Alternative TitlesEnglish: Princess Mononoke Japanese: もののけ姫
Information
Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 12, 1997
Duration:
2 hr. 10 min. Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.771 (scored by 95970 users)
Ranked: #282
Popularity: #49
Members: 130,358
Favorites: 3,019 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
action adventure fantasy ghibli |
SynopsisA calm village residing in the mountains comes under attack from a demon-possessed boar one day.
Ashitaka, a young man and prince of the tribe, engages the creature in an attempt to save his village. During the battle, the boar bites him on the arm, leaving it blackened and cursed. Following his village's traditions, Ashitaka is exiled and becomes a wanderer, looking for a solution to the curse before it engulfs him.
Iron Town is a fortress under the leadership of Lady Eboshi. Through the clearing of the surrounding forests, Iron Town produces large amounts of Ironsand, used for gunpowder and other machinery. However, because of the forests destruction, nearby animal clans seek revenge led by a human girl of the Wolf clan called San.
When Ashitaka comes to Iron Town, he discovers the area consumed in battle. Horrified, he attempts to create peace and befriend the Wolf Clan. However, after the forest's eradication and the ongoing war between Human and Beast, will the Spirit of the Forest be forgiving and accept Ashitaka's request to expel his curse?
[Written by MAL Rewrite] |
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
|
|
Zealouz
99 of 127 people found this review helpful
|
1 of 1 episodes seen
|
| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
First of all I'd like to say this is my favorite Miyazaki Film. Why you might ask? Its the most powerful and thought provoking of all his films. It also communicates a message very differently since it has much darker overtones than his other lighthearted films. While they may be enjoyable and powerful in their own way they can never be compared to the stature of this film. I hold this one higher than the quality of Spirited Away. Which in my opinion is then most overrated Miyazaki/anime film. This is the one film that Miyazaki completed perfectly because it gave you that feeling that it couldn't get any better. The film has themes that even an adult could enjoy immensely.
The story is basically can be summed up as Man's conflict against the natural world. While this may be a good summarization it also could be misleading because with Mononoke we don't get a classic good vs evil plot. The fascination I have with this film stems from the many groups that are at conflict with one another and how no one is truly the evildoer. We have nature battling with human civilization while within itself there are humans trying to topple each other. The story revolves around how self-destructive we are as human beings and how we haven't realized we are innate in nature. The movie gives us parallels of the battles that the humans face with each other while still all congregating together for that one perceived enemy in the film, nature. All in all the film tries to communicate a deep message through the story and it leaves the viewer with a lasting impression.
The characters in this film are fascinating. Particularly Ashitaka and Princess Mononoke. We follow the story through Ashitaka's experiences with the different warring groups in the story. He always is the rational character in the movie and he openly tries to correct the irrationalities the other characters have. he serves as the medium which communicates the overall story and how meaningless the conflict can be found to be. He is extremely brave and he usually gets himself in dangerous situations in order to show the others their incorrect ways. Princess Mononoke is another intricately created character which is full of mystery. She seems to detest fellow humans for their selfish egotism and hostility towards earth and its inhabitants. Lady Eboshi is the a character some may mistakenly confuse for the villain of the movie. I think this would be more prevalent with western viewers like myself. The reason for this is they might seem to mistake her as another modern day oil baron except she is much more than that. Her main goal is to protect her people, particularly the other women who live in the city. She feels in order to do this She has to pursue the industrialization of her city in order to protect her people from the samurais and beasts of nature.
In the animation department this is a Studio Ghibli film so you obviously will get an amazing experience visually at least. With this film though I feel the animation captures the essence of nature. It does this with the various beasts and mystical characters Miyazaki created. There are even gods in this movie which helps bring about the feeling that nature is alive. You will enjoy the action sequences in this movie. Especially the battles between Lady Eboshi and Princess Mononoke. I also think the use of CGI in this film was done well and this is coming from someone who despises CGI.
The music in this movie is beautiful. Its the kind that can put you in a trance that you wouldn't want to ever wake up from. Especially the main theme song. A lot of the music puts you in the right mood for the film. Especially the more darker music which is used during scenes with the beasts of nature. The battle scenes also have plesant sounds and the sword fights don't contain the same sword clashing sound *cough Nausicaa cough*.
Anyways, I recommend this film because its Miyazaki's Masterpiece. read more
|
|
Phill-z
234 of 307 people found this review helpful
|
1 of 1 episodes seen
|
| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
Let me start by saying that I am not a Miyazaki-disciple. I do not view him as the "grandmaster of everything anime." When I say "yeah...Miyazaki is ok" I say it not out of ignorance (I've almost every one of his films) but because I personally find him to be incredibly overrated. However I find that when he has all of his stuff together, Miyazaki can destroy practically any other director out there, the man is incredibly talented, but his problem is consistency.
When I say that Princess Mononoke is his masterpiece, I mean it. It was the first film where he finally got everything together and made a perfect anime film. Some will say that Spirited Away is better, but Mononoke is so much more powerful than that.
Story: Miyazaki does not like civilization. He stated once that he would prefer it if we went back to living in the fields, he wants to get rid of all technology. In Mononoke we see the evils of industralization and how humans are killing the earth. Humans can coexist. But many purposefully try to make themselves better and stronger. Miyazaki does an absolutely amazing job of showing that industralization, if handled the wrong way, is an incredible evil, but that it is in the hands of humans..of real people. I didn't really care all too much for the story, but I found his use of spirits to be incredible. I wasn't a huge fan of the story itself, it was a country boy goes to the city vibe...but I was a huge fan of all the political jabbings that Miyazaki was throwing. I will admit that I didn't notice it the first time around, I was told this as I watched it the second or third time, by my friend who is a Miyazaki acolyte. The beauty of the story really comes after you watch it the second or third time, as the whole movie experience is very overwhelming.
Art: I give it a 7. I am not a fan at all of Ghibli. I absolutely cannot stand their use of recycling their characters. I hate how all the women look exactly the same, and the men have the same annoying mustaches and beard combos that obscure almost their entire face. I find it lazy and incredibly detracting. I found that Ashitaka was.....boring, his design was so lacklustre that I have now just googled him to figure out exactly what he looked like. Where the art shines in this is in the spirits (gods), the creatures, and San. The designs of those characters alone redeemed the art for me. Also worth noting that in the beginning all those "snakes" were done digitally, which was, for me, impressive.
Sound: Eh....what can I say. Miyazaki films ALWAYS have great music and soundtracks. I have never found an instance in watching any of his films where I've gone "hey, the music doesn't really feel right." The music in his films are absolutely superb.
Character: I felt that the characters weren't really people so much as symbols. I felt that Ashitaka, in a certain way, was innocence. When his arm is cursed he is given a power that he cannot wield and he struggles to find a way to cure it, to get rid of the curse that now stains his arm and will kill him. Eboshi was industralization, but she was also compassion. I felt that she was the most human of all the characters, even though many people view her as an antagonist or slap her with the label of "oh..she's the evil lady." The thing I appreciate about this film is that there are only a handful of truly bad people. Everyone else is human. San is humans living with nature, but at the same time she is a beast herself. She lives in harmony with nature and has absolutely no qualms about killing to defend her land. Every character is multifaced, however if you only view the movie once you might not see the different characteristics of each character.
Enjoyment: The perfect Miyazaki film. It is deep for people who are looking at it closely, but it is also just a fun film for people who are only looking for something fun to watch. The first time I watched this (the first Miyazaki film I'd ever seen) I wasn't impressed at all. Mind you, I was probably 10 at the time, this was the first exposure to REAL anime I'd ever had. But as I watched it again recently I realized just how great of a film it really is.
However it really is accessible. You talk to almost anyone about anime and they'll probably (99% likely) know about Princess Mononoke. I know that this turns a lot of people off. Personally when someone comes up to me and says "hey, I saw Samurai Champloo and it was great, can you recommend me anything else kind of like it?" It makes my skin crawl a little bit. However, Mononoke is a staple, and is really something that you should watch, if you haven't watched it, I would definitely put it at the top of your to-watch list. read more
Recommendations
|
|
Both Miyazaki...both great storylines. Each has great elements of fantasy and action,.. and to finish.. each has an amazing OST by none other than Joe Hisaishi.
These two movies seem very similar. Princess Nausicaa has many of the same qualities as Prince Ashitaka from 'Princess Mononoke'. Little subtleties like the enchanted forest in 'Mononoke' and the toxic forest in 'Nausicaa' reflect each other. The boars from 'Mononoke' and the Ohmu from 'Nausicaa'. Both these movies are very unique and at the same time very similar. Perhaps the similarities are due to the fact that they are both Hayao Miyazaki films. 'Princess Mononoke' is the story of human civilization expanding and endangering the enchanted forest and how the people/creatures of the forest react to that growth. 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' is the story of how the toxic forest is expanding and how human civilization reacts to that growth.
Making recommendations for Hayao Miyazaki films is almost useless. This director has it’s own style in graphics and storytelling which is hard to be muddled. His every film share same ideas and attitude about life. All characters in his films act almost the same, naturally, following their own heart and without hesitation. So if you’ve seen one of Hayao-sama films and get excited go and watch the rest.
Here we go with Mononoke and Nausicaa. Except favorite Miyazaki’s mysteries girls which have special ability (for example to communicate with strange creatures) or artifact you’ll find in these movies his other favorite feature – a relationship between humans and nature. You won’t find explanations about how to prevent global warming or decrease environment pollution. Those films mostly based on special Japanese perception of the world which arise from Shinto. So all battles in reality are only reflection of battles in their hearts.
Both of the same director, they share the sme message of protecting our world and the nature. A brave girl who will give everything to save the world she loves so much despite of the cost it will need. A masterpiece
Both movies have a similar environmental conservation theme, have strong female characters, and show a fine line between what is considered good/evil. If you enjoy any of Miyazaki's movies, these are definitely must-sees.
Both have that man vs. nature theme but in different settings. Both Miyazaki films.
Obviously the influence sphere is obvious, since both of these works were done by the same man (Hayao Miyazaki / 宮崎 駿). In many cases, Princess Mononoke feels like a spiritual successor to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. The films both deal with the same issues and problems, and most of the characters even fit the same roles. The only difference is the setting, where P.M. takes place in the Muromachi period of Japan, Nausicaä is a steampunj-futuristic setting. The stories are almost exactly the same, but, that doesn't make them both enjoyable for different reasons. Nausicaä is a must see for anybody.
They're both about princes and princesses saving the village and both pretty much have violence. Although, Princess Mononoke has much more bloody parts than Nausicaa and it reminded me more of this so I had to make a recommendation of it.
A look at how humans and nature co - exist, as expected of Studio Ghibli!
They both were made by the same director and animation studio, so they share similar styles of artwork, and of pacing. Most notable of their similarities is their story themes. Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke are about finding and balancing harmony between Nature and Technology.
Both are Miyazaki films with a strong emphasis on the conflict of Man against Nature in which a kind-hearted hero brings peace to both sides.
I cannot stress enough how similar these two movies are. Both beautiful films about humans and their relationship with nature and how the natural elements of the world react when threatened by humans and the construction of man. Nausicaa and Ashitaka are extremely similar and their relationships with the other characters and how they treat their world and fellow inhabitants of it are without a doubt next to the same. I can argue that Miyazaki created Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa as a test run in a way for Mononoke Hime just because how similar the two films are. If you loved one of these two you need to watch the other, such fantastic movies made by none other than Hayao Miyazaki.
|
|
|
They pretty much share the same mentality regarding nature and spiritual life, both being influenced by the supernatural. The overall atmosphere is also the same with incredible scenery and hauntingly beautiful music. The most simple things turn out to be miracles of life.
Both anime revolve around the spiritual aspect of nature and are rooted in Shinto beliefs.
Both Animes have a very similar naturistic feel to them.
Both deal with the supernatural and the relationships between humans and the world they inhabit.
Both are situated in an old Japanese era.
Both main characters looking after the spirits of nature.
Both are themed on plant, forest, animal, supernatural!
Both cover the spiritual world of old Japan, and watching Mushishi helps western people understand Princess Mononoke better.
A beautiful anime about relationship between human being and nature.
Both are filled with serene backgrounds and music and stress the theme of mankind's balance with nature and the spiritual aspects it possesses.
|
Opening Theme"Ashitaka Sekki (アシタカせっき; The Legend of Ashitaka)" by Joe Hisaishi
Ending Theme"Mononoke Hime" by Joe Hisaishi
| No posts for this board were found |
Fansubbing Groups
Which fansubbers do you like the best? Click + to approve of their subs for this show. Click - if you don't think they did such a great job.
Oga [Oga] (Brazilian Portuguese)
Heijin [Heijin] (Brazilian Portuguese)
Related ClubsBoston Anime Club, Untitled Club, ~*~*~The M.M.M.A.C.J. CLUB (PRIVATE)~*~*~, ***Legend of Anime***, Decadence, Hime and Viper's Palace, seinen & josei, Anime Experience, Tough Heroins, .:: ☆ ::. Romantic ♥ Historical .:: ☆ ::. , Failed Attempt, anime world , Yokai Club, Canime: A Canine Anime Fanclub, Battles to Death and Secrecy, Comet Club!, The Classics Club, Anime Girls Fan Club [A.G.F.C.], Claim a Soundtrack Club!, Toonami FaithfulsMarketplace Germany, LSpeed Club, Miyazaki Fan club, Zukane Fan Club, Good Vs. Evil, ♥ Studio Ghibli ♥, Stop Animal Cruelty [SAC], Lordcrab86's Fun House!, .~;*☆Wolf - Club☆*;~., URI Anime Club, Fantasy Anime Club!, The Good Times Club, ~*~*~The M.M.M.A.C.J. CLUB (PRIVATE)~*~*~, Random Anime Claim Club, the best damn anime/game club ever, Studio Ghibli Fanclub, Legendary - Anime & Manga !, The OVA/ONA/Anime Movie club, Sub Or Dub?, ~.:ghibli 24/7:.~, Overrated or Underrated Animes and Mangas, Fantasy Club, Hayao Miyazaki is the God of Animation, English Dub Fanclub, Hayao Miyazaki Fan Club, Thoughtful Discourses on Japanese Audiovisual Culture Club, Miyazaki Fan club, ☽○☾Book of Shadows☽○☾, Anime Movies Club (A.M.C), hardcore violence and gore, Criminal Minds, Anime Obsession, Claim a God/Goddess, The Noble Heroines, Mononoke Hime, Wolves Lovers Club!, Anime with Well-Developed Female Characters and Relationships!, Recommendation Club, Anime Blue, You wish you were Yakul enuff!, Petedorr fanclub, Anime Lover Club, Master of Eternity, ♥ Royalty ♥, Cosmo Candle, M.M.M.A.C.J , Cinema of Japan, Anime/Manga Discussion , Secret Club, Cute Anime Club, Otaku, The Pets of Anime/Manga Club, Joe Hisaishi Fanclub, Studio Ghibli, Freedom Anime club , ~*~*~The M.M.M.A.C.J. CLUB (PRIVATE)~*~*~, Anime Break, I Like Popular Animes, Prince and Princess club, WeReWOLFS! & CaTs!, Anime/Manga Discussion , Old School Anime - Brasil , Anti Loli Association, Anime Movie Club, Anime Crazy Club, MAL Chat Room, Animetr, Cards Collectors Club [.CCC.], World of Animes (W.O.A.), ~Immortality~ *kami-Sama* ~God Complex~, Fan Fiction Guild, Mononoke Hime FanClub, !~~tsubasalover's Friendships~~!, ~*~*~The M.M.M.A.C.J. CLUB (PRIVATE)~*~*~, Anime-tion, Cosmo Candle, The Favorite OST Petition Club, Babes in Fightland, HentajGejtan, Anti-Studio ghibli, We ~ Love ~ Anime, 映画 movies 映画, NEO, Pisoga, Asian Mythology and Folklore Club, Ani-Newbies~!, MAL Rewrite, Orignal Characters R' Us, MAL! Change the Ghibli Movie Names Back to English!!!!, Anime History Association, feminist anime collection club, The Fellowship for Comprehensive Appreciation of Anime, Elegant Imouto, MOVIC Leeds, ~*~*~The M.M.M.A.C.J. CLUB (PRIVATE)~*~*~, Wonderland of Roses, Youkai's Mansion see all
Recently Watched By|
3 minutes ago |
32 minutes ago |
33 minutes ago |
33 minutes ago |
37 minutes ago | |
42 minutes ago |
49 minutes ago |
59 minutes ago |
1 hour ago |
1 hour ago |
|
|
