soul theft

His films like 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'The Shape of Water' explore how characters preserve their inner essence and humanity against forces that seek to corrupt or consume their souls.

Works such as 'The Fountain' and 'Black Swan' depict psychological and spiritual dissolution, where characters lose their sense of self through obsession and internal corruption.

His masterpiece 'Spirited Away' directly confronts soul theft as its central metaphor, showing how identity and agency are stolen and must be reclaimed.