My Questions For Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away")

 

Fig. On the train ride to the sixth station.

I accidentally stumbled upon a YouTube video that showcased a typical Japanese elementary school lunch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL5mKE4e4uU&t=15s&ab_channel=CafCuMedia

After lunch the children clean the class room by wiping the floor which is common. There are no janitors in Japanese elementary schools. Interestingly, a German commenter remarked, 

“This video immediately reminded me of Spirited Away.” 

Intrigued by this connection, I decided to watch the film. And I must say, it was an enjoyable experience.

The specific scene the commenter referred to in the anime takes place in a bathhouse, where workers diligently wiping the floor. This traditional cleaning method has persisted for hundreds of years in Japan and still finds applications in Japanese elementary schools, among others, even in the 21st century.

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Memorable Scenes

Chihiro’s Rapid Maturity

On the train ride to the sixth station, Chihiro instructs No-Face:  

Behave yourself, ok?

I find this dazzling because Chihiro was such a spoiled little girl when she accidentally strayed into the spirit world.

Returning to the Real World

In the final scene, the family emerges from the tunnel and sees their dusty car. Chihiro’s father remarks,

“It’s all dusty inside, too.”

Kamaji (multi-legged creepy boiler man) speaks for Chihiro

When Chihiro had difficulty in explaining why a human (Chihiro) was there, Kamaji saved her by saying

“She is my grand daughter.”

Note that Chihiro’s reaction to this shows a surprise since she would have never expected such words from him.

 

Questions:

1.    Duration in the Spirit World

You wonder how long Chihiro spent in the spirit world since it takes time for a spoiled girl to grow. Note that Miyazaki’s time scale often has contraction/expansion.

2.    After returning to the real world, would Chihiro remain matured or revert to her previous spoiled self?

I have never come across answers to these questions.

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I unexpectedly notice the quality of the English voice acting. The actors adeptly convey the original Japanese dialogues with precision, and at times, their English renditions even surpass the Japanese versions. Specifically,

Haku: He is a spirit of Kohaku river. As a river spirit he saved the young Chihiro from drowning when she was younger, Haku’s voice exudes nobility and empathy. His character is exquisitely captured by the voice actor.

 Lin: She is a woman working at the bathhouse. She initially mocks Chihiro for her lack of manners. Lin eventually starts supporting Chihiro throughout. Strict yet compassionate. Lin is well acted by this voice actress.