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Spirited Away is an iconic 2001 movie in modern cinema that catapulated Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli to international recognition like never before.
Featuring a timeless story about protagonist Chihiro as she navigated the spirit realm to rescue her parents, the movie attracted multiple reputed accolades, even bringing an Oscar home, being the first anime film to ever do so.
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Lately, rumors of a possible sequel have been spreading online, which has gotten the anime community all excited. Find out if there is any truth to these speculations here.
Is Spirited Away coming back with a sequel?
Unfortunately, the evergreen Ghibli classic will not be making a comeback with a sequel. No official sources have addressed these conjectures and it is highly unlikely that they ever will. Studio Ghibli is known for their powerful stories, which are typically standalones.
Fans will definitely be reminded of The Cat Returns, but it must be remembered that the movie was a spin-off of Whisper of the Heart, rather than a direct sequel.
Spirited Away and other Studio Ghibli movies are self-contained narratives that would not particularly find a forced continuation very inviting. The story and the characters represent an underlying social and environmental commentary which elevates the charm of the movie. Making a sequel could potentially strip the movie of its reputation as a classic.
Spirited Away ended with Chihiro (Sen) successfully rescuing her parents from the evil bathhouse owner Yubaba and leaving the Spirit realm to return back to the real world.
She said her goodbyes to Haku and all the allies she made during her stay there and this bittersweet farewell makes for a perfect conclusion to such a powerful story. Critics and fans alike will agree that adding a sequel is definitely not a necessity, nor is it desirable.
The movie has made an enormous impact not only in the Japanese animation industry, but also in cinema and academia on an international level. It has since been adapted as a stage play as well. And although fans might want to see more of such iconic characters like No Face and Chihiro who have managed to stay evergreen as cultural staples, rumors of a sequel should be put to rest.
In the meantime, what we do know is that Studio Ghibli is gearing up for a long-standing production of How Do You Live?, with Hayao Miyazaki, the master himself, making a possible comeback as a director, but an official announcement is yet to be made in this case as well.
In summation, the fandom must let go of the belief that Spirited Away will grace us a second time, with a sequel. It has proven to be a benchmark in animation and storytelling and deserves to be respected as is.
