Princess Mononoke
By Brian Camp,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Epic, compelling, and violent anime classic.
A Lot or a Little?
What you willāand won'tāfind in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Princess Mononoke
Community Reviews
Based on 35 parent reviews
Absolute Masterpiece
A content-focused review
What's the Story?
PRINCESS MONONOKE begins in 15th century Japan, as Ashitaka (voiced by YÅji Matsuda in the original version and Billy Crudup in the English dub), a young prince from a remote tribe, is cursed by a dying boar god from the forest region of western Japan. His journey to the source of the curse takes him to Iron Town. There, Lady Eboshi (YÅ«ko Tanaka/Minnie Driver) runs an operation that smelts ore taken from the surrounding mountains once dominated by wolves and boars. Ashitaka is drawn to San (Yuriko Ishida/Claire Danes), a girl raised by wolves. Together they work to try to stop Lady Eboshi and the corrupt monk Jigo (Kaoru Kobayashi/Billy Bob Thornton) from waging war on the animals.
Is It Any Good?
This film is a masterwork of animated storytelling from esteemed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. Charting an epic battle of humans versus gods in old Japan, Princess Mononoke is filled with adventure and beauty. It boasts the scope and grandeur of a live-action historical epic yet also has the fantastic elements of animation. These elements, in the form of talking animals and a magical forest spirit, are treated with utmost realism. The animals debate their plight with dead seriousness and attack humans in murderous rage. They're nothing like the talking animals in Disney features.
The English dub features several actors well-known to British and American audiences, mixing accents from Lady Eboshi's British lilt to the monk Jigo's Southern drawl to San's modern American teenage inflections. Other famous English-language cast members include Gillian Anderson as the wolf god Moro, Jada Pinkett-Smith as Toki, and Keith David as boar god Okkoto.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role of violence in Princess Mononoke and in real life. How does the impact of the violence in this movie compare to that of live-action films?
What audience do you think this movie is most likely to appeal to? Why? Who do you think it's intended for?
How does this movie explore the tension between protection of the environment and humankind's consumption of the planet's natural resources?
How do Ashitaka and San demonstrate courage and perseverance? Why is it also important that they have compassion and empathy? How do these traits help them?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 29, 1999
- On DVD or streaming: July 20, 2000
- Cast: Akira Nagoya , Yoji Matsuda , Yuriko Ishida
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Inclusion Information: Asian directors, Female actors, Asian actors
- Studio: Miramax
- Genre: Anime
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Sports and Martial Arts , Adventures , Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Perseverance
- Run time: 133 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: images of violence and gore
- Last updated: May 3, 2024
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate