![]() There’s Kamaji, the spider-limbed man who works in the boiler room the River Spirit, a heavily polluted nature being with the head of a golden skull and even Chihiro’s friend Haku, who can take the form of a coiling sky dragon. The most memorable is probably No-Face, a mute phantom who lures victims in with promises of gold and trinkets, but all of the creatures are dazzling in their own right. I know this is a post about witches, but it should also be said that the other spirits and monsters in Spirited Away are an absolute pleasure to behold. She takes Chihiro’s name from her as payment (rechristening her as Sen) and sets her to work washing floors and scrubbing tubs, hoping that the girl might forget her name and remain a servant forever. Is Yubaba wicked? Yes, she is – but it’s truer to say that she’s just a very shrewd businesswoman. Enormous jewelled rings glitter beside her knuckles, and her penthouse apartment is filled with gold and precious stones. Her work at the bathhouse has also made her rich. More than anything else, Yubaba is big her mouth looks wide enough to swallow a child whole, and her bright red fingernails are as long and sharp as daggers. Hayao Miyazaki has featured witches in quite a few of his films, but Yubaba is by far his most menacing creation. To receive her work contract, Chihiro must face Yubaba, ruler of the bathhouse: a grand old witch of considerable power. Chihiro makes a friend, Haku, who tells her that she must take a job at the bathhouse to ensure her safety in the spirit world. ![]() When her parents are transformed into pigs, Chihiro seeks refuge beside a bizarre bathhouse that caters to spirits and monsters: a haven for the strange creatures to replenish their energies. The film tells the story of Chihiro, a ten-year-old girl whose curious parents accidentally lead her into a magical world. Kiki’s Delivery Service is a lovely film, but Hayao Miyazaki’s later work Spirited Away (2001) is an absolute masterpiece. Yep, that’s right – we’re doing a Studio Ghibli double feature!
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