History Anime / PrincessMononoke

* BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: While killing the boar-demon, Ashitaka receives a curse on his right arm, which grants him superhuman strength but will eventually kill him.

''Mononoke Hime'' (1997)

An acclaimed film from famed Japanese director HayaoMiyazaki, with a rather dark, serious plot and ambience (compared to most of his other works), yet lacking none of the trademark stunning visuals of a StudioGhibli production or Miyazaki's storytelling brilliance. The score was written by JoeHisaishi, and it is no less magnificent. (Also worth noting that NeilGaiman adapted the film's English dub.)

* DidTheResearch: The Emishi people were a lesser-known tribe of indigeneous peoples in Japan, unrelated to the Ainu. They were indeed wiped out by one of the Japanese emperors long before this movie takes place - making the secretive status of Ashitaka's remnant people a lot more meaningful.

* [=~What Do You Mean, It's Not For Kids?~=]: Sure, it's a Ghibli movie. So is ''GraveOfTheFireflies''. A lot of kids were traumatized by this movie when their parents took them to see it because ''{{Pokemon}}'' came out in America at around the same time. So logically, they'd love another Japanime type skit, right?

* {{Youkai}}
* YourDaysAreNumbered: Ashitaka is told his curse will eventually kill him, and that his chances of finding a cure are ''very'' slim indeed.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Thankfully averted, as opposed to earlier efforts to adapt Miyazaki's films into English. When word reached Miyazaki that ''Mononoke'' was being adapted into English, he allegedly sent the studio in charge a katana and a note comprised of only two words: "No cuts."

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Disney's sale of Miramax is currently in the way of any possible re-release in America unless the two can strike some sort of deal.

* MrFanservice: Arguably Ashitaka, the one young, attractive male in the cast who frequently performs feats of great {{badass}}ery and/or takes his shirt off.
* [=~Everything's Better with Samurai~=]: Subverted; practically every samurai in the movie is a murderous asshole, which according to some historians is a [[TruthInTelevision much more accurate depiction]] than what we normally get in pop culture.

* MultipleTailedBeast: Moro, the female Wolf God that raised San, has a two-pronged split-tail.

->''These days, there are angry ghosts all around us. Dead from wars, sickness, starvation, and nobody cares. So you say you're under a curse? So what, so's the whole damn world.''
-->--'''Jigo'''

* [[ChekhovsGun Chekhov's]] [[AnAesop Aesop]]

** And later by the same guy:

* EstrogenBrigadeBait: Arguably Ashitaka, the one young, attractive male in the cast who frequently performs feats of great {{badass}}ery and/or takes his shirt off.

* IAmNotShazam: "Mononoke Hime" means "the princess of vengeful spirits". Not knowing her real name, the villagers call San "Princess Mononoke" out of fear.

* MagnumOpus: Most people consider either this or SpiritedAway to be Miyazaki's best film.

Set in Japan during roughly the 16th or 17th century, the story begins in a small village of the Emishi (also called the Ainu), the indigenous inhabitants of Japan, who by this time have mostly been conquered or driven into hiding in remote corners of the country where they can live in some semblance of peace. The village's peace is shattered by the attack of a terrible demon; the village's last remaining prince, Ashitaka, is injured during the fight to kill it, and even worse, the mortally wounded demon is revealed to be a powerful spirit -- a giant boar that curses the Emishi with its last breath and reveals that the wound Ashitaka suffered has cursed him as well. The village elders decide, with much reluctance, that Ashitaka must leave the village before the curse takes full possession of him and [[WalkingTheEarth travel west]] in [[TheHerosJourney search of his destiny]]. Ashitaka leaves immediately, with only his trusted [[FantasticMount red elk]] Yakul and a [[MementoMacguffin necklace]] from his sister, Kaya. The young prince follows the demon boar's trail of destruction with the only clue he has about what transformed the spirit into a demon: an iron ball found embedded in a wound on its side.

* FantasticAesop: Don't shoot nature spirits if you don't want them to turn into {{Blob Monster}}s.
** SpaceWhaleAesop: Respect nature, or it will attack you with giant wolves.
** Actual Aesop: War, greed, and hatred can be present in humans and spirits and will corrupt you.

* Historical Fantasy

** Actual Aesop: War, greed, and hatred can be present in humans and spirits and will turn you into a demon monster and destroy life.

* KarmaHoudini: Jigo and Eboshi's single-handedly fucked up Japan's ecosystem yet they both get away scott free.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Lady Eboshi, although this is justified.

** Lady Eboshi to a lesser extent.

* [=~Too Long; Didn't Dub~=]: "Mononoke".

* [=~Gaia's Vengeance~=]: The situation that Irontown has found itself in.

* ActionGirl: San. Lady Eboshi also has a place here. Toki and the other gun-wielding girls, too.
** Essentially ALL of the women in Irontown count.

An acclaimed film from famed Japanese director HayaoMiyazaki, with a rather dark, serious plot and ambience (compared to most of his other works), yet lacking none of the trademark stunning visuals of a StudioGhibli production or Miyazaki's storytelling brilliance. The score was written by JoeHisaishi; it, too, is no less magnificent. (Also worth noting: NeilGaiman adapted the film's English dub.)

* BlackAndWhiteBeauty: Eboshi, fitting for a lady of high status.