Watching Miyazaki: A Short "Film-Review" Series
- AyAyRon
- Feb 23, 2016
- 2 min read
Princess Monoke
(1997)
“I'm going to show you how to kill a god."
-Lady Eboshi
This was the very first Miyazaki film I ever watched and fell in love with.
The great Japanese animator wooed me with amazing animated visuals, a compelling story, and strong characters. Now, you can almost always distinguish a Miyazaki film anywhere; aside from the art style. Miyazaki's films usually have airplanes/flying machines, a story about mankind's relationship with nature, spirits, and gods, a fun love story and a great adventure, and most importantly, strong independent female characters (some examples include: Princess Nausicaa; Dola, the pirate mother from Castle in the Sky). But if you really want a movie that is definitely all for female power, this is it.
This film first follows Ashitaka, a young brave prince of a small tirbe who was cursed by a demon in an effort to save his village. He must venture out "with eyes unclouded by hate" to uncover the brewing war between man and the gods.
He meets Lady Eboshi, the fierce and loyal leader of the industrialized and matriarch fortress, Irontown and discovers that she is waging war on the forest gods not (exactly) for power, but fighting to help her town survive. This throws the balance between nature and man, and Ashitaka eventually meets San (aka Princess Mononoke) a human girl raised by wolves, who has made it her mission to kill Lady Eboshi in an effort to save the forest. Ashitaka must play mediator, in an impending war, as the curse put upon him devours him from the inside.
Ashitaka may be the main protagonist in this film, but Lady Eboshi and Princess Mononoke both steal the show. Need proof? Check out Lady Eboshi being a badass.
Most probably the most powerful line in the whole film, said by the most powerful woman character in the film, maybe not actual power, but powerful in presence.
The characters are not all black and white in their motives and there's some amazing moments in this where we really learn so much about their characters. The conflict between gods and humans are breathtaking, and the visuals are so top notch that you can feel the massive scale of Princess Monoke. I love this film from the beginning to the end. And even if you only watch this one, I think, it will be enough to get you watching more of Miyazaki's films. This was supposed to be Hayao Miyazaki's last film, until he decided to continue animating after Princess Mononoke's critical success.
I still do think this is his magnum opus.
I wouldn't recommend watching this film first. You have to build up to it. If I were you I'd save this for last if you're on a Miyazaki binge. You will really love this one. Trust me.
Princess Mononoke (1997) Trailer