Chihiro endures her difficult encounters not out of supremacy or conquering her enemies, but out of empathy and kindness. In Western media and films, a hegemonic masculine ideal is often the “only solution to plot problems,” leaving violence as the path to success (Pyke, 1996). Kimmel said that "in a society that 'traditionally grants control to the man,' experiencing feelings such as empathy and compassion can be interpreted as weakness toward a male figure." » (Kimmel, Rothenberg, 1998). Thus, men are not often portrayed with these qualities, giving Chihiro qualities superior to those of the male protagonist and providing alternative perspectives on how conflicts should be handled. In the article "Class-Based Masculinities", Karen Pyke explains how lower and higher status men make assumptions about notions of masculinity either through "physical force or structural violence" (1996). Miyazaki offers an analysis of both practices of masculinity through various characters and the commitments they have made, as well as his critique of ecological deprivation and the loss of Japanese traditions.