Princess Mononoke is also a film that takes its time. It gets you to root for him through heroic action rather than exposition. It’s not only a dazzling way to start things off, but it firmly invests you in the story and effectively proves Ashitaka’s ability as a leader. The film immediately throws you into danger with an exciting fight scene that helps establish the premise. There is very little handholding throughout Princess Mononoke (although this dub does have some inconsequential lines that help explain Japanese culture and customs). It’s easy to see how daunting works like James Cameron’s Avatar can be heavily inspired by this story, while still fail to tap into its soul and successfully bring to life what makes Princess Mononoke such a triumph. Part of Mononoke’s charm is in how this could be an incredibly simple story-and there are many films that take that route-but Mononoke gets unexpectedly deep with its material in a way that many live-action dramas don’t often have the patience or clarity to do. The recent Studio Ghibli Fest has largely stood as a celebration of Hayao Miyazaki, but they also allow films like Princess Mononoke to play within a new context to fresh eyes. It’s been about two decades since I’ve revisited Princess Mononoke, but it’s thankfully still an awe-inspiring experience that’s arguably even more effective now. It’s a real testament to a film’s staying power if it can still be relevant decades later.

There are plenty of animated features that make a strong impact upon their initial release, only to the fade into obscurity over the years. Ashitaka’s outsider status makes him a perfect audience surrogate, but it also turns him into a suitable partner to aid San in her efforts to help her home survive. He’s very much a guest in these proceedings, but even still, he may be someone who’s able to irrevocably help change the status quo. It’s a smart way to properly convey the awe of this conflict and that this struggle feels so much bigger and more eternal than Ashitaka. Princess Mononoke rather brilliantly presents the story of this war from the prospective of an outsider, Ashitaka, who just gets caught up in the middle of this. Old, traditional values are in conflict here, yet Princess Mononoke is impressively able to make them feel fresh and exciting. This is an idea that remains exceedingly relevant even twenty years after the film’s release.

The film explores the simple theme of nature versus industrialization, yet it injects a flair of fantasy into that premise so that it sets supernatural forest guardians against the neglectful humans who abuse and consume their resources. As Ashitaka searches for a cure, he gets caught in the middle of an eternal war between San and the spirits of the forest and a village run by a vengeful tyrant, Lady Eboshi. Princess Mononoke carefully tells the story of the humble warrior, Ashitaka, who becomes inflicted with an ancient virus.

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