The first time I watched it when I was in High School I remember my reaction was "woah". Not "WOAH!" or "whoaaaaaaaaahh.", just "whoa" - plain and simple awe.
While some of you "cartoons are for kids"-people may scoff at anything animation, you better take another look. This movie has won 30 awards with critical acclaim from several Film Organizations- even winning the award for best Picture in the 21st Japanese Academy Awards. A far cry from your regular movie blockbuster which mostly rely on starpower and hype rather than a great meaningful story. Which means this isn't just your run-of-the-mill Saturday Morning Cartoon.
As is standard with Miyazaki's work with Ghibli, this film paints an elaborate fantasy world which is somewhat familiar but different. Close to home but still taking us on a fantasy journey. What I love about his work is the balance. It has enough of everything - action, drama, comedy, and even a little romance.
The story revolves around Ashitaka, a prince of the Emishi clan, and San, a human girl raised by wolves.
Ashitaka bravely defends his village from a Demon-Boar the size of a small bus but gets inflicted with a curse on his right arm in the process. He sets out to find a cure for his condition and stumbles upon an ongoing conflict between the Gods of the Forest (giant beasts) and the people in a small village called Iron Town. This town, with it's leader Lady Eboshi, wants to mine iron ore from the mountains but in order to do so has to clear the forests of trees. So naturally, this makes the forest gods angry. The situation is made even more complicated with interests of the emperor in taking over Iron Town, a strange monk called Jugo, and the clash between different tribes on how they should deal with the humans as boudaries are crossed and tempers rise.
Essentially this movie focuses around the conflict between man's progress and taking care of nature - a topic often tackled in films (Avatar, Fern Gully, Wall-E, The Day After Tomorrow, etc.). But in this film, nature is given a symbolic fighting force of it's own. Some of which are a clan of Giant Wolves, an army of Giant Boars, an Ape clan which takes care of planting trees, and a Spirit of the Forest which is able to control Life and Death itself.
This struggle, even in real life, has always been a battle fought with blood and tears. This is not lost on the movie. A lot of severed limbs, beheadings, and blood is shown. It's very action packed with several scenes with sword-play, gun-fighting, and explosions. But at the same time, there are several scenes which focuses on the beauty of nature.
Will man decimate nature for his own gain? Will nature destroy man to preserve order? Will the conflict be resolved in peace? This film definitely has a message but it's up to you to decide what it is. i didn't get it the first time I watched it. Hopefully not everyone is as thick-headed as I was. hehe. And if you are, just google it. There are tons of discussions on the meaning of the movie
