Spirited away(2001)
spirited away
Breakdown the story arc(the 8 stages)
- You
When chihiro’s family moves due to his father’s work, chihiro has to leave the previous school and go to a new and unfamiliar environment, but they get lost on the way and stumble into a temple.
- Need
Behind the temple, they found a market street where Chihiro’s parents sat down to eat while chihiro looked for an exit. When she came back, she found that her parents had turned into pigs while eating. She searched for them in fear, but could not find them and the way back. At this time, she truly realized that they had strayed into a ghost world. Chihiro breaks down and cries ，while her own body is gradually fading away. At this point, Haku appeared and gave her a pill and saved her. He tells Chihiro that for surviving as a human and saving her parents in this world, getting a job from Centipede Grandpa is the only way.
- Go
Chihiro hit courage, to find the Centipede Grandpa, the Centipede Grandpa told her that if she wanted a job, only signing with Mrs. Tang a contract, can do. Chihiro under the leadership of Xiaoling, to find Mrs. Tang. Under Mrs. Tang’s threat and inducement, Chihiro still insists on that she want to have a job. Mrs. Tang helpless and she signed a contract. Chihiro became Xiaoling’s assistant.
- Search
Haku takes Chihiro to see her parents, who have become pigs, and she vows to rescue them. With the help of the Haku, Chihiro remembers his name and his way home. She decided to work and find a way to save her parents. Chihiro gradually adapted to life in the soup house.
- Find
One day, the rotten god came to the soup house to take a bath, and everyone retreated, so Mrs. Tang gave chihiro this most difficult task. Chihiro accidentally found it pricked with something, Mrs. Tang immediately aware that he is not rotten god, is the river god. Finally, the people of the soup house cleaned up the river god’s trash, and the river god rewarded Chihiro with a pill that can save her parents. Chihiro waits for Haku to return to help her rescue her parents.
- Take
However, at this time, Haku in order to steal the seal, injured, Chihiro alone sneaked into Mrs. Tang’s bedroom. Accidentally met the Mrs. Tang’s baby, baby coerce modest Chihiro to play with him, but the Haku is going to be killed by mother-in-law’s assistant. At this time, the paper puppet who followed Chihiro turned into Mrs. Qian . She cast a spell to turn Mrs. Tang’s son into a mouse and Mrs. Tang’s assisant into her son. Chihiro gave him half of the medicine which used to save her parents in order to save haku. At the same time, the faceless man enters the soup house, eats the frog and becomes bad. In order to save the people in the soup house, she gives the remaining half of the pill to the faceless man, and the faceless man changes back to his original appearance.
- Return
Chihiro sets out on her way to find Mrs. Qian, hoping to win her forgiveness, lift the curse and save the white dragon. Mrs. Tang found out that her son had been switched. Haku said that if if she hope he can help her to retrieve her son, she has to release Chihiro and her parents back to the human world. Mrs. Qian told chihiro that the spell she cast has been lifted, whether it is Chihiro’s parents or haku, can only rely on her own to save. They gave her a talisman.
- Change
When Haku flies back to the soup house with Chihiro, which reminds Chihiro of her childhood memories, she tells Haku his real name is Kohaku kawa. This let the Haku really find self. White dragon brought back the son of Mrs. Tang. Mrs. Tang travelled agreement, lifted the contract with Chihiro, gave her the opportunity to find their parents. Finally she really found their parents and returned to the human world.
Breakdown the characters in to their archetypes
- Chihiro – Hero
In order to save her parents, She has to force herself to adapt to the new world. From a little girl who is dependent, nostalgic, evasive, timid , she gradually grew into a strong and brave girl who faced difficulties and challenges without fear of taking risks. With her own growth, warmth, kindness and courage, she saved herself and her parents, and also brought help and growth to people around her.
- Haku – Mentor, Herald, Allies
He was the master of the river god, the river was filled up, he lost his home and signed a contract with Mrs. Tang. He gradually lost himself. The first time he saw Chihiro, he remembered her. He told her it was dangerous and she needed to leave quickly. Since then he has been giving chihiro guidance and help. In the process of getting along with Chihiro, he also gradually found himself.
- Chihiro’s parents – Herald
They have been leading Chihiro into new environments, because of his father’s work, Chihiro had to leave the previous school, transfer to a new school. Parents in the journey, inadvertently adventure, let Chihiro into a strange ghost world.
- The faceless man – Shapeshifter
He is a lost man who can change for better or worse. In the beginning he was a lonely lost person, not knowing who he was, where he came from. He was a reflection of the world he was in. Because he met and liked Chihiro, he entered the soup house. But the environment of the soup house changed him. He swallowed the frog and gradually became a man with endless desires. Chihiro used the Dan medicine given by the river god to let him find himself, and eventually he is with Mrs. Qian, had their own place to live, become a good man.
- Mrs. Qian – Mentor, Threshold Guardian
She follows the rules of the magical world and punishes those who break them. At the same time, she would give kind guidance and advice to those who were lost.
- Mrs. Tang – Shadow, Threshold Guardian
She was vain, evil, greedy and selfish. And the guardian of the rules of this magical world.
- The frog – Trickster, Shadow
He is selfish and greedy. At the same time he acts funny, they show the audience how things can get out of hand.
- Centipede Grandpa– Mentor,Allies
He seems cold, but he is soft-hearted. Although when Chihiro came looking for a job, he refused. But after that, he gave her direction, helped her, protected her, and was her strong ally.
- Mrs. Tang‘s– Allies
He was taken good care of by Mrs. Tang and eventually grew into a giant baby. While traveling with Chihiro, he saw the real world outside and gained real growth.
Create a timeline for the main character
Reference:
Hayao miyazaki, 2001. Spirited away. [online] Available from: https://www.yhdmp.cc/vp/1083-1-0.html/ [Accessed 6 Nov 2021].