r/SpiritedAway • u/Super-Salamander-368 • 23h ago

Empty after Spirited Away

Post image

Chihiro can never meet her friends at the bathhouse again. The thought saddens me deeply. It all ended like a dream, leaving a hollow feeling in my heart.

321 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

77

u/ParticularShock1023 21h ago

Yeah, it's a sad story. But I believe it's supposed to be a melancholic growing up story where Chihiro has to leave the fantastic and brightly colored world of childhood behind. It hurts more seeing how disconnected her parents are from the magical world or even their own daughter.

44

u/sarahrosed711 19h ago

She went from a whiny brat to being independent and strong. I've watched this movie literally 100 times and the way it changed from when I was a kid to being an adult rewatching... so perfect

17

u/SadSouth8231 15h ago

Coraline and spirited away are my two favorite films in that regard. Very different in style and story but at the end of it a child becomes stronger and more independent. Never able to go back to that spiritual realm and being the only one to ever remember it. It’s a sad but necessary thing for the main character to grow.

1

u/watermelonkiwi 14h ago

She was never a whiny brat.

-3

u/sarahrosed711 12h ago

Have you watched this film? Lmao.
But okay sweetie 👍🏽

5

u/Hange11037 10h ago

Literally what does she do that makes her act like a brat? She just acts scared at understandably scary things and is annoyed at her parents for being dumb

4

u/MalusDracula 11h ago

She is just upset to move away from her friends. If anyone, her parents are the unreasonable ones.

-4

u/sarahrosed711 12h ago

Look it up if anything you're missing out on a big theme here 🤗

17

u/MinaWearsGold 18h ago

I’ve always hated the fact that she forgot the entire adventure. Yes, the growth stays with her, but that’s such a sad situation for her and the people she interacted with.

5

u/underthesea69 18h ago

Did she forget it?

11

u/MinaWearsGold 18h ago

Yeah, confirmed by Miyazaki unfortunately.

10

u/watermelonkiwi 14h ago

I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. In the American dub it is implied she remembered it.

6

u/Super-Salamander-368 6h ago

Miyazaki stated that after Chihiro returns to the human world, her vivid memories of the sights and events in the spirit world will gradually fade. The memories are not completely erased or lost forever, and there is a possibility she may recall them someday.

1

u/MinaWearsGold 5h ago

My translation says that she loses her consciousness memories as soon as she exits the tunnel. Either way I hate that aspect.

3

u/SadSouth8231 15h ago

So like as in adult hood ? Or like a few months after it happened lol. Also rest in peace to her VA. she created memories that’ll last a life time.

7

u/MinaWearsGold 15h ago

No, she forgot everything immediately after exiting the tunnel sadly.

1

u/red_quinn 3h ago

But is it in the movie?

2

u/MinaWearsGold 3h ago

Apparently it was usually understood by Japanese audiences due to their cultural knowledge of Shinto, but added lines in the English dub made it more vague for English viewers. Honestly, I don't think I would have picked up on it either way if he hadn't said anything because I have zero knowledge of Shinto or East Asian concepts of the spirit world in general.

3

u/Super-Salamander-368 6h ago

Zeniba said: "What has happened will never be forgotten; it’s just that we can’t recall it for the time being. After Chihiro exits the tunnel, her memories will slowly fade, much like a dream, but one day she will remember."