This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Privacy Overview
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
3rd Party Cookies
This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.
Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!
Director's Statement
"Spirited Away is not a satirical or cynical film", explains Hayao Miyazaki. "I know five little girls who are about 10 years old. I see them when I'm in my chalet in the mountains. One day I began to wonder what they dreamed of and hoped for. Then I began to read shojo mangas. The extremely romantic tone somewhat disgusted me. So I looked for something else that would really capture their interest. Except for a few rare and excellent authors like Osamu Tezuka, I quickly realised that nobody, not even me, was taking into account the problems and concerns of these little girls. Meanwhile, there was a wealth of publications for boys of the same age pertinent to their needs. So I set myself the challenge of writing something that would appeal to little girls. Something they could think about regarding their future and their relationship with society. In a world where they're overprotected, where they can't play unless they're signed up in a club with rigid and inflexible hours, children are wasting away. Chihiro suffers from the same thing. The rage on her face is typical of children who don't get enough time to play. Once faced with a crisis, the fighter in Chihiro emerges. Her abilities to adapt and use her judgement come to the fore. I didn't want her to be a perfect little cute heroine. Her charm comes from her heart and the depth of her soul."