Daily Dialogue — November 17, 2016
Chihiro: Listen, Haku. I don’t remember it, but my mom told me… Once, when I was little, I fell into a river. She said they’d drained it…
Chihiro: Listen, Haku. I don’t remember it, but my mom told me… Once, when I was little, I fell into a river. She said they’d drained it and built things on top. But I’ve just remembered. The river was called… Its name was the Kohaku River. Your real name is Kohaku.
Haku slowly changes into a boy again, permanently shedding away his white dragon skin. The two are falling from the sky, holding each other’s hands.
Haku: Chihiro, thank you. My real name is Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. Chihiro: Nigihayami?
Haku: Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi.
Chihiro: [starts to cry] What a name. Sounds like a god.
Haku: I remember too, how you fell into me as a child. You had dropped your shoe.
Chihiro: Yes, you carried me to shallow water, Kohaku. [they put their faces close together, close enough to kiss] I’m so grateful!
— Spirited Away (2001), written by Hayao Miyazaki
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Bechdel Test suggested by Will King.
Trivia: This is the first film to earn $200 million in grosses before opening in the U.S.
Dialogue On Dialogue: This passes the Bechdel Test with flying colors as the Protagonist (Chihiro) is a young girl and in her journey interfaces with many other female characters. In fact, Miyazaki’s movies often feature strong female storylines.