Growing up, I loved watching Disney movies. I remember twirling in my living room with Ariel on screen, and sitting down with my parents watching Belle and the Beast dancing in their candlelit ballroom. To me, these two Disney princesses were ideal role models to look up to, unlike Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. While they just seemed to wait around and wait for their prince to come rescue them, Ariel was determined and independent, and Belle was smart and caring. Until two years ago, I thought that the Disney princesses were the ultimate role models. Then I found out about Hayao Miyazaki.
For those who don't know, Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animation director and is one of the greatest storytellers living today. I first came across him when I found the trailer for his last film The Wind Rises. At one point, the screen shows all of these other film titles of movies Miyazaki had directed, Spirited Away being one of them. I looked it up and noticed that it won Best Animated Picture. I tracked it down, turned on the TV, and started watching it.
The film began with Chihiro, a sullen young girl moving to her new home with her parents. After a slight detour, they find themselves in the spirit world, Chihiro's parents are turned into pigs, and she is left to fend for herself for the first time in her life. Fortunately, she has help. A young boy, Haku, smuggles her into the spirits' bathhouse. She makes a deal with a witch to work there, and learns how to get by while trying to figure out how to rescue her parents.
In the beginning, I noticed that Chihiro was a faulted character. She was bratty, stubborn, and dependent on her parents. As soon as they were taken away from her, she was left alone and scared, but after she got a little help, she started to develop the courage to put her wellbeing into her own hands. This was the first time I had seen a young female character completely on her own and responsible for her own survival. It was also the first time I saw an animated, female character evolve throughout the entire story.
She learned to become brave, strong, independent, and selfless. She learned to not be afraid to ask questions and even claimed ownership when she made a mistake. And even though she and Haku form a strong bond, their relationship doesn't become the main purpose of the story. In the end, Spirited Away is a coming-of-age story where the audience sees a young girl turn into a mature young adult.
With the Disney princesses, their story always started with them being unsatisfied with their lives, no matter if they where royalty or not, until they meet their prince. No matter what conflict was thrown at them, every single Disney princess, except Merida and Queen Elsa, end up with a guy. Now, am I saying that I love Disney movies less or that I frown upon the idea of finding a significant other? No, but they had made me recognize that a man doesn't have to be your only reward.
After watching Spirited Away, I wished that I had Chihiro with me growing up, but at the same time, I came across her at the right place at the right time. I was just a couple months away from graduating high school, about to go to community college, and was still holding onto this idea of being this perfect girl, but when I met this little ten-year-old heroine, I realized that it's okay to be vulnerable just as long as you get yourself back up, work hard, and learn from past experiences, all the while being yourself. So thank you, Hayao Miyazaki, for creating a wonderful girl to look up to.
