It is a shame more people in the United States do not know the name Hayao Miyazaki. He is Japan’s version of Disney: his animations are universally loved and seen by young and old. Fortunately, his name is starting to gain traction in the US (thanks to Disney, who owns distribution rights). Princess Mononoke, one of the first films to come over to the United States, showcases the very best of what Japanese anime has to offer. With a wonderful plot, complex characters, beautiful imagery, and a strong message, Princess Mononoke can stand alongside great Disney Classics like the Lion King or Beauty and the Beast as entertainment for the whole family.
The story opens with a boar-demon attacking a small town in Japan. The hero, Ashitaka (voiced by Billy Crudup), successfully defends the town from the attack, but gains a curse on his arm. Banished from the town, Ashitaka seeks a cure so he can return. Along the way he meets Jigo (voiced by Billy Bob Thornton), a monk who says that Ashitaka can receive help from the forest deer spirit who lives in the mountains that Ashitaka is travelling. Also in the Mountains is Iron Town, run by Lady Eboshi (voice of Minnie Driver) who cuts down the forest for weapons to defend itself from a mysterious woman called Princess Mononoke (voice of Claire Danes) and the god-like forest creatures that also inhabit the enchanted forest.
Miyazaki is best known for creating magical images and places, and Princess Mononoke is filled with those. Using mostly hand drawn animation with CGI touchups, the 16 years Miyazaki put into the movie are well crafted and surreal. The opening boar sequence is very terrifying, with worm-like tentacles extending from the demon. The forest deer spirit is equal parts majestic and awe-inspiring. And the final villain is large and malevolent. Each of the 144,000 cels used in Princess Mononoke are studies in how to properly use hand drawn animation to craft a magical setting with breathtaking images.
The setting is helped by a wonderful plot. The story starts small with the attack on the town, but then grows to encompass the fate of the townspeople as well as the forest creatures. With each new character introduction, there is then a reveal as to the powers and point of view of the other characters, painting a complex picture that gets very messy and twisty (in a good way) in the final act. The resolution is a good mix of poignancy, catharsis, and uncertainty which could not be interpreted from the opening scene.
Just because Princess Mononoke is a family film does not mean that it is meant for children 12 and under. In fact, there are a lot of disturbing scenes that could easily make this movie PG-13. More importantly, the characters drawn in Princess Mononoke are written with adults in mind. Ashitaka can be almost an anti-hero at times. He is brave and sympathetic, but he is also a very sad, reluctant warrior. Lady Eboshi is probably the biggest benefactor of the smart script. What could easily have become a warmonger is actually a calculated survivalist who does what is necessary to protect her people. She is not blindly evil, but merely slightly misguided based on what she has lived with. In limited screen time, Jigo proves interesting in his own right as well.
As strong as the characters and animation are, the themes anchor both to keep the story relatable. Miyazaki is known to be very pro-environment, but Princess Mononoke is much more complex than that. It does not demonize the Iron Town’s right to protect its people, merely the blindness to the consequences of the town’s actions and how they appear to the forest creatures, who in turn show the same misunderstanding of the town. Underestimation is also a big theme: the women in the Iron Town are the power gender; they quietly protect their city with a ferocity that the men do not appreciate at the start. Jigo underestimates how interconnected the forest god is with the rest of the mountain, which also ties in to realizing consequences of one’s actions. The more open-minded one is, the less likely they will become blinded to others.
The more of a foothold Hayao Miyazaki finds in the US, the better. His stories are wonderful examples of someone who has something important to say, and can execute that message with complexity, marvel, and emotion. Princess Mononoke encompasses all that can be achieved by this once-in-a-lifetime filmmaker. Hopefully Pixar and Disney receive and evoke the message sent by Hayao Miyazaki.