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FIRST TIME WATCHING: Princess Mononoke (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-12 13:00:09
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Oh boyyyy! Time for another good one with Studio Ghibili. The landscapes, the art, the music...this one was just 😘🤌

I watched this on Max, for those who are watching along with me. As always, thank you for your support here on Patreon. Until the next one, take care and stay golden :)

LINK: https://youtu.be/OQnZiw2hJSc

Original Movie: Princess Mononoke

Comments

Danishprince

For a second I thought it was Friday and it really messed up my sense of time. Not used to movies on Thursdays :D

Darryl Low

Happy Thursday Nat. Haven't seen this one before so looking forward to watching along with you 😊 Wow, such a cool movie Nat. Epic stuff. You can't beat a good full blown symphonic score. It just adds so much emotional impact to the visuals and the story. I look forward to the next Ghibili presentation. Thanks for an amazing reaction today Nat 💛

LittleGalaxyBoy

Just found a collection of VHS tapes with one of those being Princess Mononoke so this is perfect timing :D

adrianR31

Ghibli is one of the best fandoms on earth. Glad you finally joined 👽

adrianR31

And thank you for doing this sans YT money. We value your ability to watch media the way the creators intended. With an optimistic open mind. These movies are a treat and your commentary doubly so.

Marc Viloria

Recently saw this again in a packed theater and I was so moved. This film is not only thrilling and beautiful but it speaks to how we relate in a society as people and to the world around us. It is a truly timeless story.

adrianR31

This is one of a handful of times where watching it dubbed (English) is just as enjoyable as subbed. Check out this cast, Billy Crudup, Keith David, Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie driver, John DiMaggio, Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson....

Regi Todd

With the exception of a few DBZ episodes here and there, this was my first true anime experience, and HOLY SHIT was it an introduction.

Xu Yang

Hands down my favorite Ghibli film! I am excited for you to watch Howl's Moving Castle (if you haven't yet)

samuel Jakob

Love this movie and it was a nice reaction, and I agree I wish the ending wouldve been a bit more fleshed out. Anyway on another note, I got the feeling the HBO subs are quite odd at some points, I dont have access to hbo but it seems that way from some of the things you said. :D Cant wait for Totoro, which is just so sweet, and I also hope u get around to Castle in the Sky some day, its my favorite.

Mastervodo

Thank you for this Nat! We love it!

Nathan Elkin

I think one of the biggest take aways for these movies is they don’t necessarily follow a hero’s journey. You asked why he doesn’t return to his home town. I think you missed the part early in the movie when that old guy was pointing out his fancy bowl and his red elk. He comes from a tribe that lives in solitude from everything else, a tribe that is believed to have gone extinct, and that tribe still lives by old values and traditions, which is why Ashitaka had such a moral upbringing and appreciation for nature. It’s also why he doesn’t return to the village. He was technically banished from his village because he was cursed, because they believed it was permanent. Even though the curse was lifted, it wouldn’t even occur to Ashitaka to return because he has a strong sense of tradition, and he values living his current life over his past life he has already bid fair well to. You also asked why Eboshi laughed at him when he said he had eyes unclouded, which I have two things to say in regard to that. The white boar has clouded eyes, because he is physically blind, but symbolically he also would never let go of his opinions of the humans and is blind to his options. Eboshi laughed at eyes unclouded because she knows Ashitaka comes from a much smaller world than she, he grew up in a sheltered village without a strong understanding of a progressing society, and she knows her choices are more nuanced than he made them out to be. Having watched many Ghibli movies, I appreciate the ending in this one. Most of their movies don’t take place over a long time span, and this movie is like 3 days long once the plot picks up with the iron workers. The ending seems abrupt, but this movie is probably the most visceral out of all the Ghibli movies, with the most mature depictions of society and appreciation for life, and the ending reflects that things simply are. They aren’t good or bad, they simply are, and one doesn’t need a big complicated ending to wrap up that kind of truth. As long as you’re alive, life moves on. Ashitaka is a very competent person, but he understands by the ending of this movie how much he doesn’t know, so he decides to live with people he believes can help him grow.

Kraackin

watch the english dubs they all have big name actors and are fantastic

Erik Stevenson

I just absolutely adore this movie, and thought your commentary was really nice, as always. Only real note I have - I don't think Ashitaka was actually shot through the heart, just his torso, but yes I think it's definitely true that without the curse he would have died from the wound way before the Forrest Spirit/Deer God could have saved him. If you do ever re-watch this movie on your own time definitely check out the English dub, as others have noted the voice acting is really top tier.

Wild_Lee_Coyote

The Emishi peoples were in native to northern Japan and were considered primitives. Thats why he has stone tipped arrows, and had to leave the village. Ashitaka is an outsider even by Japanese standards and that is why he is a great mediator. He doesn’t take sides even when pressed. Princess Mononoke does a far better job of showing struggle between nature and man than Avatar ever could.

Jacob King
>>149229126

Neil Gaiman wrote the dub. It was the beginning of western studios understanding that dubbing was another form of storytelling.

Jacob King

Mononoke is definitely one of my favourite things. With the resolution it might be interesting to understand how Miyazaki works. The films aren’t pre-scripted,he finds the story through creating the movie, doing drawings and storyboards and even animating before he knows how it’s going to resolve. So, they aren’t building to the end. Moment to moment things can change and he can stop and focus on an emotion or on the landscape or the passing of time. Porco Rosso would be my suggestion for which one to do next - if only to establish that being ugly doesn’t make you a villain. Personally I’d rather be a pig than a fascist.

Taff Lewis

Thank you so much, everything I hoped for in your reaction. Despite the feeling for "poor form" one of my 1st favorite AMV's before YouTube was a thing. as a Queensryche song over clips of this movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnYICT221hQ&list=RDLnYICT221hQ&start_radio=1

Taff Lewis

ok, sorry not sorry; clips to short for spoilers, but Miyazaki fans that haven't seen this will appreciate this Student of Animation's breakdown of what brings Studio Ghibli films to life. Often shared to those who don't know Miyazaki, Fans that haven't seen you own it to yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM6PPxN1xas

Robert Bonfante

One of Hayao Miyazaki's most frequent themes involve how humans interact with nature, and this shows up in much of his works. He delves into it with Spirited Away (a couple of the characters are literal metaphors of rivers, for example). But it's front and center with Princess Mononoke. And I appreciate how Miyazaki handles the topic with such a nuanced touch without being too "preachy." It doesn't hurt that PM is just beautiful to look at, with the natural environments just looking spectacular. Princess Mononoke is also my introduction to Studio Ghibli (although I didn't become a Ghibli fan until I saw Spirited Away a few years later). At this point in my anime fandom, I was into more of the sword and sorcery/fantasy type anime (Record of Lodoss War and Legend of Crystania were my favorite animes in this time period). PM starts off like a typical fantasy adventure story, but the strong voice acting, the great music and it's environmental themes really struck me. It's one of my all-time favorites. Ashitaka is also one of my favorite protagonists and back when there was a meme going around to pick four anime characters to represent you without comment, he was one of my four.

Kraackin
>>149275138

Natalie watch the dubs especially because we know howls moving castle will win next..... Christian Bale is Howl.....Watch the dubs......Who is advising you really?????

Kraackin

Natalie watch the dubs especially because we know howls moving castle will win next..... Christian Bale is Howl.....Watch the dubs......Who is advising you really?????.....All big names actors in Studio Ghibli movies ..and their fantastic dubs

Mannygogou

Wait... Spirited Away has a plot? 😄 It's just me of course but I prefer Mononoke and Nausicaa. Yes you are right - this one ends very quickly. He will live in the Ironworks and she will live in the forest - I sort of never paid attention to that detail in the end lol. I think they're effectively together but can't... or she can't stay with humans. Regarding his village, I think effectively they cast him away, as tradition they were not allowed to see him go, I think he's dead to them and maybe it would be bad protocol if he returned. I never thought about it until you mentioned it - but yes I think he can't go back to his village. Certainly he can no longer live there. His role or job or quest given to him was to leave the village and to see the world with eyes unclouded. I think it was a one-way trip. Even if he did return, he could not live as he would before. The part where they "can't see him" go probably extends to him never coming back. The girl I thought was like a younger sister to him. Oh well, I never did think much about the village before. This story is pretty sad to me, it's about the end of the old world. The transition to modern day. The old world of magic and of gods receding to make way for the modern world. Those things that die never come back... even if they're replaced they're not quite the same. We are left to make of it what we will. By killing our gods then we have to take responsibility for everything ourselves, there can be no more excuses. It's daunting to realize what it means for magic to leave the world. And it disappears quickly and with finality.

Mannygogou

I think San cannot leave her wolf family actually, she can't just abandon them and she can't live with humans either. And Ashitaka can't live in the wilderness, although he could build a cabin or something but the Ironworks is actually pretty close I think so it's just simpler. Also perhaps he could help in the rebuilding. He really has a lot to contribute and he can only do that in human society. And... he's probably been groomed for leadership since a very young age.

Mannygogou
>>149472999

I'll go ahead and walk back on the Spirited Away comment. It's about abduction. Being spirited away is being taken from the modern world into the supernatural world where there may be demons and magic and other fantastic things. It is a world next to and alongside the normal world that we know.

Mannygogou
>>149472999

In Princess Mononoke, regarding the transition from the old world into modern day, if we think about it, both San and Ashitaka have one foot in the old world and one foot in the modern world. Ashitaka comes from a tribe banished 1,000 years ago and they're effectively a lost clan or a hidden village living in the old ways. While San is essentially half wolf, adopted by the wolf god Moro. They're each part of the old world and the new but Ashitaka is on the human side while San is on the old gods or forest's side. Or wild nature vs civilization. The emperor is also mentioned which in the old days was considered a god. So we have the human god trying to obtain immortality by taking it from the forest god. It's also about the old world of magics and gods and demons versus modern technology especially firearms and explosives... iron and fire. The smelting of ore sand into iron. Why did the old boar god turn into a demon? Maybe you have to be a god to be turned into a demon. The "magic" of iron and fire technology seem to be able to turn a god of the forest into a demon as they are dying. Moro herself/himself was shot with an iron ball but did not run away and thus did not become a demon. Okkoto the blind boar god became fearful or maybe driven to madness while dying from the iron ball, the scouts perhaps were stabbing at his flanks and it drove him to the edge and lost himself and became a demon. Technology or modern magic. They defile the sand with fire and turn it to, transform it into iron. Lady Eboshi acknowledged her iron ball turned that first boar god into a demon. Her iron ball seem to explode into fire as well when they strike. She used it at night to scare the apes who were planting trees in the dark. "The iron ball tore into flesh and bone" defiling the boar god and in dying it became a demon. Modern magic or technology corrupting the magic of the old forest gods. These are just the ideas that I came up with on this viewing of the movie. The ending confused me long ago in the first few viewings. This time watching with Nat's reactions I could make the connections with the different forces colliding in conflict and maybe what they could represent.

Mannygogou

I support Nat in the no-YT version. Not in 5 to 10 years. The next generation will have to pick up that mantle. Just to be clear, everyone likes the Ghibli movies. We'll all go to the theaters when they appear... but the YT version is just too risky. 5 years is the blink of an eye and 10 years is really too soon, maybe 20.

Mannygogou
>>149506271

there is a kind of rule when making decisions. The only real answer is to lean toward longevity. When ahem large companies want to pick between immediate monetary gain versus long term viability of the company, always go with the 100 year timeline plan. Better yet is 1,000 years but most people won't go to that scope, that's about the direction of civilizations, it's really the best decision but we can step down to a mere 100 years. For Ghibli what this means is the aspiration for their films to be relevant through generations of children who will grow up to be supporters... you can see how this should be part of a 100 year plan for a company. Under this lens a "scorched earth" policy or treating fans as the enemy... you can see how this does not align with a 100 year business plan. Creating a chilling effect at any point in the timeline will cause a rippling effect that will emanate from that point and that at each ripple changes the future causing the company risk. Each ripple alters the future. This is why you use a 100 year plan to test your short term decisions against. And there you have it folks, the answer to all the questions.

Mannygogou
>>149506271

And this is why Natalie should not upload Ghibli content to YouTube. It's just too risky. In the dark when it's hard to see, look to the North Star. Let it be your guiding light when the seas threaten to capsize you 😄 (Natalie is the ship, the rogue waves that come from all directions are the risks of navigating these waters that threaten to overturn and dunk her, the North Star is the constant that you can look to that will help you find your way and this is the long term plan for survival and success). For the safety of Nat's channel, no Ghibli.

Garrick Smalley

I am so glad you are reacting to the Ghibli movies. My favorite is Nausicaä since I also read the comics at the time. FYI Ashitaka was banished never to return to his village, he did not forget them he just knew he would never return even if he succeeded in his quest.

Holly

This would be my first time watching this particular film in the original Japanese with English subs. I found the voice of Moro surprising, but at the same time loved it. Additionally, I'm totally with you in thinking the score in this film is incredible. Goosebumps no matter how many times I've heard it! On another note, If you do end up watching Howl's moving Castle at some point, I definitely recommend/think you would enjoy the English dub. The voice acting is very good! Top tier actors. Ghibli doesn't miss lol

JML_fr
>>149275138

Regarding anime I’m leaning toward subs. For me it’s a matter of authenticity. You’ve got much more of a japanese atmosphere with japanese dialogues than you’ll get with a dub. I understand there’s great english speaking actors and US viewers can enjoy a kind of family vibe listening to them, but I think that’s the reason why it should be avoided: this familiarity is making something else out of the movie.

JML_fr

Let’s take time to think Ghibli is a great anime studio, but not the only one. May I suggest other anime movies: Grave of the Fireflies is still Ghibli, but there’s also Ghost in the shell, Summer Wars, Patema Inverted…

Connor Vide
>>149409845

Most people prefer subs over dubs. Lots of purists want to watch in the original language. I don’t mind either way

Josh R

fantastic film. I hope you check out all of the ghibli movies. Even the weaker ones. 3 ones that i love still are laputa castle in the sky, kikis delivery service and an underrated gem that is arietty.. (Definitely would love for you to see grave of the fire flies, its a crazy first time experience)