Mononoke Hime

Princess Mononoke (Japanese: もののけ姫, Hepburn: Mononoke‑hime) is a 1997 Japanese animated historical fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Set during the Muromachi period, the story follows Ashitaka, a young Emishi prince who travels west to heal a cursed arm and becomes caught in the clash between Iron Town and the forest of the gods, as well as the conflict between Lady Eboshi and San, a human girl raised by wolves. The film was produced by Toshio Suzuki, animated by Studio Ghibli, and distributed by Toho, featuring the voices of Yōji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yūko Tanaka, Kaoru Kobayashi, Masahiko Nishimura, Tsunehiko Kamijō, Akihiro Miwa, Mitsuko Mori, and Hisaya Morishige. Miyazaki began developing early concepts in 1980, later considering a film based on the 1212 literary classic Hōjōki; elements of both evolved significantly into the final work. After directing On Your Mark (1995), he led production on Princess Mononoke with a ¥2.35 billion budget, making it the most expensive animated film of its time. The movie blended hand‑drawn animation with computer‑generated imagery and other digital techniques, a first for Miyazaki. Themes include environmentalism, societal diversity, and a feminist portrayal of its characters, all framed within a medieval Japanese setting influenced by the jidaigeki style. Joe Hisaishi composed the score. Princess Mononoke premiered in Japan on 12 July 1997, breaking multiple box‑office records and attracting large audiences. Suzuki oversaw a marketing campaign that became the largest in Japan at the time, and the film ultimately became the highest‑grossing Japanese film of its era. A distribution deal between Tokuma Shoten and Walt Disney Studios made it the first Studio Ghibli film released internationally; Miramax later dubbed it into English with a translation by Neil Gaiman, though the dub underperformed at the box office. As of 2020, the film had earned US$194.3 million worldwide through theatrical and home‑media releases. It received broad critical acclaim in both Japan and the United States, earning major Japanese awards including top honors at the Mainichi Film Awards and the Japan Academy Film Prize, and it has since maintained a lasting cultural impact as a cult classic.