A sullen ten-year-old girl named Chihiro, in the middle of her family's move to the suburbs, wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and monsters; where humans are changed into animals; and a bathhouse for these creatures. During her adventure she matures from a whiny, self-centered, and pessimistic child to a hard-working, responsible, optimistic young girl who has learned to care for others. She is renamed "Sen" by the proprietor of the bathhouse, Yubaba. Haku, a young boy who helps Chihiro after her parents have transformed into pigs, works as Yubaba's direct subordinate, often running errands and performing missions for her. He has the ability to fly and his true form is a
dragon. Toward the end of the story Chihiro recalls falling into the Kohaku River, of which Haku is the spirit; she thus frees him from Yubaba's service by helping him remember his real name and past, which he had forgotten due to the name change and the curse which Yubaba has placed on him. Haku had entered the spirit world seeking to learn magic from Yubaba, and as a result became an apprentice who followed her every command. Now Chihiro has returned home, but Haku still flies through the skies with paper birds, and the strange creature No Face lives with Zeniba in Swamp Bottom.
