Japanese Identity as Represented in

Miyazaki’s Spirited Away

Japanese Identity as Represented in

Miyazaki’s Spirited Away

Aliza Belcourt and Eve RabinowitzAliza Belcourt and Eve Rabinowitz

Japan: Facts and FiguresJapan: Facts and Figures

2nd largest economy 4th largest importer 5th largest exporter 1639 – 1854 - Closed Country period, ended with

US navy forced entry, led to Meiji Restoration 1868 – rulers wanted to use Western style free

market 1940 – invaded French Indo-China, frowned upon

by rest of world, resulted in US placed oil embargo

2nd largest economy 4th largest importer 5th largest exporter 1639 – 1854 - Closed Country period, ended with

US navy forced entry, led to Meiji Restoration 1868 – rulers wanted to use Western style free

market 1940 – invaded French Indo-China, frowned upon

by rest of world, resulted in US placed oil embargo

Japan: Facts and Figures Cont.

Japan: Facts and Figures Cont.

1941 – attack on Pearl Harbor, declared war on US, UK and Netherlands

1945 – US atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, later that year Japan agreed to unconditional surrender

1947 – Pacifist constitution; renounced right to declare war

1960-1980 – period of economic growth 1990s – decline in economy, “lost decade”

1941 – attack on Pearl Harbor, declared war on US, UK and Netherlands

1945 – US atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, later that year Japan agreed to unconditional surrender

1947 – Pacifist constitution; renounced right to declare war

1960-1980 – period of economic growth 1990s – decline in economy, “lost decade”

Western Influence and References

in Spirited Away

Western Influence and References

in Spirited Away Character appearances Audi, Adidas Western Architecture “Finish what you

started, human” Live pigs and dead fish Time cards

Character appearances Audi, Adidas Western Architecture “Finish what you

started, human” Live pigs and dead fish Time cards

Western Representations through Yubaba

Western Representations through Yubaba

Top of hierarchy, called “Head Honcho”

Watches over the bathhouse

Office is decorated in Western style

Very greedy Spoils her oversized child

Top of hierarchy, called “Head Honcho”

Watches over the bathhouse

Office is decorated in Western style

Very greedy Spoils her oversized child

Loss of IdentityLoss of Identity

Chihiro turns invisible “Sign your name away” Chihiro becomes Sen

Koreans in Japan forced to take Japanese names

Haku does not know his real name Job becomes identity Human smell from food

Chihiro turns invisible “Sign your name away” Chihiro becomes Sen

Koreans in Japan forced to take Japanese names

Haku does not know his real name Job becomes identity Human smell from food

Loss of Identity: No FaceLoss of Identity: No Face No name, masked face Unable to speak until

transformation Manipulated by surroundings Overtaken by greed of

bathhouse Tries to make Chihiro greedy Upon leaving bathhouse,

returns to former self Warning for Japan

No name, masked face Unable to speak until

transformation Manipulated by surroundings Overtaken by greed of

bathhouse Tries to make Chihiro greedy Upon leaving bathhouse,

returns to former self Warning for Japan

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GreedGreed “Don’t worry, you’ve got Daddy here. He’s

got credit cards and cash” Willingness to take what is not theirs, thought

they could as long as they had money Gold is Yubaba’s top priority

Stink/river spirit “Something precious to you has been replaced”

Mayhem at prospect of gold Chihiro is only not greedy character

“Don’t worry, you’ve got Daddy here. He’s got credit cards and cash”

Willingness to take what is not theirs, thought they could as long as they had money

Gold is Yubaba’s top priority Stink/river spirit “Something precious to you has been replaced”

Mayhem at prospect of gold Chihiro is only not greedy character

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Baby as Japan Baby as US

Baby as Japan Baby as US

Closed Country mentality

Fear of things that are different

Took outside influences to realize its problems and to change

After seeing error of his ways, became a pacifist

Closed Country mentality

Fear of things that are different

Took outside influences to realize its problems and to change

After seeing error of his ways, became a pacifist

Only communicates through threats

Fear of things that are different

Wants to make everyone the same as them

Spoiled Oversized

Only communicates through threats

Fear of things that are different

Wants to make everyone the same as them

Spoiled Oversized

Japan and the EnvironmentJapan and the Environment

Environmental issues include: Air pollution Waste management

Poisonings from industrial waste in 1950s and 1960s Chronic arsenic poisonings in 1970s Largest importer of fossil fuels Leaders in developing environmentally friendly technology 5th largest emission emitters in the world Under treaty obligations to reduce CO2 emissions and to take

other steps to curb climate change

Environmental issues include: Air pollution Waste management

Poisonings from industrial waste in 1950s and 1960s Chronic arsenic poisonings in 1970s Largest importer of fossil fuels Leaders in developing environmentally friendly technology 5th largest emission emitters in the world Under treaty obligations to reduce CO2 emissions and to take

other steps to curb climate change

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Pollution and the Environment

Pollution and the Environment

The bathhouse is a place where spirits come to be cleansed

The Kohaku River was destroyed leaving Haku homeless and confined to spirit realm

Leads to questions about other spirits in the bathhouse - how they got there, where they came from

Polluted river spirit thought to be stink spirit

The bathhouse is a place where spirits come to be cleansed

The Kohaku River was destroyed leaving Haku homeless and confined to spirit realm

Leads to questions about other spirits in the bathhouse - how they got there, where they came from

Polluted river spirit thought to be stink spirit

The Confused National Identity of Japan in Spirited Away

The Confused National Identity of Japan in Spirited Away As a result of being a closed

country for 200 years, Japan does not know where it fits in with the rest of the world

Freud: you have to identify who you are not in order to identify who you are

As a result of being a closed country for 200 years, Japan does not know where it fits in with the rest of the world

Freud: you have to identify who you are not in order to identify who you are