Princess Mononoke (1997)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  10 / 10

  Princess Mononoke is Miyazaki's masterpiece. I've found it, I've finally found it. Studio Ghibli's magnum opus. The greatest anime feature film I've ever seen. Possibly the best fantasy film I've seen as well. This, this is absolutely incredible. Flawless. The story involves a young warrior who is injured with a supernatural curse. He leaves his remote village in search of a remedy but is caught in the midst of a battle between humans and divine beasts. Depicting the clash between the natural ecological system and the modern urbanisation of mankind. Two opposing ideals and environments that struggle to cohabit in unison. An important environmental statement: be good to nature and nature will be good to you. A fundamental statement that doesn't at all feel preachy, but yet it's ever so present throughout every artistic scene. Strip away the fantasy elements and you are still left with a poignant plot that consistently engages throughout its runtime. Every scene matters, every scene builds upon each other like a stack of bricks to then culminate for an epic third act. The animation is stunning. A work of art. The imagination and creativity that is portrayed on screen is a wonder to behold, and will appeal to everyone. The English dub was well done, all the voice actors suited their roles. San's voice did take some time for me to warm to, but by the end I was on board. Surprisingly, this is an emotional journey. Towards the end where there are a few deaths, I actually felt saddened. The biggest impact of them all was actually the destruction of the environment, Miyazaki somehow creates a personality out of the forest to which I connected to it on an emotional level. Masterful work, it really is. Also, the musical score was mesmerising. Slight warning, its rated a PG but I think it will too much for younger viewers. Lots of severed limbs and bloody imagery that I'm sure will invoke nightmares. Princess Mononoke is the best Studio Ghibli animation I've seen, it's an epic masterpiece that everyone should watch. For that reason it gets the perfect rating.

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