Review of Spirited Away (2001) by Jamies — 03 Oct 2005

I saw the first fifteen minutes of this movie in Chinese and was totally spellbound. I then refused to watch the rest until I could find it in English - it took me one year. It's the best animated film I have ever seen, better than Fantasia 1 and 2 or Allegro non Troppo.

The music is haunting and evocative. The graphics are colorful and beautiful and fascinating. (Wait until you see the transformations of people into animals and vice-versa, then you'll see how an animation can be fascinating).

The story and characters are imaginative and sympathetic. The whole thing is incredibly imaginative and well done, for example Spider Grandfather was brilliant and the witch when her fingers started to creep up the side of Chiharo's body like a spider crawling slowly up a piece of meat .

.. creepy, spooky, chilling, and wow what a way to set a mood , intimate motivaton, and generate tension ... see this and understand why japanimation is the best in the world. "Spirited Away" was how I felt too while I was watching it.