I finished watching Spirited Away

I finished
watching Spirited Away last night. It was...different. Sorry to use such a
common word. I felt like a tourist in some small country that I had never read
about or heard of. I was nervously fascinated. Is it because I am so accustomed
to an American style of animation or that I am severely uneducated about
Japanese culture and history? My mind is fattened upon the books of Western
civ,however. Other cultures have always interested me and I make an effort to
read books of varying countries and cultures to my children. I want to encourage
intrigue, not ignorance. We own several lovely and wonderful books of other
countries folk tales and lore (newsflash: Cinderella is not unique to Anglos),
but I am truly at a deficit in my understanding and knowledge of Asian cultures.
I know where Japan and Korea and China and the Philippines (another example of
my own ethnocentricisim- they are all countries that my own land is engaged in
"relationships" with) are, but could not find Singapore, Taiwan, or Malaysia to
save my life. I would like to watch it again, just to get some of the
particulars, to notice what I did not in first viewing. I don't think it is for
children who are easily frightened; there are some strange creatures in this
film, but I do applaud the heroine's bravery and appreciated the development of
her character throughout the film.