Spirited Away is a manifestation of fears and anxieties as seen through the lens of its young lead female character, Chihiro. How Chihiro chooses to react to the ever-changing circumstances around her, even the most horrifying ones, defines this film's central moral.
What does Spirited Away represent?
In English, to "spirit away" means to remove without anyone's noticing. In Japanese folklore, spiriting away (Japanese: Kamikakushi (神隠し), lit. 'hidden by kami') refers to the mysterious disappearance or death of a person, after they had angered the gods (kami).
What is the significance of No-Face in Spirited Away?
No-Face symbolizes how children form an identity based on the people around them. Identity is one of the key themes of Spirited Away, most potently expressed in Chihiro losing her name to Yubaba, or Haku remembering he is really a water spirit.