I have some advice to anyone that hasn't seen this movie or did not like it but is attempting to watch it again: do not look at this movie the same way you look at western movies. This movie is meant to be a fable, and thus is chock full of metaphor. In fact, since it is set in the spirit world, EVERYthing is a metaphor. I don't want to impose my own views as to what those metaphors may mean, but it is important to accept, in a sense, that this movie doesn't have a plot. At least, not in the conventional sense. It would be better viewed as an exploration. Of what, I'll let you decide. Watch the movie, try to figure out what all the characters mean, why some are portrayed in a more favorable light and others not. It is also important to remember that, unlike western art in general, many of this movie's metaphors and messages have more than one meaning. I get the sense from reading the posts of other people, as well as some reviews, that many people have trouble realizing/accepting this. But, in my opinion, it is essential to move past this to truly enjoy and understand the movie and its message. The implication of this is also that it is impossible to fully understand the movie in just one viewing (or two, or many more). Like a painting, we are meant to look at this movie from different perspectives; close up and from far away and in different lights. All this is why I consider Spirited Away my favorite movie, and I hope that my advice will help some people see it in a different light. I don't claim to have all the necessary information to understand this movie, but rather I think I can help some people people who have trouble with this sort of movie and art enjoy it a bit more. So... have fun!
Review of Spirited Away
