“Spirited Away” is an Academy Award-winning film filled with fantastical visuals and breathtaking animation. This Japanese animated film turned instant family movie night classic is sure to make you root for Chihiro as she ventures into an unknown realm.
Read on to find out where you can watch “Spirited Away” and get ready to enter the realm of spirits and join Chihiro on a journey of discovering one’s inner strength.
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What Is Spirited Away All About?
“Spirited Away” revolves around Chihiro, a young girl who abruptly moves to a small town in Japan. On their way to their new home, her family decided to take a rest in an unfamiliar place and parents get turned into pigs. She later finds out that the place they ran into was overrun by spirits and she has to figure out a way to get her parents back. Haku, a spirit, helps Chihiro by instructing her to work in the bathhouse owned by Yubaba, the witch who cursed her parents, for her to be able to stay safely in the spirit world and figure out a way to bring her parents back to normal. The movie transports the viewer to a world filled with fantastical creatures and themes that are rooted in Japanese mythology and culture.
Who Are in the Cast and Production of Spirited Away?
“Spirited Away” was created and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie was produced by Studio Ghibli, a well-known Japanese animation studio that also produced most of Miyazaki’s work. The movie features a great ensemble of talented voice actors as its cast for both the original Japanese version and the English dub. The cast includes:
- Rumi Hiiragi / Daveigh Chase as Chihiro or Sen
- Miyu Irino / Jason Marsden as Haku
- Mari Natsuki / Suzanne Pleshette as Yubaba and Zeniiba
- Bunta Sugawara / David Ogden Stiers as Kamaji
- Yoomai Tamai / Susan Egan as Lin
- Akio Nakamura / Bob Bergen as No-Face
What is the Rating for Spirited Away?
The movie is rated TV-PG which means younger audiences can watch it but there may be scenes that parents may deem to be sensitive for their children. Therefore, parental guidance is advised while watching the movie.
How Many People Watch Spirited Away?
During its release, “Spirited Away” went on to break blockbuster records earning over $13.1 million in the first three days of its opening weekend. It went on to become the highest-grossing Japanese movie of all time and it took 19 years for this record to be broken. While there is no accurate data on how many people are watching “Spirited Away” on streaming platforms, it can still be said that plenty of people watched the movie when it finally became available for streaming.
How Are the Reviews for Spirited Away?
“Spirited Away” is a critically acclaimed animated movie that managed to stand out worldwide making it a classic movie for animation fans. The movie also earned an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature with many crediting it as a movie that forever changed animation. It has a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an 8.6/10 rating on IMDb, and a 96/100 on Metacritic. It is no wonder that “Spirited Away” is indeed an award-winning movie because of these critic reviews:
- “The magic of this film exists well beyond simple beautiful animated artwork and a moving, well-crafted story; it is how warmly it opens up so many elements of Japanese culture and belief to an international audience” – Alexandra Heller-Nicholas of ABC Radio (Australia)
- “Spirited Away is the great treasure of 21st-century animation, and we may still be saying that when the 21st century ends.” – Nigel Andrews of Financial Times
Where to Watch Spirited Away in Canada?
Follow Chihiro’s journey and watch “Spirited Away” on these streaming platforms available in Canada.
Is Spirited Away Available on Streaming?
Netflix
You can watch “Spirited Away” on Netflix. The platform offers a wide selection of movies and series that you can stream once you avail a subscription. Netflix offers these subscription plans for those who wish to avail:
Plan | Price | Number Of Simultaneous Screens | Streaming Quality |
Basic with Ads | CAD$5.99 | 1 device | SD |
Basic | CAD$9.99 | 1 device | HD |
Standard | CAD$16.49 | 2 devices | HD |
Premium | CAD$20.99 | 4 devices | Ultra HD |
Netflix offers a wide selection of movies and series that you can watch when you subscribe to any subscription plan. Movies like “Run, Rabbit, Run” and “Snow Piercer” are also available to stream on the platform.
Is Spirited Away Available for Rent (VOD)?
You can watch “Spirited Away” on different Video-on-Demand platforms in Canada. You can rent or purchase the movie on these platforms:
Platform | Rent | Purchase |
Apple TV | CAD$6.99 | CAD$11.99 |
Google Play | CAD$3.99 | CAD$12.99 |
Microsoft | CAD$3.99 | CAD$7.99 |
Youtube Movies | CAD$3.99 | CAD$12.99 |
Is Spirited Away on Cable or Free TV?
“Spirited Away” is not available on any Free TV or cable networks in Canada.
Should I Use a VPN to Watch Spirited Away?
There is no need to use a VPN to watch “Spirited Away” because it can be streamed on Netflix and rented/purchased on VOD platforms.
Rooting for The Underdogs
Part of the charm of “Spirited Away” is its unlikely hero. Throughout the film, a simple young girl like Chihiro suddenly steps foot in an unfamiliar world where the odds seem to be stacked against her and where no one really seems to be willing to help her. However, viewers also witness how Chihiro relies on her own strength, intuition, and overall kindness toward the spirits that she meets. She displays an unwavering determination to not only find her way out of the spirit realm but also to save her parents. In the end, viewers will find themselves rooting for this underdog showing that sometimes anything can be conquered despite how overwhelming things can be.
Witness Chihiro’s bravery and wit in “Spirited Away” and watch it on Netflix and VOD platforms in Canada.