Spirited Away

In Spirited Away, there is blatant disregard on the part of humans for the environment and the spiritual. In the Japanese Shinto religion, nature and spirituality are very much intertwined; thus, when a person disregards one, they also disregard the other. Modern humanity’s lack of concern and care for the natural world, which provides everything for them, is one of the reasons the spirits have closed themselves off in a place apart from humans inside the amusement park and across the river. Chihiro’s youth and natural instincts become an important strength as she navigates this new world in an attempt to free herself and her parents from it.

Chihiro’s parents show a lack of concern for nature in their words and actions. Chihiro’s mother says things like, “Some people believe tiny spirits live there” (19) when Chihiro points out a pile of discarded Hokora (Shinto shrines) on the side of the road. Hokora shrines are usually placed very neatly and intentionally; depicting them as being discarded like trash symbolizes peoples’ disconnection from this natural and spiritual world. Chihiro’s father bursts through the trees at full speed, believing himself to be invincible to whatever nature might throw at him.