In anime’s history, there have been several feature-length films that have withstood the test of time and are still considered anime royalty to this day. One of the biggest examples arrived in theaters twenty-five years ago on this very day, changing the world forever and helping to elevate the medium into the powerhouse it is today. Studio Ghibli has spent decades weaving stories that tug on the heartstrings of viewers while also presenting magical worlds that cannot be seen in any other animated story. Celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary, now is the perfect time to revisit Spirited Away and see how Hayao Miyazaki’s story has helped shape anime.
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Spirited Away first hit theaters in Japan on July 21st, 2001, but ironically enough, it didn’t hit the United States at the same time. It took over a year for the Studio Ghibli production to arrive in the West, receiving a brief theatrical release on September 20th, 2002, before expanding its run. Times have changed by leaps and bounds since then, as countless anime movies that hit Japan arrive in North America on either the same date or slightly following their initial release. Spirited Away would then go on to win at the 75th Academy Awards, taking home the Oscar for “Best Animated Feature” in 2003. The Hayao Miyazaki film is often referred to as one of Ghibli’s best, and while this is up for debate, the influence that the movie had on the anime industry might just be the biggest.
The Impact of Chihiro
Spirited Away wasn’t just the first anime movie to win an Academy Award; it became Ghibli’s biggest financial hit, which is no small feat considering the sheer amount of anime films that the production house has created. As of the writing of this article, the reported box office tally for the film is over $396 million USD, which will only continue to increase as Spirited Away continues to find its way into theaters. Ironically enough, this October will bring back the critically acclaimed film to Western theaters as this year’s “Studio Ghibli Fest” continues to bring the classic anime library to the silver screen.
As for why the story resonates so well, Chihiro’s journey to transform her parents back from pigs drops her into a living, breathing magical world that feels so alive that it jumps off the screen. Even to this day, fans marvel at the intricacies of the animation used in the Academy Award winner, and it is routinely thought of as one of Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpieces to this day. Luckily, if you want to revisit this anime film, Spirited Away is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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