Premium Essay

Spirited Away Masks

Submitted By
Words 1744
Pages 7
In old Japan it was believed that particular inanimate objects such as Noh masks could possess human souls. Noh is an old Japanese theatrical art form comprised of drama, music and dance elements through the use of masks. Noh and kabuki masks are said to all have different personalities and can take on a life of their own. The most peculiar character found within the film, Spirited Away is No-Face. The Noh mask is presumed to be the face of No-Face. Through the Supervising Animator, Ando Masashi’s comment, Noriko Reider explains in a review called Spirited Away: Film of the Fantastic and Evolving Japanese Folk Symbols, “there is an expression in Japanese that goes, ‘someone is like a Noh mask’ meaning ‘someone is inscrutable.” (Reider, 20) Due to the complete emptiness and lack of emotion that characterizes No-Face, the use of a mask as a characterization tool can be understood. This feature gives the character a poker face making him nearly impossible to read. His lack of voice and expression portrays No-Face as a character with no purpose and no self. Professor Doris Bargen writes about the aspect of the mask in her journal called Twin Blossoms on a Single Branch: The Cycle of Retribution in Onnamen, "symbolically, masking can hide or disguise the self; it can also be …show more content…
The emptiness seeking the inevitable emotion and desires of others to fill the void became a story that is true for many people today. Within the film, No-Face reflects the personalities and cravings of others around him, absorbing them like a sponge; he himself is inscrutable without them. Through the character development and resulting animation, the emotional void and emptiness becomes the fundamental essence that characterizes No-face at the beginning of his transformative emergence as a more enlightened being that comes to understand material gain does not lead to true

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

A Movie

... | | |Date: | | Introduction After visiting the "Studio Ghibli Layout Design" exhibition in Hong Kong Heritage Museum, I was shocked by the original layout sketches and the fine storytelling. The 1300 layouts of films contain the cut of camera work, camera speed and space relation between characters and backgrounds; it gives me an insight of the process of animation making. Hence, I would like to comprehend more about the film produced by animation powerhouse-Studio Ghibli, especially the masterpiece-“Spirited Away”, which helps to promote Japanese animation to worldwide audience. “Spirited Away” is an animated film written and directed by the director of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki (Cavallaro 2004) in 2001, which have won awards in a number of international film festivals, including Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and a Golden Bear at the Berlin International Festival (Reider 2005), and become the top-grossing movie in Japanese history. In the following, the film’s themes based on the plot, use of photography and camera angle and aesthetic symbols and motifs will be analyzed throughout the essay to understand the key of success of this fantasy...

Words: 2272 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Hayao Miyazaki's Two Treatments of Duality

...Hayao Miyazaki attained global acclaim for both Princess Mononoke, released in the United States in 1999, and Spirited Away, released throughout North America three years later. These films are clearly products of the same visionary; each film presents a protagonist of strong will and sound ethic and, in each case, he or she is forced to embark on an epic journey. Both films were very successful in Japan; however, although both were critically acclaimed in the United States, only Spirited Away saw continued box-office success. In order to explain the disparity between these films’ earnings, I will discuss the different approaches, which these films take, to the theme of duality. Naturally, the idea of a double nature is unsettling. However, whereas Spirited Away addresses this theme in a way that invigorates and provides closure, Princess Mononoke leaves the audience feeling uncertain. In order to understand the disparity between these films’ earnings, one must examine not only thematic differences between these films, but also patterns among high-grossing films in the United States. In other words, what are American audiences looking for, which Spirited Away offers and Princess Mononoke does not? When reviewing the history of box-office successes in the United States, one becomes aware of an unfortunate truth: that there is little correlation between what viewers recognize as ‘good cinema’ and what they will pay to see. So what is the formula for a box office success...

Words: 1584 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Techniques In The Film Spirted Away By Hayao Mizaki

...Spirted away, a japense film by Hayao Mizaki tells the story of a young girl named Chihiro. At the beginning of the film Chihiro and her parents are driving to there new house. Along the way her parents end up getting lost, the car ends up spinning out of control. Then stops at a huge statue in front of a faded building. The statue is symbollic in the film because it marks the beginning of the other world. Being curious as most people would her parents decide to venture into the building as well as the wind which pulls the parents through the tunnel. Hayao creates a sense of mystery through a darkened tunnel. Behind the tunnel is a bunch of buildings all of which abanadoned as well, her parents smell food and not being wise eat it. Chihiro...

Words: 342 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Connection and Web Evolution (Your Personal Sufficient Property for "Art")

...Connection and Web Evolution PHI 339 One piece of art that I really like is called Acceptance vs. Rejection (Username Squish-Squash). This piece was a semi-finalist in Wacom’s 2009 Bring Your Vision to Life deviantART contest. This 2D image depicts a little girl hugging a strange creature that upon closer inspection appears to have the sad face of a pretty girl but the large, monstrous, decaying body of rejected attempts at existence. It is acknowledged to have been inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s film, Spirited Away (2001). An open property, which I feel is appropriate and which this work incorporates, that will necessarily make every piece of art with its inclusion pleasing to me would be personal connection at a high degree. When I say that I connect/ relate to a piece of art at different degrees it is to acknowledge that I fundamentally relate to all art simply by coexisting with it and that there are also other levels of connection between that and true pleasure. The highest of these levels is elicited by a wild variety of connection “triggers” in my many different mental approaches to the artwork. For example but not exclusively, perhaps if the subject looks like me or an experience I’ve had or vividly imagined, if it’s a subject I’ve studied out of personal passion, if it tickles my brain, if it’s a brand new concept to me, if it’s a polar opposite, if it’s my current favorite color, etc. The triggers that will strike my mind are of such a range that they...

Words: 831 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Spirited Away Gender Stereotypes

...‘Spirited Away’ is an anime film by Hayao Miyazaki. ‘Spirited Away’ tell us the story about a young girl who has developed from a weak/vulnerable girl to a much more independent and stronger girl. It is highly entertaining and insightful partly because of the education on Japanese culture, but what I believe makes it more entertaining and insightful is the life lessons within the film. Does culture and gender provide entertaining and insightful material for the audience? I don't believe that the culture and gender title is the only factor that makes the film entertaining. Many of other things within the film make it much more entertaining. In my eyes there isn't much of Japanese culture that gives me interest apart from the buildings and more. The gender stereotype is mostly shown in Chihiro not any other characters which doesn't make it a large factor in the film other although it's put in the main character. Many more different factors of ‘Spirited Away’ make it entertaining and insightful, such as life lessons within the film and how some characters are exaggerated also known as a caricature. Life lessons teach more about what we should know more in general rather than Japanese culture which isn't necessarily important for the majority of us in the future. Hayao Miyazaki has used many...

Words: 744 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Hayao Miyazaki Research Paper

...Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese chief executive of Studio Ghibli. He was born in Tokyo, Japan on January 5, 1941, making him 72 today. Miyazaki is one of four siblings under his father Katusji Miyazaki; this family initially worked within Miyazaki Airplanes, a family business. His father moved their family to Utsonomiya City later on. These different environments would soon serve as inspiration for the settings of his stories and the basis of plot. Nausicaa (produced in 1984 (Kraemer)) would reflect Miyazaki’s dislike for governmental war and Princess Mononoke would contain the forest inspired setting that he grew up with in Utsonomiya City. Miyazaki would even take personal experiences –like his mother’s diagnosis of tuberculosis- and incorporate...

Words: 261 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Calvin And Dinah Analysis

...misinterpreting Genesis 2:23, his assumption that the Bible authorizes the use of violence against women is not easily dismissed” (129). Seibert states that while these biblical stories may be archaic, much of the violent ideology lingers on today (135). He quotes Cheryl Anderson: “Reading the Biblical laws today, it seems obvious that they contain problematic elements that do not provide direct and immutable guidance about how to treat in our own context, the poor, females, or anyone who is of a different race, ethnicity, or religion. Whether we realize it or not, though, the same underlying attitudes can shape our own attitudes toward comparable groups in the contemporary context. The interpretive impact of these laws does not remain locked away in the ancient Near East”...

Words: 1063 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Commercial Banking

...Brand Name: "Lucent" stands for glowing with light. The connect we are trying to create with the brand name here is that one can have glowing skin sans acne by using our acne strips. The conventional methods for removing acne are face washes and creams that often leave after-marks post their use. We not only ensure effective and painless acne removal but also lucent skin after the use. Brand Logo: Lucent Lucent The brand logo is a simple oval with the name "Lucent" written in a cursive font. The background is white to give a picture of illumination or brightness. The font is cursive to give it a personal touch and warm appeal. Brand Colours: Green and white have been identified as the colours to do the branding. These colours have been chosen as they are neutral colours and "Lucent" also stands for a Unisex brand. Further, "green" stands for being eco-friendly and is synonymous with Lucent's properties too. Lucent is an eco-friendly product as it makes use of organic and herbal ingredients and is biodegradable after use. The colour "white" symbolises purity and radiance which is how the skin feels after use. Brand Tagline: The tagline for Lucent has been given as "Perfect & You". This is mainly used to denote how a person feels after using Lucent. The idea of using the word "perfect" is that it makes the skin flawless and without any imperfections. Brand Vitality: The product is a One-time solution for removing acne from roots. It is so effective that a...

Words: 3389 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Enlightenment In The Poisonwood Bible

...Book 3, the quote applies to the chapter in that the Prices stay in Kilanga despite warnings to leave, and both Orleanna Price and Ruth May Price end up getting sick and the family is continuously shunned by the villagers because they should not be intruding on a different culture that they have no business in. Book 4 marks the division between the Congolese and the Prices as Tata Ndu forces an election to take place. The quote gives insight into the idea that people of different cultures have opposing views of religion and types of gods. While the Prices openly practice Christianity, the Congolese are focusing on the traditional gods and do not fully believe in God to Nathan’s dismay. In Book 5, the quote “And ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you” gives an accurate depiction of Orleanna’s trek with her girls to leave their life behind towards something greater. However, despite leaving, she holds the weight of Ruth May’s death on her shoulders throughout the journey to Leopoldville as the rain comes pouring down. The quote in Book 6 captures the message of what results from being in the Congo. Although a lot of terrible moments took place, these moments shaped how all of the girls ended up. God brought upon a journey and a tough one at that on the family, and in the end, all of them changed in some way and learned different things about themselves, and now life can continue on toward the light of the future. 2. The title of this novel, The Poisonwood Bible, represents...

Words: 4025 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Orwell, George - Shooting an Elephant Original

...Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell New Writing, Autumn 1936 IN Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people—the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me. I was sub-divisional police officer of the town, and in an aimless, petty kind of way anti-European feeling was very bitter. No one had the guts to raise a riot, but if a European woman went through the bazaars alone somebody would probably spit betel juice over her dress. As a police officer I was an obvious target and was baited whenever it seemed safe to do so. When a nimble Burman tripped me up on the football field and the referee (another Burman) looked the other way, the crowd yelled with hideous laughter. This happened more than once. In the end the sneering yellow faces of young men that met me everywhere, the insults hooted after me when I was at a safe distance, got badly on my nerves. The young Buddhist priests were the worst of all. There were several thousands of them in the town and none of them seemed to have anything to do except stand on street corners and jeer at Europeans. All this was perplexing and upsetting. For at that time I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing and the sooner I chucked up my job and got out of it the better. Theoretically—and secretly, of course—I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British. As for the job I was doing, I hated it more bitterly than I can perhaps make...

Words: 3298 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Doc for Englisg 11

...Asian Social Science May, 2009 An Analysis of the Adolescent Problems in The Catcher in the Rye Lingdi Chen Dept. of Foreign Languages, Dezhou University Daxue xi Road, Dezhou 253023, China E-mail: chld1973@126.com Abstract The Catcher in the Rye was written by famous American writer J.D.Salinger. This paper mainly analyzes the adolescent problems Holden Caulfield confronts on the journey from childhood to adulthood. These adolescent problems include Holden’s protection of innocence, his disgust for the phoniness of the adult world, and his alienation from society. This paper concludes that these adolescent problems produce great impact on him. Holden behaves almost erratically and impulsively and has negative attitudes towards almost everything and everyone he meets. Keywords: Adolescent problems, Innocence, Phoniness, Alienation 1. Introduction The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger’s masterpiece, tells the painful story of a high-school boy growing up in the world of decadent New York. Young Holden Caulfield is expelled from school because of his poor academic performance. He is afraid to meet his parents earlier than they should expect him, so he decides to stay in a New York City hotel. There he meets pimps, prostitutes and “queers.” Soon he becomes aware that the world of adults is a “phony” one. After his meeting with a friend, Holden sneaks back home to see his kid sister Phoebe. She is a loving kid, but her talk about their father “killing” him sickens...

Words: 3375 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Finance

...Unit 5012 Being a Leader Introduction: Being a leader is bliss in its true sense as it helps a person to set goals or targets in their lives and then prepare an organized plan of action in order to accomplish all these goals. Leadership is the capability of efficient execution of various tasks by driving each member of the team to give his/her best and channelize his/her potential and co-ordinates the entire team to work collectively in order to accomplish greater organizational goals. Learning outcome 1) Understand the organisation’s ethical and value-based approach to leadership 1.1) Evaluate the impact of the organization’s culture and values on leadership Organisational culture is a total of the organisation’s past and current assumptions, experiences, philosophy and values that hold it together. These are expressed in its self-image, inner workings, interactions with the outside world, and future expectations. It is the way the organization conducts its business, communicates and exchange information. The ideal organisational culture depends on the strategy of the company and kinds of competitive forces its businesses are dealing with. Values are building blocks of culture. They motivate behavior and emotional responses. They support the process in which people approach their work, make choices and decisions and deal with each other. Deal and Kennedy’s cultural model helps us understand rites and rituals in corporate culture. Deal and Kennedy’s cultural...

Words: 3502 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Folk Dance

...Name: Aunso, Jemimah Lea, S. Course and year: BSED 1st 1.What is dance? Dance is a performance art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement. This movement has aesthetic and symbolicvalue, and is acknowledged as dance by performers and observers within a particular culture.[nb 1] Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements, or by its historical period orplace of origin. An important distinction is to be drawn between the contexts of theatrical andparticipatory dance,[4] although these two categories are not always completely separate; both may have special functions, whether social,ceremonial, competitive, erotic, martial, or sacred/liturgical. Others disciplines of human movement are sometimes said to have a dance-like quality, including martial arts, gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming and many other forms of athletics. 2. What are the types/kinds of dances? Types of Dance - Categories Here are some of the most popular dance categories and types: Ballroom Dances These dances started appearing first in Italy, during the early years of Renaissance. Popularity of this kind of entertainment quickly swept over the Europe, United States and the World. Although many other simpler and more easily preformed types of dances caused the ballroom dances to lose some of their influence, modern worldwide dancing audience started resurrecting these immortal dances in ever increasing pace...

Words: 6745 - Pages: 27

Free Essay

Humanities

...MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION This module provides an overview on the subject of art appreciation for those entirely new to the subject. This is a complex topic to deal with and it is impossible to have a truly comprehensive discussion on the topic in such a brief essay. The student is advised to consult more advanced texts to gain further understanding of how to appreciate art more fully. HUMANITIES: What is it? • The term Humanities comes from the Latin word, “humanitas” • It generally refers to art, literature, music, architecture, dance and the theatre—in which human subjectivity is emphasized and individual expressiveness is dramatized. HOW IMPORTANT IS HUMANITIES • The fields of knowledge and study falling under humanities are dedicated to the pursuit of discovering and understanding the nature of man. • The humanities deal with man as a being of purpose, of values, loves, hates, ideas and sometimes as seer or prophet with divine inspiration. • The humanities aim at educating. THE ARTS: What is it? • The word “art” usually refers to the so-called “fine arts” (e.g. pictorial, plastic, and building)– and to the so-called “minor arts” (everyday, useful, applied, and decorative arts) • The word “art” is derived from arti, which denotes craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form, inventiveness. • Art serves as a technical and creative record of human needs and achievements. The word 'art' is often used in our daily lives. However, when...

Words: 11870 - Pages: 48

Premium Essay

The Use of Irony in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: “the Most Unlearned and Uninformed Female Who Ever Dared to Be an Authoress”

...The Use of Irony in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: “The most unlearned and uninformed female who ever dared to be an Authoress” Irony serves as a fundamental literary tool for authors. It enables them to express their themes and views through characters whose words are often inconsistent with their actions, and in situations where the intended result differs from the actual result. Irony works in a clever manner by showing the reader what the author wants to express by making these inconsistencies apparent to the reader, if not to the characters themselves, and exposing it, more often than not, in a satiric fashion. Yet, while irony works with satire, the power it holds for those who wield it well is no laughing matter. Famous writers such as the sardonic H.L. Mencken and Jonathan Swift, a true satiric master, have used irony to promote real, legitimate change. In Swift’s case, his famous piece, “A Modest Proposal,” used extreme satire and irony to promote change in Irish policy. Perhaps the greatest satirist of all time, William Shakespeare used irony in almost every piece he created. In his play Julius Caesar, the speech he has Mark Antony give in which he repeats the phrase “but Brutus is an honorable man” when he is trying to convey the exact opposite serves as a truly timeless example of this literary tool. It is unique in that it does not simply throw the author’s point of view directly in the reader’s face, but rather enables the reader to discover the author’s...

Words: 5225 - Pages: 21