Upon its release, the English dub of Spirited Away was met with widespread acclaim.
Here’s why it works so well:
| Feature | DVD Release (2003) | Blu-ray / "1080621" Encode | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 480p (SD) | 1080p (Full HD) | | Aspect Ratio | 1.85:1 (cropped slightly) | 1.85:1 (proper scan) | | Audio Codec | Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps) | DTS-HD MA 5.1 or FLAC | | Color Accuracy | Slightly muted, standard SD | Vibrant, restored from original negative | | File Identifier | Generic ISO/MP4 | Specific hash: 1080621 | Spirited Away English Dub 1080621
Voiced by Suzanne Pleshette in a critically acclaimed dual role. Kamaji: Voiced by David Ogden Stiers. Lin: Voiced by Susan Egan. The Plot: A Journey of Self-Discovery Upon its release, the English dub of Spirited
Spirited Away (Japanese title: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi ) is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and produced by the renowned Studio Ghibli. The story follows a sullen ten-year-old girl named Chihiro Ogino. During a move to a new town, she and her parents stumble upon an abandoned theme park that turns out to be a hidden spirit world. When her parents are magically transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba, Chihiro must find a way to free them. She takes on a job working in the witch's grandiose bathhouse for spirits, where she meets a mysterious boy named Haku and a host of unforgettable characters like the gentle giant Kamaji and the silent, hungry spirit No-Face. Lin: Voiced by Susan Egan
The brilliance of the English dub relies heavily on its pitch-perfect casting. The actors managed to embody their bizarre, mystical characters with immense depth:
The English dub was widely praised for its faithfulness, but it was not a word-for-word translation. The team made several considered changes, primarily to ensure the story was clear to a Western audience.