Fantastic film w/ meaningful analogical content

Rating: 8/10 (30 September 2014)

Princess Mononoke, simply put, is an epic tale of "man vs. nature". The film itself is fantastic, with an amazing soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi, top notch animation by Studio Ghibli, and of course, a fanciful setting and plot created by Hayao Miyazaki. However, beneath the base entertainment value of the film, a whole new level of meaning and importance hides.
When I watch the movie, I find that I can't differentiate who is/are the 'bad guy(s)' and who is/are the 'good guy(s)' in the end. This blurring of the traditional moral binary – right or wrong – in the movie reveals truth about the environmental crisis in the modern world. In the film, each main party (the wolves and Princess Mononoke, Lady Eboshi) is doing both good and bad. For example, we see Lady Eboshi fighting off the local wildlife but also offering refuge for the lepers and the brothel girls she has recruited to work for her. Likewise, the wolves and Mononoke are protecting their home, but killing people to do so. Through Ashitaka, we "see with eyes unclouded by hate": the viewer is shown all sides and the respective justification for their decisions.
Similar to the modern environmental crisis, the film proposes that the sides of right and wrong in this situation are questionable: the ethics of such decisions are dependent on an individual and their situation and beliefs. Essentially, the film entertains the idea that there should be a gray area between what is good and bad when dealing with issues tied to the environment. For example, Patrick Allitt reports that some reviews of The Closing Circle – written with an environmentalist viewpoint – criticized it for refuting the existence of a gradient of the moral binary that Princess Mononoke carefully depicts (Allitt). The morality of pro-environment and pro-humanity stances have equal credence. As depicted by the movie, Ashitaka does not choose either stance, but being from a culture with tremendous respect for nature, "choose(es) the (decision) that will produce the greatest balance of good consequences over bad consequences," which is the "correct ethical action" (Warner). He helps the people of Iron Town because they deserve to be treated like humans. Likewise, he helps the different wild spirits because they should be protected, as they are alive as well. The movie places its audience in a position in which they can see what being an intermediary force encompasses. For example, a scene that sums up the gray area the best it possibly can is the scene in which he intercedes between Lady Eboshi and Princess Mononoke as they are about to go head-to-head in a fight. It parallels the balance between the two sides of environmental stances. Summarily, Ashitaka is Miyazaki's representation of how to deal with the moral ambiguity that exists in making decisions about the environment (pro-man or pro- nature).
The design of the plot and the characters in this film contribute more to the meaning of the film than the plot. To be honest, I think it actually makes the plot harder to follow and, on occasion, confusing. However, that may be because that is the way the viewer is intended to receive the film's plot and characters. There is the occasional slow part, but watching the whole work is an especially rewarding experience. Following up on my confusion of the plot in the film and consequently reaching the realization about the inner workings of the movie and the decisions made in terms of the character design and the central conflict, I've only managed to like the film more. Not only is the film an extremely entertaining piece to watch, but it is, in a manner, a dialogue about the ethical decisions that are being made all the time about the environment in the modern world. I certainly have been prompted to actually entertain a new way of thinking about the specific changes and results of decisions made in this aspect. Princess Mononoke is yet another masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki. It does what it must and more: it is entertaining while also sending a message and bringing attention to an important aspect of modern society. Overall, I'll give the film an eight out of ten only because it does have some seemingly drawn out scenes. Regardless of that, it's still one of my favorite movies of all time.
Allitt, Patrick. "Pollution and Pessimism: Five Pessimistic Intellectuals." A Climate of Crisis: America in the Age of Environmentalism. Vol. 1. New York: Penguin, 2014. 6th Full Page of Section-7th Full Page. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
Warner, Keith D. "Lesson Three What: Using Ethical Principles in Moral Reasoning About the Environment." A Short Course in Environmental Ethics. Santa Clara University, May 2009. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.