By: Alicia Chen
Studio Ghibli has recently released a new film, “Princess Mononoke.” It has been a huge sensation in Japan, and has grossed over 19 billion yen, which is equal to 160 million U.S. dollars.
What sets “Princess Mononoke” apart from other Studio Ghibli films is that it’s much more violent. Most films of this studio are calming, and sometimes even naturistic. Good examples are “Spirited Away,” and “My Neighbor Totoro.”
This masterpiece meant a departure for master animator Hayao Miyazaki. He felt that Studio Ghibli pieces were always too pure, too perfect. So, he decided to add a bit of violence for this one. “I begin to hear that Studio Ghibli as ‘sweet’ or ‘healing’,” he mumbles. “And I get an urge to destroy it.”
Though Studio Ghibli insisted that “Princess Mononoke” should be put in the Disney category, Disney put them off, as the film was considered too mature. Instead, they put “Princess Mononoke” into the Disney subsidiary, Miramax, lead by Harvey Weinstein. He is now jailed for sexual assault of two women. He also cut films in such ways that he thought would be more appealing to the market. Studio Ghibli allowed this under one strict condition: the film was to be kept in original shape, no cutting or fiddling with the sound.
Steve Alpert, who was working with Studio Ghibli to sell their clips to the Western countries recalls a moment where Suzuki went into a room full of “horrified” workers, pulled out an exact replica of a Japanese samurai sword, and shouted loudly in English “Mononoke Hime, NO CUT!”
The film is about a princess named Princess Mononoke who grew up with wolves, and a young prince, Ashitaka, who sought the help of a deer god who goes by the name of Shishigami. He holds the power of life and death, to help him remove the curse cast by an angered, dying boar god.
On the way to the deer god, Ashitaka discovers a shattered world, a community of Tatara, run by Lady Hiboshi, who scours the nearby forests for resources, and a wolf god with her daughter, San, who is the Princess Mononoke.
“Now watch closely, everyone. I’m going to show you how to kill a god,” said Lady Eboshi.