This weekend, the Hippodrome State Theatre will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Hayao Miyazaki’s hit 2001 animated film “Spirited Away.” The Hippodrome’s re-release screening of this classic anime will be shown Friday at 8:30 p.m., Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m.
“Spirited Away” is arguably the most successful of Studio Ghibli’s releases. It was the highest-grossing film in Japanese history at the time of its release, outselling “Titanic” in the Japanese box office.
“I know the studio put a lot of work and subtlety into ‘Spirited Away’s’ animation style, and it seems like just about every modern animator has seen it,” said Rio Lumapas, a 20-year-old UF psychology junior. “Hayao Miyazaki is kind of like the anime Hitchcock.”
Studio Ghibli, the production company behind “Spirited Away,” is a Tokyo-based studio known best for its work on Japanese anime-fantasy films.
“I remember renting ‘Spirited Away’ often when I was a kid and watching it on repeat until it had to go back to the video store,” said Jessica Lowell, a 20-year-old UF English junior. “Whenever I see it now, I feel nostalgic.”
“Spirited Away” has been lauded by critics and fans alike for its emotional depth and stunning visuals. It is also valuable in that it gives Americans insight into Japanese culture in the form of a coming-of-age, family-friendly story.
Tickets for “Spirited Away” at the Hippodrome cost $12 and can be purchased at the Hippodrome Box Office or online at thehipp.org.
