Last week we had the enormous privilege of seeing Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away (2001) in the cinema. Across the UK, on Boxing Day it received a most welcome limited re-release.
A magnificent coming-of-age film, it explored the life of the Japanese schoolgirl Chihiro as she moves from a scared young girl into certainty and confidence.
All of which culminates in the iconic train scene, arguably the high point of many exceptional moments.
The Love for Spirited Away’s Beautiful Train Scene
For a lot of fans of Studio Ghibli, this is one of their favourite scenes from the entire canon of work. If not the outright favourite. We couldn’t find a dubbed English version online, but even in the original Japanese above the words aren’t important—it’s all about one peaceful moment.
It follows on from a scene of particular carnage, with No-Face having morphed into a horrible vision of avarice and loneliness.
Chiroro leads him out of the bathhouse where she works and they ride the train. That simple. Then the soundtrack kicks in and we’re treated to these sights.
It’s one of the most calming moments in cinematic history. Getting to see it on the big screen in Manchester was, genuinely, a real privilege. £10 for it all and very well spent.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Intent Behind the Scene
Joe Hisaishi is the composer behind most of Studio Ghibli’s finest moments. For the train scene, the piece is called The Sixth Station. Complements it perfectly, eh?
Now, there are a lot of articles like this online about the scene, so we’re a bit behind the times on this one. But why not? We love the scene and want to pay tribute.
Another piece we found is the Spirited Away train scene makes me want to cry.
“It’s a moment to breathe. A moment to reflect on the journey so far. Chihiro — our protagonist — sits silently, only a vague idea of where the train will take her. A light piano piece twinkles in the background, and we watch as shadowy passengers dreamily vacate the train, until only Chihiro and No-Face (our now transformed antagonist) remain. They barely move as the train glides across what appears to be a train track in an open ocean. Neon signs flash past, but Chihiro sets her eyes towards the direction the train is moving, her determination clear, her goal set.”
It’s a key moment in the plot and marks the growth of this young lady into young adulthood.
Director Hayao Miyazaki calls these quiet moments “ma”, noting that films with non-stop action lose their chance to offer moments of contemplation and refrain.
“If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness.”
We documented Japanese culture’s love for peacefulness in our recent feature the silence of Japanese public transport. Spirited Away encapsulates this well.
It’s difficult to find that quiet on the train here in England, but if you choose the right moment you can get a quiet train into Manchester city centre. Always a very enjoyable experience, as much as we do like to criticise the privatised (and regularly disastrous) rail service in the UK. Translation: It’s a national embarrassment.
Yet there’s something peaceful and wistful about the right type of train journey.
We guess it’s an element of control. You’ve got your ticket (hopefully, no fare dodgers reading this site, please!) and all that’s left to do is stare out of the window and wait. The people in the carriage around you? You’ll never see them again. The sights from your window view? You’ll probably never visit them. All a fleeting moment in existence, encapsulated in a train journey.
This is also how we felt as we left the Printworks cinema in Manchester.
Fresh off watching Spirited Away, a very life-affirming film packed with some astonishing imaginative twists, and we felt refreshed and content. That there is the magic of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki on a global basis.
