Spiller (The Secret World of Arrietty)

Studio Ghibli's The Secret World of Arrietty

Movie: The Secret World of Arrietty (original Japanese title: Karigurashi no Arrietty) Species: Borrower (a tiny human, approximately four inches tall) Age: Approximately 18 years old. Gender: Male. Nationality: The film's characters are Japanese, although the source material is a British novel series, The Borrowers. Occupation: A "feral" or "wild" Borrower, he lives outside the human house in the garden and surrounding area, foraging and hunting for survival rather than "borrowing" from humans.

Physical Description and Clothing Spiller's appearance is a stark contrast to Arrietty's more "domesticated" family and is designed to emphasize his rugged lifestyle. Physical Features: He has a darker complexion and a sharp facial structure. His hair is black, spiky, and uneven, suggesting it is cut purely for function and not style. Facial Markings: The most notable feature is the pair of striking white stripes painted on each of his cheeks, which some analyses have noted are reminiscent of some indigenous warrior design elements seen in other media.

Clothing Style: His clothes are functional and durable, made from brown furs and other natural materials that allow him to blend into the wilderness environment. Gear: He is almost always equipped with a miniature bow and arrows for protection and hunting small prey, highlighting the constant danger of his life in the wild. He also utilizes a hollowed-out teapot as a makeshift boat for travel across the garden's pond or streams.

The exact height of Spiller is not specified in the movie; however, it is noted that he is shorter than Arrietty. Arrietty is approximately 4 inches (10 cm) tall. Given the height comparison, Spiller is likely around 3.5 inches tall.

Personality Spiller is a character defined more by his actions and capabilities than his words, speaking only a few times throughout the film. Quiet Competence: He is highly resourceful and self-sufficient, capably navigating the dangers of the garden. He provides a reliable and practical counterpart to the more intellectual, yet physically frail, human boy Shawn (Shō).

Polite and Kind: Despite his silent, rugged exterior, he is polite when interacting with Arrietty and her family. He shows particular kindness and subtle romantic interest towards Arrietty, offering her a ripe berry he foraged at one point. Hopeful: He represents the idea that the Borrower species is not, in fact, dying out, as he knows of other potential places where they can live, providing a vital sense of hope for the future.

Personal History and Role in the Film Spiller first appears when he helps Arrietty's father, Pod, return home after Pod is injured during a borrowing mission. This encounter is significant as it introduces the possibility of a different, more sustainable life outside the human house.

His main role comes at the end of the film. When Arrietty's family is forced to move because their existence has been discovered by the human household staff, Spiller reappears. He offers a teapot to use as a boat for their journey and guidance to a new location where other Borrowers live. The film's ending strongly suggests that Arrietty may form a partnership with Spiller, ensuring the continuation of their species, a more practical survival narrative than a romance with the human boy Shawn.

Pansexual