I like that many of Miyazaki's movies have environmental themes. It's powerful when Chihiro sees that the stink spirit turns out to be a river spirit severely hurt by pollution. In a behind-the-scenes video I saw, Miyazaki said that the river/stink spirit was based on his own experiences cleaning a river when he was younger. He was part of a team that pulled tons of trash (including a bicycle) from the river.
It's a pretty good visual metaphor for the Shinto concept of Misogi, or purification. In Shinto, the idea is that people accumulate spiritual impurities in various ways that bog you down and can make you miserable and unhealthy, and one needs to regularly purify oneself to stay healthy and happy. And much like how the River Spirit just got polluted by the junk in his river but not really through any fault of his own, it's similar to how humans would accumulate impurities: it's not because of sin or bad deeds or whatever, it just kinda happens naturally and has to be dealt with.
I still love the ending line between Chihiro and her dad. In the Japanese cut, there is no final dialogue between them, but i love when the dad asks her if she'll be okay and responds, "I think I can handle it." Makes me smile every time. She went through so much for a little girl and came out stronger than ever, and she carries her friends with her in memory and her hair tie. Beautiful ending.
I never understood this movie, but I love the soundtrack, especially one summer’s day/inochi no namae, one of the most beautiful piano pieces ever made, and the song is amazing too.
At 9:50, the reason why Haku is mad/flabbergasted is because in Japanese mythology that bridge is only meant for the spirits, no humans are allowed to cross it, so seing a human on it was a whole "WHO TF DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?" followed by "oh gods, if other spirits see her she'll be eaten alive as punishment! RUN RUN RUN" moment.
I don't think it's ever explicitly explained, but I think the deal with No Face is that he is kinda a blank slate who just sort of projects the vibes that he's around. So when he's in the Bathhouse surrounded by opulence and greed and such he becomes a huge gluttonous monster, but when he's in Zenibas quaint little cottage surrounded by nature and simplicity he's docile and calm.
Studio Ghibli movies are just a different level of astounding, and this film is one of their best. For a while, it was the only non-western animated film to win a best animated feature Oscar and Miyazaki definitely earned it.
the roasted newt is a reference to traditional Chinese medicine, where newts are sometimes used as a medicinal ingredient, often believed to have restorative or energizing properties
I think it's kinda cool how we get a glimpse of Haku's dragon form and then the polluted river spirit's final form is the same type of dragon, kinda like they're hinting to us that Haku is a river spirit along with the flashback scenes of her in the water
The sludge monster that eventually turned into a dragon was a River Spirit that, in the mortal world, had his river clogged full garbage, thus his form in the spirit world reflected this state Also it's hilarious that you call the paper things chasing Haku around demonic because they're actually the complete opposite, they're called Shikigami and they're basically little servant spirits to shamanic people called Onmyōji
If I remember correctly, he said that he got the inspiration for this movie for when he was taking his daughter and her friend's somewhere and they stopped for a few minutes and they ran through one of those abandoned hallways just like this family did and he wondered what would happen to them if they came back and he was gone
In the very beginning, what Boom said about KitKats is so interesting bc when I went to Japan several places gave us free KitKats! Like as soon as they saw me and my friends, obviously foreigners, no matter what kind of restaurant it was, they came by our table and left us some. Also idk what y’all are doing with your hair but all three of you have been looking GOOD these last few videos, boys.
It probably sounds like kitto, katsu! Because I remember that in anime they often talk about eating katsu before competition or something because katsu sounds like winning(?) and kitto means something like "will definitely".
@@skye387absolutely this is the case. There are special campaigns for KitKat here around entrance exam time and commercials of students studying for high school and entrance exams eating KitKats and passing their exams
If you are able to, do all of them at some point lol. Howls Moving Castle is my favorite and developed my love for Ghibli outside of Toonami Miyazaki nights as a kid.
spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen howl's castle yet . . you ever realize that movie has a causal loop? howls ring briefly glows when he first meets Sophie, even his first line hints at it
I'm a basic b**ch when it comes to Studio Ghibli. Howls Moving Castle, Nausicaa, Princess Mononoke, and Porco Rosso are my favorites. Nausicaa is older but still breathtaking and other worldlly in both story and animation. Made in 84' it's post-apocalyptic and about a spunky princess trying to save her people from evil toxic jungles and political violence. Poco Rosso is totally underrated (also about a man cursed as a pig) but lives his life out as a suave and charismatic fighter pilot during war time (gives off a world War 2 vibe) I feel like Princess Mononoke and Howls Moving Castle are so popular they don't need explanation ❤ There are so many movies to choose from but I humbly suggest any of these as a decent starting place.😊
You forgot to mention the works of the other master in Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata. 🙂 There are quite a few masterpieces by him. His works are more on the realistic, sometimes slice-of-life side. e.g. Only Yesterday, My Neighbours: The Yamadas. The more well-known are Princess Kaguya and The Grave of the Fireflies. The latter is a must-see, if only once. Most people can't stomach a second time. Not because it's bad; it's a great film. But it's as hard-hitting as they come.
@bastiangugu4083 Grave of the Fireflies was actually the first one I had ever seen. I came across it and thought it would be this bittersweet wartime movie seen through the eyes of two sweet siblings. I wasn't wrong, and I was utterly traumatized, and like you said, I only watched it once. Don't get me wrong, it is one of the most moving pieces of cinema out there, but I don't think my soul can take a second viewing.
@@FloppsyMoppsy79 You're absolutely right. I watched it twice because I wanted to show it to someone. It was much harder the second time. Now I can't even summarise it to someone without getting choked up.
BRO I WAS JUST REWATCHING KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE YESTERDAY, and now I’m seeing a reaction to the highest regarded Ghibli movie (Pls do Kiki, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, Mononoke, or Boy and the Heron next)
Don't forget Grave of the fireflies, Nausicaä of the Valley of the wind, castle in the sky, and My neighbor Totoro. I'm honestly curious to see how long into grave of the fireflies they get into, before one of them starts to tear up.
Yea it wasn’t supposed to go out at this time. It was originally set for a few weeks ago but we got a strike and have been waiting for that to get dropped. RUclips has this dumb issue where if a video was scheduled before it was striked when the strike is released the video just gets changed to public instantly. It’s super frustrating 😭
I just looked it up, Haku voice actor Jason Marsden has A LOT of side character rolls. Hundreds of voices, you have heard him in many cartoons over the years. He was also MAX in a Goofy Movie and seemingly all other appearances of Max, and more recently, a lot of voices in SKYRIM. COURIER FROM SKYRIM. "I've been looking for you. Got something I'm supposed to deliver - your hands only." Several other side characters from Skyrim too. It was absolutely the Skyrim courier voice that was familiar to me.
The English Translation does lose a few details here and there. Yubaba isn't neccesarily evil, she just is. She has her job and is allowed to rule the bathhouse on the stipulation that she has to give everyone a job who comes to ask. However, she can try and refuse twice. In the end, the same rules bind her to force Chihiro to the test because it's not just her contract but also the punishment for her parents that they are dealing with.
@@Viatorai Apparently the reason the entrance looks so different between the beginning and the end is because the entrance to the Spirit World is now closed. It’s open at the beginning, trying to make itself look nicer to draw people in, but then it’s closed at the end, so it looks how it looks in the normal world. So yeah, they were only in there for a few days to a week or so.
16:51 Fun fact, the Boiler Man, Kamaji, was voiced by David Ogden Stiers (RIP) who was also the voice of Jumba Jookiba in Lilo and Stitch. Chihiro is voiced by Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo. Oh, and Lin was voiced by Susan Egan, the voice of Meg in Hercules and Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond in Steven Universe. There's also another side character, the one who refused to give Chihiro the bathwater tokens, who shares a voice actor with Squidward.
So many great and amazing themes throughout the movie. As for the bath the real appeal of them didn't come until age. As I got older with aches and pains a hot bath was this temporary relief that felt amazing. And just something to look forward to. Also I don't read books but listen to music or some times put laptop on a chair to watch something in background.
On the Kit-Kat topic: it's so similar that it's now an incredibly popular, nearly traditional gift to give to kids and teens before a big test or exam, a bag of Kit-Kats. A bag full of luck for them. They even have tons of custom flavors that you can pretty much only get in Japan; it's crazy but awesome. And anyone can set up _Hokora_ in their garden, to invite helpful little spirits around your home (that's what the tiny shrine-spirit houses are called).
My bf has the same hat, Gengar is his fave too. We work in a factory and it can get cold sometimes so during the winter he will actually wear the hat in.
This is my all time favorite Ghibli movie so I'm so glad you got to experience it. I even went to the Ghibli park in Japan and it was amazing how detailed the parks were. Can't wait for you to try out the other movies! I would recommended Howl's Moving Castle or Princess Mononoke next.
I adored this movie as a kid, it was so different from anything I'd ever seen. It felt like how my dreams felt; sometimes scary and bizarre and frustrating, but also wondrous. Things just are. And the ending makes it all feel like an old fairytale; the adventure is over, it's time to return to the real world, maybe with a lesson or two learned. The film still holds up so incredibly well, it will always be one of my favourites
@6:00 You need to go to a real, natural hot spring. That's what the bathhouse is in spirited away is based on, it's just built on top of it and uses the water from the spring. I suggest going to Montana or Wyoming, they got a ton out there
this movie was the fav movie of my late grandma she used to love watching this with me and my sister when we were younger thanks for reacting to this movie it brings back so many memoriesss
If you ever plan on watching more Ghibli here are a few movies I think you'd enjoy 👀 Porco Rosso Laputa: Castle In The Sky Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Princess Mononoke Howl's Moving Castle Grave of The Fireflies Also just as like a general anime movie rec; Perfect Blue. It's an amazing psychological thriller. One of my favorite movies.
Fun fact: Kamaji (the boiler man) is voiced by David Ogden Stires, who is also the voice of Cogsworth in Beauty & The Beast and Jumba in Lilo & Stitch. Also Lin is voiced by Susan Egan, who voiced Meg in Hercules and Rose Quartz in Steven Universe. Edit: Jason Marsden (Haku) and Suzanne Pleshette (Yubaba) have worked together before as the voices of Kovu & Zira (respectively) in Lion King 2, Simba’s Pride.
I love the Eastern mythology/religion/worldview which views environment/nature so magnificent and the importance of taking care of it. ❤ I've seen many reactions of the film and often times many of them seem confused about it. As an example the cleaning of the River Spirit seems to go flying over people's heads 😂
Oh my goodness... Honestly Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away is without a doubt the best anime film including a bundle of everything inside the story. It carries much of everything inside the film like fantasy, drama, adventure, coming-of-age story-telling. To add on the animation is absolutely phenomenal, let alone with memorable character interactions, dialogue, and how freshly organic it is. Even with the last lines towards the ending between Chihiro's dad and herself, "It is a bit scary." "I think I can handle it." The whole adventure for Chihiro we as the audience spotted, for the main character herself having gone through so much growth, and hardships in process saving her family. Towards the ending of the film, the last couple lines makes the mind feel enlightening every time because she finally created so much growth having gotten over her previous mindset.
Studio Ghibli makes nothing BUT bangers: Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke. But the next one to watch, at least after Spirited Away, is Howl's Moving Castle.
so just looked it up and Haku's voice actor is Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus, after this being my first anime as a child and watching it multiple times since then im shook i never realized
My theory is 1:1 time or very litle time. The diffrence in the forest is because orginally the spirit world is starting to take over and we see the spirit representation. In the end we see the human world equivelent.
I got to see Spirited Away in theaters back when the English dub first premiered with my dad and brothers. It was a lot harder to find these movies showing in a theater back then. It was worth the 4 hour trip. I recommend Laputa (Castle in the Sky), Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke.
tototoro, kiki's delivery service, prince monokoe, whispers of the heart and howls moving castle are probably my top movies that he created or helped create. all of his works are amazing, they all have something that just connects with everyone in some way, even if its not everyone favorite or they just disliked it they can recall something that in it somewhere that just resonated with them in some fashion.
This movie has a special place in my heart it was like the very first anime I’ve ever seen imagine seeing this as a ten year old lol, this movie also has themes of greed and gluttony and chihiro is like the only person who isn’t greedy or gluttonous she’s just trying to work to get her family back
49:50 kinda interesting in the end, the Powerful Witch is bound by the "Rules" even she can't break 😅 She needs to give Chihiro a final test, even if she wants to pass her anyway
I super hope to see Ponyo on here eventually, Ponyo is a literal acid trip 😂 actually used to trip on LSD and watch Ponyo, which was fantastic, but watching it sober is still a neat experience
A Japanese bathhouse compared to just a nice bathtub is like comparing bologna to a top Spanish ham. And it is not about getting clean. You shower first. Then you go into the bath, it really about relaxation. In this movie they don't seem to have showers but maybe spirits have different customs.
Appart from Princess Mononoke(which is my first film on list of best personal Gibli movies list),Spirited Away is just unbelievably magical.Most of Gibli movies always seemed to me like this one absolutely gorgeous dream that u actually don't really forget and therefore think of how sweet it was all day.
I remember getting a VHS tape of this movie by my grandmother. I can't tell you how many times I watched it, amazed, entranced, before I even knew how to describe what I was feeling. I'm glad you felt the same way (and were hilarious throughout about it lol).
I can’t tell y’all how much wonder I experienced watching this for the first time. I also watched this in film class in high school actually which was really cool. Little fact: The VA for Chihiro in the English dub played Lilo from Lilo and Stitch which both this and lilo and stitch came out in America in 2002
Lots of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli movies you could react to, but I'd recommend Graveyard of The Fireflies, cause I'm too terrified to rewatch it on my own lol
The stink spirit is a river spirit that was filled of pollution in the human world 😢 No face going "crazy" is that he feeds off peoples greed. Hense why when sen really wanted the tokens, he gave it to her. And everyone wanted gold. But the moment you take it you get consumed. Sen had no affect to him becaushe she kept denying him from greed. ❤❤
Last year my family took a trip to Colorado and we drove through the town of Black Hawk on our way from Rocky Mountain Park back to our hotel hours away. We drove through Black Hawk at like 8pm on a weeknight and it was eerie to see businesses lit up and not a soul in sight. We saw no people or animals at all. You could see inside the casinos, machines and tvs all on and no one inside. I later thought of this movie to explain the feeling of 'if you stop in this town you'll never leave'. I'm sure it's a nice place but that night I was on such an edge until we left that place.
20:00 the thing about roasted newt in this movie (and other asian movies) can be 2 things: the obvious metaphor for food in Spirited Away is greed. The parents take food that doesn't belong to them and get turned into pigs. Lin gets easily bribed by the newt, and everyone wants it. The secondary point of interest is that charred newt in ancient japan was used as an aphrodisiac stimulant along with other herbs. So it might just be an uncommon item to get your hands on that makes people feel more charming, something I'm sure the spirits appreciate.
All Ghibli's films are good, but Spirited Away hits harder. Especially with that music, especially at the end, when he asks her not to turn around, and their hands let go of each other... forever.))) I always cry.) Such a pleasant melancholic sadness from it, with these sighs of a faceless god, from a train without return, from the landscapes that they pass by...
46:07 - It's a helping hand offering a guiding light :3 If you guys have time I would really recommend watching the behind the scenes of Spirited Away, it's really incredible the detail that went into making this movie
I love that you guys started watching Studio Ghibli movies. Personally, I love Howl's Moving Castle and The Cat Returns. Lin (voiced by Susan Egan in the English dub--aka the voice of Rose Quartz in Steven Universe and Meg in Disney's Hercules) is said to be a weasel spirit. That's why she was so easily bribed by roasted newt. I believe someone else mentioned about the newt being an ingredient in potions in another comment here. Names hold power--or for Yubaba, it binds you to her like a contract (similar to the Fae in Western mythology, which is why you don't just give them your name). Chihiro's name in Japanese translates to "a thousand fathoms". When Yubaba "edited" her name and changed it, she became Sen--"a thousand". Yubaba basically turned her into a numbered worker until Haku reminded her of her real name with the note from her friends. BTW, you guys have that video of playing Resident Evil?
My favorite is Howl's Moving Castle! I got to take my mom to see it when it re-released in theaters thinking she might not really enjoy it (she's not a huge fan of fantasy/magical stuff), but she actually really loved it!
Castle in the Sky is a classic that y’all should watch. It’s the first studio Ghibli movie (there are a few Miyazaki made before like Nausicaa, but Castle in the Sky marks the founding of the studio). I don’t see a lot of people recommending it, but it was one of my favorites as a kid. It’s funny that now, as a one piece fan, I can find a lot of parallels and I wouldn’t be surprised if Oda drew inspiration from it.
You’re guys commentary is exactly why I love not only this channel but you guys as well. I watched Spirited away a few years ago during my junior year of high school, and my thought process was the exact same as yours😂 From chihiro braving down the stairs case to her and haku nearly dying from getting impacted by water, the thought process and dark humor was there😂 I didn’t had a lot of people liking my dark humor and commentary about this film so seeing you guys having that same reaction was both refreshing and reassuring at the same time as it reminded me that I’m not alone in this 😂😊. I honestly can’t wait to see what else you guys will be watching in the future😊. Stay safe and Happy Holidays!😊 PS: if my writing seems to be all over the place or grammatically incorrect, then I would like to say that I am watching this video at 4 am in the morning so…. Blame the brain fog😂
Fun fact: the Susuwatari, or Soot Sprites, are some of the only characters to appear in more than one Ghibli film. The other one they're in is My Neighbor Totoro.
Don’t forget the cat Muta. He’s also a character who appears in more than one film: Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns. Two of my underrated favorites.
You guys should check out the cobbler and the thief. It was 100% hand-drawn by by the writer frame by frame and at one point there's like a 5-minute scene of thousands of heavily armored knights marching and he didn't repeat anything. He hand Drew every single second of it and he died before it was finished. But it's an interesting little story.
There are a lot of amazing ghibli movies but next to spirited away my favorites, that I would really recommend are: Arrietty, Ponyo, princess Mononoke and Howl’s moving castle
This movie will always have a special place in my heart it's such a timeless classic and the scene where Chihiro cries while eating the rice ball as well as the ending scene will always get me choked up ಥ_ಥ But I highly recommend watching Spirited Away: Live On Stage even if it doesn't end up as a reaction, I got to see it when the recording did a limited run in theaters and the way they translate the movie into a live performance was done so thoughtfully it left me in awe! It's definitely on my bucket list to see it live one day ^_^
Even just listening to one summer day in the beginning makes me want to cry. This movie is beautiful and so bittersweet. Whenever a piece of media ends like that I just think they’re so much stronger than me I don’t know I would be able to leave a fantasy world that easily. And my favorite movie even though I love this one, is Ponyo. If you guys can in the future yiu should watch it (all the other ghibli movies are amazing as well though )
The end credit song to this movie remains burned into my brain. It's something i would play almost as a lullaby when i was younger. Such a bittersweet end, but i truly believe Haku will find her again one day. Howl's Moving Castle remains my favorite film, but this is a close second.
I went full wild animal on a rotisserie chicken just last week, and I was indeed standing at my kitchen counter. Didn't even put the cold stuff away first.
I like that many of Miyazaki's movies have environmental themes. It's powerful when Chihiro sees that the stink spirit turns out to be a river spirit severely hurt by pollution. In a behind-the-scenes video I saw, Miyazaki said that the river/stink spirit was based on his own experiences cleaning a river when he was younger. He was part of a team that pulled tons of trash (including a bicycle) from the river.
Same with Princess Mononoke. They touch on impacting wildlife and de-forestation.
Environmental, anti-war, anti-capitalism, strong female characters and flying stuff. You've got to love Miyazaki
It's a pretty good visual metaphor for the Shinto concept of Misogi, or purification. In Shinto, the idea is that people accumulate spiritual impurities in various ways that bog you down and can make you miserable and unhealthy, and one needs to regularly purify oneself to stay healthy and happy. And much like how the River Spirit just got polluted by the junk in his river but not really through any fault of his own, it's similar to how humans would accumulate impurities: it's not because of sin or bad deeds or whatever, it just kinda happens naturally and has to be dealt with.
I still love the ending line between Chihiro and her dad. In the Japanese cut, there is no final dialogue between them, but i love when the dad asks her if she'll be okay and responds, "I think I can handle it." Makes me smile every time. She went through so much for a little girl and came out stronger than ever, and she carries her friends with her in memory and her hair tie. Beautiful ending.
I never understood this movie, but I love the soundtrack, especially one summer’s day/inochi no namae, one of the most beautiful piano pieces ever made, and the song is amazing too.
At 9:50, the reason why Haku is mad/flabbergasted is because in Japanese mythology that bridge is only meant for the spirits, no humans are allowed to cross it, so seing a human on it was a whole "WHO TF DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?" followed by "oh gods, if other spirits see her she'll be eaten alive as punishment! RUN RUN RUN" moment.
Thank you! I never noticed that. Like I knew of the individual pieces of info but never connected it to that scene.
Also if she is not across the river she will be stuck.
I don't think it's ever explicitly explained, but I think the deal with No Face is that he is kinda a blank slate who just sort of projects the vibes that he's around. So when he's in the Bathhouse surrounded by opulence and greed and such he becomes a huge gluttonous monster, but when he's in Zenibas quaint little cottage surrounded by nature and simplicity he's docile and calm.
No face feels like a social commentary on city life vs country life.
Studio Ghibli movies are just a different level of astounding, and this film is one of their best. For a while, it was the only non-western animated film to win a best animated feature Oscar and Miyazaki definitely earned it.
It’s Lilo’s voice from Lilo and Stitch doing the English version of Chihiro. Who also plays the little girl (Samara) from The Ring
Oooooo I never made that connection!!!
Is it also the guy from Hocus Pocus who turns into Binx the cat?
@ I think he does the voice of Binx
She was also the little sister in Donnie Darko
Damn, that's crazy because I love Lilo's voice, but in this movie, Chihiro's voice in the English dub is SO ANNOYING to me 😂
the roasted newt is a reference to traditional Chinese medicine, where newts are sometimes used as a medicinal ingredient, often believed to have restorative or energizing properties
I think it's kinda cool how we get a glimpse of Haku's dragon form and then the polluted river spirit's final form is the same type of dragon, kinda like they're hinting to us that Haku is a river spirit along with the flashback scenes of her in the water
The sludge monster that eventually turned into a dragon was a River Spirit that, in the mortal world, had his river clogged full garbage, thus his form in the spirit world reflected this state
Also it's hilarious that you call the paper things chasing Haku around demonic because they're actually the complete opposite, they're called Shikigami and they're basically little servant spirits to shamanic people called Onmyōji
A river spirit with pollution.
4:20 "Nah, bro, I'd be going HAM!" Ha ha, Oh how little he knew. Cue the gif of the Joker saying "Very poor choice of words".
If I remember correctly, he said that he got the inspiration for this movie for when he was taking his daughter and her friend's somewhere and they stopped for a few minutes and they ran through one of those abandoned hallways just like this family did and he wondered what would happen to them if they came back and he was gone
Miyazaki trolling
In the very beginning, what Boom said about KitKats is so interesting bc when I went to Japan several places gave us free KitKats! Like as soon as they saw me and my friends, obviously foreigners, no matter what kind of restaurant it was, they came by our table and left us some.
Also idk what y’all are doing with your hair but all three of you have been looking GOOD these last few videos, boys.
Ruff's hair looks relaxed. Looks good.
It probably sounds like kitto, katsu!
Because I remember that in anime they often talk about eating katsu before competition or something because katsu sounds like winning(?) and kitto means something like "will definitely".
@@skye387absolutely this is the case. There are special campaigns for KitKat here around entrance exam time and commercials of students studying for high school and entrance exams eating KitKats and passing their exams
It was the first anime movie to win an Oscar award. Spirited away 2003. Good movie it was
Almost! It was 2001. 2002 in the US
If you are able to, do all of them at some point lol. Howls Moving Castle is my favorite and developed my love for Ghibli outside of Toonami Miyazaki nights as a kid.
spoiler for anyone who hasn't seen howl's castle yet
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you ever realize that movie has a causal loop?
howls ring briefly glows when he first meets Sophie, even his first line hints at it
Toonami was what introduced me to Ghibli. Spirited Away was my first one.
This shaped the universe where my earliest dreams took place, especially nightmares.
I'm a basic b**ch when it comes to Studio Ghibli. Howls Moving Castle, Nausicaa, Princess Mononoke, and Porco Rosso are my favorites. Nausicaa is older but still breathtaking and other worldlly in both story and animation. Made in 84' it's post-apocalyptic and about a spunky princess trying to save her people from evil toxic jungles and political violence. Poco Rosso is totally underrated (also about a man cursed as a pig) but lives his life out as a suave and charismatic fighter pilot during war time (gives off a world War 2 vibe) I feel like Princess Mononoke and Howls Moving Castle are so popular they don't need explanation ❤ There are so many movies to choose from but I humbly suggest any of these as a decent starting place.😊
You forgot to mention the works of the other master in Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata. 🙂 There are quite a few masterpieces by him. His works are more on the realistic, sometimes slice-of-life side. e.g. Only Yesterday, My Neighbours: The Yamadas. The more well-known are Princess Kaguya and The Grave of the Fireflies.
The latter is a must-see, if only once. Most people can't stomach a second time. Not because it's bad; it's a great film. But it's as hard-hitting as they come.
@bastiangugu4083 Grave of the Fireflies was actually the first one I had ever seen. I came across it and thought it would be this bittersweet wartime movie seen through the eyes of two sweet siblings. I wasn't wrong, and I was utterly traumatized, and like you said, I only watched it once. Don't get me wrong, it is one of the most moving pieces of cinema out there, but I don't think my soul can take a second viewing.
@@FloppsyMoppsy79 You're absolutely right. I watched it twice because I wanted to show it to someone. It was much harder the second time. Now I can't even summarise it to someone without getting choked up.
I want them to watch ponyo
BRO I WAS JUST REWATCHING KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE YESTERDAY, and now I’m seeing a reaction to the highest regarded Ghibli movie (Pls do Kiki, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, Mononoke, or Boy and the Heron next)
Don't forget Grave of the fireflies, Nausicaä of the Valley of the wind, castle in the sky, and My neighbor Totoro.
I'm honestly curious to see how long into grave of the fireflies they get into, before one of them starts to tear up.
Hey... since we're listing titles let's add Whispers of the Heart and Pom Pokko. (I would strongly advise you see both in Japanese)
Where my fellow The Cat Returns fans at?
@@kittiesice I ❤ My Neighbor Totoro and Castle in the Sky so much!! 😊❤
Surprised at how early this was and this film but also glad, hopefully they'll do more studio Ghibli stuff.
Yea it wasn’t supposed to go out at this time. It was originally set for a few weeks ago but we got a strike and have been waiting for that to get dropped. RUclips has this dumb issue where if a video was scheduled before it was striked when the strike is released the video just gets changed to public instantly. It’s super frustrating 😭
@@sortastupid considering your normal release time is 2-3am for me i prefer the earlier time
Oh damn so if you had like 5 videos schedualed it could drop all at once instead of over time @sortastupid
@@sortastupidwait what? I’ve had so many strikes and blocks before but that’s news to me.
Blocks don’t have this issue, strikes specifically after you dispute if it was scheduled prior to the strike being issued this glitch h happens
I just looked it up, Haku voice actor Jason Marsden has A LOT of side character rolls. Hundreds of voices, you have heard him in many cartoons over the years. He was also MAX in a Goofy Movie and seemingly all other appearances of Max, and more recently, a lot of voices in SKYRIM.
COURIER FROM SKYRIM. "I've been looking for you. Got something I'm supposed to deliver - your hands only." Several other side characters from Skyrim too. It was absolutely the Skyrim courier voice that was familiar to me.
Jason Marsden is the BEST. He also voiced Kovu in Lion King 2
He was also Ritchie from static shock, Chester from fairly odd parents
Jason Marsden was THE voice of the 90s, dude was everywhere
The English Translation does lose a few details here and there. Yubaba isn't neccesarily evil, she just is. She has her job and is allowed to rule the bathhouse on the stipulation that she has to give everyone a job who comes to ask. However, she can try and refuse twice. In the end, the same rules bind her to force Chihiro to the test because it's not just her contract but also the punishment for her parents that they are dealing with.
Didn't see any comments for it, but supposedly it's been 9 days since they parked and came back to the car, hence the leaves and dust.
I thought it was more
Ain't no way with the stone erosion
@@Viatorai look it up. that's what it said when I checked.
@@Viatorai Apparently the reason the entrance looks so different between the beginning and the end is because the entrance to the Spirit World is now closed. It’s open at the beginning, trying to make itself look nicer to draw people in, but then it’s closed at the end, so it looks how it looks in the normal world. So yeah, they were only in there for a few days to a week or so.
16:51 Fun fact, the Boiler Man, Kamaji, was voiced by David Ogden Stiers (RIP) who was also the voice of Jumba Jookiba in Lilo and Stitch. Chihiro is voiced by Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo.
Oh, and Lin was voiced by Susan Egan, the voice of Meg in Hercules and Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond in Steven Universe.
There's also another side character, the one who refused to give Chihiro the bathwater tokens, who shares a voice actor with Squidward.
So many great and amazing themes throughout the movie. As for the bath the real appeal of them didn't come until age. As I got older with aches and pains a hot bath was this temporary relief that felt amazing. And just something to look forward to. Also I don't read books but listen to music or some times put laptop on a chair to watch something in background.
On the Kit-Kat topic: it's so similar that it's now an incredibly popular, nearly traditional gift to give to kids and teens before a big test or exam, a bag of Kit-Kats. A bag full of luck for them. They even have tons of custom flavors that you can pretty much only get in Japan; it's crazy but awesome. And anyone can set up _Hokora_ in their garden, to invite helpful little spirits around your home (that's what the tiny shrine-spirit houses are called).
“Flexing like he’s in faze clan” 😭 I’m lowkey jealous of the Gengar hat. That’s my favorite Pokemon
My bf has the same hat, Gengar is his fave too. We work in a factory and it can get cold sometimes so during the winter he will actually wear the hat in.
The whole Ghibli movies are for a long part "just vibin".
Lin is voiced by Susan Egan aka Meg in Hercules, Rose Quartz, and the original Belle in broadways Beaty and the Beast
To this day, my best friend and I make the "Huy huy huy" noises that the heads make. It's so silly and fun to do.
One of the first anime movies that really hooked me in.
Also, the VA that voices Lin also plays Rose Quartz in Steven Universe
She what!?
She was also mostly known for voicing Megara in Hercules.
This is my all time favorite Ghibli movie so I'm so glad you got to experience it. I even went to the Ghibli park in Japan and it was amazing how detailed the parks were. Can't wait for you to try out the other movies! I would recommended Howl's Moving Castle or Princess Mononoke next.
I adored this movie as a kid, it was so different from anything I'd ever seen. It felt like how my dreams felt; sometimes scary and bizarre and frustrating, but also wondrous. Things just are. And the ending makes it all feel like an old fairytale; the adventure is over, it's time to return to the real world, maybe with a lesson or two learned. The film still holds up so incredibly well, it will always be one of my favourites
I think this is my favorite Ghibli movie. Kiki is also pretty a chill movie, nice for a relaxing smoke sesh
@6:00 You need to go to a real, natural hot spring. That's what the bathhouse is in spirited away is based on, it's just built on top of it and uses the water from the spring. I suggest going to Montana or Wyoming, they got a ton out there
This week I've learned a cloak can turn you invisible, into a rock OR a crow
Harry Potter stuff right there
you already know I am here 48 seconds after upload when I see studio ghibli
'Oh god.' That was my first thought seeing this reaction XD
My art Teacher showed me this movie before she died and introduced me to Ghibli. May you rest in peace Mrs Loader 😢😢😢❤❤❤❤
this movie was the fav movie of my late grandma she used to love watching this with me and my sister when we were younger thanks for reacting to this movie it brings back so many memoriesss
If you ever plan on watching more Ghibli here are a few movies I think you'd enjoy 👀
Porco Rosso
Laputa: Castle In The Sky
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Princess Mononoke
Howl's Moving Castle
Grave of The Fireflies
Also just as like a general anime movie rec; Perfect Blue. It's an amazing psychological thriller. One of my favorite movies.
Yeah, plus "Paprika" and "Millennium Actress." For this time of the year, Tokyo Godfathers would be perfect.
Also , the cat returns
Fun fact: Kamaji (the boiler man) is voiced by David Ogden Stires, who is also the voice of Cogsworth in Beauty & The Beast and Jumba in Lilo & Stitch. Also Lin is voiced by Susan Egan, who voiced Meg in Hercules and Rose Quartz in Steven Universe.
Edit: Jason Marsden (Haku) and Suzanne Pleshette (Yubaba) have worked together before as the voices of Kovu & Zira (respectively) in Lion King 2, Simba’s Pride.
I believe the stink spirit turned old man dragon is an old river spirit that was cleaned of pollution.
They have to watch Princess Mononoke!
I love the Eastern mythology/religion/worldview which views environment/nature so magnificent and the importance of taking care of it. ❤ I've seen many reactions of the film and often times many of them seem confused about it. As an example the cleaning of the River Spirit seems to go flying over people's heads 😂
Bath culture in japan is craaazyy ya’ll should go to an onsen
more studio ghibli please.... especially ponyo . its a really cute movie
06:10 Damn straight! My perfect night is a hot bath with bubbles and a bath bomb, a few candles, an audiobook going, and maybe a glass of wine.
0:35 i didn’t know KitKat is called a luck snack, good to know.
Sounds like "You'll win"in Japanese
It's poki sticks
Oh my goodness...
Honestly Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away is without a doubt the best anime film including a bundle of everything inside the story. It carries much of everything inside the film like fantasy, drama, adventure, coming-of-age story-telling. To add on the animation is absolutely phenomenal, let alone with memorable character interactions, dialogue, and how freshly organic it is. Even with the last lines towards the ending between Chihiro's dad and herself, "It is a bit scary." "I think I can handle it." The whole adventure for Chihiro we as the audience spotted, for the main character herself having gone through so much growth, and hardships in process saving her family. Towards the ending of the film, the last couple lines makes the mind feel enlightening every time because she finally created so much growth having gotten over her previous mindset.
Studio Ghibli makes nothing BUT bangers: Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke.
But the next one to watch, at least after Spirited Away, is Howl's Moving Castle.
Nothing but bangers*
*Except Earwig and the Witch
so just looked it up and Haku's voice actor is Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus, after this being my first anime as a child and watching it multiple times since then im shook i never realized
This is one of the few movies where I'll watch the end credits every time. The music and visuals are _gorgeous._
My theory is 1:1 time or very litle time.
The diffrence in the forest is because orginally the spirit world is starting to take over and we see the spirit representation. In the end we see the human world equivelent.
I am so down for this please watch more of these movies they're all masterpieces!
I got to see Spirited Away in theaters back when the English dub first premiered with my dad and brothers. It was a lot harder to find these movies showing in a theater back then. It was worth the 4 hour trip. I recommend Laputa (Castle in the Sky), Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke.
tototoro, kiki's delivery service, prince monokoe, whispers of the heart and howls moving castle are probably my top movies that he created or helped create.
all of his works are amazing, they all have something that just connects with everyone in some way, even if its not everyone favorite or they just disliked it they can recall something that in it somewhere that just resonated with them in some fashion.
This movie has a special place in my heart it was like the very first anime I’ve ever seen imagine seeing this as a ten year old lol, this movie also has themes of greed and gluttony and chihiro is like the only person who isn’t greedy or gluttonous she’s just trying to work to get her family back
49:50 kinda interesting in the end, the Powerful Witch is bound by the "Rules" even she can't break 😅
She needs to give Chihiro a final test, even if she wants to pass her anyway
I super hope to see Ponyo on here eventually, Ponyo is a literal acid trip 😂 actually used to trip on LSD and watch Ponyo, which was fantastic, but watching it sober is still a neat experience
17:08 "dude i wish i head multiple arms"
best quote ever im dead
A Japanese bathhouse compared to just a nice bathtub is like comparing bologna to a top Spanish ham. And it is not about getting clean. You shower first. Then you go into the bath, it really about relaxation.
In this movie they don't seem to have showers but maybe spirits have different customs.
Appart from Princess Mononoke(which is my first film on list of best personal Gibli movies list),Spirited Away is just unbelievably magical.Most of Gibli movies always seemed to me like this one absolutely gorgeous dream that u actually don't really forget and therefore think of how sweet it was all day.
I highly recommend "Howl's Moving Castle", and "Whisper of the Heart"
I remember getting a VHS tape of this movie by my grandmother. I can't tell you how many times I watched it, amazed, entranced, before I even knew how to describe what I was feeling. I'm glad you felt the same way (and were hilarious throughout about it lol).
I can’t tell y’all how much wonder I experienced watching this for the first time. I also watched this in film class in high school actually which was really cool. Little fact: The VA for Chihiro in the English dub played Lilo from Lilo and Stitch which both this and lilo and stitch came out in America in 2002
Lots of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli movies you could react to, but I'd recommend Graveyard of The Fireflies, cause I'm too terrified to rewatch it on my own lol
I 2nd that 😂 owned it on dvd for years and after that first watch still haven’t rewatched it, you know why too 💀😭
The stink spirit is a river spirit that was filled of pollution in the human world 😢
No face going "crazy" is that he feeds off peoples greed. Hense why when sen really wanted the tokens, he gave it to her. And everyone wanted gold. But the moment you take it you get consumed. Sen had no affect to him becaushe she kept denying him from greed. ❤❤
Last year my family took a trip to Colorado and we drove through the town of Black Hawk on our way from Rocky Mountain Park back to our hotel hours away. We drove through Black Hawk at like 8pm on a weeknight and it was eerie to see businesses lit up and not a soul in sight. We saw no people or animals at all. You could see inside the casinos, machines and tvs all on and no one inside. I later thought of this movie to explain the feeling of 'if you stop in this town you'll never leave'. I'm sure it's a nice place but that night I was on such an edge until we left that place.
FWIW, I once dropped the book I was reading in the tub. It was a library book, too. Had to pay for that.
20:00 the thing about roasted newt in this movie (and other asian movies) can be 2 things: the obvious metaphor for food in Spirited Away is greed. The parents take food that doesn't belong to them and get turned into pigs. Lin gets easily bribed by the newt, and everyone wants it.
The secondary point of interest is that charred newt in ancient japan was used as an aphrodisiac stimulant along with other herbs. So it might just be an uncommon item to get your hands on that makes people feel more charming, something I'm sure the spirits appreciate.
Imagine wanting to just move in to your new house and suddenly your parents are pigs and ghosts and spirits exist and now your working as a intern
All Ghibli's films are good, but Spirited Away hits harder. Especially with that music, especially at the end, when he asks her not to turn around, and their hands let go of each other... forever.))) I always cry.) Such a pleasant melancholic sadness from it, with these sighs of a faceless god, from a train without return, from the landscapes that they pass by...
46:07 - It's a helping hand offering a guiding light :3
If you guys have time I would really recommend watching the behind the scenes of Spirited Away, it's really incredible the detail that went into making this movie
Damn now I wanna see them watch every ghibli movie
I love that you guys started watching Studio Ghibli movies. Personally, I love Howl's Moving Castle and The Cat Returns.
Lin (voiced by Susan Egan in the English dub--aka the voice of Rose Quartz in Steven Universe and Meg in Disney's Hercules) is said to be a weasel spirit. That's why she was so easily bribed by roasted newt. I believe someone else mentioned about the newt being an ingredient in potions in another comment here.
Names hold power--or for Yubaba, it binds you to her like a contract (similar to the Fae in Western mythology, which is why you don't just give them your name). Chihiro's name in Japanese translates to "a thousand fathoms". When Yubaba "edited" her name and changed it, she became Sen--"a thousand". Yubaba basically turned her into a numbered worker until Haku reminded her of her real name with the note from her friends.
BTW, you guys have that video of playing Resident Evil?
My favorite is Howl's Moving Castle! I got to take my mom to see it when it re-released in theaters thinking she might not really enjoy it (she's not a huge fan of fantasy/magical stuff), but she actually really loved it!
i would love to see more Ghibli reactions. Especially Castle in The Sky, and Kiki's Delivery Service
Studio Ghibli is GOATed. I would love more reactions to their movies.
Castle in the Sky is a classic that y’all should watch. It’s the first studio Ghibli movie (there are a few Miyazaki made before like Nausicaa, but Castle in the Sky marks the founding of the studio). I don’t see a lot of people recommending it, but it was one of my favorites as a kid. It’s funny that now, as a one piece fan, I can find a lot of parallels and I wouldn’t be surprised if Oda drew inspiration from it.
You’re guys commentary is exactly why I love not only this channel but you guys as well. I watched Spirited away a few years ago during my junior year of high school, and my thought process was the exact same as yours😂 From chihiro braving down the stairs case to her and haku nearly dying from getting impacted by water, the thought process and dark humor was there😂 I didn’t had a lot of people liking my dark humor and commentary about this film so seeing you guys having that same reaction was both refreshing and reassuring at the same time as it reminded me that I’m not alone in this 😂😊. I honestly can’t wait to see what else you guys will be watching in the future😊. Stay safe and Happy Holidays!😊
PS: if my writing seems to be all over the place or grammatically incorrect, then I would like to say that I am watching this video at 4 am in the morning so…. Blame the brain fog😂
Oh the nostalgia when the theme music started playing :)
Fun fact: the Susuwatari, or Soot Sprites, are some of the only characters to appear in more than one Ghibli film. The other one they're in is My Neighbor Totoro.
Don’t forget the cat Muta. He’s also a character who appears in more than one film: Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns. Two of my underrated favorites.
0:18 Never had pocky?
Me neither
I haven't but i definitely know what they look like
You guys should check out the cobbler and the thief. It was 100% hand-drawn by by the writer frame by frame and at one point there's like a 5-minute scene of thousands of heavily armored knights marching and he didn't repeat anything. He hand Drew every single second of it and he died before it was finished. But it's an interesting little story.
ahhh!! this was my first anime I've ever seen and fell in love with anime
There are a lot of amazing ghibli movies but next to spirited away my favorites, that I would really recommend are: Arrietty, Ponyo, princess Mononoke and Howl’s moving castle
A live show stage play for this movie exists too. The puppetry is incredible.
Kiki's Delivery Service is so relateable, wholesome and just a chill vibe. Same with My Neighbor Totoro.😊
I JUST realized/found out that Chihiro from Spirited Away, and Lilo from Lilo and Stitch have the same voice!
Pops is like, I paid Audi for ALL THE HORSEPOWER, BABY!!!
The common answer to the time question is 3 days/nights pass in both worlds. Loved your reactions!
This movie will always have a special place in my heart it's such a timeless classic and the scene where Chihiro cries while eating the rice ball as well as the ending scene will always get me choked up ಥ_ಥ But I highly recommend watching Spirited Away: Live On Stage even if it doesn't end up as a reaction, I got to see it when the recording did a limited run in theaters and the way they translate the movie into a live performance was done so thoughtfully it left me in awe! It's definitely on my bucket list to see it live one day ^_^
You definitely have to watch Lupin the 3rd and the Castle of Cagliostro, the animation of that movie is amazing.
Even just listening to one summer day in the beginning makes me want to cry. This movie is beautiful and so bittersweet.
Whenever a piece of media ends like that I just think they’re so much stronger than me I don’t know I would be able to leave a fantasy world that easily.
And my favorite movie even though I love this one, is Ponyo. If you guys can in the future yiu should watch it (all the other ghibli movies are amazing as well though )
41:39 “Oh, there’s the moneyshot, baby!”
The end credit song to this movie remains burned into my brain. It's something i would play almost as a lullaby when i was younger. Such a bittersweet end, but i truly believe Haku will find her again one day. Howl's Moving Castle remains my favorite film, but this is a close second.
46:13 that lamp is to pay homage to Pixar which Pixar then added Totoro to Toy Story
The voice of Haku is the same voice actor that played max in the goofy movies. And impulse from young justice
I went full wild animal on a rotisserie chicken just last week, and I was indeed standing at my kitchen counter. Didn't even put the cold stuff away first.
Such a good movie! I was a bit older than Chihiro myself when I went to see this movie in theaters when it first came out! So good.
12:38 why yes, that's because every single frame IS a painting. literally :)