Princess Mononoke is not just one of my favorite Studio Ghibli movies it is one of my favorite animated movies of all time. Released in the 90s, this was a landmark title for the studio. It is one of those movies that has built up more and more popularity as the years have gone by as it is like a new generation is always discovering it.
How to Stream or Download Princess Mononoke Full Movie Online
To stream or to download the movie, click on the Download button at the end of the review. It is available on Netflix and iTunes. Check out also another famous movie by Studio Ghibli – Spirited Away.
The Movie Review
What makes this such a great movie is that it manages to be great in both the way it looks and the story. At the time the Princess Mononoke was released, this was one of the most visually striking animated movies ever made. I love Disney, but look at this and then look at their offerings from around the same time and there is no comparison.
The story is set in ancient Japan, but there are a lot of fantasy elements in the movie. It is about a young prince called Ashitaka. Ashitaka defends his village from a demon, but he is wounded in the process. This “injury” gives him great power, but he will die from it. This leads him to the west to the Nago lands where he may find a cure.
You would think that this quest would be the whole premise of the movie. However, it is far deeper than that. On his quest, Ashitaka comes across these god-like beings from the forest led by Princess Mononoke. These are at war with a neighboring human settlement that is led by Eboshi.
The humans are destroying the forest in order to get the resources that they need to live. The story though is not as black and white as you may think. Yes, what the humans are doing is wrong, but there is a logic behind what Eboshi is doing. You do not agree with it, but at the same time you can understand why Eboshi feels this is what needs to be done
Those that are fighting back against the humans, just want the forest to survive. Ashitaka is caught right in the middle. He does not pick a side, but neither side fully trusts him. Instead, he tries to bring peace between the sides and let them know that the only way forward is for them to work together.
Princess Mononoke manages to have some amazing action scenes, but it also has some very emotional scenes too. The English-speaking casts is great with talent such as Billy Crudup, Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver, Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, and Jada Pinkett Smith. There are many more top actors and voice actors used to bring this movie to life.
I am not sure where I would exactly rank it. But I can tell you that Princess Mononoke would be in my top five Studio Ghibli movies of all time. It is a wonderful tale and I have seen it a million times and I still find little details I missed. Those who love their movies to have a truly amazing and deep story will get very invested in this tale.
