The Birth of Princess Mononoke (Japan Version) DVD Region 2

It's a place where Mononoke's creator, Hayao Miyazaki, obviously feels at home. Like his young hero Ashitaka, Miyazaki easily bridges seemingly diametric opposites, embracing grand entertainment and spiritual depth, high adventure and meaningful dialogue, without conflict or mutual exclusivity. It is a feat to behold for rarely is it as successfully achieved as it is in this film.

Testament to the power and vibrancy of Miyazaki's voice, The film, upon its release in 1997, the highest grossing domestic film in Japan, out-grossed only by Titanic later that same year. In 1998 it became central to an agreement between Studio Ghibli's publisher, Tokuma Publishing, and Disney Studios, with Disney signing for international production and distribution rights to no less than eleven Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films.

This is a story as much a metaphor for modern life as it is an ode to Japan's cultural heritage and the human condition. The characters populate a distinctly Japanese landscape, the complexity and the emotional realism that is brought to them illuminating their semi-historical origins. The film has an unashamed sense of nationality, and while it remains firmly positioned in the realm of fantasy it does so by drawing from reality, from Japan's rich and complex past. Here is where the magic starts, for somewhere in the country's history, one can almost believe gods walked and heroes lived. It is this core that gives the film its foundation.

And it is the central themes of conflict, man against nature, progression versus tradition, that gives the film its purpose. They are perhaps well-worn paths to walk but Miyazaki paves them with a unique maturity, showing us that nothing, not even entertainment, is truly simple. Here there is no right or wrong, good or evil, here motivations are based upon need not malice and events form as consequences of actions that could not have been pre-determined. Ashitaka's refusal to take a simplistic standpoint within the conflict emphasises this real-life complexity, provides the viewer with a place to begin to examine concepts of right and wrong, rather than merely passively consuming those concepts as dictated by others. In the end, both Ashitaka and Miyazaki also shows the viewer what that maturity means. There is no fairy tale ending, no storybook Happily Ever After and this is what finally gives the film its spirit for what there is, is the understanding that things must and do end, but that in ending, in death, there is always rebirth. And that is perhaps the simplest, most beautiful concept of all.

So, foundation, purpose and spirit, Princess Mononoke is undeniably a charming, complex and sweetly powerful film that is pure magic (and I do not throw words like that around lightly). Flawlessly crafted from concept to visualization and production and every detail between, it is perhaps one of the most mature pieces of anime ever made, in any language. And of course, superb only just manages to describe the gorgeous soundtrack by regular Miyazaki composer Joe Hisaishi whose other credits include the brilliant scores to several of Kitano Takeshi's finest films, and whose talent impresses itself upon the audience with effortless power, completing the spell.

10 angry forest princesses out of 10

by Deni Stoner - heroic-cinema.com