Rating: 
Summary: One of the best movies ever made, period.
Review: I loved this movie, and I think you will too. This movie stands on it's own against even the best American blockbusters. This movie is not just for Anime buffs. In fact, I have yet to meet anyone who saw this movie and didn't like it.The plot of this movie is simple, it's about a young girl brought to a mystical land and her journey there. However, the beauty of this movie is not in the plot, its in how this plot is brought to life through the characters and scenes of this movie. Each scene is skillfully crafted and filled with emotion. The detail is simply amazing. The only tripping point about this movie, perhaps it's only flaw - but even then not significant - is it lack of explanations. This world in which the girl, named Chihiro, enters is never really explained in the story. This isn't a bad thing though, once your swept up in the world it won't really matter why it is there. In fact any explanation of the world might have ruined the story. It's suppose to be foreign and mysterious. If you love cinema, you owe it to yourself to check this movie out.
Rating:
Summary: STOP assuming cartoons are for KIDS ONLY!!!
Review: Spirited Away is a triumph of storytelling, and a delight to watch. The animation is typical of Studio Ghibli, in that it is very stylized and simple, yet very attentive to the subtle nuances of human expression. The film was an absolute delight to watch, and it never copped out to silliness or a cheap tear-jerking tragedy (a.k.a. kill-off-a-supporting-character-to-make-the-kids-bawl-Disney). It also stays completely away from typical American cliche plot-devices, and lame Disneyesque supersaturated cuteness. When all that is stripped away, you are left with a quietly breathtaking and imaginative journey into traditional Japanese culture, mythical fantasy, and the human spirit. And the film is not meant for your toddler, period.
In Japan, it is perfectly acceptable to market an animated film to an adult crowd. If you try to do that here, everyone will think that the film is pornographic. Why? Because Americans think that all cartoons are for kids, and the ones that are not for kids are porn. This type of thinking is narrow-minded and stupid. Granted, there are a lot of animated porn films coming out of Japan, but that's only because most of the American distributors that are buying the films think that porn and little kids' shows are the only thing that sell in this country. The worst part about it? They're right. Americans won't buy the other stuff, because we refuse to give anything new a chance.
For whatever it's worth to all you one-star raters, you have completely missed the point with this film. It's not meant for your four-year-old, and it's not supposed to be nicey-cutesy-fuzzy-wuzzy-sweetie-kissy-Disney. This is a landmark achievement in filmmaking that is meant to be enjoyed, understood, and pondered later; three things your little one more than likely will not do. So if you are one of those people who would feel embarassed if your were seen going into a theater that was showing an animated film, stay away from good anime like this, and stick with the nice, safe cartoons about horsies and dalmatian doggies.
To all the rest of you that can tell a good film when you see it, and won't pass judgement on it before it has a chance to carry you away: Please help keep good anime coming to America, and buy this film. It is not "mean" or "nonsensical" like some one-star-reviewers say. It is groundbreaking, epic fantasy animation. And it's not for the toddlers. Buy them a Rugrats tape.
Rating:
Summary: Will Spirit You Away
Review: I waited and waited to see this film when it was released here in the states. I finally managed to find one theater which was playing the film near me. (If you call traveling 100 miles near me) I saw it on the last night of it's run at the theater. I was thrilled afterwards that I was able to see Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi before the film dissappeared. Shame on Disney for not doing more promotion for this film. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi was the highest grossing film in Japanese history, making even more money than Titanic. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi is the story of a little girl named Chihiro who stumbles on an empty amusement park with her parents. When her parents take food which doesn't belong to them from a vendor stand, they are turned into pigs. Chihiro quickly finds out the amusement park is really a spa for Japanese spirits. She is forced into slavery and must work in a bath house run by a witch named Yubaba. During the course of the film Chihiro goes through a journey of self discovery and learns valuable lessons about respect, honor and self reliance. It is only after learning these lessons that Chihiro is able to free her parents and herself. The animation is a stunning combination of hand drawn images and computer animation. Don't miss this film when it is released here in the states on DVD. Preston McClear, author The Boy Under the Bed
Rating:
Summary: Animated impressionism
Review: Not only was this film very amusing, it was beautifully animated with backgrounds often reminiscent of impressionist paintings.
Rating: 
Summary: undescribable and unique
Review: This movie is different. That is the main thing an average American must remember when going to see it. It is not a "happy, simple, plotline with song and dance" for children. This is Ghibli, not Disney folks. Spirited Away reminds me of a Fairy Tale or a Fable. The kind of thing you would read about in a modern Brothers Grimm collection. There are weird, sometimes creepy, sometimes cute, always strange and different creatures to be beheld here and not everyone will appreciate that. The plot follows 10-year-old Chihiro who is moving away to a new city and has a bit of a problem with being self-centered. When her parents stumble on an abandoned amusement-park and go exploring they come across some fresh food. Thinking the place might still be in business they sit down to eat and decide to pay later. The food ends up turning them into pigs and from there the plot spirals into a series of strange events that sometimes don't quite make sense, but are fun to watch anyways. This movie holds quite a few themes and contains a lot of symbolism. It is rather complex, which is becoming rare for a PG movie. At times, it may seem a little rushed or random and many people may think Mr. Miyazaki is not quite all the way there or is abusing certain substances. These people, are closed-minded however and should shut-up and mind their own beeswax. This movie requires a selected taste and artistic understanding. If fantasy and fairy-tales aren't your thing, ignore, leave it alone by all means. If you are in the mood for something new and creative, if you want your kids to see something more than brainwashed cartoons, if you want to see beautiful animation, see this movie! It may take some time before you appreciate it, and you may have to expand what you think about cartoons or entertainment, but I think that expanding is a good thing. This is certainly not everybody's movie, but that's what makes it great. After all, do you prefer "one size fits all" or something tailored to be something specific. Of course, it may not be what you usually wear, but it wouldn't hurt to try it on for size. Regarding children, I have heard all manner of things from "kids fled screaming in terror" to "they fell in love with it and want to see it again and again and again and..." When I saw the movie some kids there stayed for the whole thing, I think one person walked out. So let's be honest, this movie is not suitable for some children. There is a bleeding dragon, there are scary creatures, there are weird enchantresses with big heads and giant babies. It is weird and it can be scary. On the same note some kids might be enthralled with this movie. The giant baby could be found hilarious, the dragon (when not bleeding) magical, the creatures (or "spirits rather") curious and fun. It depends on the age and on the child. This is not Pokemon nor is it Princess Mononoke. This is very diffirent from both of those. Know your kids before letting them see it, see the movie before letting them see it. Parental Guidance is suggested folks, adhere to this.
Rating:
Summary: Not a fan of anime?
Review: Yea, neither was I. I had always snubbed my nose at anime because of a girl who had beaten anime to death with her fanaticism which scared me away. Luckily I was coerced into seeing Spirited Away which took my breath away. A beautiful movie full of lessons to be learned. With more substance than most live action movies Spirited Away takes you on a animated journey that doesn't limit your imagination.
Rating: 
Summary: mean-spirited & scary
Review: we saw this movie with several other parents and the kids found it scary. the movie on the whole was mean spirited. the parents yell at their daughter before being turned into to pigs and she is entered into slavedom and must save her parents and everyone is mean, ugly and nasty to each other. hardly a happy family movie. Maybe ok for adults although it was not my cup of tea but I certainly would not recommend it for kids. everyone was complaining about as they left the theater. I'll stick with monsters, inc., ice age, shrek, spirit are all better family fare.
Rating:
Summary: I was Blown Away
Review: Chihiro, a typical slightly spoiled ten year old girl, wanders off the beaten path with her parents, and is thrust into a bewildering otherworld. Her parents have soon fallen under a malign enchantment, and suddenly it falls to her, with the aid of a mysteriously familiar boy named Haku, to rescue them. She has to decide where to place her trust, as it becomes apparent that Haku is in the service of the villainous tyrant grandmother Yabubu, who rules over this otherworld. It is Chihiro's spirit that steers her through these uncharted waters. We watch her discover in herself and exhibit, tentatively at first but with growing confidence, all of the virtues a fairy-tale hero must learn: resourcefulness, compassion, politeness (hey, this *is* Japanese!) and courage. Because we've witnessed her ordinary beginnings, we identify with and believe in all her emerging qualities. It's all done with a deft matter-of-fact touch that never cloys and never preaches. The animation is quietly dazzling. The plot is dense and full of surprises. The symbolism is as exotic as a Shinto shrine, and as familiar as the echos set up by the best fairy tales from Hans Christian Andersen or old Russia. The cream of American animation for children in recent years - films like Aladdin or Monsters Inc - have drawn in audiences with screenplays written on a double track: a simple, comforting story for the kids, and a long series of nods and winks over the kids' heads to the adults, catering to our sense of irony and patting us on the back for catching all the topical and cinematic references. And that's been fun as far as it goes. "Spirited Away" throws all that into the dustbin, goes back to the basics, to the conventions and surprises of timeless fairy tale, to a character-based humor that appeals to all ages, and to the sense of wonder that reawakens the child in everyone. It's an hour and a half of pure, funny poetry. It hits every mark it aims for. It's an unqualified classic. And it will become the first DVD I buy for my two year old grandson, even though it will have to be held in trust until he turns six, and can watch it without being freaked out by the spooky parts.
Rating:
Summary: WOW Miyazaki's best!!
Review: After I saw Totoro I thought wow, that was the best anime I have ever seen. Then I saw Spirited Away it is so Bizarre and wild that absolutely anyone would like it, heck even my dad liked it (he totally hates anything that has the remotest connection to mangas and or animes) but he loved it. It is so wonderfully drawn and plotted that every move holds your attention. Beileve me you won't be able to see it just once. It's appropriate for anyone of any age and it is so delitful. Like I said in my title I think it was Miyazaki's best. So wonderfuly drawn HILARIOUS loveable characters with major twist and turns. Not predictable in the least bit. Definetly a must see and a must buy.
Rating:
Summary: A remarkable journey
Review: I saw 'Spirited Away' two times in Spain (in Spanish, naturally), and it has become my absolute favourite of all of Hayao Miyazaki's films. Miyazaki is, for me, the epitome of Japanese animation and the undisputed master of his craft. He fills the screen with minute details, doing most of the painstaking animation by hand in an age of computer animation (see Disney). His films are always unique both in visual style and in plot, expressing lost mythologies, alternate worlds, and the spirits that surround us. In Japan anime is not only for children, a concept which Western audiences have difficulty understanding. These are more than mere cartoons; they are explorations of self, nature, and in some ways Japanese society (there are frequently Japanese elements in many of Miyazaki's films although most are set in fictitious places). 'Spirited Away' tells the lovely story of Chihiro, a ten-year-old Japanese girl that is moving to a new town. Along the way the family stops to explore a mysterious tunnel that turns out to be a pathway into an alternate world filled with gods, witches and strange creatures. Chihiro's parents are transformed into large pigs as punishment for their gluttony (there are frequently morals in Miyazaki's tales as well), and Chihiro begins work for the witch Yubaba while desperately trying to find a cure for her parents before they are eaten (!). She befriends Haku, a mysterious boy whom she feels some past connection to, and together the two attempt to overthrow the tyrannical reign of Yubaba. A gorgeous film, with a beautiful soundtrack by frequent Miyazai collaborator Joe Hisaishi ('Princess Mononoke,' 'Kiki's Delivery Service,' 'Totoro'). There are some elements that may be disturbing to very young children (the threat of Chihiro's parents being eaten even as a pig's head is shown at a feast, several scary rampages, some blood), but overall this is an excellent, quality film that is a feast for the eyes, ears, and imagination, and a true journey of the spirit.
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