Since its release in 2001, Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away has been celebrated as a masterpiece of Japanese animation.  With the announcement of a stage adaption, the anticipation of whether it would be a hit or miss has been palpable. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away tells the story of a young girl who gets separated from her parents and inadvertently experiences a new realm of monsters, ghouls, and adventure. Opening this week at the London Coliseum, the reviews are finally in. Read below to find out what the critics thought of Spirited Away.

THE REVIEWS

The Independent: "Spirited Away is three hours of constant, unpredictable spectacle. There are so many scenes here, so many locations and characters, all imbued with a tremendous visual flair and kineticism. The stage itself is chameleonic mostly working around a two-tiered, hut-like edifice that swivels to imagine the bathhouse's various rooms....If we must have an adaptation, it's impossible to imagine a better one than this"

The Upcoming: "Magical is the only word to describe this adaptation of Spirited Away. Any Ghibli fans owe it to themselves to watch this performance, and even people unfamiliar with Miyazaki's work will be, well, spirited away to a fantastical world crafted with love and passion."

The Guardian: "Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece is brought to life with imaginative puppetry, wondrous music, and moments of delicate poetry...Like Chihiro's world, it is utterly magical but this banquet of a show also leaves you stuffed, like her parents."

TimeOut: "Something more than that it has a greater, more visceral, more emotional impact for being right there in front of us. It has a punchy simplicity and powerful stillness"

Telegraph: "This sumptuous production features a vast cast, lush orchestra and Jon Bausor's imposing set which, with its shadowy nooks, walkways, and temple-like structures affords a kaleidoscopic sense of terra incognita"

Standard: "The show captures scale and perspective in a way theatre rarely achieves. It plunges us into rivers, zooms us into the sky, and is visually ravishing throughout. Jon Bausor's sets unfold and reform like origami and Joe Hisaishi's original score is milked for its lush sentiment."