- Week 6 -

- What are the underlying thematics of Princess mononoke? How does it ‘defamiliarise’ its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?

Princess mononoke is underlying the notions of Japanese identity in Japanese society. In general, the role and position of women is clearly defined, however this Princess mononoke film images the main female character, Eboshi having a powerful leadership and strong identity. Also another theme, the nature and humans have to exist together is remarkably located.

According to Napier (2005), this film defamiliarises conventional concepts of Japanese history when it was the Muromachi era by Miyazaki. The most important part of Princess mononoke can be divided into two parts as subversion and defamiliarisation. “The film defamiliarises two important icons in Japanese culture, the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with nature, often expressed through a union of the feminine with the natural” (Napier, 2005, p.233). For example, Eboshi character is changed the conventional view and belief of the traditional female role to people. Eboshi is described like a male and her personality is violent-tempered and wild.

When I was doing this question, I realize that the theme of Princess mononoke can be linked to the ‘defamiliarise’ part in Napier’s reading. The characters shows Japanese identity and characteristics in the society and those are described by the defamiliarise idea. In the film, humans damaged the nature to fill their desire and wish for the development of Japan. I think there is always the director’s purposal in the story. Through the story of Princess mononoke, it implies the Miyazeki’s ideal world that humans must coexist with nature.

- How do it and other Miyazaki films address the humanity/nature divide, according to Wright (2005)? Could Miyazaki’s vision be described as in some sense religions (in as much as it conveys a sense of the sacred?)

As I mentioned before, Miyazaki has chosen the Princess mononoke background, Muromachi era. As Wright (2005) explains, during Muromachi era, there was a huge fluctuation in relationship between the humanity and nature in Japan. Miyzaki put a power changing between the natural world and newly industrialised humans in the film.

In Wright’s reading, it is explained the Miyazaki’s vision by connecting to the Shinto, native religion of Japan. “In Miyzaki’s vision these two important tenets of Shinto, respecting the kami and love of nature, are under threat from modernization and industrialization, there is a sense that, like the infinitely accommodating faith of Shinto, there is a position where the conflict can be reconciled” (Wright, 2005, p.12). The majestic camphor tree is situated as an important position to both kami and ancestors. In the case of My Neighbour Totoro which is another Miyazaki’s film, the giant tree signifies the store place of the strengths of Sheeta’s ancestors and the rulers of a forceful empire (Wright, 2005).

References:
Napier, S. (2005). Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.

Wright, L. (2005). Nature Spirits, Giant Insects and World Trees: the nature vision of Hayao Miyazaki. In the Journal of Religion of Popular Culture. Volume X: Summer 2005.