Spirited Away
This year it turns twenty-five – and it returns to cinemas in October.
Techbox, Thessaloniki
Twenty-five years – and back on the big screen
Hayao Miyazaki's film arrived in 2001. This year it turns twenty-five.
It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003
And not simply won it: it is the first hand-drawn film ever to take that award.
To this day it is regarded as one of the most acclaimed animated films ever made.
During 2026 an international Studio Ghibli retrospective is running, bringing the classic films back to the big screen.
Spirited Away closes the retrospective, with screenings from 17 to 21 October – as the anniversary film.
Others in the same season are also celebrating: My Neighbor Totoro, "Castle in the Sky" for its fortieth year, and "Princess Mononoke" in a 4K restoration.
Who is who
Black silhouette, white mask. The most recognisable design in the film – it works entirely on its own. The most commercial by a margin.
The ten-year-old girl at the centre of the story, in her pink and white work uniform at the bathhouse.
The boy who transforms into a white dragon. In dragon form he makes some of the finest pieces.
The little black creatures with big eyes. Perfect for small items – planters, keyrings, magnets.
The witch who rules the bathhouse – with the enormous head.
Her son, transformed into a plump little mouse. A favourite in plush.
If you do not know what to pick: No-Face. It is the design that is recognised with no explanation needed – even by someone who has not seen the film.
Not toys – objects
This is the biggest difference between this category and every other anime category.
Studio Ghibli products do not look like anime merchandise. They look like decorative objects.
You will find music boxes, ceramics, puzzles, planters, textiles and homeware – made with care for material and finish.
The audience is mainly adults – people who put them on a shelf, a desk or in a living room, not in a child's bedroom.
It is one of the few categories where a product can stand as a decorative piece, independently of the film. The same logic as Alice in Wonderland.
The age – the honest picture
Many assume "Ghibli" means a gentle children's cartoon. That is not quite right.
Spirited Away has intense moments: the girl's parents are transformed in front of her, and at one point No-Face becomes genuinely threatening.
It is not a horror film – but it is emotionally intense. It works comfortably from about seven or eight upwards; for very young children it may be heavy.
If you are looking for something softer and calmer for a younger child, Totoro is the natural choice.
What to choose
- Figures & ceramics: No-Face first by a margin.
- Plush: the soot sprites, Boh the mouse, Haku as a dragon.
- Music boxes: among the loveliest pieces – they play the film's music.
- Puzzles: scenes from the film – a very strong line in Ghibli.
- Homeware: mugs, planters, textiles, decorative pieces.
- Posters & art prints: the aesthetic holds up on any wall.
The safest gift: something with No-Face. Instantly recognised, suits an adult's desk or shelf, and does not look like a toy.
Frequently asked questions
- What is special about 2026?
- It is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 2001 film. An international Studio Ghibli retrospective runs through 2026, and Spirited Away closes it with screenings from 17 to 21 October.
- Which character sells the most?
- No-Face – the black silhouette with the white mask. It is one of the few designs that is recognised entirely on its own, even by someone who has not seen the film.
- What age is the film for?
- Comfortably from about seven or eight upwards. It is not a horror film, but it has emotionally intense moments – the girl's parents are transformed in front of her. For very young children it may be heavy.
- Why are Ghibli products different from other anime merchandise?
- Because they are decorative objects, not toys. Music boxes, ceramics, puzzles, planters and homeware – the audience is mainly adults, and the pieces stand on a shelf or a desk.
- Has it won awards?
- The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003 – and it is the first hand-drawn film ever to win it.
