The 10 Best Spirits & Creatures In Spirited Away

Spirited Away is just one of the many artistic masterpieces created by award-winning director and animator, Hayao Miyazaki. The film’s memorable characters and storyline awarded Miyazaki his first Oscar. The story follows a young girl named Chihiro on her quest to save her parents as she navigates her way through a mystical bathhouse.

Along the way, she is met with creatures, ghouls, and spirits who either help or hinder her journey. From the Soot Sprites by Chihiro’s feet to the spirits from the depths of the rivers, these are the creatures fans are most likely to remember from Spirited Away as they watch it for the first or thousandth time.

Kamaji AKA The Boiler Man

Kamaji is the six-armed boiler man who runs all of the water through the bathhouse. While some of the other spirits at the bathhouse don’t have much in the way of powers, Kamaji can stretch his arms to infinite lengths. He starts out being very uninterested in the wellbeing of Chihiro and wants nothing to do with a human in his boiler room. When he notices her determination to get a job, he begins to respect her and welcomes her as family.

His ability to read the room proves that Kamaji is one of the more intelligent creatures in Spirited Away. He is sweet, understanding, and loyal to Chihiro from that point on, which makes him one of the few creatures in the movie that fans would want on their side. This, along with his ability to grab a meal from across the room!

Soot Sprites

These little balls with unexplainable strength are a fan favorite across Studio Ghibli films. From fan art to plush toys, the soot spirits are too cute to ignore, not to mention, they become a quick friend for Chihiro from the start.

Chihiro proves her worth to them when she offers to carry a piece of coal for a weaker Soot Sprite. In one of the most relatable displays of laziness, the rest of the Soot Sprites take this gesture as an opportunity to quit working for the day. Although their contribution to Chihiro’s journey is confined to the floor in the boiler room, Spirited Away would not be the same without them.

The Radish Spirit

“The Radish Spirit!” said in Lin’s all-too distinguishable voice, is certainly a fan-favorite character when it comes to Studio Ghibli creatures. Although his role is small, he has a large presence on screen, towering over Chihiro and Lin in his little red hat and apron.

Lin is nervous that he will cause trouble when he notices Chihiro is a human, but much to her surprise, the spirit helps conceal Chihiro by using his overwhelming scent to mask the smell of the human and lead her to her destination. He celebrates Chihiro and he nurtures and protects her. He’s just an all-around great spirit and a wonderful ally for Chihiro.

The Otori-Sama

These guys aren’t on screen for more than a few minutes, but they are regular customers at Yubaba’s bathhouse. The duck-like creatures can only be spotted in large groups and are akin to groups of friends hanging out in a hot tub together.

Their community spirit and constant smiling attitude make them fun to watch on screen. They are cute, squishy, and all-around adorable, and a plush version of these bird-gods can even be found hidden in a scene of Ponyo, another Miyazaki masterpiece.

No-Face

No-Face is a complex creature. He represents both good and evil as he transitions between these forces throughout the film. His creepy form and unique features start off as kind, but as he grows greedy for Chihiro’s attention, he becomes ugly. Due to Chihiro’s lack of judgment and kindness toward him, by the end, he returns to his normal good form and takes on an appearance of innocence.

No-Face represents the blurry line between good and evil in Spirited Away and how important it is not to judge someone based on their appearance or what they are going through. His contribution to the story is what viewers love most about him. He raises questions, causes fans to think, and is simply a very unique character.

The Kashira

The Kashira are some of the most unique creatures of Ghibli’s creation, resembling three green angry heads and based on the image of Japanese Daruma dolls. They have seemingly no purpose in the bathhouse besides providing company for Yubaba, but some fans speculate that they act as her bodyguard. They are probably the least intelligent creatures in the film, especially since after Zeniba turns them into Boh, Yubaba’s baby, their inability to speak makes them incapable of warning their master.

It’s comical for fans to watch them gorge themselves on candy disguised as Boh, and the dramatic irony makes for great viewing and keeps the Kashira in fans’ minds.

Aogaeru

Most fans likely find Aogaeru annoying, and they aren’t wrong. He is the most annoying of all the creatures, a loudmouth, a suck-up, and extremely greedy. Because of this, he is the first employee that No-Face eats, and for the majority of the film, fans know Aogaeru as the voice of No-Face.

His voice is extremely distinguishable and becomes a representation of greed throughout the film. Although he isn’t as cuddly as many of the other creatures, his quotable personality and contribution to the plot make him worthy of this list.

Shikigami

The Shikigami are remarkably creative creatures designed by Miyazaki. Something as common as a paper bird coming to life on screen is captivating and truly one of the more beautiful animated moments from Studio Ghibli.

Fans can agree that Zeniba’s boss-girl energy shines through in her sassy control of these paper creatures. She’s not afraid to send the Shikigami to chase down a dragon spirit, or spy on a little girl. The best move these little creatures make is when they accidentally give Zeniba a papercut. It’s captivating to viewers that such a small and simple creature can do so much damage.

Yubaba’s Bird

One of the sillier creatures in the film is Yubaba’s bird – a spy with the body of a bird but a head resembling that of Yubaba herself. Starting out as a typical Ghibli villain, the bird loses its power over Chihiro when Zeniba turns it into a small crow.

The creature is much more entertaining disguised this way and creates a deep friendship with Boh, who had been turned into a small mouse. The two can be seen riding on Chihiro’s shoulder throughout the rest of the film, and the friendship is sweet and comforting to Chihiro, giving Boh and Yubaba’s Bird a chance to redeem themselves and face their fears.

The Stink Spirit

The Stink Spirit is the ultimate test of Chihiro’s maturity. At the beginning of the film, Chihiro would never have been so kind and understanding, but with the introduction of this stinky, ugly, and slimy creature, she really shows how much she is growing. The Stink Spirit is a true representation of the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” as one truly never knows what is going on underneath the surface.

This creature was in pain and Chihiro nurtured it back to good health. The scene with the Stink Spirit is one of the most visually compelling, and although the creature smells so bad viewers can almost smell him through the screen, his reassuring “good job” to Chihiro when he is freed is enough to make him a fan favorite.

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