Quote 4

Chihiro: “I knew you were good!”

Sen says this to Haku as they’re returning to the bathhouse near the end of the movie. She has agonized about Haku’s true motives and character since the moment she met him, and she now remembers that he saved her from drowning when she was very young. Suddenly, all of her decisions are justified, and her doubts about her abilities disappear. She has trusted her instincts, and her instincts have proved trustworthy. She has come into her own. When Sen returns to the bathhouse and takes on Yubaba’s last challenge, she completes her transformation from a hesitant little girl to a self-confident young woman. She has no hesitation in her voice when she answers Yubaba’s question. She trusts her instincts once again and tells Yubaba that her parents are not among the pigs before her, thus freeing herself and her parents from their slavery.

Throughout the movie, Sen has doubts about Haku, but she nonetheless stands by him. Her loyalty reveals her understanding that a person’s character is multi-layered and that appearances can be deceiving. Although both Haku and Lin initially treat her gruffly, they quickly become her biggest allies. While the rest of the bathhouse workers seem to hold fast to the first impressions they have of their customers, Sen treats everyone equally and finds out what’s beneath the surface. The bathhouse workers try to scare away the Stink Spirit, but Sen treats him as she would any other customer and discovers that he isn’t as nasty as he appears to be. Sen gives people and spirits a chance to prove their goodness even if that goodness is hidden, and her acceptance helps to free her.