Why you should see Princess Mononoke
Adam Wade
In this review of Princess Mononoke a film by Miyazaki, I will show you why
you should watch this movie. Also I will give you a brief synopsis of the movie.
Synopsis
This anime movie starts off in the forest, the outskirts of the village that the main
character Ashitaka lives. When a boar god comes thrashing through the forest running
towards Ashitaka’s village, he quickly realizes it needs to be stopped. He does kill the
demon god, but not before it touches him. This is bad Ashitaka is told by his tribal elder’s
that it will be a slow painful death with this touch. The only way to stop it is by going
into the forest and finding the forest spirit and asking for the forest spirit to save him.
While Ashitaka goes on his journey to the forest spirit he runs into some injured
men from Iron town. These men are workers for the town that had been attacked from the
Wolf god and San (Princess mononoke). The Wolf god and San attacked them because of
their town, it is hurting the forest so they want the humans gone. Ashitaka takes the men
back to Iron town where he meets Lady Eboshi and see gets a tour of Iron town.
While Ashitaka is at Iron town San decides to attack and try to kill Lady Eboshi,
but the Iron town men created a trap fro San and they were going to kill her until
Ashitaka stepped in and saved San, while getting shot. San then returned the favor and
saved Ashitaka, she took him to the forest spirit where he healed his wound, but not the
demon that was taking over him.
After this Ashitaka stayed with the Wolf god and San, while there Ashitaka and
San create a sort of bond. The Wolf god does not like humans and does not like Ashitaka
so he kicks him out. This is when Ashitaka learns that Lady Eboshi and troops are going
to try and kill the forest spirit.
Animation
I will tell you why the animation in this movie makes it a great movie. The detail
that the creators put into these move is incredible.
This anime movie details that I saw were something that blew me away. The
details and the time that it had to have taken for this movie should not go unnoticed. It
just makes the movie that much easier to watch. Trust me I am not one to watch very
many anime movies because of this, but this movie blew me away.
Of course I don’t expect you just to believe in me I will give you a few reasons as
to how I now they did an amazing job at this movie. It was awarded Best picture in the
Japanese Academy Awards. This is big because that Japan is big in Anime movies, so
was one of the best of its time.
Another way I believe that it shows it was a great movie for anime was the way
they created the demon look. It made you know that something was seriously wrong with
the God. It might be over looked, but I think that this made it different and made the story
line a long. Instead of going with a possessed look, they went with what looks like worms
coming out of whatever it posses.
Finally, another way that I think they took the animation to another level was the
emphasis on the detail of what the demon spirit did to Ashitaka. The way they showed his
arm muscle and definition of when he was firing his bow and arrow at people. Also the
way it just ripped the persons head off was something that really showed detail of how
the demon spirit affected him.
This was not the only thing that made this movie a hit here and around the world.
The animation really helped it but it was also the story line and the character build up,
that really sets this movie apart from others.
Story Line
The story line of this movie is incredible, Miyazaki also really brought this story
line alive through out the movie.
Throughout this movie you will be intrigued till the very end wondering what will
happen next. The way the creators put this movie was outstanding, they did a really great
job of building up the story. They also, what I really like about the movie, was started off
with a great beginning. They didn’t just introduce everyone and start building from there.
They started off right away with a possessed god coming in and disrupting the life
of Ashitaka and his clan. Then they really started building up the story line. Once they
were midway through the movie what you expect to happen doesn’t always happen in
this movie. They do twists and turns throughout the story line to keep you wondering
what will happen next and the ending will be something you will be remembering for a
long time.
Another reason you can tell that the story line was put together nicely was that
you weren’t predicting the movie throughout. Some things you can see coming but really
throughout the movie you were not. Like the monk turning out to be a guy who has some
bad intentions like killing the forest spirit. Also the ending I did not see coming or what I
had anticipated happening at all.
This is a real intense movie to watch that will keep you on the edge of your seat
through out, because of this great story line that Miyazaki has created. The next a final
reason this movie is great will be the character buildup that puts the finishing touches on
why I like this movie.
Character Buildup
The way the film builds up the character really plays off of the story line and
helps push this movie into a great film to see. The way they build the characters is really
different from most other movies in ways.
They do this by really all of them running into each other in certain ways and the
bad interacting with the good in ways you really would not see in other movies. This
really adds more drama into the movie.
Also it has more of a realistic feel, not with the whole ideas of forest spirits and
gods living with the humans, but the way certain things people do effect others. Like the
way Iron town effected the gods, and the way Ashitaka effected the way the wolf gods
viewed humans. In a way this was more realistic and made the movie better in my
opinion.
Another reason the character buildup was so great was because really the worst
person you see as someone good in the beginning. So they kind of fooled you and makes
you like him at first and really hate him in the end. This also happens with Lady Eboshi,
you really dislike her at first because of what she is doing to the forest god. But then you
realize that it was not only her doing it and that there was actually a worse person in the
movie. You still do not like Lady Eboshi in the end, but it is a little twist in the story line
that I think pushes the movie into a great movie.
Conclusion
This movie has many different aspects that really help the movie. The three I
chose were animation, story line, and Character buildup. They all helped in certain areas,
but really intertwined to push the movie forward.
This movie is a good movie that I believe you should see. Not only is it good
entertainment, but it can also be used as an issue we should be careful about today. The
environment and how we are interacting with it like Iron town. It helps push the
understanding of what you do can effect the animals and the environment around you.
This is obviously not the reason in full as to why Miyazaki created this movie, it
was more that people get entertainment out of the movie. As for me I was very intrigued
throughout the movie and loved almost every aspect of the movie. If you have the chance
to see this movie, I would push you to see because of the ways that this director really
brings the movie alive. This is not a movie you will get bored of.
Reference: "Princess mononoke." 12 Oct 2008
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Mononoke>.
Movie Image Tripod, "Princess Mononoke". 10/19/2008
<http://movieimage.tripod.com/mononoke/>.