This may be why No Face is largely ignored by the other workers and patrons who inhabit the bathhouse. Though the wandering spirit may appear as a ghostly figure in “Spirited Away,” he also can transform himself. He shows off this ability more than once, and both times, the situation becomes perilous for the characters of the film.
The reason for this is likely that the solitary creature has been holding feelings of sadness and rejection inside of its empty husk since its inception. Notably, No Face seems to transform only when stressed, and he appears to grow in size based on how upset he is.
The way No Face transforms also offers clues to its desires. When he finally loses control, he eats to make himself bigger, as if demanding that the other “Spirited Away” characters finally pay attention to him. Furthermore, it isn’t until Chihiro listens to him and takes him outside with her that he begins to regurgitate everything that he devoured.
Between the themes of the character, how he is represented, and how he reacts to kindness or rejection, No Face appears to be a sort of embodiment of loneliness and thus is constantly seeking attention. While this eventually culminates in a disaster that nearly consumes the other bathhouse guests, No Face is clearly capable of good and is mainly just someone in need of friendship and understanding.
