Background
Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) is a 1997 Japanese animated epic historical fantasy film written by Hayao Miyazaki. The Mononoke is not a name but in Japanese as noun is call spirit, monster or ghost. This Princess Mononoke is mostly hand drawn with incorporates some use of computer animation. Miyazaki did not want to create an accurate history of Japan, he set the Muromachi period with symbolic of three proto-Japanese races the Jomon, Yamato and Emishi as we can tell from the costume and hairstyle. This Film was produced with an estimated budget of 2.35 billion, also won the Best Picture in the Japan Academy Prize.
Plot
In Muromachi Period Japan, there is a Emishi village is attacked while the Emishi prince Ashitaka manages to kill the demonic wild boar before it reaches his village. Ashitaka receives a fatal infection after his kills the boar which the curse gives him superhuman fighting ability (like Heracles) but eventually it will kill him when his has hate in his heart or anger. The demonic wild boar is revealed to be a boar god Nago corrupted by an iron ball lodged in his body. The village oracle tells Ashitaka that he may find a cure in the wester lands where Nago came from, which is Ashitaka journey begin.
Ashitaka meets Jiko a wandering monk tells that he might find help from the great Forest Spirit the Deer god looks like Kirin creature in the day and a giant nightwalker in night. Along the way, he sees the rape of the Earth by an iron town village. The constant plundering by the village has brought the wrath of the Wolf God, Moro, who attacks the village along with San, a human girl who was raised by the wolf god. She communicates with the nature spirits, which is why she is called Princess Mononoke. Ashitaka wants these opposing forces to co-exist, and he hopes to bring peace between San and the Iron town owner, Lady Eboshi. However, the blind boar-god Okkotonushi from Chinzai (Kyuusyu) led large of his minion to attack iron town to save the forest. Eboshi prepares for battle and sets out to kill the Forest Spirit. Jiko, revealed to be a mercenary also a member of a mysterious organization call Shishou Ren, intends to give the god's head to the Emperor of Japan in return for protection from local Daimyos. According to legend, the severed head of the Forest Spirit can grant immortality.
Eboshi beheads the Forest Spirit during its transformation into the Nightwalker; corruption pours from its body, killing any living being it touches as it searches for its head, which Jigo has taken with him. Ashitaka and San follow Jigo to near Iron town, where they manage to return the god's head. Restored, the Forest Spirit falls into the lake, healing the land, and cures Ashitaka and San of the curse. Ashitaka means much to San but she still hates humans for their actions and decides to remain in the forest. Ashitaka chooses to help rebuild iron town, but tells San he will visit her in the forest.
Characters
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| Ashitaka He is one of the few young men in Emishi village and a leader, who had been defeated by the Japanese emperor’s government and now lives in hiding at the end of northern land. He talks little but has a nobleness of royal blood and has strong sense of justice. To defend his village, he shot and killed Nago during the battle he got a curse of his arm which makes his journey begin. |
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| San (Princess of Mononoke) A girl who was raised by a wolf god in the forest, she has an intense hatred against human who invade the forest with strange mask on her face, and riding a huge wolf. |
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| Eboshi Gozen A calm and well-composed woman who leads the iron town in deep mountain. They cut trees, melt iron, strike iron and make ishibiya (gun). She gives them work and treats even from the society as human, and is respected and loved by both men and women. |
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| Jiko Bou A monk also a member of a Mysterious organization which call Shishou Ren. Under the order of Emperor of Japan to get the head of the Deer god, which said to have a power of eternal of living. He is the one who told Ashitaka about the forest of the deer god. |
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| Nago A boar god, who was shot by Eboshi Gozen when she attacks the mountain and build the iron town. He was injured and anger which became demonic covered with worms. |
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| Moro no Kimi A 300 year old female Wolf God. She understands human language, and has high intelligence and strong power. She raised San and treats her as her daughter. She hates humans who invade the forest of the Deer god. |
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| Okkotonushi Boar god from Chinzai of Kyuusyu, he can understand human language. He is 500 years old and the oldest of the Boar Gods, he commands the large amount of boar to against humans. |
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| Shishi Gami (Deer god) A god animal who conducts the giving and taking of life. It is believed that its head has the power of eternal living, so humans are try to get it. Also its an sign of flourishing of forest. |
Review
Princess Mononoke begins with a young man named Ashitaka encountering a hideous boar covered in writhing worms. The boar is on a rampage and threatens several members of his village. Ashitaka bravely battles the boar and successfully kills it, even though he is wounded in the process. Ashitaka now bears its with the curse of wound. He is forced to leave his village to look for a way to free himself from the curse and hopefully discover why the boar had become a demon. Therefore the story seems like a simple tale of humankind versus nature, there are many layers in the story. Lady Eboshi, the ruler of Iron town and person most responsible for the destruction of the forest also make Ashitaka village under attack by Nago, she is quite compassionate when it comes to other humans. She gives them a place a work and live. There's also Jigo, who, while being quite self-centered, still exhibits very human traits and even helps out Ashitaka in the early goings. And, of course, San, whose relentless drive to protect the forest leads her into deadly conflict with the humans. Yet, while she is an enemy of the humans, her intent is merely to save her own homeland. Out of track, I feel that the San is more like a century we lived on that some people facing the problem like I born in this country but my nationality background is different, more like culture impact.
The story can be reflect to the environments we lived on which because of desire we are destroying the natural. This movie makes us to think deeply. Studio Ghibli has truly created a interest plot and wondrous work in Princess Mononoke. Multiple conflicts abound with humans against nature, humans against humans and even nature against itself.
References
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