Overview
A young warrior's quest for redemption leads him into a battle between nature and humanity.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- epic
- brooding
- visceral
- immersive weekend viewing
- anime film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a landmark animated epic, praising its breathtaking visuals, artistic ambition, and nuanced ecological and anti-war themes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ashitaka recognizes legitimate needs among Lady Eboshi's workers while also defending the forest gods and San.
Ashitaka's wound from the demonized boar threatens to transform him as he becomes entangled in escalating hatred.
The Muromachi-era landscape includes forest gods, animal deities, demonized creatures, and human communities confronting technological change.
The ancient forest, wolf-god imagery, boar demons, and climactic supernatural transformations dominate the film's visual identity.
Films like Princess Mononoke, and why
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
shared epic fantasy animation, ecological conflict, spiritual worldbuilding, and morally complex human versus nature themes
Spirited Away
shared Studio Ghibli animation, coming-of-age adventure, animist fantasy, and emotionally resonant coexistence themes
The Last Unicorn
shared mythic fantasy adventure, environmental destruction, and conflict between industrial society and supernatural forces
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
shared animated spectacle, anti-war themes, tragic violence, and divided loyalties within a fantastical setting
Movie Details
- Director
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Release Date
- 1997-07-12
- Runtime
- 134 min
- Rating
- 8.3 / 10 (9329)
Cast
- Yoji Matsuda
- Yuriko Ishida
- Yuko Tanaka
- Kaoru Kobayashi
- Masahiko Nishimura
- Tsunehiko Kamijô
- Akihiro Miwa
- Mitsuko Mori
- Hisaya Morishige
- Sumi Shimamoto
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Princess Mononoke about?
- A cursed young warrior crosses a mythic Muromachi Japan to mediate a brutal struggle between an expanding human settlement and the gods of an endangered forest.
- What is Princess Mononoke like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Princess Mononoke as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Princess Mononoke violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Princess Mononoke as graphic.
- What did critics think of Princess Mononoke?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a landmark animated epic, praising its breathtaking visuals, artistic ambition, and nuanced ecological and anti-war themes.
- Which films are like Princess Mononoke?
- Films with a similar feel include Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Spirited Away, The Last Unicorn, and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
- How long is Princess Mononoke?
- Princess Mononoke runs 134 minutes.
- Where can I watch Princess Mononoke?
- In United States, Princess Mononoke streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
