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Reviews:
Princess
Mononoke, American Pop Icon?
by Michael Flanagan
Super
Princess Mononoke has been
hailed by fans (and the back of the DVD and
video case) as the Star Wars of Anime. The cover art shows two glowing clashing swords and a
fighter, clenching his teeth in battle.
Even the title, with emphasis on the word
“princess,” brings Star Wars to mind.
But Star Wars this is not!
In a completely
unconventional way, set apart from adventure
movies both animated and otherwise, and in a way
completely like yet unlike Star Wars, Princess
Mononoke is thoroughly enjoyable.
The film contains beautiful animation, a
wonderful story, and compelling action sequences
that balance perfectly with the somber
philosophical moments.
The film’s theme, not uncommon to
anime, is a hero’s rise, fall, and redemption
in the eyes of not just one person, but also an
entire world.
And the fantastical world
of Mononoke is a thrill ride in itself,
with giant talking dogs, glowing spinning
gnomes, and frightening, blood-dripping
creatures of the night. The stunning creativity inherent in this story is matched
equally by the art, providing a well-crafted
tale that seems to come from a fable of our
past, even though we have never before heard it.
Why, though, is Princess
Mononoke going mainstream, unlike the
hundreds of anime features that are released
every year?
Anime films are occasionally noticed,
like Akira, or, more recently, Ghost
in the Shell.
But Mononoke provides more.
Its story reminds us of ourselves, for
ambiguous reasons.
It contains a universal symbolism to
which all cultures connect, and that bridge
draws this film to the center of American
attention.
Furthermore, Hollywood stars like Billy
Crudup, Claire Danes, Gillian Anderson, and
Billy Bob Thornton provide the overdubbed
voices.
Princess Mononoke is
a great film.
The contemplative, philosophical moments
tend to slow the movie a bit, and the ending may
seem drawn out and confusing to some.
But when taken in as a whole, the film is
easily one of the best mainstream anime films to
come out in years.
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Princes
Mononoke
by Joe De Matteo
Super
What? Watch an animated action movie?
I think not.
I’m beyond the age of even hoping that
I could enjoy one.
Mark
raved about this movie so much, I thought I’d
watch it and write a bad review just to bust his
chops. But
that was not to be.
I actually liked Princes Mononoke.
The animation is excellent, and the story
is compelling enough to have had me forget I was
watching a “cartoon” a number of times.
I liked the characters and the fact that
I could recognize some of the voices.
The
other thing I liked about it is the message.
The hero is determined to strike a
balance between human progress/capitalism and
ecology. If
this movie were made in America, we’d be
bombarded with left wing dribble that says if it
weren’t for us this planet would be a great
place to live.
Princess
Mononoke has opened the door to anime for me.
Hey, can you recommend a good one. jdematteo@hugereviews.com
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