The Anime Way

I had the unusual experience of being introduced to anime as a regular part of my early childhood. I watched movies like Unico and Totoro until I knew them by heart, and though I didn't know the difference between Japanese anime and "regular" cartoons, I sought out the specific artistic style of anime and the underlying philosophical tones that were often absent from western cartoons.

What many people did not understand about anime was that it was the overt philosophical ideas that kept me interested. Sure, Bugs Bunny was funny, but Totoro was about being a family and respecting the environment. Kiki's Delivery Service taught me to be innovative and to work with whatever skills I have. Princess Mononoke pushed the limits of my imagination and made me think about how to reconcile spirituality and nature with the push of technology and the expansion of urbanization.

But the story that has stayed with me the most is that of Chihiro in the movie Spirited Away.

Chihiro reminded me of myself. Gif from rebloggy.com

A ten year old girl moving to a new town suddenly finds herself in the Otherworld, filled with spirits and ghosts. It's akin to the old European stories about fairies and the sidhe. Chihiro loses her parents, her name, and her world in one afternoon. She was dropped into the precarious situation of trying to survive and get home, and being brave enough to save her parents, too.

I can't say that I have ever been put in such dire circumstances, but I knew (as I am sure everyone knows) the fear and uncertainty of a new situation. Even though Chihiro starts out as a bit whiny, she more than rises to the trials set before her. And the best part was that the story allowed for scenes where Chihiro could show how afraid she was, before pulling herself together and continuing with the job at hand.

Jobs are sorta hard without hands. Image from pagesource.com

From an early age, I could I identify with the characters in Miyazaki's films by artistic style and storyline. Chihiro is the best example, because I feel an affinity toward her, but his other films also give strong role models that are not often seen in western equivalent. The philosophical connotations of Spirited Away are in no way over looked by a child, as adults tend to think. And I think that's the reason I loved anime so much, because the writers and artists showed me something more than vapid slapstick comedy.

I still get a few funny looks when I turn on my favorite anime on Saturday night. I guess others just aren't as sophisticated.