CinemaCl🎃wn’s review published on Letterboxd:
This was just... wow! I'm still stunned by the deep & profound experience this anime provided from start to finish and I'm only collecting my thoughts on it. But I'll say that Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke isn't just one of the strongest works put out by the artistic filmmaker or Studio Ghibli as a whole but it is a landmark in the world of animation whose quality story, thematic elements & breathtaking on-screen execution makes typical animated flicks look like the works of amateurs.
A period drama infused with elements of fantasy and set in early centuries of Japan, the story follows Ashitaka, a young prince who after saving his village from a rampaging boar-god/demon is stricken by a deadly curse and journeys to the forest of the West looking for a cure, only to find himself involved in the struggle between the supernatural guardians of the forest & the humans who are consuming its resources.
The title refers to a young girl who was raised by the wolf-goddess and has a strong hatred for mankind. Written & directed by Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke is arguably the creative height of his illustrious film career and presents him in complete control of his craft. The hand-drawn animation is absolutely dazzling, the supernatural creatures as well as forest are vividly imagined, the voice actors do a fab job in their roles, and music elegantly moves its story forward.
The main theme this film deals with is the effects of industrialization on nature, deforestation & how it affects the species who've inhabited these places long before man's greed laid its eyes on it. On an overall scale, Princess Mononoke is an expertly crafted, deftly envisioned, gorgeously photographed, swiftly paced & masterfully composed work of art & entertainment that transcends the confines of animation with its complex story, strong characterisation & adult themes, and makes its statement heard with thunderous clarity.
The de-facto standard of hand-drawn animation, a priceless treasure of world cinema and arguably the very pinnacle of Studio Ghibli's creativity, Princess Mononoke (also known as Mononoke-hime) comes strongly, extremely & one hundred percent recommended to each & every film lover around the world.
