As far as Steve and I could see, the only thing wrong with this film directed by Hayao Miyazaki is its title: it's called "Princess Mononoke," but the story really seems to be centered around Prince Ashitaka.

When a monstrous demon attacks his remote mountain village, the young warrior Ashitaka (voice of Billy Crudup) is forced to slay the creature. In so doing, he receives a wound to his right arm, which the village wise woman regretfully tells him will not heal, but will slowly spread and eventually kill him after much suffering. Ashitaka then learns that the monster he had killed was in fact a forest protector god, transformed into a demon upon its death by its own hate and bitterness towards its original killers - the humans taking over its realm. Not wishing his loved ones to witness his decline and hoping to find a cure, Ashitaka sets out in search of the Forest Spirit in hopes that the god will consent to lift the curse incurred upon him.

Ashitaka's journey leads him to the land of the Tatara Clan, where he quickly finds himself smack dab in the middle of a bitter conflict - on one side, the people of the small, iron-making village aptly named Iron Town, headed by Lady Eboshi (voice of Minnie Driver); on the other, a race of animal gods determined to protect their enchanted forest from further encroachment by the humans. In the midst of the beasts is San, the Princess Mononoke, a beautiful young woman raised by the wolf gods, determined to defeat the Lady Eboshi at all costs.

A second group of humans arrives to further complicate matters; a faction sent by the Emperor himself. Their covert goal is to wrest control of the highly prosperous Iron Town from Lady Eboshi, but their primary goal is to retrieve the head of the Forest Spirit, which the Emperor is convinced will give him eternal life (the guy makes me think of Master Li's unflattering descriptions of emperors). Lady Eboshi could care less about the Emperor, but she too wishes the Forest Spirit dead, for she is convinced that the god's death will transform the enchanted forest into a quite ordinary forest, the animal gods into ordinary beasts, and the Princess Mononoke into a human being again.

Ashitaka now has his hands full. On the one hand is his sympathy for the forest gods and his growing feelings for San; on the other hand, a reluctant admiration for Eboshi and all she has accomplished with her settlement, for not only has Eboshi implemented a thriving industrial community; she has also created a haven for some of the outcasts of society in need of refuge (one fascinating aspect of this tale is the fact that there are few completely good or completely evil characters). The solution, as Ashitaka sees it, is to try to create a peaceful solution that would allow the two communities to coexist in friendship. Ashitaka is more than willing to try, but in the meantime there's that dang scar that keeps spreading...

A thrilling, complex story, stunning animation (and no loops - hooray!), an all-star cast of voices, superior sound and a beautiful soundtrack work together to make this easily one of the best - if not the best animated films I have ever seen. I can't recommend it enough.

Jenn Eagen
June, 2001

Princess Mononoke
This is the film's official web site, from which the images on this page were adapted.