Princess Mononoke is an anime of action genre by Hayao Miyazaki, who can also make anime able to win the most prestigious Oscar film event, beating rivals from big animation studios like Disney or Pixar. Princess Mononoke is one of the Miyazaki films that are classified as action oriented but still rich and rich in an interesting story. It is not strange that he is often referred to as Japan's national treasures of pride because of his warm, cheerful and unique stories presented by stunning animations to be watched by his audience.
This is the second Miyazaki movie I watched after seeing Spirited Away, and in accordance with my expectations this film also amazed me in terms of animation or story. Princess mononoke has a thick face and color to make this anime different from the anime-anime ever in production at least in his era.
Early ideas of his forerunner Princess Mononoke emerged in the late 1970s, where Miyazaki drew on his sketches of a princess and animals living together in the forest, but unfortunately he left this idea and did not develop it further for more than 20 years (animal characters this is used as the basis of Totoro design). Until one day the producer of this movie Toshio Suzuki came to Hayao Miyazaki to convince him that maybe this is the only chance Hayao Miyazaki to be able to make an old action film diusianya.
This anime was going to be the last Anime film that Miyazaki would make when he retired, but because of his great success he postponed his retirement and went on to make some more work.
Plot and Story
Princess Mononoke took the time in the Muromachi era (1392-1573, 1333-1467, see google), in that era of Onin war (1467-1477), war between samurai against villagers / peasants. Miyazaki chose this era because in that era it has a relationship that Japan with its nature changed drastically. In the Muromachi era, iron and steel production increased, which required a large number of trees to cut to charcoal, and everyone there felt that they could control nature and the rulers above it. Also, it is known in that era that too is the time of Japan that we know is now formed.
From that inspiration therefore the story in Mononoke has 3 main plots that make up the structure of this film. Where in this film there is war between humans with the gods of animals who want to protect nature, but also a power conflict between humans (samurai) with other humans. It is worth noting also that from that era Miyazaki took an outline for the story of Princess Mononoke.
The story of Princess Mononoke begins with a prince named Aishitaka from an alienated clan who then his right hand is exposed to the curse of a pig demon attacking his village. Because the Aishitaka curse is predicted to die shortly but he gains tremendous physical strength. According to the clan's tradition, Aishitaka had to leave the village, his future wife (apparently) and never renew his homeland forever. And began Aishitaka's quest for answers and a new place for him to live.
Despite telling 3 different stories, but we can easily understand the conflicts in the story, there is no convoluted thing to tell everyone has a purpose to convey to the audience. All the characters have conflicts and problems and at the end of the film we can see a climax that is quite satisfying as well as sweet to behold.
I am quite pleased with the consistency of the Princess Mononoke film that sticks to the principle that this is an action film and not a love drama film between two different lovers of the world, though it is not impossible to add to the story. I'm not saying that this movie has absolutely no impression of romance at all, there is, but there is no scene that seems to exaggerate that the two are in love with each other (look nisekoi, good ending, or whatever anime or manga you like to take as reference). We can only see that the main character likes the female characters and vice versa, simple as that.
Many mysteries are in this movie and make me guess it but the unique mystery will also continue to make you curious to see this movie. What does Ashitaka look like? Is he a noble boy? Who is Jiko-bo? Is he evil? And who is Eboshi and why women in those days can be so powerful? Then who is the Mononoke family? Indeed many questions that popping up like that in your mind but it should not worry you. Although there is information that can answer the question but it is delivered only through a piece or two sentences only, as if this film tells you that the information is less important and you want to focus on the existing events that are not there in the past.
To be honest there are only a few plot holes in this movie because everything can be well visualized, you will not even realize that there really is a hole plot in this movie.
Character
All the characters are quite characteristic of living in the Japanese feudal era, even the main characters are seen that they have their own story and different goals to achieve in their lives it makes them have a mystery that makes the audience curious. But the essence of Princess Mononoke's character is not only made to fill this film or make the main character there is a job alone, they have ambition, purpose, make them are there. If you've seen the movie must have a certain impression on the characters, such as whether Jiko-bo good people? Is he a leader of a particular sect? Or when you see Eboshi who first sees himself as an ambitious and self-centered person but is a man who cares and protects his people, even he gets the respect and loyalty of those who follow Eboshi, but in the end he is ambitious but not selfish (different). The thing that keeps annoying me other because Ashitaka, how not, just see how easy Ashitaka leave his hometown without wanting to go back there (although it was explained that he had been expelled from his village, but cmon guys .. btw this is where the plot hole was for the entire movie) Ashitaka provides a necklace giving women who could be a fiancée or a woman who likes him to Mononoke who notabene new to know a few days, and for me Ashitaka seen as a jerk. You can judge from my description that the characters in Princess Mononoke continue to vary depending on the situation in which they are or face up, making each character unique here and incomparable to each other, just like humans.
Dubbing
For the voices or the Japanese version I feel the tone of each of the main characters sounds stern, independent, or has its own stance. Even the sound of Eboshi that in fact women do not sound weak or graceful, just from the tone of his voice you can feel how hard the character of Eboshi and not a character that is not made to look weak. Not only Eboshi, Ashitaka, Moro, Ottoke, and Jiko-bo also sounded like that which was odd in my ears sounded very familiar to every intonation of his voice when bluffing. For San even though her character has the same characteristics as Eboshi as a formidable woman, yet you can feel that San even though she looks strong or sangar may sound weak like a confused young woman and to me it looks cute, perhaps her popular nickname for the San character is type of Tsundere woman.
Not only the voice of the Japanese, this film also worked on the English version that is handled by Neil Gaiman the creator of Beowulf and Coraline. Previously the project wanted to be handled by Quentin Tarantino but he felt that a movie like this was not his field and suggested Gaiman to take over the movie. Neil Gaiman was very impressed with Miyazaki's work and determined that the dubbing movie would live like its Japanese version. Miyazaki once said that if the outside audiences want to understand and understand the films from him they should also be able to understand Japanese. It is a fact that Princess Mononoke's dubbing version is not as good as its Japanese version. I feel in the English version that sounds sounded bland and not full of vigor, as if it does not have a soul of character in it.
Animation
The animation featured from Princess Mononoke is very nice and eye-catching to see, the details that exist throughout the movie are very impressive. I really enjoy every animated picture that is in this movie and makes me amazed because every little detail is noticed. You seem to be able to see at once feel the hard work and sweat is issued
As I said that this movie has amazing picture detail and it can not be separated also from Hayao Miyazaki, he saw and checked all the cells made by his assistants until actually entered into the film. All the characters on display are on a big board so that all the animators can make the reference and ensure that the visul animation of the film has a consistency, let alone the character design even the arrow has its own design to be followed by the animators. This incredible determination is worth thumbs up, that Miyazaki wants to showcase the best and not the arbitrary work created just to earn money.
Music
The music here is also not to be missed. It sounds odd that the movie from Studio Ghibli does not have a memorable soundtrack. The music that is in Princess Mononoke is quite easy to hear and very appropriate with the existing theme. All the atmosphere in the movie can fit the background of the music being played, even the leitmotif that is played on some characters can blend with the character (my favorite is Legend of Ashitaka which is where the main music of this movie). Music that is in Princess Mononoke can bring your emotions along with the situation that occurred in the movie, you can get carried away with a glance to hear the music in this movie because it is very, very memorable and quite difficult to be forgotten just like that. Joe Hisaishi is already a subscriber of Studio Ghibli and may not sound familiar to those of you who love movies from Hayao Miyazaki. He is one of the best composers in Japan on par with Nobue Uematsu for me.
Overall
Princess Mononoke is an anime that would literally will Blow your mind away. With stunning animations, highly detailed designs, unique characters, easy to follow stories, sweet and comfortable music to hear, will not waste your time at all. Princess Mononoke is a movie you can watch on your own or watch with your closest people, and the fun part is that you can talk about or think about the philosophy of this movie with yourself or with people who have watched it.