Highlights
- No-Face is a mysterious spirit in Spirited Away who lacks a sense of self and changes based on those around him.
- Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of No-Face, revealed that there are many No-Faces and they reflect others because they have no sense of identity.
- The purpose of No-Face is to teach a lesson about being true to oneself, making independent decisions, and not simply following the crowd.
Spirited Away is one of Studio Ghibli’s masterpieces, and one of the most famous movies that the animation studio has ever created. And while the movie is full of memorable, weird, and unique characters, one does stand apart in many people’s memories. This character is, of course, is none-other-than the mysterious spirit simply known as “No-Face.”
Very little has been known about No-Face, other than he is a very hungry spirit who has illusional powers. That is, until now. 22 years after Spirited Away first reThe information came via X, formerly Twitter, on the account of Kinro Roadshow. Kinro Roadshow is a special program on Nippon Television that often shows behind-the-scenes information about movies and TV shows, including production stories. This particular post from January 5th revealed more information about No-Face than we have ever had before. Released in 2001, we have some real answers about who exactly No-Face is. The best part is, the answers have come from the creator of the character, Hayao Miyazaki himself.
What Did We Already Know About No-Face?
Before we get into this new information, let’s take a step back and look at what we already know. No-Face shows up at the bathhouse in Spirited Away where the leading character, Chihiro, is working. The bathhouse is specifically for spirits, and some of the other patrons shown in the movie are inspired by Japanese folklore and legend. For example, the stinking River Spirit that Chihiro is bravely able to cleanse is likely based on a Kappa, or water spirit, and the great white Radish Spirit is inspired by Oshira-sama dolls, which are a part of traditional folklore.
However, No-Face does not fit into any easily recognizable category. He is simply a black, shapeless shadow with an expressionless mask who is mistakenly allowed into the bathhouse by Chihiro. Once there, he gorges himself on food, appearing to pay everyone with gold. However, it turns out the gold is all fake, and No-Face wrecks the bathhouse. Chihiro is finally able to get rid of him, understanding that he is not a bad spirit but just misunderstood, and he stays with her for the remainder of her journey.
While this story in itself is touching, and good character development for both Chihiro’s personal journey and No-Face’s character, No-Face’s identity and inspiration were something that fans could only theorize about. What kind of spirit was he meant to be? Where did he come from? What happened in the past that barred him from the bathhouse? There were no official answers to any questions about No-Face’s identity.
So Just What is No-Face, Exactly?
Until now, at least On Kinro Roadshow’s Tweet, there was a quote from Hayao Miyazaki regarding just what No-Face actually is. In the Tweet, he said (roughly translated from the original Japanese), “There are many No-Faces around. (omitted) I think there are people everywhere who want to be attached to someone else, but don’t have a sense of self. No-Face is a being that has no self, but changes depending on what and who it encounters.”
Finally, we have an answer! No-Face is an original spirit created by Miyazaki, who is actually one of many. Though we may never know when we encounter another No-Face, since its form will change based on those around it. It is a spirit that has no sense of who it is, but just reflects others.
So What is the Purpose of No-Face?
This is likely an analogy for people that simply follow the crowd and copy everyone else, rather than make their own decisions, and for people that don’t really explore who they actually are as individuals rather than as part of the crowd. Hayao Miyazaki is always trying to teach a lesson through his stories, and this is another one. Not only can we learn to not be selfish and dishonest from No-Face (who loses everything he gains with the false money in the end), we can also learn to be our own person and think of ourselves.
After all, No-Face is happiest when he chooses on his own to travel with Chihiro and help her along on her journey in Spirited Away. He no longer has to pretend to be anyone else, and can just be himself. Instead, he can finally be happy and build a real relationship with others. Not only does he become friends with Chihiro, he also builds a connection with the baby Boh and Yu-Bird the crow! While No-Face has no “true form” to transform into, at least in the end, he has learned to be himself.
Source: X
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