Yubaba and Zeniba are twin witches embodying duality and balance, their near-identical appearances—large frames, gray hair in tight buns, prominent noses, and golden earrings—masking starkly opposing natures. Yubaba governs a spirit bathhouse with authoritarian rigor, enforcing obedience through magical contracts that strip workers of their true names and human memories. Though manipulative and greed-driven, hoarding gold while neglecting familial ties, she exhibits genuine tenderness toward her infantilized son Boh, shielding him obsessively in her lavish domain. Her pyrokinesis, telekinesis, and shape-shifting powers cement her tyrannical rule, yet she honors binding agreements when confronted. Zeniba inhabits a rural cottage blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with subtle Western touches, her quieter existence underscoring a moral counterpoint to Yubaba’s excesses. Initially vengeful after Haku steals her seal, she forgives unconditionally, mentors Chihiro in self-reliance, and chastises greed. Her compassionate wisdom manifests in acts like shrinking Boh into a mouse to foster humility, subtly challenging her sister’s parenting. While Yubaba clings to corporate ruthlessness, Zeniba embraces introspection and domestic harmony, their dynamic mirroring Miyazaki’s exploration of fractured modern identities. Rooted in folklore, Yubaba channels the yama-uba’s duality—predatory yet maternal—while Zeniba reflects gentler reinterpretations of similar archetypes. Their encounters with Chihiro provoke subtle evolution: Yubaba begrudgingly honors her promise to free the girl, and Zeniba’s guidance empowers Chihiro’s agency. Even Boh’s growth under Zeniba’s influence hints at cracks in Yubaba’s rigid control. Confined to the film’s narrative, their roles remain fixed as contrasting lenses examining power, redemption, and the tension between societal ambition and inner authenticity.