this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2025
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I'm actually surprised that Japanese people would steal food and start eating it without permission. I'd still be standing at the doorway waiting to be seated
The way I interpret it, Chihiro's parents wouldn't ordinarily act like that and did so only because the food (which we later know to be cursed) existed specifically to be a trap, and so had some magical lure on it that made it even more seductive and impossible to resist - like how siren song draws sailors to their deaths, even against their better judgement.
Indeed, her parents acting out of character is at least part of why Chihiro is uncomfortable with the situation.
Were they acting out of character though? Because from the time they were in the car until the scene pictured, they seemed pretty consistent to me. You could make the argument they were influenced all the way back at the beginning of the movie, but I always was pretty horrified (exaggeration, but general feeling) and on chihiro's side as soon as the car stopped. The desire of her parents to walk through the tunnel and continue on always seemed weird. I like planned adventures, not to have an impromptu stop while moving. We can have fun and explore once the absolutely critical task is done, goddamnit! I will not succumb in fiction to what I do in real life!
That was very American of them.
Wasn't a line,Daddy has a credit card? Or similar, not sure I quite caught how our of character that was for anyone remotely typical for Japanese culture.
One of my favourite movies of all time, it's so beautiful from visuals to the story of a kid learning to accept change.