In the movie Spirited Away, Haku is Chihiros first friend when she enters the world of spirits. He helps her survive her initial fright and his advice makes her a part of the spirit world, giving her the time she needs to save her parents. In the end, Chihiro helps Haku remember his real name and become free of Yubaba. She remembers that when she was little, she lost a shoe in a river, and during this ordeal, she was saved by Haku from nearly dying. That river was called Kohaku, revealing his true nature as Nigihayami Kohakunushi: the god of the Kohaku River. When Haku finally remembers his true identity as the god of the Kohaku River, he becomes free of Yubaba. He then goes on to promise Chihiro that theyll meet again, even though at the end of Spirited Away, she loses her memories of the spirit world.
While the movie does not explicitly state what happens to Haku afterward, there are theories. One theory suggests that Haku is Chihiros dead older brother, who drowned while saving her in a river. This theory is based on evidence from the movie, such as Hakus connection to the Kohaku River and his scales falling away when he remembers his past with Chihiro, which could signify that hes no longer bound to the spirit world. Another theory suggests that Haku is already dead at the beginning of Spirited Away, as he is a river spirit and dies when its river is filled or redirected. However, death is different for spirits, and Chihiro frees Haku from Yubaba’s service, which frees his soul.
