Released in Japan on July 12th, 1997, Princess Mononoke will be celebrating its 25-year anniversary this year. It has inspired numerous films since it was released, and is often credited with helping popularize anime in the West. The film was easily the highest grossing Japanese movie of 1997, earning 11.3 billion Yen (over $85 million USD). It would later be released in the US in 1999, and had an extremely positive critical reception. Despite never reaching the fanfare and cult following that Spirited Away received, Princess Mononoke is still one of the best animated movies of all time. It's well-worth another watch on the eve of its 25th anniversary.

The Cursed Prince

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Studio Ghibli 

Directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, Princess Mononoke follows the journey of Ashitaka (Billy Crudup, Yoshi Matsuda), a prince who is cursed by a dying boar god and forced to leave his village to live a life as a nomad. Knowing the curse will eventually take his life, he heads out on a journey to discover the origin of the curse, and find those responsible. Along the way, Ashitaka gets involved in a war between two groups of power-hungry humans that will stop at nothing to control the world around them. Even if it means they have to kill a god.

The film also features the English-speaking voice cast that consists of big names like Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, Keith David, and Billy Bob Thornton. It's one of the rare cases where the English dub stands on its own, although both the Japanese and English versions of the movie feature excellent voice acting. Princess Mononoke got an incredible score from long time Ghibli composer, Joe Hisaishi. It may just be the best score of any Studio Ghibli movie to date.

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A Different Kind of Studio Ghibli Storyelkl

Princess Mononoke explores themes of environmentalism and anti-war sentiment rooted in Japanese folk lore. Hayao Miyazaki, the brilliant director of many of Studio Ghibli’s greatest films, was inspired by the forests of Yakushima Island when first writing this film. Miyazaki started creatively work shopping the ideas as far back as the 1970s, where he was drawing very early prototypes of some main characters. However, he wouldn't start putting pen to paper until the mid-'90s. Princess Mononoke is a cautionary tale about the greed of mankind. The whole thing is wrapped into a true fantasy epic that doesn't pull any punches, despite being in a medium most often used in children's movies. It doesn't shove the message in your face, but, instead, it eloquently gets the message across through imagery, character moments, and story. It may take 100 years to grow a tree, but it only takes a second to knock one down.

As a contrast to other Studio Ghibli films such as My Neighbor Totoro, or Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke is a dark and often tragic story that still maintains that signature Ghibli magic. Princess Mononoke is full of large scale battles, decapitations, and mutilations. It is one of only four Studio Ghibli movies to net a PG-13 rating, and it is by far the most violent out of all of them. Despite being darker in tone, it is still considered to be one of the best Studio Ghibli movies of all time.

The Stand Against Harvey Weinstein

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NHK

It's not a secret anymore that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein used his power to bully, manipulate and assault people in the film industry. Weinstein would play power games with directors, and even legendary director Hayao Miyazaki wasn't immune to this. Princess Mononoke still found success in the west despite interference from Harvey Weinstein, who oversaw US distribution. Famously, Weinstein wanted to cut the film to 90 minutes from its original run time of 133. Studio Ghibli’s response? They sent Weinstein a samurai sword with the message: "No cuts". Many people believed that Miyazaki was directly involved; however, in a 2005 interview with the Guardian, the director clarified, "Actually, my producer did that. Although I did go to New York to meet this man, this Harvey Weinstein, and I was bombarded with this aggressive attack, all these demands for cuts … I defeated him."

It was a good thing that there were no cuts because, even at a strong 133 minutes, the film doesn't waste a single second. Every scene is essential for drawing the audience into the world that Miyazaki created.

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The Impact of Princess Mononoke

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Fox Television

Less so than other Studio Ghibli films, Princess Mononoke has still had a huge impact on the pop culture world, including being referenced in a Simpsons episode. The creators of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, also cited Princess Mononoke as a big influence for the show, and the character of Ahsoka Tano specifically. Many people also draw comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which sold over 25 million units. You might even be able to visit a theme park influenced by the works of Miyazaki.

The problems facing the world that inspired Miyazaki over 25 years ago are still facing everyone today. With growing concerns over climate change, war, and humanity’s impact on the earth as a whole, Princess Mononoke resonates just as effectively 25 years later. There may even be some lessons yet to learn.