Spirited Away, Vol. 5

Rating:
Summary: ecaF-oN morf esuohhtab s'abaab-uY sevas orihihC
Review: This is the fifth and final volume in the manga version of Hayao Miyazaki's anime "Spirited Away," winner of the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Film of the Year. Now is the time for Sen to solve the riddle of Haku the dragon and finally confront the sorceress Yu-baaba in order to free her parents, win back her name, and find a way back home from the wonderful and frightening land of the spirits in which she has been trapped. The moody little girl named Chihiro that we met at the beginning of this story has become a brave and most resourceful child and the story of "Spirited Away" is going to deservedly become a classic.

This manga version should not be seen as a substitute for the film, which is now available on DVD. But for those who love the film and admire the mastery of Miyazaki-sama, who has brought us "Castles in the Air," "Kiki's Delivery Service," and "Princess Mononoke" in the past, this is another way of cherishing the film. Remember that these volumes are meant to be read "back" to "front" (i.e, right to left, like the above title for this review), so do not make the mistake of opening up to the ending now that you are up to the final volume. The artwork consists of cels taken from the film, with the original Japanese sound effects included. While you relive the wonderful story you can also enjoy the details Miyazanki works into the artwork as well as his marvelous use of color.

This is clearly Miyazaki's masterwork to date, which means that if you have enjoyed any of his previous films or any other example of anime or animated film in your entire life, you will want to see this film. It also means that with this master filmmaker, there may well be better anime yet to come.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: Without wasting my time giving an aivd description of how the movie and books affected me, I shall simply say that they are enjoyable by anyone with imagination and a love of the exotic. For those who fit the criterea, it's worth every penny