Spirited Away: Coexistence between Nature and Modernity

Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film Spirited Away follows a story of a young girl named Chihiro who unknowingly enters a spiritual realm with her parents, and suddenly finding herself in the position to save her parents who transforms into pigs and find her way back to reality. Upon entering this unknown spiritual world, Chihiro, determined to save them, assumes a different identity (as Sen) when she signs Yubaba’s, the head of the bathhouse, working contract in order to stay in their world. As she embarks on her journey and meets different individuals, she too grows as an individual eventually leading her to the conclusion of her journey and returns to the other side of the world. In this animation, Miyazaki illustrates the bathhouse as a structured hierarchy in the labor force work as a result of a modernizing Japan, contrasting them from each other. Miyazaki points out the problematic result that can occur in a country that is modernizing rather quickly but also points out that it is finding the balance that will create a harmony between advancements and nature.

When Japan opened its doors to the West, it resulted to foreign ideas, food, technology, clothes and other goods to enter Japan’s lifestyle. Japan started to demand more labor to keep up with the industrialized West and to modernize itself.  Kamaji’s boiler room represents Japan’s labor force that is rapidly growing due to the demand of consumer goods. To keep up with the demand means creating mass production while reducing the required physical labor. This resulted in the use of assembly lines, a process in which different parts of products are created and assembled much faster by machines. Kamaji is very similar to these assembly line machines because with his six arms, he operates the boiler room of the bathhouse on his own. Kamaji as the machine in the labor force is able to provide and meet the demands of the bathhouse, hence when Chihiro first asked for a job, he denies her because he has all the help he needs – the soots and himself.

Kamaji operating the boiler room, keeping the bathhouse running

In comparison, Yubaba’s office found at the very top of the bathhouse is the complete opposite of the boiler room which draws a distinction on the levels of the hierarchical labor force. Yubaba’s office in comparison to the rest of the bathhouse has a very Western influence to it. The halls are grand and tall, the walls and furniture are very ornate, items such as pillows has a lot of embroidery – overall it is very Westernized. Even Yubaba’s clothes compared to the workers is Western. Yubaba’s office being located on the very top of this hierarchy in a way associates the West with luxury and the better economic status. Yubaba runs the bathhouse and has control over everyone that works there. The difference between the boiler room and Yubaba’s office suggests that the accumulation of material goods can establish one’s status.

A view of Yubaba’s ornate office

Miyazaki illustrates this as one side of industrialized Japan, where the people itself are so caught up to the luxurious lifestyle associated with the West that in the end it hurts them. For example when the filthy river god, who Yubaba thought was a stink spirit, enters the bathhouse it turns out he had consumed all these materials. It was not until Chihiro helps him that he is able to cleanse himself away from the filth that was dragging him down. This suggests the idea that filth can come along with consumerism when it gets out of hand. After Chihiro helps the river god, he gives her a healing cake which she uses later on to help Haku and No-Face. This herb-like healing cake she uses for No-Face to vomit everything he consumed suggests that a balance between nature and the growing industrialization in society is needed for sustainability.

The river god spews out various objects with the help of Chihiro

However, Miyazaki also includes that industrialized Japan is not always a bad thing. Nature and industries can coexist harmoniously if people control their consumption of consumer goods. For instance, Yubaba’s twin sister Zeniba also lives in a Western-influenced place but it is much more simple and humble. Zeniba’s humble home paints the idea that adopting Western influence does not automatically means it will end in a disaster. It really depends on the people how they will balance both sides, and how to control their desire for materials. Zeniba’s home is a depiction of this balance, with her Western furniture that are not over the top, and her house not containing a superfluous of items. Furthermore, the plants she has hints on nature coexisting with modernity.

Chihiro and friends entering Zeniba’s humble home

Miyazaki carefully highlights the problem and consequences that arise from a growing industrial country like Japan, and the rise of consumerism. As seen in the cases of the spirit god and no-face who over consumed, lost their true identity and it was not until they were cleansed that they gain their true identities back. Some may lose their sense of self because of their desire for wealth. However, it is also depicted in the animation that such coexistence between the two is possible as long balance is sought.

Consuming Food in Spirited Away

Miyazaki Hayao illustrates a modern rendition of a Japanese folklore “kamikakushi” in his film Spirited Away (2001). In the film, Chihiro—a young 10 year old girl—and her family take an unexpected detour to their new house. The detour takes them to an “abandoned theme park” where they explore. As the parents are eagerly exploring the area, Chihiro is hesitant and repeatedly begs her parents to turn back. The parents’ stubbornness leads them to the food vendor section of the “abandoned theme park.” They begin eating the food without permission as Chihiro irritatingly watches them. While her parents consume the forbidden food, Chihiro runs into a worker at the spirit bath house owned by a lady named Yubaba. The spirit world quickly transitions to night and the film begins to follow Chihiro’s quest to find work and save her parents from the spirit world. Throughout her quest, Chihiro encounters many different conflicts and in turn becomes a more mature character in the end. Food plays a major role in the conflicts and in Chihiro’s journey overall. The film uses food as a way to comment on Consumerism and reveals the destruction associated with overindulgence.

Chihiro’s parents indulge in food without permission, they feel entitled to have access to the food and as a result turn into pigs.

The first scene that illustrates consumerism through the relationship between characters and food is the scene where Chihiro’s parents eat food from the spirit world. This scene is a direct way of commenting on consumerism. Miyazaki sheds light on the negative aspect of consumerism and the overindulgent consumption of goods by modern day people. The parents see the food and feel as though they are entitled enough to eat it. Even though Chihiro is hesitant, the dad justifies eating the food by saying that he has cash and credit cards enough to cover the cost of the food. His character basically believes that just because he has money, it automatically gives him the freedom to consume whatever he desires. As a result of their superiority and gluttonous nature, the parents turn into pigs. In general, pigs are seen as a symbol of greed and gluttony. Through this transformation, Miyazaki makes a direct metaphor comparing the parent’s actions to that of a pig.

No-Face overindulges and causes disorder in the bath house.

A second scene that showcases excessive consumption of food is the scene in which No-Face enters the bath house and bribes the workers with gold to serve him food. In this case, money also gave the character a sense of power in the situation.  His power is signified by the “camera angle;” there is a low angle shot to emphasize how high of a position he is compared to the bath house workers. Through this scene, Miyazaki illustrates the destructiveness that can accompany consumerism. Although No-Face brings substantial revenue, he also brings disorder and destruction to the bath house. He causes the workers to waste food and water to serve him, and forces them to work during an obscure hour. Even though No-Face is the character shown consuming, the workers are also subject to greed—they are blinded by their desire for money. Once Chihiro/Sen (her name in the bath house) tries to fix the problem, No-Face damages the bath house and initially eats some of the workers. No-Face represents the “monster” that can arise from an excessive focus on consuming and greed.

Haku gives Chihiro the amount of spirit food she needs to survive.

To create balance in a culture that prioritizes indulgence and pleasure, the character Haku represents an alternative to this overconsumption. When his character is in a scene with food, he usually is shown not consuming the same as other characters. For example, in screenshot 3, Haku is shown giving Chihiro food from the spirit world to prevent her from disappearing. He gives her the necessary amount that she needs to survive. This contrasts with the scene of No-Face being offered significantly more than he needs. Through Haku’s lack of greed he is presented in a self-less manner—unlike the other characters who do over-consume and are presented in a selfish, greedy manner. Commentary on consumerism is found in the contrast showcased by Haku and No-Face because of the “good” vs. “evil” displayed in their behavior. The audience gets the impression that the overindulgent behavior of No-Face is “bad,” while Haku is seen as a “good” character.

Miyazaki Hayao revived the anime genre through his feature-length animes such as Spirited Away. Like many of his films, Spirited Away sheds light on the influence of humans on environments and the potential devastating effects accompanied by one’s actions. In Spirited Away, food assists in presenting the destructive side effects of consumerism. Exhibited by Chihiro’s parents and No-Face, overindulgence causes destruction of the bath house’s environment. However, they are not displayed as hopeless. Haku and Chihiro prove that a balance can be established and that not all consumers are overindulgent—there can be a co-existence between needs and wants.

Food: Balanced and In Moderation in Spirited Away

Spirited Away, the anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki released in 2001, is a complex story due to the presence of spirits, monsters, and lost identities. Despite this, the theme of food is carried throughout the entire movie in various ways. Chihiro enters another world, where her parents become pigs, and she loses part of her name to her boss Yubaba so that Yubaba can control her. Miyazaki uses the contrast between the negative impact food has on Chihiro’s parents with the positive one it has on Haku and Chihiro as a means of showing that food can be positive or negative, depending on whether you use it properly and in moderation.

One of the first things that happens in the new land is that her parents “sniff out” food like dogs, and then consume large amounts of it without checking with the restaurant owner first. Because of their greed, they become literal pigs. This is significant because pigs are a symbol for excess and filth. Some may say that this scene reveals Chihiro’s parents’ true form.

Chihiro is afraid when her parents turn into filthy pigs, emphasizing their greed.

Chihiro’s small size, placed to the side of this screenshot, shows that she is of minimal importance. The focus is on the filth of the discarded food waste, and the mess that Chihiro’s parents have become. Chihiro is frightened by what her parents have become, similar to how some people are disgusted with the modern culture of consumerism.Spirited Away has an overall theme against consumerism, and it is most evident in this scene.

However, food is not used in this movie just as a way to show the evils of consumerism. Miyazaki balances the healing properties of food to show that if people use nature and food correctly, they will be rewarded. Haku gives Chihiro food from his world, the one full of spirits, right after she arrives so that she will not disappear. This early use of food for a good cause establishes the fact that there is balance. Even more significantly, Haku takes Chihiro to see her parents in their pig form, and gives her some rice to help her regain her strength.

Chihiro takes more food after crying over her past life.

In this screenshot, viewers call tell that Chihiro is upset and Haku needs to console her. He does that with food. The significant part of this scene comes from Miyazaki’s juxtaposition of food with Chihiro rediscovering her identity. She finds her farewell card in her clothes, and remembers her name. This shows that food and identity are related. Cuisine can connect people with their culture and the others within it. The Westernization and modernization of Japan caused some people to lose pieces of tradition and their past, but eating traditional foods allowed people to regain part of their history, as Chihiro does with rediscovering her name.

Miyazaki uses Haku’s seemingly fatal injuries from consuming Zeniba’s seal to exhibit that food has healing properties. The River God gives Chihiro an herbal cake after she saves him. That act shows her kindness, and since she is a kind person, the world is kind back. She uses the herbal cake to save Haku, further illustrating her good.

Chihiro uses her gift from the River God to help Haku.

Chihiro has to force feed Haku, showing that sometimes people do not want to eat, but they must for their health. Not eating is dangerous as well, so Miyazaki’s many uses of food show that there must be a balance. Chihiro also does not feed Haku the entire herbal cake, only what he needs, which is another example of Miyazaki’s belief in moderation. There are many underlying themes that come from the use of food in the film, but the main idea is that the use of food can range from abuse to healing to starving. Chihiro is a good person, and uses food to help her friend instead of selfishly consuming it, so nature and food are helpful to her.

Spirited Away may seem like a simple anime movie at first, but Hayao Miyazaki uses food to make a statement about the importance of balance and moderation. Chihiro’s parents’ transformation into pigs shows the concerns that Japanese people had of consumerism. However, Miyazaki juxtaposes this with Chihiro’s selfless deeds of love for Haku, and the food that helps them recover. This is important because although the world is corrupt with consumerism, there is still good in people. It is clear that Miyazaki believes in karma and that nature should reward or punish humans depending on their consumerism or moderation.

The Truth Behind Food: The Cruelty Behind its Aesthetic Outer Appearance

The Cove is a documentary film that focuses on Taiji, Japan’s dolphin industry. In this movie, Ric O’Barry, former dolphin trainer in the 1960s who captured and trained 5 dolphins to play the international popular television series “Flipper”, has come to realize the danger and cruelty of capturing and using dolphins for human entertainment purposes. After a long search of redemption, he came across Taiji, Japan and discovered a shocking secret behind Taiji’s mysteries and playful dolphins industry. On the outside, Taiji seemed to be engaging in a wonderland of dolphin entertainment performances; however, in a more remote cove near Taiji, surrounded by barbed wires and signs that say “keep out” showed a dark and cruel reality. Ric O’Barry discovers that the fishermen of Taiji, motivated by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and illegally selling mercury-tainted dolphin meat, hunt dolphins in the cove during nighttime. Because those fishermen knew the danger and nature of their actions, which is hurting the dolphins and human health, they are willing to do anything to prevent anyone from discovering their darkest secret. Ric O’Barry, upon learning this truth, gathers many colleagues who shared the same passion and goals as himself, and devised many plans to try to rescue the dolphins and expose the dark reality of the Taiji dolphin industry to the public. They are willing to go through great lengths in order to save the dolphins and human lives.

The dolphin meat that was falsely advertised as expensive whale meat

The Cove’s relation to food is not like any other usual movies or films, which usually illustrate the aesthetic and beauty of food and advertise the deliciousness of the cuisines, instead, this documentary film is not hesitant to publicly demonstrate the food in another angle, its ugly and cruel side. In The Cove, Ric O’Barry and his other colleagues discover the high amount of mercury, which is extremely harmful to human health, is hidden inside the dolphin meat that Taiji fishermen use to sell to other markets in other parts of Japan. Ric

Ric O'Barry interviewed random Tokyo pedestrians to see if they knew dolphin meat was sold

O’Barry and his crew interviewed random pedestrians in Tokyo and asked them whether they knew the meat they eat everyday are actually dolphin meat with dangerous amount of mercury; to many Japanese people’s surprise, they admitted that they have no idea what kind of meat they are consuming. They are not afraid to expose the truth and dark secret behind the delicious looking and aesthetically beautiful Japanese meal. This illustrates that food may look pretty on the outside, but it in fact may be really ugly on the inside.

Another scene that demonstrates the point of food is not always as pretty as it looks is during the short excerpt from the Minamata Disease. Minamata Disease is a neurological syndrome due to extreme mercury poisoning; it can greatly affect the physical appearance and mentality of those who were infected. The release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation’s chemical factory was what caused the Minamata Disease in the first place. These

The victims who suffer from the Minamata Disease

extremely toxic chemicals got into the shellfish and sea animals that the people of Minamata consume for survival and thus affected those who came in contact

with the seafood. The Cove incorporated the Minamata Disease excerption into its documentary film to depict the danger and cruelty of underhand selling of mercury filled dolphin meat to other people. This also further shows that the aesthetically appealing food and/or cuisine that people always see may have a dark and cruel side behind it.

The Cove is unlike any other documentary film; it is very educational and informative in terms of exposing the real truth behind the supposedly wonderful dolphin entertainment industry and appetizing seafood. Its method of showing everything to the public make others realize that people may need to think twice before they decide to do anything, including the next time they see good and delicious food because behind its aesthetic outer appearance, the cruel and ugly truth may lie.

The Distortion of Reality in Giants And Toys and Pop Culture at Large

Yasuzo Masumura’s film Giants and Toys centers on the caramel producing company “World” as it tries to surpass its competitors “Apollo” and “Giant” in sales. The challenge the protagonist Yousuke Nishi and his fellow businessmen face is to advertise a product as simple as caramel in a way that compels people to buy the “World” brand name even though the ingredients of their caramels are essentially indistinguishable from their competitors. Nishi discovers and employs Kyoko Shima, a naïve and desperate, charming simpleton to become the new face of “World” caramels in the hopes that she will attract more consumers. The plot follows Kyoko’s transformation into a Japanese superstar and how her rise to fame affects her personal life and appearance, and the profit driven executives who represent her. As Kyoko is cultivated into a pop culture icon, the audience is given insight into how the prosperity of “World” caramels dictates the personal lives and well being of the individuals who work there. All of the workers in this extremely capitalistic driven, Japanese society depend on money and success as the sole source of their gratification and contentment. Nishi, the young, fledging “World” executive, is the only one who questions the effects industrialization and capitalism have on humanity as he watches his love interest and boss surrender their personal values to its demands.

Giants and Toys is a comedy that relies on satire to comment on Japan’s transformation into a Mammon worshipping society. Masumura uses camera angle and focus to accentuate what is thematically important in each complex scene. In the image I have posted to this blog, Kyoko is participating in her first photo shoot. This screenshot shows the silhouette of her legs as the cameraman Harukawa holds up the lens of the camera. He asks Kyoko to, “stop sleeping around” because “it’s starting to show”. This scene is comedic because of Harukawa’s blunt commentary, however, it is also ironically sad because it underscores the objectification Kyoko enthusiastically succumbs to in order to make money. Later as they review Kyoko’s roll of film Harukawa states, “she looks good through a view finder. Plus she can lick her nose”. This notion of Kyoko appearing to be attractive through the medium of a lens poses the question of what constitutes reality.

Is Kyoko attractive in real life? Or is it just the camera’s distortion of her image that makes her appear to be alluring? The mass replication of her image through pop art and advertisement propagates a version of her self that would otherwise go unnoticed if it weren’t for the technology of the camera that illuminates her enchanting qualities. Kyoko is metaphorically used in the same way caramels are in this film because both are inherently simple yet animated and presented in a way that makes them seem unique and exceptional. Masumura’s use of camera angle and focus demonstrates how creators of film, like the business executives in Giants and Toys, can manipulate our perceptions of reality by framing our outlook to accentuate particular parts of a whole. The camera angle and candy wrappers subliminally direct us to what is deemed as important and worth focusing on in their presentation.

Of Blood and Sugar

Masumura Yasuzo’s Giants and Toys (1958) sheds light on the caramel as a commodity, the industrialization of post-war Japan, and the notion of identity, all the while introducing the now iconic visual of Pop Art. Considered a parody of the industrialized celebrity culture of post-war Japan, Giants and Toys mimics the fast pace sales-and-profit-are-everything culture by means of incorporating abnormally rapid dialogues and a mise-en-scène film style that generously packs each frame with people and objects. The film describes the economic struggle among three different caramel companies, World, Giant, and Apollo. While focusing on World, the film follows the rags-to-riches story of Kyoko, an eighteen year-old rotten-toothed proletarian girl, who catches the eye of Goda, World’s advertising campaign mastermind, and becomes the image of World’s caramels. The film also follows the journey of Nishi, who works for Goda and ultimately prevails as the sole emotional and humanist character.

the multiplied image of Kyoko, the "human flood," the identical caramels

The first set of screenshots reveals the motif of repetition that Masumura utilizes to represent the parallel between the caramels and Kyoko and the parallel between the caramels and the individuals of the industrialized workforce. The caramels produced by World, Giant, and Apollo are virtually identical in taste and ingredients (except maybe Apollo’s Willy Wonka-like flavor-changing caramel), yet they set one another apart through their advertising campaigns and the identities their candies embody. Rather than improving the quality of their caramels, the companies focus on campaigns for sales and profit. Thus, the simple delicacy of the caramel is devalued; it is the campaign, the atmosphere, and the identity, image, and personality of Kyoko that people want to buy, not the physical product itself. The screenshot below presents the image of Kyoko as an ordinary, yet fun and approachable girl who stands out among a sea of well-known celebrities. As Michael Raine writes, she appears doll-like, the Audrey Hepburn type that was popular in Japan at the time. It is the notion of creating identity through what is consumed. Thus, the caramel is trivialized as generic and easily copied or reproduced just as the image of Kyoko is multiplied and similarly, as the Japanese worker is assimilated.

Kyoko, the ordinary common girl

Nishi wears the spacesuit

The screenshot above represents the collapse of World’s campaign. Kyoko refuses to work for World after Nishi, who has to sport the space suit in the name of honor and loyalty, broke her heart. Though initially embarrassed, Nishi gives a smile after his so-called girlfriend, Kurashashi, encourages him. There is something very absurd with this scene: in the end of all this blood and sweat, it’s the campaign that matters most (and not the caramels). Though he smiles, his disturbing grin signifies the corruption of the system and the repression of the Japanese workforce. In an earlier scene, Goda, whose health was sacrificed to the company, openly reveals the labor culture of Japan: a Japanese person must work nonstop in order to survive.

Ultimately, Masumura’s parody of such a dehumanized culture reveals the commodificaiton of individuality through the commodification of caramels. In Giants and Toys, a culture concentrated with rituals of food and dining is downgraded to a factory of warfare and social Darwinism.

 

Corporate Greed: A Loss of Identity

Yasuzo Masumura’s, Giants and Toys, is a consumerist film that satirizes the post war growth of 1950’s Japan. The film begins by introducing three rival caramel companies: World, Giant, and Apollo, all of which hope to increase their caramel sales through new promotional campaigns. As World’s executives, Nishi and Goda, discover Kyoko, an ordinary and charming girl, they believe her quirky face could strengthen their campaign and act as the impetus to their success. As Kyoko becomes a star, the competition intensifies and the three businesses invest all their time to their publicity campaigns. Throughout his film, Masumura criticizes the consumerist culture of Japan by demonstrating how corporate greed and the desire to “win” leads to personal destruction, loss of identity and uniqueness, and the abandonment of one’s morals and values.

World Caramel comparing the "masses" to caramels.

In the opening scene, World’s boss compares the “masses” of the crowd to caramels. Here, we see how even early on in the film, one’s identity is often lost in the corporate business world. The caramels themselves are all the same as they are made for the sole purpose of making a profit. This objective along with the caramel’s uniform shape, size, and taste suggest that the masses are grouped together as one rather than classifying each person as a distinct and separate individual. This comparison demonstrates how both the people and the candy lose their uniqueness. Linking the masses to caramels further explains how World believes they have the power to manipulate the crowd to desire their commodity in the same way that they have complete control over their caramel production.

Goda instructing Nishi to seduce Kyoko.

As the film continues, Goda’s unremitting desire to become the number one caramel company instigates his downfall and loss of morality. In the beginning of the film, one of World’s prominent and very involved executives suffers from a horrible cough. This scene seems to foreshadow Goda’s self-deterioration and weakening health. As Goda is promoted to the PR position, his corporate greed escalates and thus causes him to collapse. Investing all of his time to the campaign, Goda endures the same cough previously seen by the other World executive. While Goda’s health weakens and the stress of the campaign increases, he resorts to immoral and unethical acts. For instance, asking Nishi to seduce Kyoko demonstrates his corrupt judgment and his willingness to do anything that will improve World’s sales. Goda’s obsession over the campaign and hunger to achieve success drives him to insanity and causes him to lose his identity and ultimately destruct.

Goda suffering from a malignant cough.

The introduction Kyoko in the opening scene.

Similarly, as Kyoko becomes a star her identity transforms. Like Goda, she becomes too invested in the corporate and mass media world and makes stardom a priority. The opening montage symbolizes Kyoko’s complete transformation throughout the film. In this first screenshot, Kyoko’s original identity is present through her crooked teeth, uniqueness, and “the girl-next-door image.” However, as Masumura utilizes Pop Art to multiply the image, Kyoko’s picture becomes clouded in black and white, as we are unable to see her quirky qualities. Unlike the first colored screenshot that clearly represents her identity, these multiplied pictures imply a transformation. As all of the images are blown away, it symbolizes Kyoko’s loss of original identity and her transformation into an unrecognizable star.

Masumura uses Pop Art to multiply Kyoko's image.

Clearly then, the caramel production leads to the loss of identity and dehumanization of individuals. The insatiable desire to dominate the corporate market and rise up to the top produces detrimental effects that alter one’s individuality and values.

To Eat and be Eaten: Reversing the Act of Consumption in Spirited Away – Sarah Kawaguchi

In Miyazaki’s anime film, Spirited Away, the artist’s choice of medium allows viewers to examine an understood reality under the lens of cartoon fantasy.  Viewers from across cultures can compare Miyazaki’s concept of the cartoon to the underlying concepts of a political cartoon.  Political cartoons and cartoons in general function via two main principles.  First, they provide the artist with the latitude to voice potentially offensive opinions on and critiques of the human condition.  The artist utilizes various techniques in a cartoon to create this veil of permissibility.  For Miyazaki, his cartoon protagonist takes the shape of a young heroine named Chihiro.  Her age and innocence allow Miyazaki to critique society without seeming too overt in his presentation of lessons in morality.  Moreover, situating the viewer’s perspective in that of a young girl forces the audience to suspend disbelief in the face of questionable elements of fantasy.

Secondly – and in conjunction with the aforementioned function of cartoon fantasy – cartoons enable artists to concretely represent abstract ideas.  In this sense, the cartoon becomes primarily symbolic.  As the viewer transitions from Miyazaki’s representation of a real Japan to his fantasy spirit world figurative events become literal happenings.  To illustrate the malaise of Chihiro’s parents’ rampant consumerism, Miyazaki transforms them into pigs.  As they devour the food – most of which consists of meats like pork – reserved for Yubaba’s revered customers, they literally become food staples themselves.  This scene sets a premise for many other depictions of food and consumption throughout the film.  Humans are consumed by the things they most commonly consume.  Miyazaki’s pointed reversal of the human’s relationship to food serves to reveal the detrimental effects of pure gluttony.  While vices like gluttony figuratively consume humans in the real world_­, gluttony and types of food attain a greater power to literally define and characterize humans in Miyazaki’s fantasy world.

A tendency towards literal transformation and characterization remains true for others like Kaonashi and the twin witches.  When the greedy frog encounters Kaonashi, Kaonashi consumes the frog and assumes his meal’s identity.  Kaonashi acquires the frog’s voice and rough body shape, but he also exhibits the frog’s avarice through his voracious appetite.  Thus, Kaonashi as a blank slate precisely replicates the frog’s behaviors once he consumes the frog – he becomes exactly what he eats.  Since Kaonashi effectively maintains no identity of his own, his character functions as an experimental control group.  In terms of morality, Miyazaki’s cartoon critique suggests that consumption habits expose a human’s less visible character traits.  Similarly, the common narrative trope of twinning in the case of Yubaba and Zeniiba draws instant comparisons between the sisters.  Although the audience sees them as identical copies of each other, their habits as consumers differ greatly.  Zeniiba comments on her sister’s gaudy living arrangements and the audience understands Yubaba’s overindulgence in her material life to be indicative of deeper moral vice as well.  Conversely, Zeniiba’s semi-isolated lifestyle represents the virtue of modesty – she provides a reasonable amount of food out of politeness for her guests.

Ultimately, the nuances in Miyazaki’s awareness of his medium demonstrate the elegance of his underlying message.  Rather than clumsily stating that gluttonous consumer habits foster immoral character traits, he relies on the transitions from reality to fantasy and back again to emphasize the fact that vice within the human heart is not always apparent.  Miyazaki uses food and its consumption in Spirited Away as an object lesson cautioning viewers not to be figuratively consumed by material items.  Therefore Miyazaki inserts himself into a tradition of cartoon social critique and introduces it to the genre of animated films.