Spirited Away begins with Chihiro and her parents travelling to their new home. They take a wrong turn and find themselves in a mysterious town with many restaurants. They can see all kinds of food in the restaurants. Chihiro’s parents decide to sit down and they start eating. While they eat and eat, Chihiro explores. She meets a boy named Haku, who tells her to leave the place immediately. But it is too late! Chihiro is trapped in this spirit world and her parents have become animals. She must learn to survive in this strange land and importantly, she must try to rescue her parents and return home.
The story is about Chihiro’s personal growth and the lessons she learns from her experiences in the spirit world. She finds work at a bathhouse run by a stern old woman named Yubaba. As the newest member of the staff, Chihiro is given the hardest jobs. But she responds in the way that we can both admire and believe, and she also makes a few friends at the same time.
Everything about this film is gorgeous. The artwork is rich and colourful, and the fantasy world in which Chihiro finds herself is amazing. The animation is lifelike. And, as well as being wonderful to look at, the film has fantastic music by composer Jo Hisaishi.