Studio Ghibli’s historical fantasy epic Princess Mononoke will return to theatres in Australia next week.
Local distributor Crunchyroll will bring the film back to theatres around the country next week to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Don’t worry if you sit on one side of the Subs Vs Dubs divide: it seems theatres will receive both the English dub and the original Japanese version with subtitles, so ask ahead if you’d prefer one over the other.
Princess Mononoke is set in the 14th century and follows a young warrior named Ashitaka. After killing a hideous demon that attacked his village, Ashitaka is infected with a terrible curse. Though Ashitaka’s curse grants him superhuman strength, it is also slowly killing him. Seeking a cure from the deer god Shishigami, Ashitaka witnesses the widespread environmental cost of human progress, and helps to defend a town against an attack from giant wolves. There, astride one of these large wolves, is San, a mysterious girl raised by the pack. Dubbed Princess Mononoke by the locals, this strange, angry girl will change the course of Ashitaka’s life forever.
Like all of Hayao Miyazaki’s work, Princess Mononoke strikes at deeper themes of environmental preservation and having respect for not just animals, but the habitats in which they live. It’s also about the political machinations and self-serving attitudes that turn us, as human beings, against that very ethos. It’s a great film, and if you haven’t seen it, there’s no better way to do so than on the big screen.
Princess Mononoke returns to theatres in Australia starting July 14th, 2022. Check your local theatre for session times.
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