I'm not much of an anime person (and maybe this movie gives that away), but Spirited Away is so magical. Just everything about it is so detailed, I'm entranced every time.
Where is the line between anime and just Japanese cartoons? Is there a difference, or are they interchangeable. I'm not an anime guy either, but Hayao Miyazaki's films are magical. Have you watched My Neighbor Totoro yet?
I don't think anyone would say that any Japanese cartoons is not "anime" considering it literally just means animation. A Japanese person would of course refer to western animations as "anime" all the same.
But outside of Japan, there's kind of a hipster group of anime nerds who gatekeep what constitutes "real anime"; and the massively successful, easy to appreciate, Disney published, mainstream anime that are the Hayao Miyazaki films are typically not included. I think most of them would say that Miyazaki films are great, but if you only like Miyazaki, you don't like anime.
And I would agree with them. IMO the vast majority of anime are very poorly written cash grabs. The best ones are only good relative to other anime. But Miyazaki anime are up there with the greatest animated films of all time.
That was a very thorough explanation! I feel like the hipsters here in the US would shame me for calling those movies animes haha. Thank you for the explanation!
I just rediscovered Totoro after not having seen it in about 20 years. I have a 14 month old daughter, and she absolutely adored that movie when I showed it to her a few weeks back. She was giggling the whole time! Are there any other movies of his that would be acceptable for her age? I know some are a little more mature.