Tumblr User Calls Out Animated Fantasy Film 'Spirited Away' As A Metaphor For The Japanese Sex Industry
The film leaves plenty of room for interpretation, but many people were not impressed by the Tumblr user's take on the story.
Some movie theories are harmless fun, and some land like a grenade. That is exactly what happened when a Tumblr user described Spirited Away as a metaphor for Japan's sex industry.
The 2001 animated fantasy film follows Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl who gets pulled into a strange world after her family stops at an abandoned amusement park. From there, the story moves through a bathhouse, a transformation, and a series of surreal encounters that have kept viewers debating its meaning for years.
This particular interpretation sparked a strong reaction, and the comments did not hold back. Read on.
In a thread discussing the Japanese cult film, Spirited Away, a Tumblr user described the story as being a "metaphor for the sex industry in Japan."
Imgur: Kingwyrm20Considering that the popular 2001 film is aimed at young children, it's no surprise that the reaction to this claim was somewhat explosive.
Imgur: Kingwyrm20Also, this debate echoes the sister who adopted a third cat without consent and demanded cost-splitting.
"Spirited Away was made for 10-year-old girls."
One Tumblr user became very defensive of the film, stating, "The themes of Spirited Away are courage, strength of character, and individuality. Especially individuality."
Imgur: Kingwyrm20
"You want to seem cool and intelligent? Talk about the movie's actual themes."
The Tumblr user made their thoughts on the suggested metaphor very clear: "Don't make up this shock-value bullshit for attention."
Imgur: Kingwyrm20
What's your take on this Tumblr user's controversial opinion? Do you think there is any truth to the sex industry metaphor?
The film certainly leaves plenty of room for viewer interpretation, but perhaps this one is a bit far-fetched. On the other hand, it's entirely possible that the creators of Spirited Away were hoping for this exact contentious reaction to their film to bring attention to a serious problem.
Either way, there's no denying that Spirited Away has enjoyed enormous success worldwide. Have you seen it?
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