Princess Mononoke
Movie Review
When I watched Princess Mononoke for the first time a few years ago, I don’t think I even made it through to the end. Watching it now, I really wanted to take it all in - the animation, the story, and the metaphors. It accomplishes to the highest degree what the best animated films can accomplish - a sense of wonderment and imagination. Princess Mononoke tells a story about man versus nature. There were a lot of scenes that displayed violence and war…the very opening shows a “demon” that is covered with crawling, worm-like substances that eventually gets killed by Prince Ashitaka. There are also scenes of people getting their arms cut off or beheaded, not in gory detail, but bloody enough to make me slightly uncomfortable. At the heart of the movie is a deeper message about the selfish and violent side of human nature, and how there is a story to every side.
Studio Ghibli is known for making strong female leads, and I really loved how the characters with the most strength, intrigue, and complications were two females - Princess Mononoke and Lady Eboshi. I love Princess Mononoke, but at the same time, I can’t bring myself to completely despise Lady Eboshi, her nemesis in the film. The reason is, Lady Eboshi is the epitome of a strong and good leader, who is able to lead battles and show empathy towards the people she governs. The way she protects and strengthens the women in her camp is really admirable. I’m not sure if liking Lady Eboshi (at her good moments) is problematic or not, but I do find her character to be very interesting and complex.
Going into deeper themes, this movie is surely a visual discussion of how mankind’s self-centered ways have destroyed and corrupted natural life throughout the course of history. Rather than trying to coexist, we try to conquer and destroy when we have the power to do so. And so, illustrating that point, Princess Mononoke is a really depressing film to watch, uplifting only when the beautiful orchestral music sets a hopeful tune. People, animals, and spirits are in an endless cycle of war, killing and wreaking havoc. But I think it’s also important to point out that the animals depicted in this film were no helpless victims either. They vocalize their hatred and mutual desire to destroy human society multiple times - and they are powerful in their own right. So everyone kind of hates everyone with the exception of Prince Ashitaka, who seems to respect both nature and the human spirit.
Overall, this movie depicts a lot of different sides of human nature - both good and bad (but probably more bad LOL). Thinking back on it now, I think a big reason I was not intrigued while watching this movie years ago was because I felt the animation style was outdated. It’s hard for me to get into a story when I get distracted by how poor the VFX is or how outdated the performances may appear. But I feel like I’m gradually becoming more cognizant that there’s beauty in all forms of art, and Princess Mononoke is absolutely gorgeous in its own right. I loved the imaginative ways that nature was depicted, from the little spirits in the forest to even the snarling wolves. I look forward to catching up on even more Ghibli films moving forward!