It's Mononoke, What Can I Say

Rating: 9/10 (10 April 2020)

Whenever someone dares criticize a movie marketed towards kids, there is an overwhelming response of "But it's for kids! It's supposed to be dumb!". I long for the days when this isn't a valid excuse for subpar storytelling. But that is another discussion for another time.
"Princess Mononoke" proves that kids' movies can be intelligent. Sure, it doesn't delve into complex real-world social and political issues or use extremely subtle techniques to tell a story, as that would be stupid and ignore the main demographic. However, it is a nuanced narrative that doesn't pit strictly good against strictly evil, and shows no clear favoritism in a traditional "humans vs. nature" way. It is an exceptionally well done story that can be enjoyed by anyone, not just children. It isn't "great for a kids' movie", it's just great, period.
The environment and fantasy world are absolutely jaw-dropping. It legitimizes and solidifies anime as a form of film, as no 3D live action adaptation would ever be able to replicate the wonders of this world.