Cartoon isn't the word to describe this film, it's pure masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2001)

Directed by legendary Hayao Miyazaki who is well respected of his work throughout his reel life. I live in Singapore and such imported movies doesn't come cheap. I took the risk of buying an anime hoping it will be a light hearted family cartoon.
Darn I was wrong! It was more than incredible and definitely not a family cartoon. Shortly after Ashitaka shot the cursed boar dead in the starting introduction of the film, it went bloody all over and disolved into a carcass immediately. When he was exiled from the village, he travelled west and witnessed a massacre, the first scene began a samurai chopping off a villager's hand. While after another 'hand missing' scene, Ashitaka shot an arrow that whizzed through a samurai's head like an apple of the head in William Tell.
That was pure gore and definitely you can't get such actions on Disney or Nickelodeon. The story unfolds the cold truth of how evil Man is. The war between a forest and its Gods against humans who deforest for profitting interests. A love story develop when Princess Mononoke/San took care of Ashitaka when he got injured. Quite touching especially when she chewed the.. erm piece of wood for him to eat? I ain't too sure if that was wood they eating but Ashitaka had great difficulty eating it, even cried.
The story isn't that all and it's up to u all to watch the remaining film. Although touching and family oriented, I would rate it for mature audiences as Princess Mononoke is a rather violent film. Don't ever rent the show, buy it and you'll always watch it over and over again.