I have recently gotten the chance to watch the movie titled “Spirited Away” and would love to share my opinion on the film. This movie is a heartfelt and tear-jerking type of movie. It will grab your heart and give it so much joy.

Spirited Away is a Japanese animation by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. In this movie you will be taken on an adventure in present-day Japan. The main characters of the story include Chihiro Ogino (or Sen), her parents Akio Ogino and Yuuko Ogino, Haku, Yu-Baaba, Zeniiba, Rin, No-Face, and Kamaji.

This story is about a young girl (Chihiro) who is moving houses. On the way to her new house her father (Akio) decides to take a short cut leading them to an abandoned train station. Chihiro’s parents decide to get out and look around the abandoned station. They find an old bath house and many restaurants along with it. After Chihiro’s parents make a careless mistake, Chihiro gets stuck to work in the old bathhouse made for spirits in order to get her parents back. Along the way she meets many new friends and learns many things about the spirits and old souls that live there.

The actors and actresses who voiced these characters in the story did a phenomenal job in my opinion. Everyone had so much emotion and truly made me want to be apart of the story. Daveigh Chase, the voice of Chihiro, did such an astonishing job playing the role she did. Daveigh had so much emotion and character that I couldn’t imagine anyone else in that role. Another actor who truly stood out was Jason Marsden, the voice

of Haku. The way he talked to Chihiro in the story truly made my heart melt. His belief of being the character really made the story come to life and really made me emotionally attached to it. All of the characters did amazing in my opinion, but those were just two that really stood out.  

If I am being honest, I think Spirited Away was amazing. This movie made me cry and really want more. I would say my favorite scene is the scene where Chihiro (Sen) and Rin must clean the biggest and most filthiest bath. I don’t think I would change anything to the story because it was truly perfect in my opinion. There is no way that Studio Ghibli or Hayao Miyazaki could have improved it. The only thing more that I want more from this story is a continued version of it, or a part two so that I can see where everyone is now.

The moral of Spirited Away in my opinion would be that we truly live in a “small world” and that we all need to learn a little bravery. I think that from watching this film, I learned that sometimes when things get tough, you just have to be a little brave. I think others will also learn this concept, and they will also learn that you know people a little more than you think you do.

Spirited Away isn’t really a movie for people who like action or “live in the moment” type of movies. This movie is for the people who like heartfelt movies that you’ll remember forever. Anyone who likes a movie you can watch repeatedly and not get bored of would love this movie. Spirited Away is rated PG and I would definitely recommend watching it with your children or siblings. I think Spirited Away is a phenomenal movie that many would like.

I would give Spirited Away a rating of 10 out of 10 No-Faces for the phenomenal storyline and characters in it.

April Nix is an 8th grader at Red Oak Middle School who is the Drill Team Manager and is in Production Theatre / One Act. April likes to spend her time with her friends and always going out and having time.