orphanhood and identity

His films consistently feature orphaned protagonists discovering their identity and agency in fantastical worlds, most notably in Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.

Her visceral, introspective filmmaking explores childhood trauma and fractured identity through orphaned or abandoned children navigating hostile environments.

His Gothic fantasy films like Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water center orphaned characters whose search for belonging and identity drives their narrative arcs.