A Landmark Japanese Anime

Rating: 10/10 (7 March 2012)

Princess Mononoke is an epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. "Mononoke" is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster.Directed by renowned animator Hayao Miyazaki, this anime has broken a number of box office records in its native Japan. Essentially a statement on the ecological devastation brought on by human advancement, the story follows the battle between Princess Mononoke and a mining village.
Princess Mononoke is a period drama set specifically in the late Muromachi period of Japan but with numerous fantastical elements. The story concentrates on involvement of the outsider Ashitaka in the struggle between the supernatural guardians of a forest and the humans of the Iron Town who consume its resources. There can be no clear victory, and the hope is that relationship between humans and nature can be cyclical.
Miyazaki's exceedingly imaginative, beautifully realized animated epic adventure has been adapted into English with tact and talent.The imagery, ranging from sublime mountain-smashing power to firefly delicacy (individual waterdrops splashing on a rock) is exuberant and intoxicating.Even when animals speak, lip sync is avoided; they seem to be communicating almost telepathically, and one seldom feels that they're contradicting their animal natures.With its epic story and breathtaking visuals, Princess Mononoke is a landmark in the world of animation.