Final Essay: Spirited Away: A Color Reality

James Caceres

ENG 102

12/11/13

                                                           

                                                   Spirited Away:  A Colorful Reality

           

Does Spirited Away target and portray important symbolism and themes that are like our real world?  Spirited Away is an animation written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, it is a popular Japanese animation which captivates viewers through its intricate uses of imagination and symbolism.  Many of the characters in Spirited Away contain a form of symbolism which overall meaning correlates with reality.  Some of Spirited Away’s most illustrated symbols consist of the portrayal of good vs. evil and greed.   This essay seeks to actively describe these varied uses of symbolism within the film.

Greed is a major focal point in Spirited Away.  In the bathhouse all the workers including the witch Yubaba, the owner/manager of the bathhouse, illustrate this greed.  Yubaba, who is most often seen wearing various precious jewelry, is constantly is eager for more and more gold.  Yubaba’s greed is also greatly shown when she is first visited by Chihiro where Yubaba’s office contains more floor space and treasured jewelry then she would actually ever need.  This is especially depicted in multiple scenes where Yubaba is examining numerous prized gems.  Yubaba additionally allows this greed to overcome her emotion and compassion for people as she clearly places her need for gold over her very own workers and even at times her family.  A great example of this is shown when Haku tells Yubaba that something precious to her is missing without her knowing.  Yababa at this moment takes a look at her gold first before noticing it was her baby missing the whole time, illustrating how eager for gold she truly is. 

The workers of the bathhouse are additionally extremely greedy.  Most of the workers are exceedingly eager for gold to the extent that they literally bow down and praise the character No-Face, who is able to create gold out of thin air.  The workers in multiple scenes scatter ferociously attempting to pick up gold when gold is dropped on the floor by river spirit and No-face.  These acts of vicious eagerness for gold by the workers and Yubaba expose the true nature of greed which takes place in the bathhouse.   

Another major symbol that is portrayed throughout Spirited Away is the battle between good and even within many characters.  No-Face makes a great example to this due his constant cognitive ability to match his surroundings.  No-Face is very kind towards Chihiro who was very kind to No-Face when she invited him into the bathhouse, and even aided her in gaining bath tokens which helped purify the water spirit.  Yet when No-Face is surrounded by the greed of those from the bathhouse, he quickly imitates this greed.  No-Face soon consumes one of the workers acquiring that workers greedy additional traits and voice.  However since No-Face is able to create gold out of thin air he quickly gains the attention of the workers who want his gold.  While having their attention No-Face becomes much overcome by their greed consuming more food than ever necessary.  Though when the appearance of kind hearted Chihiro comes to see No-Face, he is very kind to her and offers her a stack of gold.  Chihiro denial of this gold upsets the greed within No-Face, resulting in an internal rage of No-Face’s greed.  This causes him to literally spit out the greed within him where he soon becomes a gentle soul seeking kind attention.  

The importance of these symbols and themes is how relatable it is to the real world.  Very often daily in people’s lives they are subjected to greed and their personal battle between good and evil.  It would not be uncommon in this day of age to see people barbarically fight and argue over money let alone gold. Additionally it is not uncommon to see a person who follows the good or bad within his/her surroundings.  The value in animation of Spirited Away is its ability to allow viewers to see from a different perspective outside their own world, yet the correlations to their own no matter how exotic the difference in appearance. 

Spirited Away greatly portrays themes and symbols that are easily relatable and identifiable to the real world.  These symbols consist of good vs. evil and greed throughout the animation.  Hayao Miyazaki uses the characters Yababa, No-Face, and the bathhouse workers to illustrate these important themes and symbols.  This precise of greed and good vs. evil makes the animation Spirited Away a great piece worth watching.