The Adorable Yet Tragic Spirits of 'Spirited Away' — Miyazaki’s Susuwatari
They first appeared back in the late ’80s — and their fate is darker than it seems.
In Hayao Miyazaki’s worlds, even dust can come alive. In Spirited Away, the soot sprites (Susuwatari, or 'wandering soot') look like fuzzy little puffballs with wide eyes. Cute? Absolutely adorable. But the truth behind them is far more heartbreaking.
Spirits Born from Ash
Susuwatari aren’t just magical soot — they’re guardians of abandoned places, tied to the Japanese idea of tsukumogami, everyday objects that gain souls over time. At first glance, they’re playful and innocent. But their entire existence is built on labor.
Life Through Endless Work
In Kamaji’s boiler room, they survive only by constant toil. If they stop, the spell breaks, and they dissolve back into lifeless dust. Their 'reward'? A few pieces of candy tossed like treats for chicks. To me, this is Miyazaki at his sharpest — turning whimsy into a quiet critique of inequality and invisible labor.
From Totoro to Spirited Away
The sprites first appeared in My Neighbor Totoro, haunting an old family house before moving on once the new residents proved kind. Their later home in Yubaba’s bathhouse makes perfect sense: a sanctuary where spirits still thrive. It feels like Miyazaki built a shared mythology, with Susuwatari drifting between worlds.
Why They Helped Chihiro
Despite their fate, the sprites still show compassion. When Chihiro helped them carry coal, they recognized a kindred spirit — another soul trapped in servitude. They repaid her with loyalty, even small acts of care like hiding her shoes and watching over her while she slept.
That’s the beauty of it: these tiny, forgotten workers, bound to endless labor, still embody empathy. To me, they’re the quiet heroes of Spirited Away — proof that even the smallest, most overlooked beings can carry the greatest kindness.
