5/5 One of the best animated movies ever
  by H. Jin (Melbourne, Australia)
To appreciate how exceptional 'Princess Mononoke' is, just try to imagine Disney doing something like this. Imagine how overbearing and preachy its message would be, or how sickly cute and perfect they would make San, or how the owner of the ironworks would be a ruthless, ugly, rich old guy. In contrast, `Mononoke' is a thought-provoking film that refuses to settle for easy answers, and contains very complex and well-drawn characters.

One thing to note is that this is quite adult-oriented compared to some Miyazaki films such as `Kiki' or `Totoro'. Although there's nothing gratuitous, there is a surprising amount of violence, and some mature themes. That apart, this film explores typical Miyazaki themes; including environmentalism, alternate history, Japanese mythology, and feminism. And like all Miyazaki films, `Mononoke' is superbly drawn and animated, incorporating some fairly subtle CG effects for the first time. In the original Japanese, the voice acting is universally excellent. (Although people have problems with some performances in the English dub, I can't comment as I always watch anime in its original language).

For the characterisation, the movie aggressively turns history on its head by having strong, capable women in powerful positions (even if Ashitaka is cast as the traditional `hero'). Lady Eboshi especially is a fascinating character, as she is a genuine antagonist. Her position puts her in direct conflict with Ashitaka and San not because she is evil, but simply because her needs clash with theirs. San herself is extremely aggressive for a heroine, and the various forest animals are even more ruthless and determined. The film constantly blurs the line between protagonist and antagonist; Eboshi destroys the forest but provides work and shelter for social outcasts, San and Moro defend the forest creatures but resort to violence to do so. There is no `right' and `wrong' in this movie, just competing agendas. Such depth and thoughtfulness is welcome, and is one reason why I consider Japanese animation to be above its American counterpart.

If I had to make one criticism of this film, it's that there might be one too many competing agendas. We have Ashitaka and his quest, San, Eboshi and the ironworks, Moro and the wolves, the boars, the monkeys, the forest gods, Jigo, and the Emperor's mercenaries. There is an awful lot happening in this movie, and the various alliances and battles do require some concentration to follow. This alone means `Mononoke' is more suited to an adolescent/adult audience than for children. The pacing and storytelling is perfect, though, meaning the movie is not really difficult to fully appreciate or understand, provided you put in a little effort.

In my opinion, `Princess Mononoke' is Miyazaki's best film, and that's saying something. Outstanding animation, well-drawn characters, intricate plot, and some thought-provoking themes, all presented in a more mature and complex style. An amazing piece of work, and one of the best anime ever made.

Five stars all the way.


4/5 Nice Animation, Love the story!
  by Jonathan E. Querimit (Guam, USA)
Those who are into anime will love this. It comes with a nice animation, a lovely story, and lesson for us all.

5/5 Princess Mononoke
  by Cambria A. Waybright (Missouri)
Princess Mononoke was an AMAZING movie in every way, shape and form. I'm very interested in the Japanese culture as well as Japanese anime. And I'll definately be watching more movies like Princess Mononoke!

5/5 Great action film with powerful storytelling
  by JJ Causewell
Another compelling tale by Miyazaki. I always love his heroes because they relentlessly try to do the right thing. One word of caution is that this film is a bit darker than his others without much comedic relief/lightheartedness.

5/5 This is TRUE anime
  by Eric S. Kim (Southern California)
First off, I have to say that I am not a big fan of anime, both movies and TV series. Most of them are incredibly over-the-top, some are just plain strange, a lot of them are style-over-substance, and many of them have characters that are WAY too sexual in terms of appearance. The plots themselves are odd to begin with; most of which are as bad as those that we find in more recent cartoons here in the United States. The craze that surrounds these anime films and shows are just wild; it's almost unbelievable. I do respect that other people love these forms of entertainment, but to me, anime is not, and has not been, my thing.

...Why are you rechecking my last name?...

Well anyway, there are some few animes that I really admire, and Princess Mononoke is one of them. This is one of the fewest animated films in which it's targeted at an older audience. It's not a family film: it has blood and no childish humor. It has a strong message: it focuses on humanity and how it's destroying the natural and spiritual side of the world. It is never over-the-top: no quick, colorful shots or strange techno music whatsoever. It's a classic in its genre, and it's Miyazaki's greatest creation, in my opinion. If you're tired of the Akira-like flashy lights, or lack of logic a la Bleach, or maybe even the Pokemon-like cuteness that you find in many children's anime, then Princess Mononoke can be the perfect alternative.

Mind you, though, that even though I see this as one of the greatest anime films ever created, it's not one of my top favorites. I did find the film a bit slow in some parts, and there were some moments about environmentalism that felt too preachy. And San was very annoying in some scenes. I just wished she could be quiet when the film goes on. But those are all the flaws that I can find, and they really are few. Princess Mononoke is, without any doubt whatsoever, one of the greatest animated films to ever come from Japan, and is one of the greatest in general. Kudos to Miyazaki for creating this gem.