Spirited Away

[StandAlone2323]

really, anything made by Hayao Miyazaki is great, but Spirited Away is really my favorite anime movie. if you havent seen it, its a must. its about a girl who gets "trapped" in this spirit world and has to turn her parent back into humans from the pig forms they were given.
5/5

 

[yukio_michael]

I'm probably alone in this, but I'm really not a fan of his work... I think the anime shows great depth and imagination, but I find it a bit disney-esuqe for my tastes... I find it's quite suitable for children, though I'm in no way insulting your tastes here... "whimsy" is just not my cup of tea.

I'm more fond of movies like Perfect Blue, the story of a Japanese Pop singer who quits her singing career for an acting career and finds herself doing more and more AV-like work in her films, such as the simulation of rape, etcetera...

She's consistantly stalked, and becomes her own murderous double.

I'd also recomend the Patlabor movie, and, for the visuals, the Apple Seed movie... Spirited Away just didn't do it for me.

There are some others which escape my memory at the moment, but unfortunately, the American audiences can't seem to take Japanese animation seriously... though they seem to go gaga for things like "The Incredibles..."

ps. Steam Boy rots... (after Akira, you bring us this!?)

 

[bakaKanadajin]

I've also seen it and yes it was great, I really enjoyed it and when I went to the Ghibli museum in Kichijoji it was cool to see all the Miyazaki exhibits and displays from the movie.

 

[Juno333]

I'm probably alone in this, but I'm really not a fan of his work... I think the anime shows great depth and imagination, but I find it a bit disney-esuqe for my tastes... I find it's quite suitable for children, though I'm in no way insulting your tastes here... "whimsy" is just not my cup of tea.
I'm more fond of movies like Perfect Blue, the story of a Japanese Pop singer who quits her singing career for an acting career and finds herself doing more and more AV-like work in her films, such as the simulation of rape, etcetera...
She's consistantly stalked, and becomes her own murderous double.
I'd also recomend the Patlabor movie, and, for the visuals, the Apple Seed movie... Spirited Away just didn't do it for me.
There are some others which escape my memory at the moment, but unfortunately, the American audiences can't seem to take Japanese animation seriously... though they seem to go gaga for things like "The Incredibles..."
ps. Steam Boy rots... (after Akira, you bring us this!?)

I've seen it too, quite liked it too, I mean it wasn't worldly shocking brilliant or something, but it was quite nostalgic. In the Netherlands we have a comicseries/ movies after the books of a famous dutch writer, Marten Toonder. It's about a rich bear, Olivier B. Bommel, and a cat, Tom Poes. Very philosophic and all. Quite enjoyed it. However, this series has the same kind of mood about it. Really, if you liked Spirited Away, try finding this on the internet. It's bloody brilliant.
SA resembles "Alfred Jodocus Kwak" (Kwak no Daibouken, Ahiru no Kuwakku? anyone?) too, but I hated that series, yessssss dear people: Dutch animation (partly japanese though)!

And please Yukio, don't compare Spirited Away with The Incredibles, you're being really harsh now! I mean, when I see anything of the Incredibles, i close my eyes, that's how bad it is! And come'on Spirited Away isn't that bad, really, perhaps not quite your style, but it's ok, right?☝

 

[yukio_michael]

And please Yukio, don't compare Spirited Away with The Incredibles, you're being really harsh now! I mean, when I see anything of the Incredibles, i close my eyes, that's how bad it is! And come'on Spirited Away isn't that bad, really, perhaps not quite your style, but it's ok, right?

Oh I wasn't comparing the two... Just saying that American audiences seem to prefer simpler animated features, and I don't know why they seem not to enjoy movies like Princes Mononoke, etcetera, when they are released here.

Japanese animation doesn't have a very good track record at the box office in America, but movies like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, etc etc seem to... I think it's due to the fact that many Americans see animated features as children's entertainment, and even if they were to admit that there was complexity in a Japanese feature, there is still a sort of stigma for adults going to watch animated films.

Disney & Pixar put out quite a lot of animated features, but I'd imagine their box-office sales are dictated by parents taking their children, and eventually, parents buying the dvd for their children.

 

[Juno333]

Oh I wasn't comparing the two... Just saying that American audiences seem to prefer simpler animated features, and I don't know why they seem not to enjoy movies like Princes Mononoke, etcetera, when they are released here.

Japanese animation doesn't have a very good track record at the box office in America, but movies like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, etc etc seem to... I think it's due to the fact that many Americans see animated features as children's entertainment, and even if they were to admit that there was complexity in a Japanese feature, there is still a sort of stigma for adults going to watch animated films.

Disney & Pixar put out quite a lot of animated features, but I'd imagine their box-office sales are dictated by parents taking their children, and eventually, parents buying the dvd for their children.

yokata desu! well in that case i have of course no choice but to forgive you. Well, and when it comes to the American attitude towards anime, i completely agree with you. To be honest, Dutch have the same attitude, which makes it sometimes very difficult to say that you like watching anime or read manga. People react always with the attitude: Isn't that childish?" such a pity. when i try to explain what's so fun about they just don't get it...pu, it's no fun at all...

 

[justin]

I really enjoyed Spirited Away. Not only was it a feast for the eye, but the story was great.

I wish more people understood that anime isn't childish. Heck, my brother and sister got a kick out of the Street Fighter anime and my Mother and Step-Father really enjoyed Princess Mononoki.

 

[Mycernius]

Whenever someone says to me that they find the idea of anime "childish" I will point them in the direction of Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday or Perfect Blue as examples. Watch them and tell me animation is just for children. Seems to be a general western idea that animation equals child and to watch them is a guilty pleasure that you don't really talk about. Fortunately with anime becoming more popular the attiitude is slowly changing.

 

[Alma]

Whenever someone says to me that they find the idea of anime "childish" I will point them in the direction of Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday or Perfect Blue as examples...

I believe yukio_michael was referring to ''spirited away'' as childish. at least I hope so.

anyway, I found ''spirited away'' way too long. could have survived without at least 20 minutes. In other ways, it is typical Ghibli's movie... with young girl as leading hero. not bad, but wouldn't watch it again.

 

[Flashjeff]

Whenever someone says to me that they find the idea of anime "childish" I will point them in the direction of Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday or Perfect Blue as examples. Watch them and tell me animation is just for children. Seems to be a general western idea that animation equals child and to watch them is a guilty pleasure that you don't really talk about. Fortunately with anime becoming more popular the attiitude is slowly changing.

I would agree that it's all about a long established mindset as unenlightened people here in the States regard anything that's animated as being for kids only, given the influence of Disney, Looney Tunes (not that there's anything wrong with Bugs Bunny and company, I still watch it) and so forth. If people were to watch the likes of Grave of the Fireflies and Pefect Blue, those opinions would change in an instant. As for Spirited Away, I just watched it last night and it remains very much a delight and a treat for me.