Losing one’s name is a classic folktale motif (like in The Odyssey or Germanic legends). In Spirited Away , to remember your name is to remember yourself. Haku has forgotten he was a river god; Chihiro almost forgets she is Chihiro. The film argues that in adulthood, we often become “Sen” — a functional version of ourselves — but childhood holds the key to our true nature.
: A Japanese folklore term referring to being "hidden by the gods" or mysteriously disappearing into the spirit world. Plot Overview and Characters