1. context for the film by Hayao Miyazaki
Spirited Away
context for the film by Hayao Miyazaki

2. Common ideas in Miyazaki’s films…
Strong Heroines: Miyazaki tends to place strong female characters as protagonists in his films. These characters are often stubborn, young, and refuse to play by rules established by society.
Environmentalism: Miyazaki’s films emphasize the beauty and mystery of the natural world. They often show the damage human beings can cause nature, and the message they communicate is the importance of keeping our natural world healthy.
War vs. Love: Miyazaki grew up experiencing the destruction caused by WWII, and most of his movies highlight war as a destructive force that should be conquered by love.

3. Shinto – a traditional spiritual belief of Japan
The essence of Shinto is the Japanese devotion to individual spiritual beings and powers called kami, to shrines, and to various rituals.
Shinto is not specifically a religion – it’s simply an aspect of Japanese life.
Shinto does not split the universe into a natural physical world and a supernatural divine world. It regards everything as part of a single unified creation.
Shinto also does not make the Western division between body and spirit – even spirit beings exist in the same world as humans.
The visible world and the invisible world are not separate – the invisible world is an extension of the everyday world.

4. Kami
Kami are not God or gods. They are spirits concerned with human beings – they appreciate our interest in them and want us to be happy – and if they are treated properly they will intervene in our lives to bring benefits like health, business success, or good grades.
Kami can be spirits or elements of the landscape or forces of nature.
Shinto tradition says that there are 8,000,000 kami in Japan.
Kami don’t exist in a supernatural universe – they live in the same world as human beings and the world of nature.
Kami are not perfect or divine – they sometimes make mistakes or behave badly.