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Why in the world do you think I should give you a job?! Anyone can see you're a lazy, spoiled cry-baby and you have no manners! This is a high-class place on running here, which means there's no job for you! Now get out! I have all the lazy bums I need! Or maybe I'll give you the most difficult job I've got and work you until you breathe your very last breath!
Yubaba is the main antagonist of Studio Ghibli's 12th full-length animated feature film Spirited Away. The character makes her first appearance when she is met by Chihiro Ogino.
She is a greedy sorceress, the proprietor of the Bathhouse, the identical twin sister of Zeniba and the mother of Bôh. She has a bird servant affectionately referred to by fans as Yu-Bird, an apprentice by the nickname of Haku, Spirit-like pets named Kashira and is the employer of countless other bathhouse workers.
She was voiced by Mari Natsuki in the original Japanese version. In the English dubbed version, she was voiced by the late Suzanne Pleshette in her final role, who also played Dr. Rachel Walters in A Twist of the Knife, and Zira in Disney's The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride.
Yubaba is an elderly witch with an inhumanly large head and nose who supervises the bathhouse. Yubaba has an overbearing, ostentatious and authoritarian personality, but does show a soft side toward her giant baby, Boh (whom she spoils beyond belief). Yubaba lives in opulent quarters and is only interested in taking care of guests for money. Despite being rather despicable and repugnant, Yubaba is not completely without human traits, and seems to warm up to Chihiro somewhat by the end of the movie.
Yubaba has a twin sister named Zeniba. Although identical in appearance, their personalities are almost polar opposites, Yubaba being merciless and greedy while Zeniba is generous and kind, though Zeniba is very vengeful when someone tries to steal her magic seal.
Meeting Chihiro[]
Not introduced until after being mentioned by both Haku and Kamajii, Yubaba quickly establishes herself as a very terrifying authoritarian figure to Chihiro during their first face-to-face meeting (Yubaba is first heard in this scene talking through the gargoyle knocker on the door to her office). During her interview with Chihiro, she uses various methods to intimidate Chihiro into speaking about those who have helped her, and is quite annoyed that the latter repeatedly asks for a job, forcing Yubaba to make good on an oath to give anyone a job who asks for one. Calling Chihiro stupid, useless and spoiled, Yubaba's tirade ends abruptly with one of Boh's tantrums, during which she reluctantly gives a contract to Chihiro. Remarking on how beautiful (and long) Chihiro's name is, Yubaba quickly removes several characters from the signature, renaming Chihiro "Sen". She is then seen ordering a very stoic and distant Haku to take Chihiro to the lower floors.
Yubaba is next seen in the movie as a bird. By wrapping herself in a cloak, she transforms her body into one similar to a bird's and flies off into the distance, allowing Haku to visit Chihiro without interference.
She returns to realize that a "stink spirit" is trying to walk into the bathhouse during the rain and orders her workers to chase the spirit away. Realizing later that the guest is in fact not a stink spirit, she orders Chihiro to serve him. After Chihiro successfully removed large amounts of junk and debris from the spirit, Yubaba hugged her in happiness, revealing that the dirty spirit was actually a River Spirit, and a very wealthy and powerful figure in the Spirit Realm. Some time later, she orders Haku to steal a golden seal from Zeniba.
With No-Face causing an uproar in the bathhouse, Yubaba angrily blames Chihiro on the phone for letting No-Face in, and promptly tells her subordinates to dispose of Haku, who was gravely injured after being cursed by Zeniba and of no use to her anymore. She is then seen coming out of a rampaging No-Face's guest room and quickly dismisses her (then transformed) son, Boh, for being a "dirty mouse" and pushes Chihiro in the room to face No-Face alone.
As No-Face regurgitates all the food and other matter he has eaten whilst chasing Chihiro, Yubaba remarks that what No-Face has done is unforgivable and tosses a fireball at him only to be puked on by the monstrous spirit.
Final Defeat[]
She is next seen in her office having washed herself. Realizing that "Boh" was really just the Three Heads and that the "gold" she received from No-Face was merely mud, she storms into Boh's room looking for her son and asks Haku, with blazing anger, where her son is. When told he was at Zeniba's place, Yubaba immediately extinguishes the flames in her mouth and seats herself in a chair, striking a deal with Haku to have him return Boh in exchange for Chihiro's freedom.
She is then seen pacing on the bridge entrance to The Bathhouse with a contract in her hand, waiting for Chihiro and Haku's return with her son. Having completed her deal with Haku and with the contract destroyed, Yubaba spitefully tells Chihiro to leave. Unlike her workers and son, Yubaba does not bid a friendly farewell to Chihiro, but nonetheless remains to see her off.
And as Chihiro and Haku leave, Yubaba is briefly seen to turn and give an impressed smile.
Appearance[]
Yubaba is Zeniba's twin sister and, as such, is almost completely identical to her. She has an inhumanly large figure and a large mound of discolored hair combed into a bun-like style. Her age is never stated, but Yubaba is very wrinkly. She has dark brown eyes accentuated with lavender eye shadow as well as a prominent crooked nose drawing attention to a bindi-like mole between her eyebrows. She also wears golden earrings and various jewelry on her hands identical to those of her twin sister's. Unlike her sister, Yubaba is not shown with glasses in the film.
Personality[]
“
You! WHERE IS HE?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY BABY?! (Haku: He's with your sister) Zeniba?!
„
~ Yubaba yelling at Haku
As the main antagonist of the film, Yubaba is extremely overbearing, intimidating and authoritarian. Like many other workers of her infamous bathhouse, Yubaba obsesses greedily over gold and is shown to be willing to view gold as a priority over her own family (especially Zeniba, whom she expresses hatred for). However, she has in some instances shown a greatly quantitative amount of motherly care for her son Boh, and is seen completely devastated when the latter states that he "won't like [her] anymore" if she continues to treat Chihiro (Sen) unfairly towards the end of the film.
She is quite selfish and frugal (when it comes to workers), having given herself an opulent office with immeasurable amounts of unoccupied space and her many workers a single cramped room as living space. From the other side, however, she also readily takes both disgusting and dangerous tasks herself (like meeting the stinking Unnamed River Spirit or attempting to shield her workers from the rampaging No-Face). She also appears to be highly professional in these tasks.
Her magical capabilities have allowed her to "steal" the names of her workers, binding them in a contract to her bathhouse forever unless they manage to miraculously recall their full names (the only two people seen doing so are Haku and Chihiro, both of which relied on each other to remember). She is also seen to be able to spit fire when angered to a certain extent (seen when Haku mentions that her precious son Boh has been "taken" from her).
While her attributes are seen as incredibly antagonistic in the film, Yubaba has occasionally shown several redeeming qualities, such as her willingness to praise Chihiro after her excellent work with helping the Unnamed River Spirit and motherly softness for her son Boh. In the end she simply places gold over most things, causing others to disagree with her due to their varying mindsets.
Powers and Abilities[]
Yubaba is a powerful and feared witch who displays a vast array of magical powers, including:
Curses: Yubaba's dark magic involves casting curses including Name-Stealing and Mind Domination and more that she can possibly do.
Magical projectiles: She fires a blast of energy at No-Face, though it doesn't seem to do any damage to him.
Stealing one's true name: She can take away one's name and replace it with a more convenient one. The true name will be forgotten by everyone, including the victim, who will be forever trapped in the spirit world at Yubaba's service.
Telekinesis: She can remotely open doors and move people and objects.
Metamorphosis: She can turn humans into animals and possibly do the opposite as well. Yubaba can drape herself in a cloak resembling a large bird.
Mind domination: She injects Haku with a parasite, apparently to ensure his loyalty.
Flight: Yubaba can fly, both in her normal form and in her bird form.
Speed: Yubaba can run and fly at great speeds.
Quotes[]
“
So, your name's Chihiro? What a pretty name...and it belongs to me now!
„
~ Yubaba stealing Chihiro's name.
“
I don't want to hear such a stupid request. You're just a stinking, useless weakling, and this is certainly no place for humans. It's a bathhouse for the Spirits. It's where they come to replenish themselves, and you humans always make a mess of things, like your parents who gobbled up the food of the Spirits like Pigs. They got what they deserved, and you should be punished too. You could be a Piglet, or maybe you'd refer a lump of coal.
„
~ Yubaba to Chihiro
“
Well. Come in. I said come in!
„
~ Yubaba calls to Chihiro.
“
Let's thank whoever helped you. Just who was it dear? Why don't you tell me.
„
~ Yubaba to Chihiro.
“
DON'T START THAT AGAIN! DON'T SAY THAT!
„
~ Yubaba as Chihiro asks for a job again.
“
Why are you still here? I told you to leave!
„
~ Yubaba to Chihiro.
“
That's your contract. Sign your name away and I'll put you to work. If I here one little complaint out of you, you'll be joining you parents in the pig pen.
„
~ Yubaba gives Chihiro a contract after accepting her request.
“
Just sign it! Do you want the job or not?
„
~ Yubaba to Chihiro.
“
I can't believe I took that oath. I'll give a job to anyone who asks. Ridiculous! I hate being so nice all the time. HA!
„
~ Yubaba
“
From now on, your name in Sen. You got that. Answer me Sen!
„
~ Yubaba renames Chihiro as Sen.
“
Somethings coming. I wonder what. What useless scum is sneaking around in the rain?
„
~ Yubaba
“
Sen, don't mess this up. Take this guest to the Big Top and take care of him. No buts or I'll turn you into coal! You hear me!
„
~ Yubaba orders Sen to deal with the Stink Spirit.
“
Heh heh heh heh heh! Disgusting!
„
~ Yubaba
“
Everyone ready on my command!
„
~ Yubaba orders the Bathhouse workers to heave.
“
You want to take her place!
„
~ Yubaba
“
Enough! I don't care if he's rich. This nonsense has got to stop!
„
~ Yubaba before she faces No-Face.
“
This gold doesn't even come close to covering the damage that stupid No-Face caused. Sen didn't get nearly enough. She'll have to be punished!
„
~ Yubaba on Sen not collecting enough gold to cover the destruction No-Face created.
“
Don't get fresh with me, young man. Since when do you talk that way to your master?
„
~ Yubaba to Haku.
“
My Baby! NOOO!!!!
„
~ Yubaba's villainous breakdown when her son Boh have disappeared.
“
Very clever, Haku. I get it. You'll get my baby back for me, but at a price. So, what do you want?
„
~ Yubaba asks Haku what he wants in exchange for Boh's return.
“
Fine, but on one condition. I get to give Sen one final test. If she fails, she's mine!
„
~ Yubaba makes a deal with Haku.
“
Not so fast, Haku! I get to give Sen one final test.
„
~ Yubaba to Haku.
“
SHUT UP!
„
~ Yubaba to the crowd.
“
You got guts!
„
~ Yubaba as Chihiro takes her test.
“
See if you can tell which of these pigs is your mother and father. You get one try. If you get it right, you can all go home.
Yubaba is the last character to be voiced by the late Suzanne Pleshette right before she died on January 19, 2008 at the age of seventy.
In both the original Japanese dub and the English dub of Disney, she was voiced by the same voice actress who also voiced Zeniba in the same film.
Every bathhouse spirit is based on an animal. Yubaba's "flight" form and beak-like nose seem to suggest she is a raven spirit. Ravens are known in legends to be cunning and ominous creatures.
In the Korean film version called Lost in the Moonlight (2016) Yubaba's villainess character counterpart is Madam Blossom both were Greedy Sorceresses.
