Spirited Away and Haku belong to Studio Ghibli and associated parties. This website was made by Chihaya for entertainment, not profit. Please do not appropriate its contents without permission.
Spirited Away and Haku belong to Studio Ghibli and associated parties. This website was made by Chihaya for entertainment, not profit. Please do not appropriate its contents without permission.
The Haku we first meet is a boy who tries to get Chihiro out of the Spirit World before nightfall. Several scenes later, we see him gliding through the sky in the form of a dragon. Then, at the end, he claims to be a river. So, just what is he?
Well, Haku is a river spirit named Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi who can take on both the form of a boy and the form of a dragon.
He used to live in a river called Kohaku River near Chihiro's former residence. The two first met when Chihiro dropped a shoe into its waters, reached to grab it and fell in. Hakuryuu caught her and brought her to the shallows.
Some years following their encounter, the river was drained and an apartment complex was built in its place. Having lost his home, Haku wandered about, eventually winding up at Yubaba's bathhouse. Tempted by her powers, he asked to become her apprentice. Yubaba (no doubt gladly) accepted under the same conditions presented to Chihiro—that he forfeit his name, memories and, consequently, freedom in exchange for work, food, shelter, and certain tricks of the trade. Only, unlike the human Chihiro (whom Yubaba underestimated), Haku was assessed as a creature of great capacity, whose otherwise benevolent talents could be diverted toward shady deeds.
After submitting to her will, Haku "turned increasingly pale and his eyes took on a sharp gleam." Naturally, that sort of business does that (right, Kenshin?). Fortunately for our little ryuu, Chihiro also finds herself in the bathhouse and is able to steer him towards his forgotten memories, dispelling Yubaba's hold.
Haku is drawn like a traditional Asian dragon. He does not have wings; instead, he flies the way a water serpent swims.
There is a clip in the making showing how Miyazaki-sensei modeled Hakuryuu's movements and features after various animals. In it, he discusses the vent scene with his staff. He tells them that Haku is supposed to cling to the wall like a gecko, fall like a snake, then growl like a dog when Chihiro feeds him the nigadango (bitter dumpling).
It was so cute because there was only one person in the entire staff who knew what a dog looks like. One animator was like, "I have a cat?" XD
That's what I'd like to know! In the making, they said that "anyone who comes within ten feet of Miyazaki is likely to become a character in one of his films." Chihiro, for example, is modeled after his friend's daughter and her mom is modeled after one of the animators. So, who is Haku modeled after? Is there a real life Haku walking around out there? Because that would be… fascinating. o.o <3
Some hearsay regarding dragons, courtesy of ShinigamiNeko.
