Spirited Away
Ten-year-old Chihiro strays into a world of countless gods while moving house. Working at the bathhouse Aburaya, she learns to survive, protects her true name, and seeks to return to the human world with her parents, who have been turned into pigs.
- Genre:
- ファンタジー / 冒険 / 成長 / 異世界
- Medium:
- Anime / Film
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Spirited Away — Timeline12 events
Chihiro's family wanders through the tunnel
On the way to their new home, Chihiro and her parents take a wrong road and pass through a tunnel in an old structure. What first looks like an abandoned town reveals itself at dusk as a realm visited by countless gods.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・冒頭「引っ越しの道〜トンネル」Ch. — Toho's official page for the Miyazaki-authorized stage adaptation explicitly describes the move, tunnel, and entry into the gods' world. Afternoon is inferred from the film's light. ↗
Chihiro's parents eat the gods' food and become pigs
Chihiro's parents help themselves to food laid out at an unattended stall and are transformed into pigs. With water now blocking the way back, Chihiro is stranded alone in the realm of the gods.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「無人の飲食店〜両親の変身」Ch. — Based on Studio Ghibli's official still gallery and the film's scene order. The official web text does not describe the transformation in detail, so this remains needs_review. ↗
Haku saves Chihiro as she begins to vanish
As Chihiro begins to turn transparent, a boy named Haku gives her food from the spirit world, restoring her substance. He tells her she must work to save her parents and directs her toward the bathhouse boiler room.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「ハクとの再会〜油屋への潜入」Ch. — Based on Studio Ghibli's official film page and the film's scene order. The rescue steps are not stated in official web text, so this remains needs_review. ↗
Chihiro signs Yubaba's contract and becomes Sen
Helped by Kamaji and Lin, Chihiro repeatedly asks Yubaba, ruler of Aburaya, for work despite being refused. She receives a contract but loses most of her name and is thereafter called Sen.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「釜場〜湯婆婆との契約」Ch. — Official production commentary confirms that Chihiro works in the bathhouse; details of the contract and renaming should be rechecked against the official film. ↗
Sen cleanses the stink spirit and frees a river god
Assigned to a guest with an overpowering stench, Sen notices an object lodged in its body and helps the staff pull it free. A mass of refuse pours out, revealing a river god, who leaves her a bitter dumpling in thanks.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「腐れ神の入浴」Ch. — Based on Studio Ghibli's official still gallery and the film's sequence. Official web text does not narrate the river-god scene in detail, so this remains needs_review. ↗
No-Face consumes Aburaya's greed and runs amok
No-Face, whom Sen had sheltered from the rain, produces false gold to attract the bathhouse staff, then consumes food and workers until becoming enormous. It fixates on Sen, the one person who does not want its gold.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「カオナシの宴」Ch. — Official production commentary confirms that Chihiro ultimately saves No-Face, but details of its rampage should be rechecked against the official film. ↗
The wounded Haku expels Zeniba's seal
To save Haku, gravely wounded in dragon form, Sen feeds him half of the river god's bitter dumpling. He expels Zeniba's stolen seal, which Yubaba ordered him to take, along with a controlling slug.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「傷ついた白竜〜釜場」Ch. — Based on Studio Ghibli's official film page and scene order. The causal details involving the seal and dumpling are not in official web text, so this remains needs_review. ↗
Sen leads No-Face out of Aburaya
Sen feeds the remaining bitter dumpling to No-Face, causing it to disgorge the people and food it consumed. With No-Face now calm, she leaves to return Zeniba's seal.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「カオナシとの対峙〜油屋を出る」Ch. — Studio Ghibli's official production commentary explicitly says Chihiro saves No-Face and returns it to the proper place; the precise steps follow the film scene. ↗
Sen rides the train to Zeniba's home
Sen boards the Sea Railway across a flooded plain with No-Face, Boh, and the transformed bird. Using a one-way ticket, she travels to Swamp Bottom and seeks Zeniba's distant home by her own choice.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「海原電鉄〜沼の底駅」Ch. — Based on Studio Ghibli's official still gallery and the film's scene order. Day-night correspondence in the spirit realm is unclear, so 'around the next day' is estimated. ↗
Zeniba forgives Sen and gives her a hair tie
Sen returns the stolen seal to Zeniba and apologizes. Zeniba welcomes the group and gives Sen a hair tie they made together. No-Face finds a quiet home, while Sen departs with Haku for Aburaya.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「銭婆の家〜ハクの迎え」Ch. — Official production commentary confirms No-Face is restored to an appropriate place; details of returning the seal and the hair tie should be rechecked against the official film. ↗
Chihiro remembers Haku's true name
Riding back on the white dragon, Chihiro remembers falling into a river as a child and being carried to shore. When she identifies Haku's true name as Nigihayami Kohakunushi, he recovers the identity Yubaba took from him.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「白竜での帰還〜コハク川の記憶」Ch. — Studio Ghibli's official diary identifies Haku as a god; details of remembering his true name should be rechecked against the official film. ↗
Chihiro passes the final test and returns to the human world
Chihiro correctly declares that none of the pigs Yubaba presents are her parents, breaking the contract. She passes back through the tunnel with her restored parents and returns to the human world without looking back. The film does not establish how many human-world hours or days elapsed.
Vol.映画 千と千尋の神隠し 映画本編・「豚を見分ける試練〜トンネル帰還」Ch. — Toho's official description states that Chihiro strives to return to the human world. Details of the test and successful return should be rechecked against the official film; elapsed time is unknown. ↗
Related timelines
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