could be both yes and no. Haku is not human and never was. He has a human-like form in the spirit world and is the same age as Chihiro. There is indeed kindness for her because he remembers her name and helps her throughout her stay.
There aren’t any hints in the film where Haku shows the same type of love that Chihiro has for him.
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Why can’t Chihiro look back?
“Now go, and don’t look back.” These are the last words of Haku for Chihiro.
Chihiro cannot look back because some goodbyes are meant forever, and we must learn to let go. Spirited Away is a masterwork of metaphors. The messages are tiered and can be viewed from multiple perspectives.
Chihiro was never meant to be in the spirit world but ends up there purely on her parent’s whim. Though she loves Haku, he doesn’t belong in her world. She must move on with her life, taking the learnings from this adventure.
Why is No-Face obsessed with Chihiro?
“Chihiro’s being strong enough not to be eaten up is just what makes her a heroine.” – Hayao Miyazaki in the book – The Art of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away
No Face of Spirited Away is a demon depicting loneliness and greed. When Chihiro crosses the bridge with Haku while holding her breath, she notices No-Face, who quietly stands there. He isn’t invited into the bathhouse.
The next time Chihiro sees him, he’s drenched in the rain, and she invites him in by keeping the door open.
People feel lonely when they feel invisible, unnoticed. Chihiro is the first one to notice No-Face and is kind to him. He didn’t have to conjure up gold to have her genuine attention. Unlike others, her interaction with him wasn’t transactional, and hence, No-Face was obsessed with Chihiro.
Do Chihiro and Haku meet again?
No. Chihiro and Haku do not meet again because they are not meant to. However, both hope for it.
Haku is a river spirit; if he were to return to the human world, he would have to become a river and sprout somewhere. However, towards the end, Haku does make a promise that they will meet sometime. As adults, we learn that despite our best efforts, some promises break.
People wish for a Spirited Away 2 film to see them together, but a sequel is not happening. Their “breakup” is the intended closure.
What does Haku symbolize in Spirited Away?
Haku symbolizes river spirits. Hayao Miyazaki’s works take inspiration from the Shinto religion in Japan. Its pagan nature attributes souls and spirits to nature. Most Spirited Away characters represent spirits who have come to the bathhouse for a break.
Haku is also a river spirit, but since there are apartments now where he used to be, he doesn’t have a home to return to. He has also forgotten his name and become Yubaba’s henchman. He is everything Chihiro should not become, so he ensures she can return to her world. Unlike him, Chihiro has a place she can call home, a new home.
What is the most meaningful scene in Spirited Away?
There are many, depending on what you find meaningful and how it touches your heart.
In the later part of the film, Chihiro leaves for Swamp Bottom, holding her shoes, while she walks on the flooded tracks; that is the most meaningful scene in Spirited Away.
It symbolizes yet another journey she should take, but she has a choice this time. Love changes people, and during her stay in the bathhouse, Haku becomes important to her. Kamaji gives her tickets with a warning that the train only goes one way.
It took Chihiro a full day to reach Zeniba and ask her to forgive Haku. She was willing to go back and forth for love. At this point, Chihiro has evolved into a person who is responsible and mature. The film hints at this when Lin apologizes to Chihiro for calling her a klutz.
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What happened to Haku in Spirited Away?
Before they part, Haku tells Chihiro that he will end his apprenticeship under Yubaba and that he’s fine having learned his name. He promises her he will return to his world, and the duo can meet again.
That’s the last Chihiro sees of Haku, and so do the viewers. Haku must sprout somewhere as a river and hope Chihiro somehow finds him.
Who is the most powerful spirit in Spirited Away?
I think Spirited Away has two of the most powerful spirits – Yubaba and Zeniba.
The twins represent opposite aspects of our societies. While Yubaba is capitalist, sharp-tongued, and greedy, Zeniba has a relaxed and traditional approach to life. Both possess magic but approach it differently.
Yubaba is bound to give jobs to anyone who asks. But she tricks them by taking their name and keeps them working in her bathhouse. If her workers forget who they are, they are bound to slave forever.
Zeniba’s approach is to put in sincere efforts and hard work. She is warm, hospitable, and willing to let go. She also knows how rare it is to find love in Yubaba’s empire. That’s why she put a spell on Haku that only love could break. With the help of No-Face, Yubaba’s baby, and Kashira (the bald men’s heads that turned into a fly), she weaves Chihiro a purple hair band.
It’s the only object Chihiro carries back with her. It doesn’t break any law in the context of the film because it wasn’t cut from magic. Unlike Yubaba, Zeniba understands the human world.
“Use it to tie back your hair. It’ll protect you. It’s made from the threads your friends wove together.” – Zeniba
Why does Yubaba steal names?
“To take a name away from a person is an attempt to keep them under perfect control.” – Hayao Miyazaki, The Art of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away
The sooner someone forgets their name, the easier it is to keep them working at Aburaya (the bathhouse). Kamaji mentioned that, just like Chihiro, Haku showed up one day and never left. He forgot his name and stuck to the one Yubaba gave him, eventually becoming her henchman, slaving away for her.
What is the real message of Spirited Away?
Spirited Away is tiered, and there is no one core message. All I can do is to share my favorite takeaway:
It is important to hold on to your sense of identity and not lose it to the temptations and illusions of the world. Remember your name and find your way back to home. Look beneath the skin and see the real person underneath it.
When Chihiro saw her parents turn into pigs, she refused to believe that sight and called out to them. Later in the movie, she develops the sense of recognizing people even if their shape and form change, something that even Yubaba couldn’t do.
She recognized Haku as the white dragon and asserted her knowing that deep down, Haku was good. Chihiro shows her surprise when Yubaba couldn’t see her precious baby in the mouse. She passed Yubaba’s final and treacherous test of recognizing her parents. During the week she spent in the bathhouse, Chihiro emerged as a courageous girl who could face the world and not be eaten in it.
Why is Spirited Away so iconic?
Spirited Away is iconic because it is timeless and resonates with our realities.
In the words of Hayao Miyazaki – This story is not a show-down between right and wrong. It is a story in which the heroine will be thrown into a place where the good and the bad dwell together, and there, she experiences the world. She will learn about friendship and devotion, and will survive by making full use of her brain. She sees herself through the crisis, avoids danger and gets herself back to the ordinary world somehow. She manages not because she has destroyed the “evil,” but because she has acquired the ability to survive.
Fin.
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