BA1a Character Research Essay Plan/2nd draft
An investigation into the humanisation of the character No Face (Kaonashi) from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away
No Face or Kaonashi in Japanese, is a lonely spirit who befriends the young female protagonist, acting as both an obstacle and ally to her, in Studio Ghibli’s animated fantasy masterpiece Spirited Away (2001). This essay is my investigation into how and why the animated spirit No Face is humanised in the film. How does the character’s look, animation style, movement and behaviour etc. make them more human, as well as looking at why the artists, animators choose these features for No Face, and what messages we can draw from this. This information will help me to for fill my aim to explore and analyse how the character manages to be very human, relatable but otherworldly. Ultimately he is only an animated body with a mask, but as quoted in the online article; Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away: No Face (Elyse.T, 2016), writer and director Hayao Miyazaki himself said; “Kaonashi (No Face) is inside everyone”.
Para 1 – Shape shifter, how and link to his design
No Face’s role in the film, archetype shapeshifter, obstacle, Vogler book, i.e. (Vogler, 2007)
How the develop of No Face changes our opinion of him, from this creepy unknown spirit to ravenous monster to this polite, kind and calm individual who finds his purpose working for the witch Zeneba (link to shapeshifter)
Analysis of No Face in the film, scenes looking at movement, visuals, behaviour, interaction with other characters linking this to humanisation – becomes more human as the film progresses, physically and mentally
My analysis of the character eg. Shape language, colour theory, abstract, shapeshifter, movement, themes taken from his behaviour (consumed by the greed of the contemporary world but also uses that to his advantage) – Quote analysis techniques or people
No Face drawn on paper by animator, painting staff separately created face, arms, legs and body, camera department processes this, “that is how it’s possible to combine both terrifying and humorous into the character. No Face was created as a result of unprecedented close coordination between the animation department, the painting staff and camera department.” (The Art of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, English text translation by Yuki Oniki, originally edited by Studio Ghibli, published by Tokuma Shoten Co. (Japan), Viz Media (English), 2002)
Para 2 – No Face’s non-human qualities
Analysis of No Face in the film, scenes looking at movement, visuals, behaviour, interaction with other characters linking this to humanisation – becomes more human as the film progresses, physically and mentally
Interesting No Face comparison to Francis Bacon’s work Three studies for figures at the base of crucifixion (Studio Ghibli: The films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, Michelle Le Blanc and Colin Odell, 26 June 2015, Old Castle Books)
Looks like silk worm with the markings on his mask, reference to this when No Face is seen spinning silk in a scene in Zeneba’s cottage (Information from 107 Spirited Away Facts –(ToonedUp #183) YouTube video by ChannelFredarator, 10 sept 2016, viewed 06.11.16)
The real Japanese traditional culture of spirits and Noh Theatre
No Face’s look inspired by Noh theatre which contain masks similar to No Face, the mask tells us what type of character the actor playing, the masks were pretty much expressionless so actors had to be skilled at expressing emotion through head and body gestures (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2091.html)
Quote: “No Face is basically expressionless, but I ended up adding just a bit of expression. It might have been better to make his mask more Noh-like without any expression at all, conveying expression by lighting” (Masashi Ando, supervising animator, from the Art of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away book, English text translation by Yuki Oniki, originally edited by Studio Ghibli, published by Tokuma Shoten Co. (Japan), Viz Media (English), 2002)
Linking this is humanisation is it easier to make a connection through something non-human? Maybe when the character is less or not human but with human characteristics, it’s easier to project our own self onto them? I think it is which is and I think it’s what Miyazaki thinks too with his quote “Kaonashi is inside everyone” he can be anyone
Quote: “The ultimate goal (of the anthropomorphizing scientist) is emphatically not to arrive at the satisfactory projection of human feelings onto the animal, but rather at testable ideas and replicable observations” (Robert W. Mitchell, Nicholas S. Thompson, H. Lyn Miles, Anthropomorphism, Anecdotes, and Animals, pg. xv, 1997) I believe this is what Miyazaki is doing with No Face, not only is he making the character more human with his look and changeable personality but he’s projecting his opinion on contemporary capitalism culture onto him. The bathhouse workers that are consumed with greed are swallowed themselves by No Face who uses their greed for his own agenda.
(Anthropomorphism in animation google search)
Put perfectly in this quote: No Face is “capable of becoming a ravenous monster who punishes the bathhouse residents greedy for gold. In this way, this world is a grotesque version of our own where greed and ambition mix with kindness and camaraderie” (Studio Ghibli: The films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata book, written by Michelle Le Blanc and Colin Odell, 26 June 2015, Old Castle Books)
Film is fantasy but Miyazaki also put his spiritual and society believes into his work with the love of traditional Japanese culture and grudge against the new
How the little things for example No Face having a little panic attack on the train when Chihiro goes to sit down (insecure unsure what to do with himself) or Chihiro putting on her shoes, tapping her toes into them, the unconscious movements that we all have in our lives, these characters have too which is what makes them so real and relatable
Quote: “Little moments that convince you this isn’t an imaginary world, this is real” (Glen Keane, found in The Making of Spirited Away Part 1, YouTube, taken from DVD, posted by Carey McGleish, 27 Jan 2011, viewed 05.11.16)
Quote: “If you have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness but if you take a moment then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension” (Hayao Miyazaki, found in 107 Spirited Away Facts –(ToonedUp #183) YouTube video by ChannelFredarator, 10 sept 2016, viewed 06.11.16)
In particular this is shown in the scene on the train with No Face, Chihiro, Bou the baby (as a mouse) and Yubaba’s bird, the contrast of the baby’s and bird’s excitable attitude to being outside and No Face, Chihiro and the faded ghost passengers on the train, shows how far both Chihiro and No Face have come
This is backed by the animators for example when No Face gets panicy on the train his body and mask becomes more opaque, you can physically see him disappearing slightly as he as unsure of himself, we can see how vulnerable he is (also mention him being swept away by the waves?) from this gigantic, crazed monster in the bathhouse to this feeble creature is a dramatic change that we ourselves can relate to if we’re in a bad place physically or mentally
Miyazaki does writing, directing, drawings, it’s his imagination, his story
“Spirited Away was an explosion of Miyazaki’s imagination” (Glen Keane, supervising animator, Disney feature animator, found in The Making of Spirited Away Part 1, YouTube, taken from DVD, posted by Carey McGleish, 27 Jan 2011, viewed 05.11.16)
No Face resembles the director himself, quote: “In my experience many of the characters portray and contain positive elements of the man Miyazaki, No Face is desperate to enter somehow into the hearts of others but really doesn’t have the ways or means to do so” (Toshio Suzuki, Japanese producer of Spirited Away, found in The Making of Spirited Away Part 1, YouTube, taken from DVD, posted by Carey McGleish, 27 Jan 2011, viewed 05.11.16)
Miyazaki goes a long way to appeal to the audience, to make it as real for them as possible, like taking note of how a dogs mouth looks for the dragon Haku or like the stink spirit, the chills Chihiro gets through her whole body when she smells him and the negative reaction of all the bathhouse workers, even the food Lin has for her and Chihiro goes rotten as she nears the stink spirit, quote: “Miyazaki’s characters sometimes reach beyond the sense of vision” (Jason Marsden, voice of Haku, found in The Making of Spirited Away Part 1, YouTube, taken from DVD, posted by Carey McGleish, 27 Jan 2011, viewed 05.11.16)
In conclusion, No Face’s development of body and behaviour are what make him human even though he is never confirmed of anything but a lonely spirit. This is shown through careful and realistic animation with the intention to make the fantasy as real as possible in order for Miyazaki to share his imagination and heart with the viewers.
