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THE MOTIF OF CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION IN SPIRITED AWAY (2001)

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Introduction

Spirited Away (2001) is a Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The film follows the story of a 10 year-old Chihiro, accidentally transporting to the land of the spirits. When her parents are turned into pigs by the witch who rules the bathhouse of the spirits, Chihiro is forced to confront struggles that she has never had before. Her journey is a story of self-development and character growth. In the movie, change & transformation is a very important and predominant motif that steers the overall narrative structure. In this paper, the question that will be investigated is: “Through which formal techniques of cinema is the motif of change/transformation reflected in the film?” This inquiry will be scrutinised through an extensive cognitive analysis of the film. This method of analysis will allow the detection and interpretation of the formal techniques of cinema (cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, sound) used in the film and the messages that are conveyed through these stylistic elements.


Chihiro’s personal transformation

The protagonist of the movie, Chihiro, is a timid, 10-year old girl. The plot starts with her and her family moving to a new town, which makes Chihiro uneasy and sulky. It may be argued that with the stress of relocation, Chihiro, may have felt the need to escape from this world. When she accidentally gets transported into the land of the spirits, she slowly starts finding her own identity and potential (Reider 2005, p.9). Therefore, it can be deduced that the initial force that commences Chihiro’s character development and personal transformation is change itself, namely the change of moving to another place with her family.



In the beginning of the film, the use of low angle shot of Chihiro’s father shows that she is, for the time being, under her family’s surveillance and protection. However, when her parents are turned into pigs, she is left all alone and is forced to find a way to endure struggles on her own. This transformation of her parents is highlighted through the use of close-ups of the pigs and the sounds of their snorts. These techniques convey one of the most important themes of the film: greed. This is also the point in the plot which gives Chihiro her main goal throughout the story: to save her parents from the witch who turned them into pigs. After this point, Chihiro’s individual transformation, from the timid little girl to a hard-working, brave young woman, accelerates exponentially. The first physical work that Chihiro does is in Kamaji’s workplace. The use of low angle shot of Chihiro, as she carries the heavy rock and attempts to throw it into the fire, hints at the strength that she has inside of her.



The most concrete transformation happens when Yubaba, the witch, changes Chihiro’s name to Sen. Her transformation to Sen, isn’t just about the name. In time, she transitions from the scared, weak Chihiro to the strong, hard-working and enduring Sen. The theme in the movie that stands out is the power of names. When Yubaba takes her workers’ names, she also takes away their identities and condemns them to a world of serving and obeying. However, ironically, Chihiro not only remembers her real name and transforms back to herself, she also adds the things she has learned as Sen to her identity. When Yubaba orders Chihiro to clean a Stink Spirit, she works unexpectedly hard and cleans the spirit completely. As Yubaba congratulates Chihiro, it can be observed that hers is the only face in the frame, although there are several creatures standing behind her. This deliberate framing indicates that Chihiro is just as powerful, if not more, as the other workers in the bathhouse. This is a very important point of transformation in Chihiro’s journey. From this point on, her sense of self begins to grow and her inner strength emerges. (Wu 2016, p.192) This motif is also strengthened through the symbolic transformation that the spirit goes through. With the purification that comes with water, he is transformed into his true self, a white dragon. This is also a symbolic representation of Chihiro’s cleansing. After this, Chihiro is given a cinematic baptism in sacred water, which further highlights Chihiro’s growing confidence and maturation (Wu 2016, 192). When Chihiro is under water, we hear what she hears: muffled sounds of water. This allows the audience to experience what she experiences and takes us into her aural subjectivity (Cooper 2010).



Through these techniques, the film shows Chihiro’s personal transformation and her new and improved identity, a courageous young girl who can withstand pressure, labour and challenges. Therefore, the film conveys the idea that through hard-work, bravery and determination, one can work toward their goals and go through immense personal growth (Wu 2016, p.194). In this context, Chihiro is the representation of all young people who are at the brink of joining society. The theme of stepping into adulthood, shows how younger generations like Chihiro, face struggles and confusions in a new environment (Sun, 2020).


The change of Yubaba and No-Face (Evil vs. good)

The motif of transformation, however, is not only limited to Chihiro’s personal development. Throughout the film, the audience witnesses how round characters like Yubaba and No-Face develop into entities that represent the blurred line between evil and good. Contrasting the strict, unforgiving way she treats her employees, Yubaba is extremely protective and loving towards Baby Bo. In the scene where Baby Bo starts crying, the motherly side of Yubaba is shown through sound design. The voice of Yubaba, which the audience typically identifies as the sound of an evil witch, changes drastically when she talks to her baby. The motif of transformation is not only seen in Yubaba’s duality, it is also noticeable in the scene where Yubaba develops a soft side for Chihiro as she successfully cleans the Stink/River spirit. It is an undeniable change that Yubaba goes through from the beginning of the film to the end. No-Face is also one of the characters that shows duality in character. At first, he appears to be evil, eating the workers at the bathhouse. However, as the film progresses, the audience sees his change through his interactions with Chihiro. In the scene where No-Face gives Chihiro a bath token, the 180 degree rule and close-ups of both their faces show how No-Face reflects Chihiro’s sense of being an outsider and her genuine kindness.



In that sense, Chihiro wheels out the good side of No-Face, the side of him that is only looking for friendship and companionship. Therefore, the audience finds a certain kind of moral ambivalence in No-Face, as he changes from a fearsome creature to an affectionate, friendly spirit (Boyd & Tetsuya 2004, p.9).


The transition from human to spirit world

In the movie, the first motif of change is in the scene where the family goes through a tunnel, entering a new realm. This tunnel, which represents a bridge between this world and the spiritual world, is the first hint of spatial change in the movie. With this transition, they enter a completely different environment. Here, the use of low lighting that comes from the end of the tunnel indicates a new beginning. The bright light that fills the tunnel is scattered and shadowy, which also foreshadows Chihiro’s journey and her struggles with the ghost-like spirits.



The pan that enables slow disclosure of the new environment acts as a transition from this world to the other. Furthermore, the sounds of the train foreshadows Chihiro’s trip to Zeniba’s cottage and her overall personal growth, since that trip is one of the most important factors in Chihiro’s development. Also, the sounds of the family’s footsteps, the water drops in the fountain and the music all create a sense of suspense, which is directly reflected in Chihiro’s worried face and hesitant movements. Another important symbol that represents change and transition is the bridge to the bathhouse. As Chihiro walks through that bridge with Haku, she is transported, physically into the world of the spirits to the extent where the spirits can now see and sense her presence. This change drives her to work in the bathhouse to maintain her cover to be able to save her parents. Here, the low angle tracking shot of Chihiro clearly shows how different she is from the spirits and creatures on the bridge. Also, the positioning of No Face behind Chihiro foreshadows their interactions, indicating the significance of the character to the plot.



Conclusion

In summary, Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away (2001), contains extensive examples of the motif of change and transformation. These transformations within characters, between spatial and temporal realms aid the conveyance of important themes like the power of names, adulthood and evil vs. good. Cognitive analysis of the film allows this motif and these themes to come across as subtly as possible. With the analysis of cinematography, mise-en-scene and sound design, the audience perceives the notion of transformation in the movie. This motif is especially evident in Chihiro’s character development, Yubaba and No-Face’s duality in personality and the transformation from the human to the spirit realm. To conclude, Spirited Away utilises the use of stylistic techniques to convey Miyazaki’s claim that people, especially younger generations, have the flexibility to develop further and become strong parts of a society through hard-work, determination and enduring.


Bibliography

1. Reider, Noriko T. 2005. “‘Spirited Away’: Film of the Fantastic and Evolving Japanese Folk Symbols.” Film Criticism, Spring, 29 (2005): 4–27.

2. Wu, Cheng-Ing. 2016. “Hayao Miyazaki’s Mythic Poetics: Experiencing the Narrative Persuasions in Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo.” Animation 11 (2): 189–203. doi:10.1177/1746847716643777.

3. Sun, Bocong. 2020. “Analysis on the Culture Concepts in the Movie Spirited Away.” Proceedings of the 2020 4th International Seminar on Education, Management and Social Sciences (ISEMSS 2020). doi:10.2991/assehr.k.200826.107.

4. Boyd, James W., and Tetsuya Nishimura. 2004. “Shinto Perspectives in Miyazaki's Anime Film ‘Spirited Away.’” Journal of Religion & Film , Article 4, 8 (3 October 2004).

5. Cooper, Damon. 2010. “Finding the Spirit within: a Critical Analysis of Film Techniques in Spirited Away.” Babel 45 (1).

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