Spirited Away: BEST MOVIE EVER!

[Remittance Man]

If I offend someone by saying this...well, gomen-ne. But still. I love this movie. I cry almost every time I watch it. I can't get enough, yet I still don't have it on DVD! Shimatta! Shimatta three times!

[lavielove]

ya,that's a real fantasy movie of all time. Another one is Howl's moving castle. Main character being too old and too yong (^_^)I dare say that studio gibili works are always variety in the story.

I don't feel like Spirited Away is the best movie because I like Princess Monanoke better.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/292/prinmono5rz.th.jpg

But for sure Spirited Away is one of the top-notch animes.

[Lumir]

Princess Mononoke still has my movie vote. Man i wish i owned that movie. If anyone has info on were i can get it please notify me.

[Remittance Man]

Oh, I've seen it at Barnes & Noble, actually. Just go to the DVD section of the shop and look under Foriegn Films. It'll be there...unless it's not, in which case you'll have to go back at a later time. I'm positively positive I've seen it there.

[AMS]

It is ONE of the best anime movies around.

[Chronissz]

I like Spirited Away best, but I still need to rewatch Nausicaa, I missed it playing on TCM last month. Havnt seen that one since I was a kid, but I still vaguely remember it. I have a feeling if I rewatched it, it would probably steal the #1 spot from Spirited Away.

The train scene in Spirited Away is simply beautiful, my fav. scene that captures me every time I watch it.

[Kupo!]

I own Spirited Away, but still haven't watched it. lol

[Remittance Man]

I like Spirited Away best, but I still need to rewatch Nausicaa, I missed it playing on TCM last month. Havnt seen that one since I was a kid, but I still vaguely remember it. I have a feeling if I rewatched it, it would probably steal the #1 spot from Spirited Away.

The train scene in Spirited Away is simply beautiful, my fav. scene that captures me every time I watch it.

Haiii! I LOVE the train scene. The music is the best I've ever heard in a movie...EVER. I was humming it on the way home from school yesterday...I was on a bus and I just felt like it was similar...only there wasn't a mouse and a bird asleep in my lap. Hehe...

[Chiibi]

It is indeed a wonderful movie, but I'd be lying if I said some parts didn't totally gross me out. ^^; Tossing that aside, it was spectacular. Even the dub was!

[npal]

Haiii! I LOVE the train scene. The music is the best I've ever heard in a movie...EVER. I was humming it on the way home from school yesterday...I was on a bus and I just felt like it was similar...only there wasn't a mouse and a bird asleep in my lap. Hehe...

Second that, the train scene is awesome. :D I prefer Spirited away to Mononoke, not that Mononoke is not a masterpiece, but Spirited away rules :cool:

[Tabris]

I wouldnt' say it's the best movie ever. But it is an amazing movie.

[Potatochobit]

it was a much better improvement over princess mononoke. that one was too wierd and too violent and gave me nightmares.

[scorpio516]

I like Spirited Away best, but I still need to rewatch Nausicaa

Nausicaa > all other ghibli movies!

I picked up Princess Mononoke again over the weekend at Best Buy for ~ US$11.00... Saw it in the theatre and used to have the DVD.

[triela]

I love all those movies. Spirited Away is one of my fav films of all time.

[AnimePlus]

Spirited Away is an extremely good movie and Miyazaki never, ever fails to deliver. But it's not as good as Princess Mononoke, I mean the feeling I got after watching Princess Monoke was fantastic. It was such a wonderful ride, the setting was just fantastic and flawless. It really hit my soft point for the 'fantastic'

[NoSanninWa]

I find it curious -- and a big win for Ghibli -- that while some people are insisting Sprited Away wasn't the best movie ever, all of the dissenters are claiming another Studio Ghibli movie deserves that title.

I'm almost tempted to add a poll to this thread: What is the best movie ever?
1. Sprited Away
2. Nausicaa
3. Mononoke-hime

Of course these results have already been seriously skewed because almost everyone who clicks on the thread is already a Ghibli fan or else they wouldn't be reading about Sprited Away. That's why I won't bother with such a biased poll.

[Sonhex]

Personally I think the best Ghibli movie is Whisper of the Heart, hands down.

Spirited Away is probably the most solid Ghibli movie in terms of animation. As for which is the best Miyazaki directed Ghibli movie, I used to opt for Laputa: Castle In The Sky. But now I own them all on dvd (including Howl's Moving Castle) and I've recently concluded I adore them all equally but for quite different reasons.

[Itachikun]

Princess Mononoke pwnz Spirited Away. Its still a good movie, although Final Fantasy Advent Children owns all. I think it can be classified in that area...
________
Dodge polara history (http://www.dodge-wiki.com/wiki/Dodge_Polara)

[Sonhex]

Princess Mononoke pwnz Spirited Away. Its still a good movie, although Final Fantasy Advent Children owns all. I think it can be classified in that area...

You are kidding right? I like FF:AC a lot, but seriously Miyazaki is on a whole different level to Nomura ....

[guest]

I watched Spirited Away a while ago on cartoonetwork and it was great! I really love it! How was the rating? Cartoonetwork is airing most of misaky's work now. I assume the rating must have been great?

[npal]

Well, in IMDB Spirited Away has 8.5/10 (34,388 votes) and Mononoke 8.3/10 (25,032 votes)

[Sorrow-K]

Princess Mononoke pwnz Spirited Away. Its still a good movie, although Final Fantasy Advent Children owns all.I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at this comment.Well, in IMDB Spirited Away has 8.5/10 (34,388 votes) and Mononoke 8.3/10 (25,032 votes)Personally I think Spirited Away is the better film, but neither hold a candle to Laputa: Castle in the Sky. That's my favourite Ghibli film.

[porchoky]

I have to go with castle in the sky too, since it was the first one I saw when I was a kid (didnt understand half of it though). But if I had to choose for a real reason, I way Nausicca (sp?) of the valley of the wind... I liked the ending better than the other ones.

[Menshi]

I think Spirited Away is one of the top movies but it doesn't really have the rewatchability factor.*whatever you'd like to call it* Princess Mononoke is my favorite because I can always watch it and be interested with so many good parts. With Spirited Away though t just isn't fun to rewatch because the type of movie it is no action, or great moments but an overall fun interesting story.

[raphaël]

I really love them both, but i have to admit that being able to watch one of the world premiere outside Japan of Spirited Away, with Miyazaki himself coming to answer some of our questions was one of the greatest time of my life as a spectator.
But about imdb, i think the only reason why Spirited Away has it over Mononoke would be chronological ( Mononoke, 1997, Spirited away, 2001, more famous, more promotion, etc...). Nothing more.
And some mention Nausicaä, but with all the respect due to Miyazaki ( and lord knows i respect him and his work), who confessed he was himself completely unsatisfied with this half-finished movie released to soon, i think it really doesn't stand the comparison with the original manga, which is one of the greatest book i've ever read. And no, this is not the opinion of a "manga-is-better-than-anime" snob. lol. This is the naked truth. Nausicaä in anime is uncomplete. Nausicaä in manga is way above completion. :D
Don't hit me please. :p

[DragoonKain3]

If there's a Ghibli related film that I would call my favorite, it would be without a doubt Umi ga Kikoeru (aka. Ocean Waves, I Can Hear the Sea), since I'm a very big sucker for those kind of stories. But that's neither here nor there, since it isn't available in the west in DVD and Miyazaki didn't direct it.

Out of all of Miyazaki's works though, I found Mononoke Hime to be the most enjoyable and thought provoking. Spirited Away just pales in comparison IMO, since Mononoke handling of who is right and who is wrong was just superb. Apart from the imaginitive world that Spirited Away was situated in, it was rather dry in this person's POV as I never really into Alice in Wonderland kind of stories. Spirited Away isn't even my #2 Miyazaki film, as Kiki's Delivery Service stole that spot being Miyazaki's version of the Mahou Shoujo cliche.

On another note, I found Miyazaki's oldest films in Ghibli (Nausicaa and Laputa) to be quite sleep-inducing. Though I gotta give credit where it's due; for films made in the mid 80's, the animation quality is darn pretty.

[Remittance Man]

I like Spirited Away best, but I still need to rewatch Nausicaa, I missed it playing on TCM last month. Havnt seen that one since I was a kid, but I still vaguely remember it. I have a feeling if I rewatched it, it would probably steal the #1 spot from Spirited Away.


Actually, I just watched Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind on Cartoon Network...it was very moving, and just flat-out beautiful, but no, it does not top Sen in my book. Although I have a feeling that if I watch Nausicaa a couple more times, it'll make me cry. It almost did the first time.

[laphingman]

i agree , i own the "princess monenoke" film and the F.F film, i say i would watch "Princess Monenoke" any day

[Xuki]

Spirited Away just has a really unique storyline. The characters are somewhat a teeny bit different from the other Studio Ghibli movies. So funny and serious at the same time.

Still, FFAC is the best movie in my opinion. Got to love the computer generated graphics :D

[Remittance Man]

Sigh...I really should watch Advent Children. If it weren't for my Final Fantasy VII grudge, I'd have bought it by now.

[SpiritedSen]

Spirited Away is truly the greatest movie ever made!! It's got absolutely everything; it's a drama, a thriller, a horror, a comedy, a love story (albeit not in the traditional sense). It has cute sidekicks, an awesome villain, a great message about friendship and family, and the overall lesson that knowing who you are is the most important thing. It is beautifully animated, has one of the best songs ever at the end, and although I am not a fan of dubbing, I think it has the best dubbed audio of any Ghibli movie.
I LOVE THIS FILM!!!!! :love:

[arias]

I'm almost tempted to add a poll to this thread: What is the best movie ever?
1. Sprited Away
2. Nausicaa
3. Mononoke-hime


I'm a huge Ghibli fan; though not in any way a fanboy. I thought that the most recent Howl's Moving Castle was quite horrible, and I looked forward to it for so long. It was a huge disappointment; scattered and unfocused. And actually, my list would go something more like a tier system:

1. Whisper of the Heart
2. Princess Mononoke + Spirited Away + Grave of the Fireflies
3. Totoro + Kiki's Delivery + Nausicaa + Porco Rosso + Laputa
4. I Can Hear the Sea + Pom Poko
5. Howl's Moving Castle

Whisper of the Heart was massively moving, for me. Princess Mononoke I've watched 7 times or so.. Spirited Away, thrice. I'm planning to collect all of their artbooks, if they're released ; ) We should have a thread that discusses the symbolic significance of the Ghibli movies... for example,

Did you know that "no-face" in Spirited Away was symbolic of the weak and will-less people in society who don't have an opinion and merely drift around? All they do is adopt the opinion of others, which is why no-face eats creatures and then acquire their respective voices. Fascinating.

[Jazzrat]

Porco Rosso have my vote for the best Miyazaki film ever made. The quiet, romantic rustic feel of it just made me watch over and over again.

Now i just wanna get the french version cause apparently Jean Reno did the voice for Porco.

[raphaël]

Well, if you ask me, jazz, just don't bother about it, i think that french dub really is not worth it. I know some will disagree, but Jean Reno sounds completely lifeless, and Fio's voice isn't better. Not mentioning the dialogues themselves...
Anyway, please understand me, I'm a sub freak in the first place. :D

[ujiuji]

My favourite Ghibli film would have to be Omoide Poroporo. Mostly for the extremely personal reason that it feels like Takahata took my childhood and animated it. It's astonishing that a sixties childhood in Japan seems so close to a late -sixties, early-seventies childhood in England. (Yes, I am that old). So many incidents are so close to what happened to me I think I should stop now before this gets too revealing. I'll just say it was a coconut rather than a pineapple.
Spirited Away was my first Ghibli film & probably comes in second.

[raphaël]

I'll just say it was a coconut rather than a pineapple.
:D
I loved Omoide Poroporo too. If you ask me, I think I somehow prefer Takahata's movies, actually. Of course, Miyazaki's the greatest, but I still care some much about every film his colleague has made so far. The grave of the fireflies, but my neighbors the Yamadas too, not mentioning Pompoko or Jarinko Chie.

[justinstrife]

I didn't like Spirited Away at all. I know I'm in a very small minority here.

Kiki's Delivery was excellent though, and Princess Monoke was also a very well done movie. Both I would take anyday of my life over Spirited.

Oh ya and FFVII: Advent Children was absolutely breathtaking. As a huge, huge FFVII fan, it was well worth the 3 year wait I went through. Now if only they'd re-do the game in PS3 form...

[DaZ]

re-do, mah i prefer a new continuation story from the movie(ff7).

Spirited away was nice, but I prefer Kiki more. I don't know why, but kiki has that sort of accomplishment after you watch it, or feeling relax. Also IMO spirited away story is rush.

On the note : kiki > every other movie (IMHO) haha. I re-watched kiki alot after 2 years gotten it, compare to other anime movies.

[KimmyChan]

I love this movie, it's just so magical and very enjoyable from the word go :)

[Kiolito]

I remember when I first saw Spirited Away, by the way, that was my first anime movie, I really could not believe that people can have so wide Imagination. I saw so many interesting things, which you'll not see in any other movie, unless in other Hayao Miyazaki movie. I would give for that movie 9,5.

[klare]

the thread title is interesting :)

imo, Spirited Away is a very good movie but it is not the best, not even the best among Ghiblies

at least 3 Ghiblies rank higher than it in my heart:
- Nausicaa (this is the best for me)
- Laputa
- Princess Mononoke

maybe because Spirited Away got an Oscar and that makes it more well-known?

[Shiroth]

maybe because Spirited Away got an Oscar and that makes it more well-known?
It's basically the Ghibli film that made the studio as big as it is now all over the world.

[TinyRedLeaf]

If there's a Ghibli related film that I would call my favorite, it would be without a doubt Umi ga Kikoeru (aka. Ocean Waves, I Can Hear the Sea), since I'm a very big sucker for those kind of stories.

Actually, if I really had to choose a favourite Ghibli movie, it would probably have to be Grave of the Fireflies, since I'm a very big sucker for those kind of stories.


Out of all of Miyazaki's works though, I found Mononoke Hime to be the most enjoyable and thought provoking. Spirited Away just pales in comparison IMO, since Mononoke handling of who is right and who is wrong was just superb.

Without doubt, Princess Mononoke is one of Miyazaki's most dramatic work by far, but I'm not as enamored with it as many fans are. The main reason being that, to me, the movie is no more than the spiritual successor of the Nausicaa movie. If you've read the Nausicaa manga before watching Princess Mononoke, you would be struck by the two stories' many thematic similiarities. That's why Princess Mononoke was never as much a novelty to me as it was for many fans around the world — San was the movie version of the fully realised Nausicaa, while Lady Eboshi was the film equivalent of the fully realised Kushana.

That said, the movie does represent the culmination of Miyazaki's reflections on the extent of human impact on the environment, the dilemmas of balancing ethics with pragmatic social needs, and the responsible development of technology.

By the same token, Spirited Away represents the culmination of Miyazaki's reflections on children, defining one's identity through hard work, and the maintenance of social harmony. As it so happens, these issues have greater emotional resonance for me, so it's not surprising that I much prefer Spirited Away to Princess Mononoke — the latter may enjoy wider appeal with global audiences, but the former is a much more intimate "Japanese" film. I strongly suspect that this is one of the reasons why Spirited Away outperformed Princess Mononoke in the Japanese box office (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirited_Away#Box_office).

In the end, though, I feel Miyazaki should have retired after Spirited Away as he originally planned. Through Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, he has told all the stories he has to tell — anything that follows would merely be a rehash of well-trodden themes.

This was painfully obvious in Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo. Charming though those movies were, somehow, they didn't have quite the same impact as many of Miyazaki's earlier films. He has run out of original things to say, so perhaps the time has truly come for Prospero to set himself free.

[Uchiha Warrior17]

im working on a script for a college game adaptation of spirited away. what would be the best parts of the movie which you think i should highlight in my game

[GenjiChan]

Well, Spirited Away is one of my most favorite animated movies of all time.