Princess Mononoke

[Gypsy]

Hitokiri wrote up an excellent Princess Mononoke review. Click the link below to go directly to the review:

http://www.christiananime.net/reviews.php?display=79

[SwordSkill]

Just being rather picky, since I loved the music...XD the music score's done by Joe Hisaishi.

[Zane]

I saw Mononke really recently and what u said in the review was pretty good, but I didnt think it was such an excellent movie to tell you the truth. The music and animation (although some of the secondary characters looked pretty dodgy, and all the women looked to same) was very good, but there was like almost no story line.
I felt the storyline was pretty poor, in particular the ending... "Ill stay with the town... and i guess you stay in the forrest and continue attacking the town" that was pretty weak dont you think?

I was expecting it to be more tarzan like actually, girl brought up by wolves yeah thats cool, not so much Gods and Spirts and Demons etc. Overall I though it was more disappointing then amazing. Thats what i reckon anyhow.

[CDLviking]

and all the women looked to same.

All of Miyazaki's characters look pretty much the same. Try watching some of his movies back to back occasionally and you'll see the same characters popping up with different names.

[Hitokiri]

Zane, I dlike to comment on what you said.

"I felt the storyline was pretty poor, in particular the ending... "Ill stay with the town... and i guess you stay in the forrest and continue attacking the town" that was pretty weak dont you think?

I don't know how exactly that happened after the smovie ended...we dont know except Miyazaki. However, I know they didnt go back to war. Lady Eboshi even says she will start everything anew. I'm pretty sure the war ended between nature and humans. Ashitaka also went to the town to help rebuild it but him and Mononoke will still remain great friends to eachother.

As for the storyline,t hats why I lvoed it. At first, if you look at it. it might see....bland. But you have to look fourther...deeper into the movie and the meaning behind. There is a demon inside all of us and we seek to destroy however we need to look without eyes unclouded by hate. it's pretty much a enviromentalist and a world peace message entwinded in a buetiful movie.

Thats it for that

One thing that totally left me flabbergasted (besides the musical score which I love), is the landscapes (especially when Ashiatak and Yukui were going into the West and you see all these pretty landscapes. Miyazaki defiently out did himself.

Thanks for compliments

[AngelSakura]

This reminds me...the other day I was watching "The Adventures of Billy and Mandy" and Mandy asked Billy and Erwin what they were doing. Billy said, "We're not telling you, Princess Wannaknowke!" Rhymes with Mononoke!

[Shao Feng-Li]

I thoight mononoke was kinda boreing, but overall it was well done.

[Kokhiri Sojourn]

Good review, Hitokiri! I do think that this isn't the best anime I've ever seen, but I still think that Mononoke is a superb title. One of the strengths in my opinion is that they don't just drop on us an ending that is so defined. I also think that one of the strengths of the movie is that all the characters are in some way or another justified in what they do, and there is no specific villian unless you yourself side with someone. This, to me, is much more accurate to real life, where there are people who usually don't just get a sadistic joy out of evil, but just see blindly. In other words, they are justified in what they are doing for some reason.

The music is, as you all have said, amazing, and this was the first anime soundtrack I purchased. The art is great as well. One thing that did bother me though is the relationship between Sen and Ashitaka - it just kind of pops up out of nowhere, and there really isn't any basis for it, from what I gathered. Even with this, though, I still think the movie is a classic, and one that non-anime fans might like.

[HondaTooru]

It's one of my favorite movies ever! I guess my whole outlook on a movie is generally based on how I feel after the ending. And I can honestly say that this movie left me in a really good mood!

Seem like most people either love it or think it's boring. All in how much you read into it I suppose. That and how much artwork does for you. See, I love artwork. I find it so interesting that perhaps not much else is necessary to keep me happy. My little brother however, he could care less. He wants action/fighting/angst/violence/gore... But that's little brothers for you.

[chibi_chan]

I love this movie everything Myazaki-san does is just so beutifal (did i spell that right?).

Great reveiw Hitokiri^^.

[Madeline]

Yeah, it's not the best plot in the world, but I liked it anyways. ^^

[true_noir_chloe]

It is interesting reading these comments on your review, Hitokiri. A very good review by you. ^___^

I enjoy Miyazaki movies. "Princess Mononoke" is probably his most beautifully done movie next to "My Neighbor Totoro." I loved "Spirited Away," as well, but the in depth story of "Princess Mononoke" was such a delight. I think it would have been ludicrous to think that Princess Mononoke would just leave the wolves she loves and go live in Iron Town with Ashitake. I could see them in a future fanfic getting together - hehe, *hint hint*

I think what has made me admire Miyazaki the most is the long interview I watched with him recently. He is appalled by all the fan service and violent anime coming out of Japan today. He tries to keep a family friendly story; although, it has his belief system, which isn't Christian, he'll try to put something wholesome and keep it clean. I appreciate that from a writer/director today. Unfortunately, Princess Mononoke was probably so admired by America because it is his most violent work. More than likely, the famous stars who contributed to the voices did it because it was violent. However, I think for this anime and its message, the violence was needed. A classic movie by a classy director.

That's my two cents worth. ~_^

[Madeline]

I could see them in a future fanfic getting together - hehe, *hint hint*

*nods*
Spirited Away was my favorite, but I loved the wolves in Mononoke...so pretty!

[SwordSkill]

I felt the storyline was pretty poor, in particular the ending... "Ill stay with the town... and i guess you stay in the forrest and continue attacking the town" that was pretty weak dont you think?

Personally, that ambivalent ending is one of the things I happen to love about the movie - it's not cliche. It's a really modern twist and Miyazaki did a great job in pulling down the potential Disney-ish idealism into a level of considerable realism, which is quite refreshing. Eboshi loses an arm, Ashitaka and San (Mononoke) don't end up together because the differences are too huge, the Tatari Gami is actually quite destructive as well and not as benevolent as one originally thought, you're not quite sure what position the monk is actually in...that's proof that just because a battle is over doesn't mean everything is suddenly all right overnight. War has its price too and glossing over it would be very simplistic.

Another thing about Mononoke Hime is that you can keep asking the question "Who was the villain? Who was evil?" and get no answer. The suffering that happened in the movie was borne out of misunderstanding, mistrust, and ignorance rather than deliberate malice. I loved that about it.

And of course, Joe Hisaishi did an amazing job with the soundtrack. Amazing doesn't even describe it; it's more than fantastic and I can't sum it in a word. He's a genius from piano solos to full orchestra. Beautiful compositions of Eastern strains in the form of Western classical music.

[TrigunX89]

I thought it was a good movie. It's been a long time since I've seen it. I feel like watching it now... Anyway, nice review! I think you did a great job on it.