A movie without resolution

Rating: 7/10 (19 March 2001)

What first drew me to this anime is Hayao Miyazaki's epic manga work 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind'. It is there that I have surmised what Mr.Miyazaki is trying to tell us, that there is no distinct definition of good and evil; or in a much simpler sense, a term 'good' is a purely relative term.
Because there was no 'evil' to relinquish to save the day, there was no clear achievement on the part of the protagonist. Hence, there was no clear resolution, and left me a sense of bewilderment and frustration. Particularly because there was absolutely no way for me to even 'imagine' any means of a definite conclusion within the world envisioned by the creative mind of Mr.Miyazaki. And Mononoke Hime is no exception.

Perhaps as with the ilk of the movie such as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', this anime will clearly pique the audience's interest by it purporting a sense of novelty. That the film garnered the most revenue next to 'Titanic' is more than willing to try to coax us to see what made the Japanese so frenetic about the anime.
Clearly, Mr.Miyazaki's imagination is a vivid realization of pure enchantment. The forest is drawn with stunning detail and the surroundings of Japanese mountainside and its geographical features seem to take a life of its own. But it is a bit hackneyed, as he seems to be dependent upon his formulaic approach of rendering his characters (both storywise and graphically). Pricess Mononoke looks a bit like a cross between Nausicaa and Kushana, and Ashitaka resembles Asbel. And almost all the female bellow workers are rendered in a simple manner that seems to represent a cohesive and collective organism; a bit disconcerting at worst.

If the viewers are not willing to partake in the vision that is defined with Miyazaki and view the animation with a stoic sense of poignant reality privy to Western mindset, this anime will be nothing but a haphazard and silly fantasy tale spun from the wildest of lunacy. Of course, the movie should confound many people who do not know anything about various Japanese mythos, barrage of which are included in the movie to perfect Mr.Miyazaki's vision. But Mr.Miyazaki cordially and humbly invites us to his world of medieval Japan in the conflict between humans and gods, and it creates a convincing suspension of disbelief.
However. The biggest flaw in the anime would be that it is trying to enumerate almost everything that is Mr.Miyazaki's philosophy on life. One can only put so much definition in a two hour movie. Just like in his celebrated manga 'Nausicaa', Mr.Miyazaki dispenses with some definite references for evil and good. Therefore, his characters in the movie are both stunningly and horrendously static, no room for growth, no changes. Even after the entire Tatara Ba is destroyed, humans will forge another means of destroying the nature. It is bound to occur again and again and again, this pointless conflict between humans and nature. But what is 'pointless' if it is permanently embedded into human history or human 'nature'? Alas, even the relationship between San and Ashitaka ends in a blur of irrevocable end. The ending is rather quick and anti-climatic to grace the film of this much expense and scope.
Mr.Miyazaki's works are not my cup of tea, plainly because of it is not a wholesome entertainment within the limits of its animation or comic. But I cannot help but be intrigued by his premise and pretentious approach of presenting his ideas in such a medium. Maybe I am just a nitpicky fan of Mr.Miyazaki, an accomplished artist, who completely altered my predisposition about the animation works in general. But the anime is plainly too subdued and a dawdle of a confusing adventure.

Princess Mononoke is without a resolution. Therefore it is a depressing story mired by helpless and static characters only rising up to the occasion to resolve a circumstantial dilemma. I cannot recommend this anime with a full assurance.