I was excited and intrigued by the opening. However, my first issue is the parenting. Firstly, regarding the eating that turns Chihiro's parents into pigs. Why is she the only one who shows any sense and righteousness? I understand the rest of the film isn't based on reality, but that detail bothers me as it's completely farfetched. Also, telling your child to wait in the car in the woods while you go God knows where...Not exactly parenting of the year material, is it? There are also one or two coincidences that move the story along that come out of nowhere. It also moves from craziness and spirits vomiting all over the place into a sappy love story for the ending too unsubtly for my liking. I watched the English dubbed version, with subtitles of the Japanese as well, and there wasn't that much difference to think that it would change someone's critique of the film. I don't think they are that different like some reviewers claim. That ridiculous annoying shit anime likes to include like all the yelling annoys the shit out of me that happens a couple of times in this. It has its charm. The animation is great, certain parts of the story are interesting and creative, but all in all I didn't feel the plot enough at all. 2.5-3