# Princess Mononoke / Studio Ghibli



## Elyssandrel (Aug 30, 2005)

''Set during the Muromachi Period (1333-1568) of  Japan, _Mononoke Hime_ is a story about a mystic fight between the  Animal Gods of the forest and humans. 

On the side of the Animal Gods is San (Mononoke  Hime), a human girl raised by the wolf god Moro. On the side of  the humans is Lady Eboshi, building a kingdom for oppressed  people by cutting down the forest for her iron-making operation. 

In the middle of this fierce fighting for survival,  Ashitaka, an Emishi boy, struggles to find a way for both sides to  co-exist. But the fighting just becomes more and more bloody and all  hope seems to be lost... ''

http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/mh/



This film is about (IMO) nature vs human development. 
 The theme hits the right spot and makes it's point.

There is a certain magical quality about this film, although I would say it was for an older audience than say Spirited Away.
I loved this film and would urge others to see it too.

(Feel free to talk about other Studio Ghibli films here too.)


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## GrownUp (Nov 1, 2005)

Yes, Mononoke is grand. An allegory about finding the balance between mind and spirit, methinks.
 I saw Howl's moving castle recently. Before seeing the film I was over the moon at the idea of Dianne Wynn Jones and Studio Ghibli coming together. It would be a happy dream!
 Except it got really rubbish towards the end.
 The beginning 3/4, though, it was that happy dream. Even wizard Howl's slime session was reproduced.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Nov 1, 2005)

I recently found (& remembered!) about a Studio Ghibli movie called "Castle in the Sky" which I'd watched & loved as a kid. 
It's great


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## Esioul (Nov 1, 2005)

I saw Howl's Moving Castle about a month ago- the first anime I'd ever seen. I enjoyed the beginning, but at the end it didn't really follow the book at all. 

I also saw 'Spirited Away' a few weeks ago... it was weird, but entertaining.


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## ras'matroi (Nov 1, 2005)

I saw Spirited Away and the Moving Castle and mostly liked them.

One thing I disliked was the ending of the Moving Castle. It all seemed so easy. Everything fell into place and everyone was happy...
and it is true spirited away is a bit weird. But I guess it's supposed to be and it makes it a great movie.

It was quite a while ago since I watched Princess Mononoke the last time.
I remember that i thought the mount of of Ashitaka was pretty cool.  
It was some kind of a ibex, right?


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## Leto (Nov 1, 2005)

Just an advice for the first-time viewers, don't go see it with a Mononoke aficionados, you'll end up in the theatre room full of fanatics watching the movie in Japanese without any possibility to look at the subtitles, as they'll keep on commenting the action to your ear. That's the mistake I did. 
Rent it or go and see it ALONE. Enjoy. It's a very good movie.


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## GrownUp (Nov 2, 2005)

Definitely to see in the theatre the first time, so as to be absorbed in the world Studio Ghibli creates. I saw it the first time at the Filmhouse in Edinburgh. I'm sure I wouldn't think it as wonderful as I do if I hadn't had that experience.

Much like 2001. I'd seen that on the television (bit by bit) many a time, and could never see what the fuss was about. But on the big screen, watching right from the back, with the speakers making the wall behind me move, it was like art, or music, a spectacle, and quite marvellous.


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## Mouse (Jun 3, 2006)

I've seen Spirited Away and 'Howl' and loved those. I was thinking of getting Princess Mononoke 'cos it's sort of about environmental issues isn't it? 
Is it worth buying or shall I just rent it instead?!


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## Thadlerian (Jun 4, 2006)

Definitely worth a buy. You'll probably see it over and over.


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## kyektulu (Jun 6, 2006)

*I** really enjoyed this film, nice and innocent, great for a light afternoon in front of the tv.*


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## scalem X (Jun 6, 2006)

I saw "Mononoke Hime" and "Nausicaä from the valley of wind"
I have always been a fan and it's a cool way to see how my Japanese develops. I think I prefered Nausicaä.


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## Blue Mythril (Jun 9, 2006)

I've always been a big fan of Studio Ghibli, I think Mononoke-hime is my favourite... It's so grand and beautiful, and I am always sad and frustrated when I see the end. 
I recently saw Howl's Moving Castle, though I had a feeling it was based on a book, I had no idea which one it was baseded on. I think I enjoyed it more than others who had read the book, but that's just an impression. It was this movie that finally hooked my little sister on anime  She'd always avoided it before.

But Ghibli has so many great films out there, though I think I do tend to prefer Hayao Miyazaki's films.


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## tomiro (Jul 24, 2006)

where do u watch yhe anime episodes


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## tomiro (Jul 24, 2006)

where do u watch the anime


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## Foxbat (Oct 22, 2006)

Well, I finally got around to watching this. What can I say? A thoroughly beautiful film.


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## Crymic (Oct 25, 2006)

All of Miyazaki's work is great but, I really like is Nausicaa and the valley of the wind. Though the manga is alot better in detail the film itself is very good. Momonoke Hime, Laputa: Castle in the Sky is great also. I'd say Howl's is at the bottom compared to other films he has done.


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## Thadlerian (Oct 25, 2006)

Crymic said:


> I'd say Howl's is at the bottom compared to other films he has done.


Agreed. Howl's Moving Castle was executed with too much fluff. Most of the movie was great, but the ending was far too happy and unambiguous for a Ghibli. Part of the ending (Sulima stopping the war, just like *that*) didn't even make sense, and felt forced.


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## GrownUp (Oct 28, 2006)

But at least he's keeping up the variety.

Film4 had a studio Ghibli season a while ago, and it was my first chance to see Kiki's delivery service.


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## Nesacat (Oct 30, 2006)

Miyazaki does some consistently good work. I have a soft spot for Nausicaa because it's the first movie of this kind that I ever saw, many, many moons ago at a convention in Liverpool. Also like Laputa, Porco Rosso and Kiki's Delivery Service.

I think that of the more recent ones, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away are the two I like best. Howl's Moving Castle is the weakest of them all though  it does have it's moments and the books are a lot of fun indeed.


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## Talysia (Jan 23, 2007)

I loved Princess Mononoke.  A thought provoking tale with strong environmental themes and absolutely beautiful artwork.  I've also seen Laputa: Castle in the Sky (albeit not recently) and Spirited Away and...What can I say?  I love Miyazaki/Ghibli's work.


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## Quokka (Sep 21, 2011)

Still haven't seen Princess Mononoke but Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflys and Kiki's Delivery Service would be favourites.

I noticed one today I hadn't heard of; _The Cat Returns_, think it's a kind of spin off of an earlier work _Whisper of the Heart_ which I haven't seen either.

Has anyone seen either? I'll end up getting them to watch but was wondering how child friendly _The Cat Returns_ is. My 6 yr old daughter loves Kiki but much of Ghibli's work is still too mature for her. Would be nice to introduce her to another Studio Ghibli animation to try and balance against the 3D Barbie influence .


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## Wish (Feb 24, 2012)

Nausicaa and Spirited Away are head an shoulders above Miyazaki's other stuff. 

Totoro and Kiki's are the ones you have to show your kids. 

The Cat Returns and Whisper of the Heart are both fine films, but they're not Miyazaki, and it shows. A lot of kids probably wouldn't be too enchanted with Whisper of the Heart; it's very low-stakes and laid back. The Cat Returns is a winner, though.


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## AnyaKimlin (Feb 24, 2012)

My daughter is Ghibli obsessed and we have the lot in various formats.

I like Howl's Moving Castle lol think he does fluff very well.   

She watched Mononoke about two years ago at six and is just coming back to it at eight.  She's watched it twice this week.  

She watches the non-Miyzaki and actually i think Cat Returns and Whisper of the Heart are two of her favourites, along with Pom Poko (about racoon shifters) and the Yamadas (I so  do not get that).

Nausicca is my favourite with Kiki second.  

We still need to watch Arietty - I've bought it for her Easter present.


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## Stephen Palmer (Feb 24, 2012)

The Cat Returns is sort of half-Ghibli. I liked it, though it doesn't have some of the Art of Miyazaki's other stuff. One other to mention is the absolutely fab Porco Rosso, which I love. And let's not forget Ponyo, which is great!


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## HareBrain (Feb 24, 2012)

Has anyone here read the Nausicaa manga, by the way?


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## Wish (Feb 24, 2012)

I have. Miyazaki's art is tremendous; his storytelling is less impressive, but it's just a bigger, deeper version of the feature film. There's just a lot more content, and that makes for a looser, less precisely-crafted experience.

It's very respectable - and even more so because it's relatively original in an industry dominated by derivation and exploitation. Which is my way of saying there's nothing else out there like it. 

But on the other hand, where there's a strong feeling that the Nausicaa film isn't just Miyazaki's best, but simply *the* best as far as animated cinema goes, nobody ever says that about the manga. So while the manga is probably a classic, it's not regarded as a timeless classic of the same caliber as the film, if that makes sense. And I generally agree with that. 

Don't let that stop you from reading it. It's worth the time, especially if you like the movie, and Miyazaki's art carries it even when his writing lets it down.


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## HareBrain (Feb 25, 2012)

I have already read it (whoops, I should have asked "has anyone _else ..._")

I think it's brilliant. I actually prefer it to the anime (which I'd rate as third-best of his films, behind PM and SA). I love the huge, epic, loosely structured sprawl of it (though I'd agree that sometimes the art carries it. Wish it was in colour!) But I haven't come across anyone else here before who's read it.




Wish said:


> But on the other hand, where there's a strong feeling that the Nausicaa film isn't just Miyazaki's best, but simply *the* best as far as animated cinema goes, nobody ever says that about the manga. So while the manga is probably a classic, it's not regarded as a timeless classic of the same caliber as the film, if that makes sense.


 

I'm not sure about that. I read an Amazon review of the box set that claimed it wasn't just the best graphic novel that reviewer ever read, but one of the best novels, and several others were almost as complimentary. I wouldn't go as far as some of those, but some people do rate it very highly.


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## Wish (Feb 25, 2012)

And it deserves it, compared to a lot of manga out there. I hold Mononoke in lower regard because it's just a retread of the pacifist and environmental themes as Nausicaa - just over a decade later, and with more blood. A lot of westerners get real hype for Mononoke just because for a lot of them, it was their first exposure to Miyazaki. 

Anyway, @ guy who asked about the manga - you'll have a hard time finding someone who'll tell you it's *not* worth your time. Whether it's the best ever like some say or just really good like I say, the Nausicaa manga is worth looking at.


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## Anne Spackman (Apr 1, 2015)

Winters_Sorrow said:


> I recently found (& remembered!) about a Studio Ghibli movie called "Castle in the Sky" which I'd watched & loved as a kid.
> It's great




I also liked "Castle in the Sky" and "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" when I was really young.  I enjoyed "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Spirited Away" more recently.  Very imaginative films.


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