Samの英語チャンネル

Thankfully buying the Studio Ghibli artifact gets you out of the death-to-thieves part of its lore.

As an archetypal Studio Ghibli anime heroine, the strength of Spirited Away’s Chihiro comes not only from her courage and determination, but her kindness too. Holding on to her sense of compassion, even in the harsh work environment of the magical bathhouse she’s forced to work in, becomes a critical hinge for the story to turn on when Chihiro decides to return a contract seal stolen from the witch Zeniba in hopes of earning forgiveness for the thief, her friend Haku.

Within the movie, whoever steals the object will be cursed with death, but we’re guessing that feature has been left out of this impressive real-world recreation of Zeniba’s seal.

The piece is being offered by Studio Ghibli merchandise specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, and comes in a stately wooden box bearing the Spirited Away logo (or, technically, the Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi logo, since it’s in Japanese), which also appears on the seal’s side.

8.7 centimeters (3.4 inches) long, the seal is made of carnelian, a naturally occurring semi-precious gemstone that, according to Donguri Kyowakoku, “is said to have the power to dispel fear, bestow courage, and help one achieve their goals.” While there’s no guarantee that the seal will in fact grant such benefits to its owner, the material does catch the light in enchanting ways depending on the viewing angle and surrounding environment.

By default, the bottom of Zeniba’s seal has the same etching as it does in the Hayao Miyazaki-directed anime. However, you can replace it with four characters of your own choosing, selected at the time of ordering.

▼ Default engraving

▼ A custom engraving for “Chihiro Ogino,” the main character’s full name

There’s a second form of personalization as well, as the use of natural stone means that exact coloring and non-defect crack lines vary from piece to piece.

Released as part of the movie’s 20th anniversary celebration (like the real-life Hopping Lantern) and officially called the Spirited Away Witch’s Contract Seal, the item is available now for pre-order through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop here, priced at 25,300 yen (US$230) with shipping scheduled for late December.

Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Donguri Kyowakoku
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Source: SORA NEWS24