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Princess Mononoke
もののけ姫
1997 134 min Japan PG-13 12+
★8.5
Adventure, Fantasy, Animation
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Trailers
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Description
Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka must find a way to bring balance to this conflict.
Budget:
$23.5M
US Gross:
$11.7M
Worldwide:
$176.51M
Starring
Yôji Matsuda
Actor
Yuriko Ishida
Actor
Yûko Tanaka
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2001
— Best VHS Edition
Key opinion
Princess Mononoke is widely regarded as a masterful, mature epic that challenges traditional fairy tale tropes through its complex exploration of the human-nature conflict. While some viewers may find its heavy themes and lack of clear-cut villains demanding, the film's artistic depth and emotional resonance have cemented its status as a landmark work of animation.
| Theme | The film masterfully avoids simple good-versus-evil binaries, instead presenting characters like Lady Eboshi as nuanced figures motivated by genuine concern rather than malice. | |
| Score | The score effectively intensifies the emotional stakes and immersive quality of the natural world. | |
| Production | Miyazaki’s animation is visually spectacular and vivid, creating a harmonious and believable world that remains impressive decades after its release. | |
| Accessibility | The film's mature approach, characterized by graphic violence and complex moral questions, successfully breaks the myth that animation is exclusively for children. | |
| Ending | Audiences are divided on the film's ending: many appreciate the unresolved, contemplative conclusion, while some find the lack of a definitive resolution frustrating or difficult to parse. |