Princess Mononoke is an animated feature from acclaimed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. Although Japanese animation can be seen virtually everywhere now and has solidified itself in a thriving western market, few anime features match the power of Princess Mononoke. Beautiful imagery, strong characters, and a message that can be followed even in our jaded reality make this film a superb animated entry.
The story of Princess Mononoke involves a young warrior named Ashitaka. Driven from his village for a mark of death he sustained in a fight with a demon, he must wander the countryside looking for a cure for his dark fate. Along the way he finds a town whose character is changing the entire face of the environment. Industry and war threatens to overtake the natural forces of good, and an ambitious ruler seeks to destroy opposition from those forces once and for all. Finding himself with a foot in both camps, Ashitaka must struggle to end the conflict and cure his affliction before it’s too late.
Miyazaki’s movies are lush depictions of rich fantasy worlds. Princess Mononoke is no exception, and much of the anime film is strikingly beautiful. Superb lighting effects play over explosions of color in such exotic places as ancient forests and iron forges. The countryside bristles with idyllic scenery and fantastic creatures. The characters include humans and animals, mortals and gods. Gigantic boars and tiny woodland spirits inhabit Miyazaki’s large and diverse world, lending their own unique feeling to the film as a whole.
Although the film is wondrous to look at, the most potent strength of Princess Mononoke lies in its message. It is a message of tolerance towards not only other living things, but also of the earth itself. Although many films fall victim to forced-morals and hammy messages along these lines, Miyazaki handles the theme with genuine tact. The values often are not spoken through dialogue, but through images. The forest melting away in a hideous black sludge, the suicide charge of the forces of nature against man, and the duality of Ashitaka himself all speak in a depth and sincerity that pushes this anime past traditional boundaries.
Miyazaki has crafted a wonder with Princess Mononoke. It is not simply anime with blue-haired characters sporting gigantic eyes and perfect bodies. There are no cop-outs in which good animation is sacrificed for flashy effects. Princess Mononoke is a powerful and telling statement, one utterly beautiful in its execution.
