27. Chihiro

Movie(s): Spirited Away (2001)

First Appearance: Spirited Away (2001)

Voiced by: Rumi Hiragi, Daveigh Chase

Miyazaki has a wealth of great characters, from bizarre gods to eccentric spirits and terrifying witches. But it's his heroines who are usually the best, and Spirited Away boasts the best of the lot. Over the course of her adventures Chihiro matures from a spoiled little brat into a mature and courageous young woman, helping others who are worse off than herself and eventually earning her own freedom and that of her (enchanted) parents. She also gets bonus points for getting a job - most animated characters are a bunch of benefit-scrounging layabouts.

Stroke of genius

It's probably the scene where Chihiro has to help clean a terrifying and rather repellent "stink spirit", which is revealed under her ministrations to be a polluted river spirit, poor thing.

Fun fact

Pixar's John Lasseter is well known to be a Miyazaki fan, but it's mutual: the jumping light which shows Chihiro the way is intended as a reference to Pixar's mascot Luxo Jr.

10/10