Mononoke-hime (1997)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Hayao Miyazaki

Writer:

Hayao Miyazaki (written by)

Release Date:

26 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

The Fate Of The World Rests On The Courage Of One Warrior.

Plot:

On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest and Tataraba, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.

Plot Keywords:

Forest | Curse | Princess | Animal | Warrior

Awards:

11 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Yôji Matsuda	...	Ashitaka (voice)
Yuriko Ishida	...	San (voice)
Yûko Tanaka	...	Eboshi-gozen (voice)
Kaoru Kobayashi	...	Jiko-bô (voice)
Masahiko Nishimura	...	Kouroku (voice)
Tsunehiko Kamijô	...	Gonza (voice)
Sumi Shimamoto	...	Toki (voice)
Tetsu Watanabe	...	Yama-inu (voice)
Mitsuru Satô	...	Tatari-gami (voice)
Akira Nagoya	...	Usi-kai (voice)
Akihiro Miwa	...	Moro-no-kimi (voice)
Mitsuko Mori	...	Hii-sama (voice)
Hisaya Morishige	...	Okkoto-nusi (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pamela Adlon	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Pamela Segall)
Gillian Anderson	...	Moro (voice: English version)
Lewis Arquette	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Corey Burton	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Jennifer Cihi	...	Tatara's Women Song (voice: English version)
Billy Crudup	...	Ashitaka (voice: English version)
Claire Danes	...	San (voice: English version)
Keith David	...	Okkoto / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
John DeMita	...	Kohroku (voice: English version)
Debi Derryberry	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
John Di Maggio	...	Gonza / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Minnie Driver	...	Lady Eboshi (voice: English version)
Alex Fernandez	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Jack Fletcher	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Julia Fletcher	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Julia DeMita)
Pat Fraley	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Patrick Fraley)
Takako Fuji	...	Woman in Iron Town
John Hostetter	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Leslie Ishii	...	Tatara's Women Song (voice: English version)
Yoshimasa Kondô	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
John Rafter Lee	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Sherry Lynn	...	Iron Town Woman / Emishi Villiage Girl (voice: English version)
Tress MacNeille	...	Iron Town Woman / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn	...	Tatara's Women Song (voice: English version)
Matt McKenzie	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Michael McShane	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Matt K. Miller	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Marnie Mosiman	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Adam Paul	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	Toki (voice: English version)
David Rasner	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Kimihiro Reizei	...	Jibashiri (voice)
Dwight Schultz	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Tara Strong	...	Kaya (voice: English version)
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Jigo (voice: English version)
K.T. Vogt	...	Complaining Wife (voice: English version)
Jessica Lynn	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Hayao Miyazaki

Writing credits
Hayao Miyazaki		(written by)

Produced by
Yutaka Narita	....	executive producer
Seiji Okuda	....	associate producer
Toshio Suzuki	....	producer
Yasuyoshi Tokuma	....	chief executive producer
Seiichiro Ujiie	....	executive producer
Takahiro Yonezawa	....	assistant producer

Original Music by
Joe Hisaishi

Cinematography by
Atsushi Okui

Film Editing by
Hayao Miyazaki
Takeshi Seyama

Art Direction by
Satoshi Kuroda
Kazuo Oga
Yôji Takeshige
Naoya Tanaka
Nizou Yamamoto

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Koji Aritomi	....	assistant director
Masakatsu Ishizone	....	assistant director
Hiroyuki Ito	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Tsutomo Asakura	....	sound mix assistant
Dan Edelstein	....	foley editor: US version
Masahiro Fukuhara	....	sound recording assistant
Nobutaka Hirooka	....	dialogue recordist
Kazuhiko Ikai	....	sound effects production support
Tatsuya Ikeba	....	dialogue recordist
Shuji Inoue	....	sound recording mixer
Takahisa Ishino	....	sound effects assistant
Muchihiro Ito	....	sound effects
Mitsuharu Kanei	....	dialogue recordist
Takao Kato	....	sound effects compilation support
Val Kuklowsky	....	adr editor
Eric Lewis	....	assistant adr engineer: English dialogue
Rie Nishijima	....	dialogue recordist
Warren Shaw	....	sound effects editor
Ernie Sheesley	....	dialogue recordist
Tsukuru Takagi	....	sound mix assistant
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shigeru Tokida	....	sound effects production support
James Twomey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Makoto Uchida	....	sound mix assistant
Gary Ulmer	....	dialogue recording mixer
Kazuhiro Wakabayashi	....	sound
Motoi Watanabe	....	sound effects production support
Tsunahiro Yamamura	....	sound effects compilation support
Yuki Yasoshima	....	dialogue recordist

Visual Effects by
Yoshikazu Fukutome	....	special art effects
Tomoji Hashizume	....	special effects animator
Masahiro Murakami	....	special effects animator
Toyohiko Sakakibara	....	special effects animator
Kaoru Tanifuji	....	special effects animator
Kumiko Taniguchi	....	special effects animator
Michael Arias	....	software development (uncredited)

Animation Department
Akihiko Adachi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Akiko Aihara	....	ink and paint artist
Sigeko Akanuma	....	ink and paint artist
Masashi Ando	....	supervising animator
Kaori Anmi	....	ink and paint artist
Naomi Anzai	....	ink and paint artist
Sadayuki Arai	....	background artist
Yoriko Asai	....	ink and paint artist
Naomi Atsuta	....	ink and paint artist
Tsutomu Awata	....	key animator
Seiko Azuma	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Reiko Daigo	....	ink and paint artist
David Encinas	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Masaaki Endo	....	key animator
Kiyomi Fujihashi	....	ink and paint artist
Kaori Fujii	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Masayo Fujikura	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Maya Fujimori	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Sachiko Funasaki	....	ink and paint artist
Hiromi Furuya	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Sumiko Furuya	....	ink and paint artist
Makiko Futaki	....	key animator
Keiko Goto	....	ink and paint artist
Chiharu Haraguchi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Chie Harai	....	ink and paint artist
Kimiko Hatano	....	ink and paint artist
Keiichiro Hattori	....	digital ink and paint artist
Yoshie Hayashi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kazuhiro Hirabayashi	....	ink and paint artist
Sayaka Hirahara	....	background artist
Kazuko Hirai	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Mari Hitokurai	....	ink and paint artist
Yoshiko Igarashi	....	ink and paint artist
Natsuko Iimori	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Takeshi Imamura	....	key animator
Ryouko Ina	....	background artist
Mihoko Irie	....	ink and paint artist
Michiyo Iseda	....	ink and paint artist
Megumi Ishido	....	digital ink and paint artist
Shizuka Ishiguro	....	ink and paint artist
Hiroaki Ishii	....	digital ink and paint artist
Eriko Ishikawa	....	ink and paint artist
Kaori Ishikawa	....	ink and paint artist
Shin Itagaki	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Toshiko Iwakiri	....	ink and paint artist
Emiko Iwayanagi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Megumi Kagawa	....	key animator
Yukiko Kakita	....	digital ink and paint artist
Yoshinori Kanada	....	key animator
Junko Kanauchi	....	ink and paint artist
Naomi Kasugai	....	background artist
Yuriko Katayama	....	ink and paint artist
Manabu Kawada	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Toshio Kawaguchi	....	key animator
Hana Kikuchi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Yumiko Kimura	....	ink and paint artist
Yumiko Kitajima	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kazuo Kobayashi	....	ink and paint artist
Sachiko Kobayashi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Atsushi Kodama	....	ink and paint artist
Komasa	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Katsuya Kondô	....	key animator
Rie Kondou	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Yoshifumi Kondo	....	supervising animator
Ken'ichi Konishi	....	key animator
Kitaro Kosaka	....	supervising animator
Yuriko Kudo	....	ink and paint artist
Misuzu Kurata	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kazuko Kurosawa	....	ink and paint artist
Ikuo Kuwana	....	key animator
Kinuyo Maehara	....	ink and paint artist
Kiyoko Makita	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Reiko Mano	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Mariko Matsuo	....	key animator
Megumi Matsuo	....	ink and paint artist
Masaru Matsuse	....	key animator
Atsuko Matsushita	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Michio Mihara	....	key animator
Hiroko Minowa	....	key animator
Junko Miyakawa	....	ink and paint artist
Chiemi Miyamoto	....	ink and paint artist
Chiyomi Morisawa	....	ink and paint artist
Shinobu Mori	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Kaoru Morita	....	ink and paint artist
Noriko Moritomo	....	key animator
Emiko Motohashi	....	ink and paint artist
Yuki Murata	....	digital ink and paint artist
Hisashi Nabetani	....	ink and paint artist
Kyouko Naganawa	....	background artist
Junko Nagaoka	....	ink and paint artist
Sayuri Nagashima	....	ink and paint artist
Yoko Nagashima	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kaoru Nakagama	....	ink and paint artist
Rie Nakagome	....	animation checker
Keiko Nakaji	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Katsutoshi Nakamura	....	animation checker
Daisuke Nakayama	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Rie Niidome	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Sumie Nishido	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Hiromi Nishikawa	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Toyomi Nishimura	....	ink and paint artist
Yoshimi Nishiwaki	....	ink and paint artist
Takehiro Noda	....	key animator
Minori Noguchi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Yukie Nomura	....	ink and paint artist
Fumiko Oda	....	ink and paint artist
Noriko Odaka	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Mayumi Ohmura	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kumiko Ohta	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kimiyo Okunichi	....	ink and paint artist
Akiko Ono	....	ink and paint artist
Kazuyoshi Onoda	....	animation checker
Masako Osada	....	background artist
Masako Osumi	....	ink and paint artist
Kiyomi Ota	....	background artist
Makiko Ota	....	ink and paint artist
Atsuko Ôtani	....	key animator
Shinji Otsuka	....	key animator
Kazumi Ouchi	....	ink and paint artist
Mito Ozaki	....	ink and paint artist
Hisae Saito	....	background artist
Masaya Saitou	....	animation checker
Masako Sakano	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Sonoe Sakano	....	ink and paint artist
Yukie Sako	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Hiroaki Sasaki	....	background artist
Keiko Sasaki	....	ink and paint artist
Shinsaku Sasaki	....	key animator
Keiko Sato	....	ink and paint artist
Makiko Sato	....	digital ink and paint artist
Kuri Sawa	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Eriko Shibata	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kazuko Shibata	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Ritsuko Shiina	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Miyoko Shikibu	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Hiroshi Shimizu	....	key animator
Mariko Shimizu	....	ink and paint artist
Rie Shimizu	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Yumiko Shimoe	....	digital ink and paint artist
Masako Shinohara	....	key animator
Akira Sugino	....	digital ink and paint artist
Sachiko Sugino	....	key animator
Wakako Sugiyama	....	ink and paint artist
Eiichi Suzuki	....	ink and paint artist
Makiko Suzuki	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Mariko Suzuki	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Fumiko Taira	....	ink and paint artist
Sayuri Takagi	....	ink and paint artist
Kanako Takahashi	....	digital ink and paint artist
Naomi Takahashi	....	ink and paint artist
Atsushi Tamura	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Seiki Tamura	....	background artist
Masae Tanabe	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Atsuko Tanaka	....	key animator: Telecom Animation Film
Junichi Taniguchi	....	background artist
Kumiko Tanihira	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Hitomi Tateno	....	animation checker
Tomomi Tenma	....	ink and paint artist
Akiko Teshima	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Hiroko Tetsuka	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Tae Tochihara	....	ink and paint artist
Yoko Toju	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Yoyoi Toki	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Masae Tomino	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Keiko Tomizawa	....	inbetween animator
Tomoko Totsuka	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Hiromi Tsuchiya	....	ink and paint artist
Shinobu Tsunegi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kazuko Tsunoda	....	ink and paint artist
Koujirou Tsuraoka	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Akihiko Uda	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Mineko Ueda	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Kazue Urayama	....	ink and paint artist
Keiko Watanabe	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Natsuko Watanabe	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Nobuko Watanabe	....	ink and paint artist
Alexandra Weihrauch	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Hisako Yaji	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Kaori Yajima	....	ink and paint artist
Kazuko Yamada	....	ink and paint artist
Ken'ichi Yamada	....	key animator
Tamami Yamada	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Eiji Yamamori	....	key animator
Mayumi Yamamoto	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Tomoko Yamamoto	....	ink and paint artist
Yukari Yamaura	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Morihiko Yano	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Michiyo Yasuda	....	color designer
Hiroko Yasutome	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Mayu Yazawa	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Hiromasa Yonebayashi	....	inbetween/clean-up artist
Ken'ichi Yoshida	....	key animator
Miyoko Yoshida	....	ink and paint artist
Noboru Yoshida	....	background artist
Hideaki Yoshio	....	key animator
Keiko Yozawa	....	inbetween/clean-up artist: Telecom Animation Film
Tatsumi Yukiwaki	....	ink and paint artist

Casting Department
Jack Fletcher	....	casting: English voices

Editorial Department
Masayo Iseki	....	color key
Naomi Mori	....	color key
Kanako Moriya	....	color key

Music Department
Kenji Furukawa	....	music recordist
Joe Hisaishi	....	music arranger
Joe Hisaishi	....	musician: piano solos
Kazumi Inaki	....	music production
Hiroya Ishihara	....	music recordist
Hiroshi Kumagai	....	conductor
Makoto Morimoto	....	music mixer
Masayoshi Okawa	....	music mixer
Toru Takigawa	....	music production
Yukio Yamashita	....	music production
Joe Hisaishi	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Stephen Alpert	....	overseas promotion
Jack Fletcher	....	voice director: English version
Keiji Hamada	....	overseas promotion
Kenji Imura	....	production assistant
Haruyo Moriyoshi	....	overseas promotion
Minako Nagasawa	....	public relations
Koji Otsuka	....	production assistant
Tara Strong	....	additional voices
Kin'ichirô Suzuki	....	production assistant
Tamami Yamamoto	....	public relations

Production Companies

• DENTSU Music And Entertainment
• Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV)
• Studio Ghibli
• Tokuma Shoten

Distributors

• Toho Company (1997) (worldwide) (all media)
• Buena Vista International (2000) (worldwide) (all media)
• Intercontinental Film Distributors (HK) (2000) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• Dimension Films
• EDKO Film (1997) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (France)
• Intercontinental Video (2000) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Miramax Films (1999) (USA) (dubbed)
• New Films International
• Universum Film (UFA) (2003) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Avaco Creative Studio  dialogue recording
• Avaco Creative Studio  music recorded at
• Chroma Colour  technical cooperation (as Chromacolour International)
• Dr. Movie  digital print
• Horai Town, Aichi  sound effects compilation cooperation
• Imagica  film processing and prints
• Imeger  
• MIT Studio  dialogue recording
• Masamune Kogei  sound effects compilation cooperation
• Naigai Carbon Ink  technical cooperation
• Omnibus Promotion  sound production
• Screen Music Studios (SMS)  adr recording facilities
• Sound Ring  effects production
• Stac  technical cooperation
• Studio Ghibli  music production
• T2 Studio  digital print
• Taiyo Shikisai  technical cooperation
• Takahashi Production  digital print
• Tokuma Japan Communications Co. Ltd.  soundtrack production
• Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra  music performer
• Tokyo Kita-ku Archery League  sound effects compilation cooperation
• Tokyo TV Center  recording
• VDX  effects cooperation
• Wonder City  music production
• Wonder Station  music mixed at
• Wonder Station  recording studio

Also Known As:

Princess Mononoke (UK) (USA)
La princesa Mononoke (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Princesse Mononoké (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
A Princesa Mononoke (Portugal) [pt]
Prigipissa Mononoke (Greece) (video title) [el]
Principessa Mononoke (Italy) [it]
Prinsessa Mononoke (Finland) [fi]
Prinzessin Mononoke (Germany) [de]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for images of violence and gore.

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:TV-14 (TV version) | Iceland:L | Mexico:B | Japan:PG-12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Finland:K-7 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:12 | Italy:T | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:G | South Korea:All | Spain:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia)

Company:

DENTSU Music And Entertainment

Trivia:

While Princess Mononoke was acquired after it was released in Japan, its American release was delayed for almost two years, allegedly because of a negative reception at a St. Paul test screening.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Ashitaka is shot through the chest, San rides with him on the back of his red deer Yakul, and blood from his wound is seen on Yakul's back. The blood stain disappears after Ashitaka falls to the ground.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: In ancient times, the land lay covered in forests, where, from ages long past, dwelt the spirits of the gods. Back then, man and beast lived in harmony, but as time went by, most of the great forests were destroyed. Those that remained were guarded by gigantic beasts who owed their allegiances to the Great Forest Spirit, for those were the days of gods and of demons.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Anime: Drawing a Revolution (2007) (TV)

A true work of art that takes animation to an entirely new level

I saw Mononoke Hime on its USA release back in late December 1999 under its U.S. title Princess Mononoke. I had read quite a bit about this film and its director but was still totally overwhelmed by the beauty and brutality of this movie. The complexity of this movie is something never seen in the United States in an animated movie and even exceeds that of most live action movies as well. It combines love and hate, war and romance, nobility and deception in ways rarely seen in movies today. Lines of good and evil are anything but clear cut and in the end is hope but no guarantees, no promises. This is truly an adult movie but my children, ages 12 to 15 all loved it and talked about it for days later. Even my wife who holds a strong prejudice against Japanese animation enjoyed this movie.

Go and see this movie. You won't be disappointed.