It
will be a story of a girl who was thrown into a world where both
good and evil exist... She gets trained, learns about
friendship and devotion, and survives by using her wisdom.
This
film is an adventure story, according to Hayao Miyazaki, although
the characters neither swing weapons around, nor use supernatural
powers in battle. It is an adventure story, but its theme is not
a confrontation between good and evil. It is a story
of a girl who was thrown into a world where both good and evil
exist. She gets trained, learns about friendship and devotion,
and survives by using her wisdom. She finds her way out, dodges,
and comes back to her old daily life for the time being. However,
it is not because evil was destroyed -- just as the world does
not disappear, evil does not disappear. It is because she gained
the power to live. Today, the world has become ambiguous; but
even though it is ambiguous, the world is encroaching and trying
to consume (everything). It is the main theme of this film to
describe such a world clearly in the form of a fantasy.
The
power of words
A
word has power. In the world into which Chihiro has wandered,
to say a word out of one's mouth has a grave importance. At Yuya,
which is ruled by Yu-baaba, if Chihiro says one word like "No"
or "I wanna go home," the witch would quickly throw
Chihiro out. She would have no choice but to keep aimlessly wandering
until she vanishes, or is changed into a chicken to keep laying
eggs until she is eaten. In turn, if Chihiro says, "I will
work here," even the witch cannot ignore her. Today, words
are considered very lightly, as something like bubbles. It is
just a reflection of reality being empty. It is still true that
a word has power. It's just that the world is filled with empty
and powerless words.
In
this difficult world, Chihiro becomes lively. The sullen, listless
character will have a surprisingly attractive expression in the
end of the film. The essence of the world has not changed a bit.
This film will persuade one of the
fact that a word is one's will, oneself, and one's power.
The
difference between the right word and the almost right word is
the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.
MARK TWAIN (1835–1910)
Words
are loaded pistols.
JEAN PAUL SARTRE (1905–1980)
