This Week I read the article Shinto Perspectives in Miyazaki’s Anime Film “Spirited Away” by James Boyd and Tetsuya Nishimura. Spirited Away is an Anime movie by Miyazaki that centres around a bathhouse visited by a variety of creatures that need to be bathed and rejuvenated (Boyd & Nishimura, 2004: p.1). Boyd and Nishimura argue that Spirited Away is embedded with Japanese cultural values and spiritual perspectives particularly Japanese folk beliefs and Shrine Shinto perspectives and motifs.

According to Boyd and Nishimura Shrine Shinto rituals can be recognised throughout the film. The rural solstice Japanese tradition of calling forth kami is part of the Shinto tradition and a kami visits the Bathhouse in the film to be refreshed and cleaned from pollution. Boyd and Nishimura argue that Miyazaki insightfully communicates the diverse and weird and wonderful complex kami can be  (2010: p.4). Other creatures are also represented in the film such as ghost-like creatures that are representational of the souls of the dead who appear due to regrets (2010: p.4).

Boyd and Nishimura argue that Spirited Away reminds us of the importance in Japanese values and folk beliefs and acknowledges its insightfulness into the trials and tribulations of life (2010: p.6), Indeed Miyazaki’s film Spirited Away is a valuable and enjoyable film for the young and older generations

References:

Boyd, J. Nishimura, T. 2004, Shinto Perspectives in Miyazaki’s Anime Film “Spirited Away” by James Boyd and Tetsuya Nishimura, The Journal of Religon and Film, Vol.8, No.2, pp.1-6.

Images:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spirited_Away_logo.png

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shinto_shrine.PNG

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sugou_Shinto_shrine_approach_to_a_shrine.JPG