One of my favourite movies of all time is Spirited Away.

I kinda want that outfit….

Everytime I watch it, I am filled with awesome joyful feelings of awesomeness. Except for one scene. A scene that I hate.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s the gross face stink spirit scene, right?

YEeeuugh

Nope. In fact I love watching everyone’s hair stand on end from the stink.

Hee heeeeeee

Or maybe you think it might be any scene involving No Face being creepy…which is…every scene…

If a guy looked at me like this in the park…I would probably run home.

Nope. I feel sorry for the guy even when he’s gorging himself on pastries and frog men.

Ewwwie

It’s the scene shortly after the stink spirit actually. In which Chihiro and Lin are sitting on the balcony post party, and Lin gives Sen…a dumpling.

Look! Look at it!

But not just any dumpling. The most delicious looking, perfect dumpling in the world.

Look! Look how happy she looks!

And every time I watch that scene, everytime, I get the biggest craving for the mystery dumpling. EVERY TIME.

This happens in every Miyazaki movie. He can make any food look like the most exotic, amazing thing in the world. But there’s something about that dumpling that makes me extra crazy.

I MUST HAVE IT!

And then I am filled with a deep sadness for the rest of the film. Because I could not have that dumpling. And I lament that I was not born Japanese.

Let’s face it…I just want to live in Train Man.

But today that will change…not the Japanese part, I am about as white as they come.

No, today I was in Chinatown. And I happened upon a Chinese bakery. And though they are not perfect Miyazaki dumplings, I have procured…a BBQ pork bun…

Sure, it just LOOKS like a regular bun…

But inside is POOOOORRRK

Sure, it’s not steamed. Or Japanese. But it is still a bun filled with meat. And when that scene comes up, I will be ready to enjoy the sweet sweet porky paradise right along with Chihiro. Take THAT, MIYAZAKI!

You AND that radish spirit.