My favourite Ghibli Film and one of the best animated films of all time

Rating: 10/10 (4 November 2013)

I have seen every Ghibli film and almost every major animated film. Princess Mononoke is, without a doubt, one of the very best. The soundtrack is perfection, the characters are complex and sincere, and the themes are strong without coming off as preachy.
It is extremely rare to find animated movies that present a fair and balanced view of the conflicts within the story. Most animated movies tend to paint the world in black and white, good and evil. Princess Mononoke does an amazing job of addressing the issues of human kind's struggle to live in balance with nature. Every character has a philosophy and viewpoint that is understandable. The plot is mature and complex while still easy to follow and understand.
On top of the excellent characters and story, the animation, designs and visuals are all great. Like all Ghibili's movies, the visual presentation is top notch but unlike many of the other Ghibli movies this one is darker in style and in its content. There is a lot of violence and blood in this movie but it is never overdone, everything that happens is relevant to the story and fits perfectly within the context of what is happening. Young children might find it frightening but the content should be acceptable for older children.
For those who enjoy Ghibli movies, this is a must see and in my opinion the very best the studio has done (which is saying a lot). Even for those who don't normally enjoy animated movies I would still recommend this one. Its maturity and depth make it stand out among even the best animated movies out there.