The Essentials

Name: Princess Mononoke, Mononoke-Hime
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Episodes: N/A
Released: July 12, 1997
Based On: N/A
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced By: Studio Ghibli
US Distribution By: Miramax

Major Japanese Cast

Ashitaka: Yoji Matsuda
San: Yuriko Ishida
Lady Eboshi: Yuko Tanaka
Moro: Akihiro Miwa
Jiko: Kaoru Kobayashi
Toki: Sumi Shimamoto
Okkotonushi: Hisaya Morishige

Major English Cast

Ashitaka: Billy Crudup
San: Claire Danes
Lady Eboshi: Minnie Driver
Moro: Gillian Anderson
Jiko: Billy Bob Thornton
Toko: Jada Pinkett-Smith
Okkotonushi: Keith David

Scores

Animation: 10/10 (x 4 = 40 pts)
Story: 8/10 (x 4 = 32 pts)
Music: 10/10 (x 4 = 40 pts)
Coherence/Story Arc: N/A
English Dubs: 9/10 (x 1 = 9 pts)
Gut Score: 8/10 (x 5 = 40 pts)

Total: 161/180 (89.4%)

Review

Princess Mononoke is a story about Ashitaka, one of the few remaining warriors in a clan that was almost wiped out by the Samurai in historical Japan. One day an evil demon attacks Ashitaka’s village and, during the battle, the demon attacks Ashitaka, touching and “infecting” him with some sort of disease that can think for itself (usually with the mind and memory of the demon) and which can take control and give tremendous added strength to Ashitaka’s arm at will. Once the demon is slain, an odd iron ball is found in it’s body. The village elder tells Ashitaka that he must go and solve the mystery of what happened to the demon, not only for the villages sake, but his own as if he is unable to find a cure, the infection on his arm will ultimately kill him.

During his travels, Ashitaka runs into San, the Princess Mononoke, and the wolves that she lives with, but San wants nothing to do with him, being angry at all other humans for trying to destroy the forest. Ashitaka eventually reaches Irontown and discovers the secret of why the demon that attacked his village become a demon in the first place. He also learns that the leader of Irontown, Lady Eboshi, wants to kill the spirit of the nearby forest in an attempt to stop the spirits of the forest from stopping her Iron producing factory, and has enlisted a monk, who has also befriended Ashitaka, to do the job.

I think the story in Princess Mononoke is, overall, pretty good, though I think it may lack a little bit of depth, at least in the sense that character motivations seem rather simplistic and single-minded to a large degree. However, the core plot line is still well established, showing that one cannot live without nature, and that being greedy may ultimately come back to haunt you. This is also probably Miyazaki’s most obviously pro-environment movie.

In usual Miyazaki style, the animation and music is superb in this movie, and with most Disney adaptations of Miyazaki’s movies, the dub is also very good. This is an overall very good, if not a little odd, movie which I think many anime fans would enjoy.

First Watched: January 2006
Do I Own: No
Do I Recommend: Yes