Tumblr User Calls Out Animated Fantasy Film 'Spirited Away' As A Metaphor For The Japanese Sex Industry

The film leaves plenty of room for interpretation, but many people were not impressed by the Tumblr user's take on the story.

Stephanie

• Published in Interesting
• October 21, 2022

When we find a film or television series that we love, it's often true that we tend to read a lot into the history and meaning behind the story. We want to know what inspired it, if there's any truth behind it, and, most importantly, we want to know what it all means.

This can be especially true when it comes to kids' stories. Sometimes, a series or film might be aimed at kids, but the story behind it may be far deeper - and sometimes, darker than it seems.

In a thread discussing the Japanese cult film, Spirited Away, a Tumblr user described the story as being a "metaphor for the sex industry in Japan." Considering the popular 2001 film is aimed at young children, it's no surprise that the reaction to the claim was a tad explosive.

The film focuses on a ten-year-old girl named Chihiro Ogino. The little girl is traveling with her parents when her father decides to take a shortcut, and the family ends up in an abandoned amusement park.

As the story progresses, Chihiro ends up in a bathhouse where she meets a boy named Haku. The boy warns Chihiro to leave before she realizes it's too late and she is stuck.

The film gets weird when Chihiro's parents transform into pigs. The little girl gets a job in the bathhouse and is renamed, Sen.

The film only gets more and more strange from there. Magic dumplings, a creature called 'No-Face,' a hungry spirit, people turning into mice, and the list goes on.

The film leaves plenty of room for interpretation, but many people were not impressed by the Tumblr user's take on the story and became greatly defensive. Keep scrolling to see how people reacted.

In a thread discussing the Japanese cult film, Spirited Away, a Tumblr user described the story as being a "metaphor for the sex industry in Japan."

Considering the popular 2001 film is aimed at young children, it's no surprise that the reaction to the claim was a tad explosive.

"Spirited Away was made for 10-year-old girls."

One Tumblr user became very defensive of the film, saying, "The themes of Spirited Away are courage, the strength of character, and individuality. Especially individuality."

"You want to seem cool and intelligent? Talk about the movie's actual themes."

The Tumblr user made their thoughts on the suggested metaphor very clear. "Don't make up this shock-value bullshit for attention."

What's your take on this Tumblr user's controversial opinion? Do you think there is any truth to the sex industry metaphor?

The film certainly leaves plenty of room for viewer interpretation, but perhaps this one is a bit far-fetched. On the other hand, it's entirely possible that the creators of Spirited Away were hoping for this exact contentious reaction to their film, to bring attention to a serious problem.

Either way, there's no denying that Spirited Away has enjoyed enormous success worldwide. Have you seen it?

We love to hear from you! You can share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Stephanie