On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.
While Americans rarely see much for cartoons beyond the world of Walt Disney (or perhaps Don Bluth), we can thank fantasy author Neil Gaiman for getting this Japanese film properly released in the states. Between "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited Away", there is much to be seen in the way of Japanese animation beyond the omnipresent anime.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called Princess Mononoke "a great achievement and a wonderful experience, and one of the best films of the year." He is not alone in that sentiment. Almost twenty years later, the film has not decreased in its critical praise.
While Americans rarely see much for cartoons beyond the world of Walt Disney (or perhaps Don Bluth), we can thank fantasy author Neil Gaiman for getting this Japanese film properly released in the states. Between "Princess Mononoke" and "Spirited Away", there is much to be seen in the way of Japanese animation beyond the omnipresent anime.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called Princess Mononoke "a great achievement and a wonderful experience, and one of the best films of the year." He is not alone in that sentiment. Almost twenty years later, the film has not decreased in its critical praise.