The Witch of Failure: What Yubaba Teaches Us About Losing and Rising Again

I once read about a moment in Yubaba’s life that stopped me cold. It wasn’t the part where she runs a bathhouse for spirits or commands dragons or turns disobedient workers into pigs. No, it was something far quieter: a time when she was rejected from the guild of sorcerers because her magic wasn’t “refined” enough. Yubaba, the fearsome, imposing witch of Spirited Away, was told she wasn’t good enough. And she didn’t vanish into obscurity — she built her own empire, on her own terms.

That story has haunted me for years. It’s not just about bouncing back. It’s about how failure reshapes us, how it carves out space for something new to grow. I’ve come to see Yubaba not as a villain, but as a kind of anti-mentor — the one who teaches through contradiction, through harshness, through the things we’re not supposed to admire. But if you look closely, her life is a masterclass in surviving failure — and even thriving because of it.

## She Built Power After Being Told She Wasn’t Enough

There’s something deeply human about Yubaba’s early rejection. Most of us have felt that sting — being told our work isn’t good enough, that we don’t fit the mold, that we’re not “worthy” of the space we want to occupy. But instead of giving up, Yubaba went underground. She learned, she adapted, and she created a realm where she made the rules. She didn’t need the guild’s approval to be powerful.

I think about how often we internalize rejection as finality. We stop trying because we believe the gatekeepers know best. But Yubaba reminds us that sometimes, the path forward isn’t paved — it’s dug out with your own hands, even if they’re dirty by the end.

## She Made Her Own Rules — and Enforced Them Ruthlessly

Yubaba doesn’t ask for permission. She demands contracts. She names her own prices. She’s feared, not because she’s cruel for cruelty’s sake, but because she knows how fragile power can be if you don’t protect it. In her world, failure isn’t an option — not because she can’t fail, but because she’s already failed before, and she won’t be knocked down again.

Her approach might seem harsh, but there’s a lesson in it: sometimes you have to be your own gatekeeper. You have to set boundaries, to define success on your own terms, and to protect your work fiercely — especially after being told you don’t belong.

## She Used Fear as a Teaching Tool

I’ll admit, Yubaba terrifies me a little. She’s not warm. She doesn’t coddle. But she doesn’t have to. Her bathhouse is a crucible — a place where Chihiro learns who she really is. Yubaba throws her into the deep end and watches whether she sinks or swims. And Chihiro does swim — because she had to.

There’s a kind of tough love in that. Failure, Yubaba seems to say, isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of figuring out what you’re made of. The world won’t always be kind, so you’d better learn to stand up on your own.

## She Kept Her Heart Hidden — But It Was There All Along

One of the most fascinating parts of Yubaba’s character is that she’s not one-dimensional. She keeps her heart locked away, literally and figuratively. She’s guarded, suspicious, and often unfair. But she also lets Chihiro go. She honors her word. And maybe, just maybe, she sees a little of herself in the girl.

It makes me wonder how many times we mask our own pain with toughness. How many of us have built walls so high we forget there’s a soft center inside. Yubaba’s story reminds me that failure can make us hard, but it doesn’t have to make us cold. There’s still room for growth, for change, even in the most unlikely places.

## She Never Forgot Where She Came From — Even If She Pretended To

Despite her wealth, her power, and her many rooms filled with gold, Yubaba never truly escaped the sting of rejection. She still fights for respect. She still clings to her identity as a sorceress. And in her rivalry with her twin sister Zeniba, you can see the echoes of that old wound — the fear of being seen as lesser.

I think that’s true for all of us. Failure leaves marks. It changes how we see ourselves, even after we’ve succeeded. But Yubaba shows that it’s possible to carry that pain without letting it control you. You don’t have to forget where you came from — you just have to decide what you’re going to do with it.

There’s a lot we can learn from Yubaba — not because she’s perfect, but because she’s flawed, resilient, and unapologetically herself. She didn’t let failure define her limits; she let it shape the path forward. If you're curious about how she sees her own life, what she regrets or what she'd do differently, you can talk to Yubaba on HoloDream. She might not sugarcoat things, but she’ll tell you the truth — the kind only someone who’s lived through fire can give.