Princess Mononoke is a captivating animated film by Studio Ghibli, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and it got popular just after it’s release. So, in today’s blog of AnimeQuack, let’s discuss about the plot explanation and review of Princess Mononoke anime film.
Princess Mononoke Trailer :
The trailer for Princess Mononoke beautifully sets up the film’s epic narrative and introduces its main characters. It begins with Ashitaka, a young warrior cursed by a demon, embarking on a journey to find a cure. His quest leads him to Iron Town, a human settlement led by the determined Lady Eboshi, who is focused on advancing her community even if it means exploiting the forest’s resources.
The forest, however, is home to powerful spirits and animals, fiercely protective of their environment. Among them is Princess Mononoke, or San, a girl raised by wolves who stands against the humans’ destruction of the forest. The trailer highlights the intense conflict between the humans and the forest spirits, with Ashitaka caught in the middle, trying to mediate and understand both sides.
Princess Mononoke Cast :
The cast of Princess Mononoke features a mix of talented voice actors for both the original Japanese version and the English dub. So, below are the different cast for japanese as well as english dub version.
Japanese Cast –
- Ashitaka – Yōji Matsuda
- San (Princess Mononoke) – Yuriko Ishida
- Lady Eboshi – Yūko Tanaka
- Jigo – Kaoru Kobayashi
- Kouroku – Masahiko Nishimura
- Gonza – Tsunehiko Kamijō
- Toki – Sumi Shimamoto
- Moro – Akihiro Miwa
- Hii-sama – Mitsuko Mori
- Okkoto – Hisaya Morishige
English Dub Cast :
- Ashitaka – Billy Crudup
- San (Princess Mononoke) – Claire Danes
- Lady Eboshi – Minnie Driver
- Jigo – Billy Bob Thornton
- Kouroku – John DeMita
- Gonza – John DiMaggio
- Toki – Jada Pinkett Smith
- Moro – Gillian Anderson
- Okkoto – Keith David
Princess Mononoke Characters :
Princess Mononoke features a variety of talented characters, each contributing to the film’s complex narrative. The main characters of Princess Mononoke include –
- Ashitaka – A young warrior from the Emishi tribe who is cursed by a demon and sets out on a journey to find a cure. He becomes a mediator between the humans and the forest spirits.
- San (Princess Mononoke) – A girl raised by wolves who fiercely protects the forest and opposes the humans’ destruction of it. She is also known as Princess Mononoke.
- Lady Eboshi – The leader of Iron Town, a human settlement that exploits the forest’s resources. She is determined to advance her community, even at the cost of the environment.
- Moro – A giant wolf goddess and San’s adoptive mother. She is protective of the forest and harbors a deep resentment towards humans.
- Jigo – A wandering monk with his own agenda, who manipulates events to his advantage.
- Kouroku – A villager from Iron Town who provides comic relief and represents the common people caught in the conflict.
- Gonza – Lady Eboshi’s loyal and strong-willed bodyguard.
- Toki – Kouroku’s wife, who works in Iron Town and is outspoken and strong-willed.
- Okkoto – A boar god who leads his clan in the fight against the humans.
Princess Mononoke Plot Explained :
Now let’s come to the plot of the anime film, Princess Mononoke follows the journey of Ashitaka, a young warrior cursed by a demon while protecting his village. Seeking a cure, he travels to the western lands and discovers Iron Town, a human settlement led by Lady Eboshi.
Lady Eboshi is determined to use the forest’s resources to advance her community, even if it means destroying the environment. The forest is home to powerful spirits and animals, including San (Princess Mononoke), a girl raised by wolves who fights to protect the forest. Ashitaka finds himself caught in the middle of the conflict between the humans and the forest spirits.
As he tries to mediate and understand both sides, the film explores themes of nature, industrialization, and the possibility of coexistence. With its stunning visuals and deep storytelling, Princess Mononoke is a powerful tale of the struggle between humans and nature.
Princess Mononoke Review :
Princess Mononoke is a visually stunning and thematically rich film that stands as one of Studio Ghibli’s masterpieces. Set in medieval Japan, the story follows Ashitaka, a young prince cursed by a boar demon, as he embarks on a journey to find a cure.
His quest leads him to the heart of a conflict between the forest spirits, led by the fierce Princess Mononoke, and the encroaching human civilization represented by the industrious Lady Eboshi. The film masterfully explores themes of environmentalism, the clash between nature and technology, and the complexity of human and animal relationships.
The animation is breathtaking, with meticulously detailed backgrounds and fluid character movements that bring the fantastical world to life. Miyazaki’s storytelling is both epic and intimate, making “Princess Mononoke” a compelling and thought-provoking experience that resonates with audiences of all ages
Princess Mononoke Quotes :
Below are some of the memorable quotes from Princess Mononoke.
- Prince Ashitaka – “To see with eyes unclouded by hate.”
- Prince Ashitaka – “Look, everyone! This is what hatred looks like! This is what it does when it catches hold of you! It’s eating me alive, and very soon now it will kill me. Fear and anger only make it grow faster!”
- Moro – “I caught her human parents defiling my forest. They threw their baby at my feet as they ran away. Instead of eating her, I raised her as my own.”
- Lady Eboshi – “Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still you find reasons to keep living.”
FAQs :
The below questions are the most asked queries searched on Internet.
Where to watch Princess Mononoke?
You can watch Princess Mononoke on several streaming platforms. It’s available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, where you can choose between the original Japanese version and the English dub. Additionally, you can stream it on HBO Max if you have a subscription.
Other options include renting or buying it on platforms like Google Play Movies, Vudu, Apple iTunes, and YouTube. Unfortunately, it’s not available on Netflix in all regions, but you might find it in some countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK.
How long is Princess Mononoke?
Princess Mononoke is an animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke, the full film is of 134 minutes long.
Who is Princess Mononoke?
Princess Mononoke, also known as San, is a central character in the film Princess Mononoke. Raised by wolves in the forest, San is a fierce and determined young woman who fights to protect her home from human encroachment.
She is deeply connected to the forest spirits and animals, embodying the wild and untamed spirit of nature. San opposes the humans, particularly those from Iron Town led by Lady Eboshi, who are destroying the forest for resources.
Throughout the film, San’s character represents the struggle between nature and industrialization, and her journey intertwines with that of Ashitaka, a young warrior seeking to mediate the conflict.
What is Princess Mononoke is all about?
The main story centers on Ashitaka, a young warrior cursed by a demon, who embarks on a journey to find a cure. His quest leads him to Iron Town, a human settlement led by Lady Eboshi, who is determined to use the forest’s resources to advance her community.
However, the forest is home to powerful spirits and animals, including San (Princess Mononoke), a girl raised by wolves who fiercely protects the forest from human destruction. The film explores the intense conflict between humans and nature, highlighting themes of environmentalism, industrialization, and the possibility of coexistence.
