Princess Mononoke 1997
I was one of the few who admits to not liking Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. As much acclaim as that movie got, it seems like his earlier Princess Mononoke is really what cemented his reputation. I was hoping for a more conventional narrative in this movie, which seemed to be about a warrior trying to save his village from demons. Ultimately the things I don't like about anime in general and Miyazaki's work in particular are what let me down here too. The animation, while really pretty at times, seems rough, with some of the drawing looking pretty amateurish and simple and other times really good. It is a style I suppose. The other is some really violent and disgusting imagery with flesh eating leeches and blood pouring from the mouth of a dying animal. It is just icky. Then there is the narrative which seems a little weak as this warrior tries to get humans to live with nature, but it seems like at the end of the movie things are not that different than at the beginning, except now we are supposed to be happy. It does have strong roles for women and there is a lot of empathy for nature and the environment even if maybe reality says humans are never going to be that good at taking care of nature. Using Billy Bob Thornton as a Japanese character seems really out of place with his southern accent. Another jarring choice.
Still, I understand that some people really like the movie and I see where they are coming from. I can appreciate the artistry and imagination even if I don't like the result that much. And I sort of did like the story and themes even if I thought they were a little heavyhanded at times and random at others. So I will give the movie a B which kind of splits the difference.
Written: 30 Nov 2025