Princess Mononoke is a film set in a reality where gods, curses, and metaphysical elements are tangible and rational — they are proven to be true right before your very eyes. This setting chosen by Ghibli, I feel, sets a boundary on the material reality as we perceive and the creative imagination of the reality that is fictious. By using the same jargon that we use and believe are real in our world, the writers exemplify the fictious and unproven nature of what we believe is true by showing us that for gods and demons to be true, this is the degree at which the tangible reality must contain. By realizing that our reality resembles in no way the fiction in Princess Mononoke, we realize that religion, mythology, and other forms of metaphysical beliefs are no more than literature to our heart’s contempt for romanticism and hope.
The world setting in this story sees a very strong focus on the ecological and natural aspects through being set in Japan during the late Muromachi period (approximately 14th–16th century) while the natural landscape depicted in the film was inspired by Yakushima, an island in Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan. Yakushima is famous for its dense, moss-covered forests and ancient cedar trees, particularly in Shiratani Unsuikyo ravine, which Miyazaki and the Ghibli team visited during production. This location’s mystical beauty and biodiversity helped shape the enchanting, primeval forest home to the gods and spirits in the movie. Therefore, even at first glance, it is evident that the setting of the film has a rich intertwine of nature, myth, and reality.
This intertwine of myth and reality, as previously mentioned, seeks a subtle aspect of creating a world where beyond idealism, the world is representing the material truth in the most scientific and tangible form. Prince Ashitaka’s lethal curse, which acts as the anchor and start point for the narrative, further proves the distinction the film is aiming to create. The curse itself is not based on idealistic beliefs but rather is visibly seen by the human eye as is accepted as the material truth in the world setting - this choice to have the curse be visible and verifiable through the different aspects in which Prince Ashitaka finds his curse taking over his life communicate this philosophy and narrative choice.
As the story progresses after developing the sentiment of nature and the fantastical aspects of the story, a new core setting is introduced in the form of Irontown - a growing industrial village which lives neighboring the home of the forest spirit. In this segment of the story, the film shifts towards its core message which is to visualize the ambitions and greed of colonizers and imperialists acting in their own self-interest of world domination. Lady Eboshi is introduced as the character that personifies industrial ambition and greed at the expense of nature. In our material reality, nature has no way of defending itself nor is there an easily identifiable consequence that shows itself to us in a pursuit for profits and extraction. However, this film puts forward the nature as a self-reliant, almost on-par force of its own with forest spirits and gods to magnify the growing conflict through the introducing themes of war and conquest.
In the world of spirits, gods, demons, and humans, this film encapsulates the metaphorical symbolism of the hatred and negativity flowing through war — war between nature and humans as well as the war amongst humans. Princess Mononoke, or commonly referred to as ‘San’, is seen as a human who identifies with the goddess Wolf, Moro, who raised her when she was abandoned as a baby. San is seen as a character in the story who while thinking like a forest spirit and a guardian, is herself human. This character choice, I believe, aims at developing her character towards the end goal which is to help all the partaking characters in the storyline realize their unfairness, lack of equality, and actions of self-interest to push towards a more collaborative and equal stance where everyone can co-exist peacefully. Prince Ashitaka personifies this end goal as the lead character that pushes to help everyone realize this ideology through his own perseverance despite a lethal curse that is set to destroy his soul and later kill him.
As the film progresses, certain dilemmas are fed into the viewer. Lady Eboshi, even though is evidently the antagonist and the easily recognizable modern-day colonizer whose ambitions cross many limits, the contrast can also be found in the face of the character — Okkoto. The boar god, Okkoto, the successor of Nago, the previous boar god turned demon god who curses Ashitaka, is seen is the contrasting leader of the war against Lady Eboshi. Okkoto also acts in his own self-interest, keen on wiping out humans. Hence, the film builds up a growing conflict between nature and humans acting in their own self-interests to conquer the other.
In the middling, rational space of characters, we find Prince Ashitaka fighting for peace while Prince Mononoke and the Moro clan act as developing character who are later open-minded and collaborative in Ashitaka’s quest. As Lady Eboshi is after the head of the forest spirit, Moro is after hers. This head for a head hatred of collective destruction fuels the premise of the story. However, an important debate opens up — was Lady Eboshi, the industrialist leader of Irontown, more unreasonable than the nature’s forces?
The short answer is — yes, ofcourse. But, to rightfully answer this question, it is important to have discussion of breaking down the character of Lady Eboshi. Lady Eboshi, is seen as ruthless industrial imperialist and also shows paternalistic control over marginalized groups, such as former lepers and prostitutes, recruiting them into her industrial community, which parallels how imperialist regimes co-opt and impose order on subjugated populations. Though she treats them with care and empathy, her authoritarianism and unapologetically utilitarian nature where she prioritizes economic growth and survival over ecological balance or respect for the forest’s sovereignty is evidently visible.
On the other side of the field, is the forces of nature. Personified by mainly the boars, led by Okkoto, are seen to have similar goals of self-interest and violence. However, his actions, driven by pride and desperation, are rooted in protecting the forest and his kind from human encroachment and destruction. Despite some implication of the benefits the animals can reap from an expanded forest mass, they are working more along a field of desperation than to expand luxuries or development. The nature forces in this film, inherently, do not have any ulterior motives to gain comfort or luxury in any way. Animals are seen to be thriving in the very minimal naturally occurring resources that they receive, as seen in our real life.
Lady Eboshi’s character is seen as a complex human being with motivations, hopes, and flaws — like most characters, but is rightfully the antagonist of the story by comparing the drive for both sides.
While nature seeks desperate survival, humans act as a cancer that seeks to grow in a world of limited resources and space.
As the film reaches the climax, the consequences of ambition and greed are seen by the humans while Ashitaka’s philosophy of balance and collaboration is seen to evidently be more rational. The forest spirits, outnumbered and outperformed, fall one by one. A final stand and the ultimate consequence of greed and cancerous ambitions is seen as the forest spirit’s final form, after it’s decapitation, becomes a god of death, seeking to destroy everything and everyone until it reunites with its head to leave this realm.
Ashitaka, with the motivation to minimize causalities on both sides, saves Lady Eboshi while also returning the head of the forest spirit back to itself. And so, the film reaches a satisfying climax as Lady Eboshi faces the consequences of her ambition, Ashitaka seeks to rebuild with collaboration with nature.