15 Best Spirited Away Quotes, Ranked

Spirited Away is the Oscar-winning masterpiece by director and animator Hayao Miyazaki. It is the first work of animation to win an Oscar, being awarded so at the 7th Annual Acadamy Awards Ceremony. If ever you’re in a group of people and someone mentions Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli,  this is the film they are most likely to recommend as an introduction to his work.

It follows the story of a young girl who is moving to a new town with her mother and father when the next thing she knows she is swept off to a mysterious land where she must work until she finds a way to rescue her parents from their unfortunate fate. Here are ten quotes to bring you closer to the world of Spirited Away.

Updated June 22nd, 2020 by Sam Hutchinson: Spirited Away(released by the legendary Studio Ghibli and directed by the iconic Hayao Miyazaki) is one of the most loved and critically acclaimed animated movies of all time. Since its release in 2001, the film has gone on to receive a huge following across the world. However, simply watching this masterpiece once isn’t enough. After watching the film several times, you will come to pick up new information you hadn’t previously seen, as well as uncover new meanings beneath the quotes and actions of some of the characters.

15 “Once you’ve met someone you never really forget them. It just takes a while for your memories to return.”

Spirited Away (and almost every movie from Studio Ghibli) carries a bittersweet element to it. While some of the standout and most obvious elements of the film are comedic or action-packed, there is always an underlying element of tragedy to certain characters.

One of the most obvious examples of this can be seen in a discussion between Zeniba and Chihiro, with Zeniba offering some advice to Chihiro that is definitely learned from experience.

14 “I finally get a bouquet and it’s a goodbye present. That’s depressing.”

Some may believe that tragedy and comedy don’t go together, but they would certainly be wrong. One has to watch any Ricky Gervais sitcom to see just how well the two (apparently) conflicting genres mesh.

The above quote is a great example of this and helps highlight both the loneliness and humor within Chihiro.

13 “I’ve gotta get out of this place. Someday I’m getting on that train.”

On the face of it, this may simply appear to be a desire for Lin to escape the creepy and overbearing bathhouse, but there is something in this quote that goes far deeper than the bathhouse.

The quote is reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s music, particularly Thunder Road, which ends with the line “it’s a town full of losers, I’m pulling out of here to win.” Similarly, Lin doesn’t want to escape the bathhouse per se, she wants to build her own life.

12 “Come on! Quit eating! Let’s get out of here!”

This line is very important to the movie, not only does it relate directly to the premise, but it also shows that Chihiro instinctively knew that something was wrong with the food her parents were eating.

Furthermore, there is something about this line that connects with every child – a lack of parental understanding. More specifically, that parents often don’t heed the warnings of their children.

11 “If you make Sen cry I won’t like you anymore.”

This quote is fantastic as it shows that, despite the initial distrust and prejudice towards Chihiro (Sen) from the bathhouse workers, people have started to look past that and see her as an individual.

Furthermore, it also shows that immorality is a learned trait rather than a genetic one, with Boh going against his mother’s beliefs to say this.

10 “The Radish Spirit!”

This exclamatory quote illustrates the exuberance of the characters in the film and the uniqueness of characters that Miyazaki creates. The wold Chihiro finds herself destined to reside in until she finds a way out is essentially a resort for spirits.

The spirits themselves are not main characters but do give Miyazaki the opportunity to create a slew of interesting creatures that pose different threats and ideas. Some are resented by staff, some come purely to test the staff, some have darker motives.

9 “Quit Whining. It’s Fun To Move To A New Place, It’s An Adventure.”

Miyazaki’s characters are not known for being meek. We only meet Chihiro’s mother for a few brief scenes at the start of the film, but even in this small-time Miyazaki establishes a clear dynamic between the parents and their daughter, the film’s protagonist Chihiro.

Chihiro begins as a demanding, whiny child. Her parents have no patience for her behavior and urge her to see life with more enthusiasm and open-mindedness.

8 “I Don’t Need Any Help, This Place Is Full Of Soot.”

Chihiro is told to go to the boiler man and ask him for work until he agrees to help her. When she finally finds him and asks him for help, he curtly remarks that he has all the help that he needs.

This is the scene where we are introduced to the beloved tiny soot creatures that look like small dark fluff balls with big eyes. It’s a beautiful, whimsical scene, featuring some of Miyazaki’s most innocent and charming creatures.

7 “Thank The Boiler Man, You Idiot.”

Chihiro first meets who is to be her good friend and main daily ally, Lin. Lin at first gives Chihiro a very hard time, insulting her intelligence and acting resentful of having to help her find a job.

This is the same way that the boiler man first treated Chihiro as well, yet only a few minutes later when Lin walks in and becomes alarmed to see a human, the boiler man protects her by claiming she is his granddaughter and then implores Lin to help her find a job.

6 “We Don’t Want Her. She’ll Stink The Whole Place Up.”

Once Chihiro enters the spirit world she is no longer the dominant species. She finagles her way into getting a contract to stay on and work, but this doesn’t do her much good when she actually faces her fellow workers.

Nobody wants to take her on as a co-worker, citing her foul human “smell”. Miyazaki’s works often include light social commentary, and this film is no exception. Chihiro is treated with prejudice and has to prove her worth as a hard worker before the group will accept her.

5 “I Promise I’ll Get You Out Of Here,  Just Don’t Get Any Fatter Or They’ll Eat You!”

The whole film becomes a lesson in Chihiro learning to be independent, but ironically, she is landed in her sticky situation in the first place as a result of her parents’ own flaw of greed. They refuse to stop eating at a sacred buffet intended for spirits, and as punishment is turned to pigs.

The teachers in this tale are not the parents. Indeed, in many of Miyazaki’s films, the parents are just as flawed as the children. He is an equalizer in this way, anti-ageist in favor of children being treated as people, not inferior beings.

4 “If You Completely Forget [Your Name] You’ll Never Find Your Way Home.”

Haku gives Chihiro a piece of paper with her name on it and tells her to keep it close to her. Yubaba took Chihiro’s name when she signed a contract to work, therefor gaining control of her and inhibiting her from ever returning to her old life. Haku has forgotten his own name from his past and doesn’t want the same thing to happen to Chihiro.

This quote also speaks to the moveability of identity, and how holding on to the identity that one prefers is not a given, but takes conscious effort.

3 “I Can’t Believe You Pulled It Off! You’re Such A Dope, I Was Really Worried”

Lin cares more for Chihiro than she originally let on. Many of the characters do this, leading us to feel one way about them and put up our guard on behalf of the protagonist, and then flipping the script and showing their humanity.

Lin seems like a hardened worker with only her own interest in mind, but the longer we spend with her the more we learn that she is a kind young person just like Chihiro, hoping to find a way out and lead her own life. She shows that you can be hard on someone and care about them at the same time, teaching Chihiro to have a sense of humor.

2 “Welcome The Rich Man, He’s Hard For You To Miss; His Butt Keeps Getting Bigger, So There’s Plenty There To Kiss!”

No Face appears as a mysterious spirit offering piles of gold to the workers of the bathhouse. No Face brings out the worst in the inhabitants, putting their greediness on display. The whole bathhouse is a breeding ground for greedy, self-indulgent behavior–the very thing that overcame Chihiro’s parents.

No Face, on the other hand, explores a different form of desire–he consumes everything around him but is never satisfied. He tries desperately to please Chihiro, revealing his initial gluttony to be a symptom of loneliness.

1 “Staying In This Room Is What Will Make You Sick!”

Chihiro fights with Yubaba’s enormous baby child who Yubaba keeps shut away in a room. The baby is convinced that if it goes outside it will be exposed to deathly germs. It tells Chihiro not to touch it, declaring she will make it sick. Chihiro’s return remark is a turning point in her growth as a character.

It contrasts directly with our first experience of her when she is sitting in the car complaining about having to try new things in life. By this point, she has had to learn the hard way that exposure helps one grow.