In 2008 the New South Wales Board of Studies included Hayao Miyazaki's film "Spirited Away" as the prescribed text for the Higher School Certificate Japanese Extension course. A study of the film in this context requires students to engage with the text in three distinct ways: through language, cultural symbolism and relevance, and detailed analysis of cinematic devices. This article presents a critical analysis of the prescribed extracts to provide teachers and students with a sound technical understanding of the cinematic devices used to create and communicate meaning. This analysis will sit alongside an exploration of aspects of Japanese language and culture to create a rich understanding of the issues prescribed by the Board of Studies. (Contains 2 figures and 2 tables.)