Of course I have seen this film before. It was time to watch Spirited Away again. Many consider this to be writer/director Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece. I won’t go into comparing one movie to another. But re-watching does give me a new appreciation for the work.

Ten-year-old Chihiro is moving to a new home with her parents when the trip is waylaid by the discovery of what her father thinks is an abandoned theme park. Actually, it is part of the spirit world, and when her parents are transformed into pigs, Chihiro is all alone – but not for long. With new friends and a sorceress named Yubaba as an enemy, Chihiro faces new adventures as she tries to save her parents. And she does a lot of maturing in the process as well.

Miyazaki’s imagination goes unchecked in Spirited Away. He creates an entire world of strange characters of varied shapes, sizes, and features. There is the usual great Studio Ghibli art, and a painstaking attention to detail making the characters more real. You may not notice this the first viewing, and it is the sign of a truly great filmmaker if you don't. But by the third and fourth viewing, you can see the minute touches of a master. The quality of the animation is beyond even what is produced today almost 20 years later.

Viewers of all ages can get lost in this one. Spirited Away brings you into a world of magic, and even lets you take a bit of it away with you.

I know others here have seen this film. Let’s discuss.