Spirited Away, the Myths that Made the Movie - Gaijin Goombah

Spirited Away ranks up as not only my favorite Ghibli movie, but favorite movie of all time. Not just because of its beauty and story, but because of the INSANE amounts of Japanese Shinto concepts that created the film. So today, I’m going all out to pick out EVERY SINGLE cultural inspiration Spirited Away pulls from Japan’s extensive folklore!
Support our edutainment on Patreon! ► tinyurl.com/yc6vtqj4
Hang out on our Streams! ► tinyurl.com/yboo596g
Subscribe! ► tinyurl.com/zgu4ryd
-Music by:
Noteblock Remix: tinyurl.com/n43k9x4
Music: www.purple-planet.com
#spiritedaway #gaijingoombah #sentochihoronokamikakushi

[@GaijinGoombah]

Should this video get pulled down for any reason, I'll let everyone know where they can find it. I worked for 2 weeks and put too much love for this to be unfairly ripped from the people who have been waiting for this!

[@Eramiserasmus]

Thank you Gaijin! I love this movie and it was the first ever anime movie I watched way back as a child.

[@XxSoraMifunexX]

GG! I am begging you to check out Golden Sky Stories!!! It's a TTRPG where you play as Henge-Yokai and it's perfectly up your alley!! Much love [and plleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaase?!]

[@Atariese]

Would love to see more gushing about this wonderful movie. I hope this video does well.

[@barrybend7189]

Hey Gaijin please do a which Ninja episode on Konoe Kikyo from Bravely Default and for a Yokai hunters look at Yoko from Bravely Second.

[@kayohwai]

The only reason it should be unreachable is a hug of death. ​@Barry_Bend , Which Ninja is selected by votes on his Patreon. The link is in the description.

[@IAmChadBroseph]

Princess Mononoke is calling for one of these

[@Gruntvc]

Yes, that'd be a great video too.

[@SkvarkTheOneAndOnly]

YES

[@iaxacs3801]

Please Mononoke has such incredible concepts on how the world and people operate on a grayscale and not black and white morality

[@Fun_With_Google_Translate]

I was just thinking that.

[@bryangustafson2748]

Gave up on Mononoke because I really ❤ chihiro. I decided to let Monokoke come later since it's really a great fit for October. Spring is a great time for this series!

[@anonymousfellow8879]

I don’t think it’s possible to have too many analyses of Spirited Away: the cultural references, historical/current events referenced, individual kami, aesthetics (and what inspired them), etc. This movie is gorgeous and could be talked about for decades

[@lazyDude77]

You could make an entire series dissecting every piece of this movie and I would watch every second of it.

[@anonymousfellow8879]

WigglyWoo Same

[@darklightuk2]

Same

[@robo_kittens]

Same!

[@Chymai]

Well said! I would watch for hours and hours!

[@vigneshs9587]

Everything about Spirited Away is just beautiful. The story, the characters, the music, the scenery everything is well in place. All these culminates into one of the greatest movies ever made

[@WarmLillie]

Yokai and Kami. Both sides of the coins. Forces of nature. They sides can change and take different form. By Purity / clean / good but it can also be Corruption / dirt / bad. Able to change back and fourth. Yin and Yang. It’s all about how you treat these spirits and that they will become.

[@undeadwolf5844]

But why are there murderous yokai around?

[@theredblooper]

@@undeadwolf5844 Nature can be just as deadly as it is beneficial, and is impartial to who it can affect.

[@TheEel228]

@@undeadwolf5844 Wronged or Vengeful spirits it would seem.

[@whyyyyy8329n]

"let spiders live in the morning, kill spiders at night" Is that why spiders are peaceful at night but hostile at night in Minecraft?

[@nessesaryschoolthing]

Peaceful at night but hostile at night?

[@elimDBZ]

Could this be a reference to Naraku since he was mostly active during the night in each of his battles in Inuyasha.

[@TaiWanWaf]

Most arachnids are nocturnal hunters I think, so sensibly they’d be more aggressive at night

[@remixtheidiot5771]

It's a very lovely coincidence that's for sure.

[@whyyyyy8329n]

@@nessesaryschoolthing sorry about that

[@herofromthedark]

"Let spiders live in the morning... killer spiders at night." I'm pretty sure this is an old proverb in France too! In fact, Widowmaker from Overwatch has this tattooed on her forearm.

[@WarmLillie]

Spirited Away has so many myths, legends, and culture that it will blow you and mind away.

[@asherkolars1283]

no it'll blow your spirit away

[@Clone6385]

I’m a simple man. I see a video about or related with Spirited away I watch!

[@tommyfox854]

Same here. =)

[@shannonbateswillis5022]

I’m simple, too! I see ANYTHING related to Studio Ghibli OR, Tezuka-SAN’s Long-lost brother (Aka, Haiyo Miyazaki), OR Gaijin Goombah related, I click!

[@Capsirus]

What about Noface He is one of my favorite characters and I was totally expecting a part in this video dedicated to explaining what he is

[@anonymousfellow8879]

TheSpookyGhostlyGamer Honestly, same. NoFace’s tendency to Mirror is so fascinating and has to have some particular reference behind it

[@wingedmirage4226]

This is something I’ve tried to figure out for a while too. The closest thing I can find is a reference to Noh masks, but it feels like No Face is something more specific.

[@andrewollmann304]

There is a yōkai called the noppera-bō that is a faceless humanoid. It talks and stuff....but it literally has no facial features. Also, I think No-face wearsa mask in reference to Noh theater. It’s literally a Noh-Face.

[@strongglad]

It is also a reference to silk worms, with how no face has his "face" above his real face, and why at the end he weaves silk

[@kingdomtrue7008]

In an interview they basicly said he just exists not as a yokai or kami but just as a way to get the story moving in certain spots

[@ambervalkerie9134]

This movie was my childhood, I have no idea how many times I rewatched it

[@jamesonweimann4720]

For me it was princess mononoke

[@FlyingVGoddess]

While I liked your analysis of the stink spirit/river god, I think any connection to Japanese folklore is purely coincidental. In a behind-the-scenes documentary by Nippon Television, Miyazaki explained the river god was based on a childhood memory where he and his friends cleaned up a river. The part where Sen and the staff pull a bicycle out of the stink spirit is a direct reference to pulling a bicycle out of the river they cleaned up. Miyazaki said they cleaned it up enough that it returned to its original clean state and the fish eventually came back.

[@geardog24]

Anything from Studio Ghibli always cures what ails ya.

[@travisherndon94]

You know after watching this it makes me want to rewatch Spirited Away again

[@Gruntvc]

This and Princess Mononoke are amazing. 10/10 animated masterpieces.

[@AnthroTsuneon]

'I need to relax, lets watch a movie-- Waaaait a minute..' When your work is your hobby

[@GaijinGoombah]

The curse!

[@liallen9380]

I dunno, all I can think of at the end of this one is 'Part 2 when!?' It's very clear that this movie was both very close to you (beyond you saying so), and that there's a LOT of material you could go into probably without retreading anyone else. And I enjoyed this breakdown in particular for the extra bit of passion you put into it above and beyond your love for the culture involved. Not that you HAVE to do another one, but... I wouldn't mind if you did. Thanks for keeping me company on my evening exercise "ride" (I mean it's a stationary bike, is it really a ride if you go nowhere?), and brightening an otherwise very drab and depressing day all the same, mate.

[@SHINOBI-03]

Even with a lot of these symbolisms lost thanks to the localized dub, can't stop us from enjoying the movie for what it is.

[@rocketrooster2410]

5:55 we have almost the same saying in germany just in reverse

[@madhatterman01]

We do?

[@rocketrooster2410]

@@madhatterman01 Spinne am Morgen vertreibt Kummer und sorgen, Spinne am Abend ist wohlschmeckend und labend.

[@madhatterman01]

@@rocketrooster2410 Hab ich noch nie gehört. Vielleicht was regionales? Oder ich bin zu jung.

[@gothnerd887]

What's also weird is that when my family and I went on holiday to Germany I found a statue of a yokai (man headed dog) on a medieval town hall

[@rocketrooster2410]

@@gothnerd887 beats me, but we have a lot of strange Folklore creatures.

[@Cheshirekat.]

i have no idea why this hasn't been brought up sooner, I watched it with my Chinese buddy and it makes him crazy because of how it "disney-fies a bunch of cultural floklore." and i obliviously have no frame of reference

[@Loron20]

Unless I missed my mark by a large margin Tsurube Otoshi would also be a probable inspiration for Mario's Thwomps.

[@Whispersong17]

Spirited away is one of my all time favorites, thanks for talking about it!

[@AnimatorJuusoz]

Oh whaaat, I remember asking you a couple of years ago during one of your streams to do a video about Spirited Away, and you answered all smug like "What is there to talk about it that others haven't already covered?" I was kind of pissed off about it for a while, but I guess you found quite a lot to talk about it. :)

[@BehindTheMustche]

I’m so happy to see Gaijin Goombah able to make videos regardless of the ad revenue nonsense with KZbin. I’m happy to see his success, he’s totally earned it. I hope he’s able to keep making content like this because I’ve always wanted to see him tackle this studio’s films.

[@noelhann5262]

Every episode of this show is basically a guy arguing with himself over imaginary things, and it’s always entertaining, and I always come away knowing something new. Keep it up, gaijin.

[@FrostBytePhantom]

This movie scared the piss out of me when I watched it as a kid back in like '03 to the point where 17 years later I still haven't finished watching it. Seeing this video has made me want to go back and watch it though.

[@burksaurus9410]

I remember watching Spirited Away as a kid. It's art was really beautiful and I like the story.

[@dracone4370]

It might be a coincidence, given the similarities between sounds of Yubababa and a Babayaga, but Babayaga is the name of a powerful witch in Russian and Slavic lore. Most people in the modern era just know her as having the look of an old crone or hag with a house that walks around on giant chicken legs, but there's a lot more to her than that. Slavic lore and Russian lore talk about how she is akin to a force of nature, sometimes helping heroes by giving them a reward for overcoming a test she gives them because she has something they need, sometimes acting as the antagonist, and other times a neutral party that does things everyone who comes her way for some sort of amusement. In one particular story she shows up, Babayaga has a herd of horses that can outrun any creature, even supernatural ones that are specifically described as being impossible to catch or overtake, but those horses are very unruly and can only allow you to ride them if you manage to earn their trust, a process that usually requires ritual-like actions to perform, it takes the hero of the story days to earn the trust of the horse he needs and he is on a time table that says he's flat out of luck by the end of the week, and going through the process of getting the horse nearly results in his failure, it took that long. Babayaga is an interesting case of a character in folklore because of just how varied her depictions are, not unlike the fluidity the distinction between Kami and Youkai is. As for the greed part, in some of her depictions, Babayaga is greedy for power and/or knowledge, money is a bit of a novelty to her because she doesn't really have a use for it herself but she does understand how much importance other entities seem to put on it.

[@Freashplayer]

Bruh... I Just listening to the Spirited Away soundtrack. What the hell?

[@Syiepherze]

0:52 Spirited Away Type: Ghost PP: big Accuracy: very Flavor text: This is Goombah's favourite move.

[@ZeacorZeppelin]

I always love how kind Jahiro was throughout the film.

[@Bysthedragon]

Hey Gaijin Goombah, I am a Newbie to D&D who's group hasn't been able to meet in a long time due to the coronavirus, so because of your video about Greckles I have spent a lot of time binge watching the Unexpectables and I love all of you so much! I just got past the part were you and the party defeated the Orun Clergy base on the shore.

[@thesandwich5321]

Kotodama sounds facinating... in so many ancient myths and legends, one's true name is said to have power. In Ancient Egypt, many god names have been corrupted when they were written down to prevent the more evil or chaotic ones from appearing. Hell, even in the modern day if you've read Skulduggery Pleasant you'll know that one's true name is an extreme persona of YOU which can overwhelm your more mild personality. Damn, I wish I knew GG in person. I never get to talk about my love of myths. :)

[@foothafool2881]

Having trouble with Yubaba? Call the Baba Yaga to deal with it -John Wick

[@handan3786]

I've always wanted to know more about the folklore behind Spirited Away ever since I was kid!! ❤️

[@DarkLordGanondorf190]

Funny. There is a proverb in German that states exactly the opposite about spiders: Spinne am Morgen - Kummer und Sorgen. Spinne am Abend - erquickend und labend. (Spider in the morning - sorrow and worries. Spider in the evening - invigorating and nourishing/refreshing.) My teacher taught me that the spider was meant to refer to a woman weaving. If she got the weaving done in the evening, it was only because she was making some money on the side, not because she really needed it. Whereas a woman starting her day weaving probably had to do it as her main job and it didn't pay well. Sorry about the tangent.

[@My1xT]

also when the witch took chihiro's name she was essentially turned her into basically a number as sen means 1000.

[@squidfungus4001]

Spirited Away is my favorite movie of all time no question and it has one of the most creative and beautiful worlds in fiction with real people with easily understood goals and relationships with a huge background of Yokai and monsters. This was perfect for the show, just Spirited is just magic, pure real life... magic.

[@DeannaJacksonDJsDelectables]

I absolutely adore Spirited Away! I'm glad you finally did a video about this movie!!

[@RegrettableDeed]

Spirited Away was the very first movie that left a lasting impression on me as a child. I saw it in theaters on a whim with the group of kids I was hanging out with for the summer and I remember talking about it for hours after the movie was done. I watched for news about the home movie release and made sure to get anyone that I could around me to watch it. To this day, it still ranks in my top 5 favorite movies.

[@moonrose100]

Now all I can think is Shiro making a little shoe box into a "home" for Haku and her friends. Like she wants to give them a home, but can't afford anything fancy so she pours her heart and soul into making small houses for them that she decorates based on what she knows of their personality.

[@Rosebriar42]

Spirited Away was my first Ghibli film and still my favorite.

[@pokemongranny1]

This is in my oppinion your most beautiful and extensive video yet. Videos like these is why I always wait with bated breath for your content.

[@ChasingMuses]

Yes! Been waiting for something to brighten up my day

[@Ghostlyking-tc3vu]

Spirited away is one of my favorite movies of all time and this video is awesome

[@chloukscolor7905]

Dude, this is amazing! And with that last part, it’s making me realize even more of the depth from Naoki Urasawa’s Monster, where names play a huge thematic role.

[@Chymai]

Thank you so much for doing this. This is my favorite movie of all time and I’m so glad that I learned more about this.

[@BleachFan9891]

Spirited away is my absolute favorite Anime movie , it helped introduce me to yokai

[@jonahcastruccio6823]

Great video as always! I watched Spirited Away for the first time last week and it was amazing! I didn't grow up with Ghibli films (except Ponyo), so I've been watching a lot of them lately while I've got the time. Especially for a film as deeply-rooted in Japanese folklore and history as Spirited Away, this kind of in-depth analysis really helps show how carefully and lovingly every frame of the film was made!

[@edgekagami4296]

Great video! I loved all the deep dive.

[@moonflower452]

Best birthday ever! Thanks for this and all your amazing videos Gaijin. Learning more about one of my most favorite movies makes me so happy💕😊👍👍.

[@roniciftci7112]

Great video, Gaijin! Spirited away is one of my favorite movies of all time and I really enjoy watching your videos. Have a wonderful time.

[@TheCreepypro]

this video was so cool I love this movie and hearing you gush about it for 20 minutes was awesome! I hope you do more videos on it in the future and especially the other Ghilbli films as well!

[@joew1237]

The power of a name isn't just from Japan. I first heard of this power from the Tales of Earthsea books.

[@mx9226]

Finally! I've been waiting for a video on this film!

[@singletona082]

thank you for sharing. Just hearing your enthusiasm for the subject is uplifting.

[@ChaosInferno101]

It was nice that you did a video about spirited away and learn some new info

[@Chymai]

Thank you so much for this video. I appreciate it so much. This is my favorite movie of all time and this made me love it so much more. Thank you.

[@lisasimpson6719]

Spirited away bears a very special meaning to me. I watched it when I was a kid and I didn’t understand much of it, it seemed like a lucid dream to me until I rewatched it a few days ago when I‘m 18 now. I can’t explain it but this film gives me this nostalgic feeling as if I experienced and felt some of the things before, maybe in my past life who knows? All the characters just seem to resonate with me in some ways and understanding the mythology and folklore behind the story just made me appreciate the movie a lot more. Every scene has a meaning but still leaves enough room for ones own interpretation. I guess this is why it’s so immersive for the audience, from the ambiguity of the characters to the mythology and cultural implications of the story which emphasises the importance of never losing touch with our roots as we approach the threshold to adulthood and modern society. Thank you so much for educating us and helping us understand the movie a bit more!

[@parkb5320]

I remember when I picked up this on DVD in 2002 or so and it was my son’s birthday and his friends were running all over the place and making a lot of noise. I didn’t say anything, I just put on Spirited Away in the living room and one by one the kids stopped what they were doing and sat down in front of the TV as if hypnotized. The apartment was quiet as a tomb as these kids just sat and watching this movie in complete silence.

[@joshuabenson6543]

I can’t believe I missed this video until now. This is not only my favorite Japanese anime film, but also one of my personal favorite films, period! I am glad to have seen this!

[@SmashBros2009]

Finally you made a cultural analysis on one of my favourite childhood (Or in general for that matter) films!! Awesome. :)

[@Gutslove]

I was super lucky to have rewatched this film after who knows how long before you announced this video over on twitter. I felt so sad when the 21 minutes were up, but i thank you immensely for doing this video. Bless you.

[@FeatherFable]

Thank you so much Gaijin! Loved the video!

[@warrirornunluv801]

This is the first Ghibli film that I had seen when I was in 10th grade back in Japan..I was so in awe of it, I had seen it twice!

[@ren-o_o]

I just wanted to thank you so much for all the cultural and historical knowledge you spread about Japan in such an accessible, enjoyable and all in all wholesome way. Not only are your explanations perfect for people who might not yet be familiar with the topic and the langugae but you also manage to continually dig up and slip in nuggets of information that may be unfamiliar to or unexplored by "experts". It's such a joy to listen to you spread your passion for Japanese mythology and culture. Love from Germany, a long-time-watching and shyly commenting Japanology student.

[@jenskrarup2208]

Finally got a round to see the movie and immediately thought about if this channel had a video on it. Well seems I was a day early, this so gonna be good.

[@Rukdug]

You have no idea how happy I am that you made this video Gaijin! I loved Spirited Away as a child, and it is still my personal favorite Ghibli movie of all time. So to finally learn some of the background for what was a huge part of my childhood has made me happier than I ever imagined. Thank you again.

[@helix713]

Man, this was a great video. Well done Gaijin.

[@johntheechidna1]

Spirited Away is easily among my favorite Studio Ghibli films. The art, the music, the mysticism...learning more of the culture behind it gives me a greater appreciation of the film. ^^

[@AmazinglyAwkward]

One of my favourite movies of all time and a perfectly detailed and thought out analysis by our favourite Goombah!

[@jacksparrowismydaddy]

I would like to hear what the bathhouse girls are though... I keep hearing they re transformed weasels and slugs. there are also workers that look chihro's age I'm curious what's their story. are they weasels like lynn or what?

[@user-hb2ju8ge7q]

Yeah I am curious about them too

[@lemonboi6711]

Finally the video I’ve wanted since i subscribed to this channel

[@_quirky_3617]

I'm so happy this video is back!

[@oliviabean8264]

My reaction to seeing spirited away as a kid was much like my reaction to my elementary school principal, I was deeply creeped out and terrified in a way I would not be able to properly explain to myself till years later.

[@TheMemphisxlr8]

"Spirited Away" and "Princess Mononoke" are my favorite Anime films :)

[@FiveOClockTea]

When this video popped up at first I didn't want to watch it, because I Thought KZbin just recommended one of those "spirited away, prostitution symbolism" videos. But then I saw that it came from a you and clicked on it at once, 'cause I know you always make really interesting, well informed videos 😊 My expectations were thoroughly met 💕

[@bloodblues85]

I like all your videos. They're so interesting! And I gotta say the border thing you use with the yokai is really really cool!

[@bloodblues85]

Lol after I posted that, the umbrella smiled XD

[@tucker0012]

I love the work you put into all of your videos and this one is no exception. So it got me thinking what other cultures have similar entities to Japan, could you cover something like that ?

[@rileyfrady7469]

one of the best youtube videos i have ever seen ありがとうございます

[@ThadirPrime]

Dear god, Gaijin thanks man made me want to rewatch it. I loved it keep up the great work.

[@LadyYT100]

Check out the extras in the DVD as it tells that the river spirit/dragon was based on a river that Hayao Miyazaki and several other people had cleaned, which included a bike.

[@colleenglanville8293]

Spirited Away was like, one of the first Studio Ghibli movies I watched, and I absolutely loved it, so seeing you cover it is awesome! 👏😆👍

[@gamerkingdom1442]

Glad you finally covered this masterpiece of a movie!

[@Ironattheend]

Thank you so much for doing this! I just introduced this movie to my 13-year-old niece and both of us, me at 27 (ugh), were absolutely enraptured by it even though I'd seen it like a hundred times (she put the phone down for the whole thing!). Since there's so much to it, would it be possible to do perhaps a livestream about it where you can just gush without the need for complete story arc like in a KZbin video? Because I'd love to hear it! Either way, it will be awesome to tell my niece about all these real, incredible things that inspired such a beautiful movie.

[@commandersieg5759]

Back when I was in community college I took a religion course that covered a myriad of religions, one of which being Shintoism. The first question my professor asked when we started the unit was " Has anyone seen spirited away?" When most of us said we hadn't, she started explaining the scene about the cleaning of the river spirit and how it was tied to shintoism's core belief of purification. That immediately put the movie into a new perspective for me and more and more things clicked as the unit progressed. For my final project I revisited this concept of purification, explaining how it connected to kegare, misogi, and the four emotional parts of the kami called mitama (I hope I remembered that correctly). For that part of my presentation I used some information from your video explaining princess peach's representation of mitama in her game. I can say without a doubt that your videos illuminate aspects of media that I I didn't know about or even consider and it makes me eager to learn more.

[@jawllypop1750]

This was wonderful. All the culture and such makes me warm inside.

[@hayhay509]

dude i want you to know, when i saw this, i was so excited and happy and cried. I've tried to do something similar in college and i just couldn't do it. i wanted to see something like this so bad and you just made my day.

[@maplelove1422]

I deeply want more Spirited Away videos! Please post more!

[@colleenglanville8293]

I think I might have cried, thank you for bringing this video to light! 😭😭😭👍

[@Imaginita]

Awesome! I watched this movie for the first time a few months ago and all I could think is, "What are these yokai?"

[@kaelanbarrios1214]

I really hope you continue this, I want to hear more

[@ryotigergirl]

I am so happy you got this back.

[@ZoeLycan]

Great video! Shame you coudnt make a full1h video (I know is a lot of work) but hearing you so PASSIONATE about the subject, is work hearing you talk for that long ^^

[@time903]

There is only one word I can use to describe this movie...a masterpiece...I mean, it is dripping with culture and is a timeless classic for a reason.

[@nerd9347.]

..., "signing out!" Me: "Stay awesome, Gaijin-sana".

[@strawberryjam6235]

I think it's sama

[@nerd9347.]

@@strawberryjam6235 ...., sorry. Butterfingers.

[@colleenglanville8293]

*"You Got A River Spirit That Got All Junked Up With Trash, And Trying To Find Away To Clean Up."* Sounds like me when I eat too much junk food! 😅

[@moonwalkerangel7008]

I love Spirited Away. I just watched it for the second time and in personal rank list, I gave it S rank. It is in my top 3 favourite movies and this video just gives me information I would not have thought about. Thank you.

[@crcoghill]

Welcome back video. We missed you.

[@girl1213]

In middle school I read a comic that was telling the Spirited Away story in English and the whole engacho with the slug/seal was explained as Chihiro catching a curse and Kamaji telling her what to do in order for him to break it. As he was a spirit, I didn't question he could break it even if I thought the intructions were a bit odd. I never forgot that since it seemed important that the audience should know what was going on since Kamaji ws taking the time to explain it. However the English-dub and subtitles didn't explain at all compared to that comic. Thanks Gaijin for explaining it even better!