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Our take
Chihiro has to find her feet in a world of spirits after her parents are transformed. Spirited Away is full of warmth and imagination, but the strange creatures, threatening boss and injured dragon can be frightening when you are small. We would start around 8, and stay beside a child who scares easily.
Uplifting themes
Courage, kindness, hard work, and respect are rewarded throughout. The film also warns about greed and shows that people can change Chihiro grows from a sulky, frightened kid into a brave and kind helper. Haku and other friends show loyalty, and several tough characters turn out to have a softer side Introduces Japanese folklore, bathhouse life, and spirit stories, and touches on pollution through a river spirit. Good for talking about cultural ideas and how stories can carry big themes
Story (may spoil tone)
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
Details
Violence Paper birds attack a dragon in a short but intense chase, and a witch b…
Paper birds attack a dragon in a short but intense chase, and a witch bullies and threatens a child. The violence is fantasy-style and mostly brief
Frightening Parents turning into animals, a giant-faced witch, a masked spirit that…
Parents turning into animals, a giant-faced witch, a masked spirit that swallows people, and shadowy creatures can scare younger children. Each scare passes fairly quickly, and the tone is eerie more than gory
Child peril / abuse A ten-year-old is alone in a strange world and threatened with being tu…
A ten-year-old is alone in a strange world and threatened with being turned into an animal if she stays. She finds helpers fairly quickly, but the early scenes of being cut off from her parents may worry young kids
Bullying / discrimination Some workers snub and boss Chihiro around, and the head of the bathhous…
Some workers snub and boss Chihiro around, and the head of the bathhouse speaks harshly to her. She wins people over through hard work
Gore / death / weapons A wounded dragon bleeds from the mouth and scales, and a creature vomit…
A wounded dragon bleeds from the mouth and scales, and a creature vomits black sludge. Nothing is graphic, though the blood is on screen
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- Chihiro is scared but keeps going to help her parents. When have you done something brave even though you were nervous?
- Greed causes trouble for several characters. What does the film suggest about taking more than you need?
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Spirited Away
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