“Kids” Anime That Are Actually Fuel For Nightmares

Hayao Miyazaki’s film from Studio Ghibli tells the story of Chihiro, who enters a magical bathhouse for spirits, only to find her parents turned into pigs. The bathhouse is staffed by creatures who behave very much like flawed humans. Memorable scenes, like the cleaning of a polluted river spirit and the actions of the mysterious No-Face, blend traditional folklore with disturbing transformations. The film uses sounds of industry and dark settings to highlight themes of work and excess. While often considered a family film, its imagery and exploration of greed, self-discovery, and being in-between worlds can be surprisingly unsettling.







