This anime conquered the "Twilight" star — and made it onto the list of greatest films of the 21st century | Interesting facts

If you still think that anime is exclusively for schoolchildren with a Totoro pencil case, I have two pieces of news for you.

First off, you haven't seen the cult classics in this genre yet. And second, even Hollywood stars have long considered Japanese animation true art.

Take actress Bryce Dallas Howard (yes, Gwen Stacy from "Spider-Man 3" and Victoria from "Twilight"), who according to The NY Times, called "Spirited Away" (2001) one of the greatest films of the 21st century. And you know what? She's absolutely right.

The anime from legendary Hayao Miyazaki suddenly wins an Oscar, rakes in hundreds of millions worldwide, and still lands on greatest-films-of-all-time lists. Why? Let me break it down for you.

What the anime film is about

The story's simple yet completely wild: 10-year-old Chihiro and her parents stumble into a world of spirits. Her parents pig out at an enchanted food stand and literally turn into pigs, while the girl's forced to work at a magical bathhouse for spirits just to survive, save her family, and — however this sounds — grow up.

The actress who played Victoria in "Twilight" with red hair and a red monster in a kimono — Bryce Dallas Howard and a frame from the anime "Spirited Away"

Every minute of this film makes you want to hit pause just to soak in the details. There are gods shaped like massive sea crocodiles, talking saplings, nasty frog accountants, and one very tired train chugging across water.

Why this isn't just another cartoon

This anime doesn't have straight-up villains. Even bathhouse owner Yubaba isn't pure evil — she's more like a cranky manager dealing with burnout. The themes of growing up, ecology, memory, and compassion aren't hammered home but woven into every scene.

Miyazaki manages to blend Zen philosophy, post-industrial melancholy, and childhood fairy tale without the tired Disney clichés we've all seen a million times.

What sets it apart from other anime and films in general

"Spirited Away" is the anime that gets many people hooked on Japanese animation in the first place. It's not built on the Western three-act structure, there are no "good guys" and "bad guys," and the ending isn't about victory but inner transformation. This is cinema-as-passage, film-as-state-of-being. Nobody in the West makes movies like this.

Black phantom on the bridge and girl standing next to the white dragon — Frames from the anime "Spirited Away"

And here's the kicker: it works on any level. For kids — it's a fairy tale. For adults — cultural shock and reason to rethink views on consumption, work, and growing up. And every viewing reveals a new layer.

So if you somehow still haven't watched "Spirited Away," know this: it lands on greatest-films-of-the-century lists for damn good reason.

Even if you're not an anime fan, this could become your first and favorite. And yes — Bryce Dallas Howard totally agrees with you. Earlier we at zoomboola.com told you about the animated film nobody expected — but everyone's talking about now.