Barnes & Noble

In March 2003, writer-director-animator Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away became the first Japanese anime film to ever win (let alone to be nominated for) an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Rightfully so: The unique distillation of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Japanese folklore offers a sense of magic that has been sorely lacking in much recent animation. A ten-year-old girl named Chihiro, while passing through a strange abandoned village on her way to her new home, finds her greedy parents transformed into pigs after being tempted by delicious food. In order for them to become human again, Chihiro must work in a surreal bathhouse for monsters, spirits, and other supernatural critters, under the supervision of a witch named Yubaba. Along the way, Chihiro learns the virtues of bravery, self-worth, and humility while making new friends -- including a boy named Haku, who wields hidden powers -- and overcoming obstacles, such as the mysterious, money-offering No Face. Endlessly imaginative and beautifully realized, Spirited Away is a dreamlike experience, bolstered by Joe Hayashi's moving score and Miyazaki's mix of traditional animation and subtle computer graphics. Suitable for the whole family but also containing enough substance for continued study, it is nothing less than a new animation classic. Volk Lindsay

All Movie Guide

Master animation director Hayao Miyazaki follows up on his record-breaking 1997 opus Princess Mononoke with this surreal Alice in Wonderland-like tale about a lost little girl. The film opens with ten-year-old Chihiro riding along during a family outing as her father races through remote country roads. When they come upon a blocked tunnel, her parents decide to have a look around -- even though Chihiro finds the place very creepy. When they pass through the tunnel, they discover an abandoned amusement park. As Chihiro's bad vibes continue, her parents discover an empty eatery that smells of fresh food. After her mother and father help themselves to some tasty purloined morsels, they turn into giant pigs. Chihiro understandably freaks out and flees. She learns that this very weird place, where all sorts of bizarre gods and monsters reside, is a holiday resort for the supernatural after their exhausting tour of duty in the human world. Soon after befriending a boy named Haku, Chihiro learns the rules of the land: one, she must work , as laziness of any kind is not tolerated; and two, she must take on the new moniker of Sen. If she forgets her real name, Haku tells her, then she will never be permitted to leave. Jonathan Crow

Product Details

• UPC: 786936213843
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Japanese, Français
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 2:05:00
• Sales Rank: 801

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