BTW, y' might notice this week's 'banner' shows not Mononoke but Tales from Earthsea, directed by Miyazaki's son, Horo. May be of interest that this is an adaptation of the Earthsea franchise (remember Wizard of Earthsea, guys??).
Funny history here as Hayao Miyazaki long wanted to adapt AWoE but Ursuala Le Guinn originally refused, so he made Nausicaa instead. There's a little creature that sits on N's shoulder that is based on the Otak in A Wizard of Earthsea, a kind of signature by M of Earthsea's influence on him.
Years later (30 years!) Earthsea was finally made by Studio Ghibli, but by Horo - unfortunately with opposition by his father and some hurtful criticism afterwards; Le Guinn says she regretted it and wished she'd let Miyazaki Sen do it instead! Poor Goro (>_<)
Out of interest, anyone seen Earthsea and care to comment?
Hi,all. I’ve just finished seeing Princess Mononke and want to write my opinion about Q1.
First of all, I think “harmony of nature and human being” is the theme of it. As we can find in another his animes, Miyazaki seems to emphasize that we can’t live without nature. In Princess Mononoke, the iron foundry symbolizes civilization and the forest and the spirits which shape like animals represent nature. Also, there are three antagonistic relationships in this animation. They are ‘human vs human’, ‘human vs nature’ and ‘nature vs nature’. Ashitaka is the mediator between humans and San is the same role as Ashitaka between natures. In addition, both of them mediate between humans and nature. Ashitaka has lived in human society but he has believed the spirits of nature because his ancestors have been excluded from authorities of society. Besides, San is the character that was cast out from human society and has grown in nature. In my opinion, Miyazaki emphasizes the importance of harmony between humans and nature but nevertheless he says that there is no existence that can perfectly sympathize with each other. We can look into this point in the last scene that Ashitaka lives in the iron foundry and San leaves in the forest. In other words, human society needs Ashitaka and nature needs San because they have to leave as mediators as ever for humans and nature. That’s why I think the underlying theme of Princess Mononke is “harmony of nature and human being”.
Q1. Hi. SungHee… I agree with your opinion. But I’d like to be more specific here - the myth of the feminine + the living in harmony with nature = the union of the feminine with the natural. (Napier 2005) As you explained to me in a class last time, Miyazaki emphasized how important the nature is to us. Well he created the nature beautifully in drawings. And also the character, Eboshi subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role in this anime which is related to the next question.
Q2. Napier (2005) clearly states that Princess Mononoke defamiliarise its historical setting in two important icons in Japanese culture as I quoted above in Q1: the myth of the feminine and the living in harmony with nature. Also he points out that this anime is “defamiliarising the conventional female characterization and its supernaturalization of nature.” (p.273) "Eboshi's character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role … the use of females in conventionally male-coded roles is another link within the films overall strategy of destabilization." (p. 240) There are conflicts between the nature and human beings throughout the anime. And the female character, Eboshi, is strong, independent and the leader of Tatara with the equal status with other men. This is something whereas most of females in Japan (or Japanese culture or history) are just supportive to men with long sufferings for not being treated equally as men.
Q3. As I mentioned above, it is problematised traditional Japanese constructions of gender through the role of females in the anime through Eboshi and Princess Mononoke. And.. for class and race… I’m not sure. DO you guys have any ideas?
According to Wright (2005), “In signification contrast, the forest of shishigami is a wild and threatening place, consistently avoided by the human characters in the film. Rather than it’s just a film.” And Miyazaki has titled of the anime is a the story of battle between humanity and the wild gods. Miyazaki likes to divide the characters into different creatures. In Princess Mononoke, he has put San is a girl who brought up by the wild wolf God. She does not like human as they keep destroying the forest. She stands by the wild side and fights again his original clan. In other Miyazaki’s anime, Spirited Away, he tells the audience that the hero has entered into another world which is full of spirits. In Howl’s moving castle, he makes Howl is a monster which can have human form. I think making the hero works with wild/other creatures is the feature of Miyazaki’s anime.
I am for Edmond's views on question four. All the same, I would like to share my own points regarding the depiction of humanity/natue divide in Miyazaki's movies.
Wright (2005) states that the story of Mononoke takes place in Muromachi era (1392-1573). During the era, the relationship between humanity and nature changed drastically in Japan. The humans there also declared war on the 'Kamigami',the wild gods.
Miyazaki intends to demonstrate a power shift in the growing conflict between the natural world and newly industrialised humans in ' Princess Mononoke'.
Wright says that 'the two heroes are both taken from this wild time before the forests were subjugated'.'Princess Mononoke of the title, also called Sen,is modelled on a Jomon period pottery figure ,and Ashitaka's people ,the Emishi,are suggestive of the Ainu or other groups that, like the forests, were pushed back by the growing Yamato civilization'. 'Linking these two are the markings shared by Hii-Sama and Sen-they both wear decorative headgear' (2005,p.11).
In the story, Eboshi, leader of the iron-mongering Tatara clan expresses that she is prepared to finish the ‘shishigami’ to secure her people’s future. She also has intention of burning the forest down in order to get the iron ore in the mountains. She performs the brutal deed boldly, calling her hunters when she aims her rifle at the transforming ‘kami’.'Watch closely. This is how you will kill god.’
Wright considers that ‘Eboshi signifies a break from the pre-modern past as she moves into the non-ritualistic, non spiritual future’. ‘There can be no happy ending to the war between the rampaging forest gods and humanity’.'The two crucial tenets of Shinto, respecting ‘kami’ and love of nature, are threatened by modernisation and industrialisation’ (2005. P. 12).
Apart from that, Wright also believes (2005) that 'Princess Mononoke' starts with the sense of curiosity and awe in the natural world. It had a number of symbolically resonant minutes when the human characters were courteous and awestruck by manifestation of natural forces and creatures, such as the 'kodama',the 'didaribotchi' and the animal 'kami.
In addition to that, in accordance with Wright (2005), in the story, the elimination of pollution to restore the essentially pure state of nature, and of the human spirit,were abundantly represent in 'Nausicaa'. Owing to the princess' and the Ohmu's actions, the irradiated and polluted state of the Toxic Jungle were begun to reverse and the 'tsumi' was annulled.
In 'My Neighbour Totoro' the pre-modern spiritualism are represented by Totoro who considers that people are spiritually descended from the natural world.
Overall, Miyzaki's works are fully influenced by the ideas of Shinto which emphasised non-dogmatic relationship with nature,magical and accepting. Therefore, aspects of Shinto are read as inspiring Miyzaki's works in terms of themes and concerns, messages.
9 comments:
Hi guys (^_^)/
Nice to see yer comments
Here're some questions about Princess Mononoke, which we view Thursday. Hope y' enjoy!
1. What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke?
2. How does it ‘defamiliarise’ its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?
3. According to Napier, how does this anime problematise traditional (or conservative) Japanese constructions of gender, class and race?
4. How do it and other Miyazaki films address the
humanity/nature divide, according to Wright (2005)?
5. Could Miyazaki’s vision be described as in some sense religious (inasmuch as it conveys a sense of the sacred)?
6. Finally, with reference to Cavallaro (2006), what distinguishes Mononoke technically as being – it is generally agreed – a great work of anime?
Any other thoughts??
BTW, y' might notice this week's 'banner' shows not Mononoke but Tales from Earthsea, directed by Miyazaki's son, Horo. May be of interest that this is an adaptation of the Earthsea franchise (remember Wizard of Earthsea, guys??).
Funny history here as Hayao Miyazaki long wanted to adapt AWoE but Ursuala Le Guinn originally refused, so he made Nausicaa instead. There's a little creature that sits on N's shoulder that is based on the Otak in A Wizard of Earthsea, a kind of signature by M of Earthsea's influence on him.
Years later (30 years!) Earthsea was finally made by Studio Ghibli, but by Horo - unfortunately with opposition by his father and some hurtful criticism afterwards; Le Guinn says she regretted it and wished she'd let Miyazaki Sen do it instead! Poor Goro (>_<)
Out of interest, anyone seen Earthsea and care to comment?
Hi,all. I’ve just finished seeing Princess Mononke and want to write my opinion about Q1.
First of all, I think “harmony of nature and human being” is the theme of it. As we can find in another his animes, Miyazaki seems to emphasize that we can’t live without nature. In Princess Mononoke, the iron foundry symbolizes civilization and the forest and the spirits which shape like animals represent nature. Also, there are three antagonistic relationships in this animation. They are ‘human vs human’, ‘human vs nature’ and ‘nature vs nature’. Ashitaka is the mediator between humans and San is the same role as Ashitaka between natures. In addition, both of them mediate between humans and nature. Ashitaka has lived in human society but he has believed the spirits of nature because his ancestors have been excluded from authorities of society. Besides, San is the character that was cast out from human society and has grown in nature. In my opinion, Miyazaki emphasizes the importance of harmony between humans and nature but nevertheless he says that there is no existence that can perfectly sympathize with each other. We can look into this point in the last scene that Ashitaka lives in the iron foundry and San leaves in the forest. In other words, human society needs Ashitaka and nature needs San because they have to leave as mediators as ever for humans and nature. That’s why I think the underlying theme of Princess Mononke is “harmony of nature and human being”.
How do you think guys?
Q1. Hi. SungHee… I agree with your opinion. But I’d like to be more specific here - the myth of the feminine + the living in harmony with nature = the union of the feminine with the natural. (Napier 2005) As you explained to me in a class last time, Miyazaki emphasized how important the nature is to us. Well he created the nature beautifully in drawings. And also the character, Eboshi subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role in this anime which is related to the next question.
Q2. Napier (2005) clearly states that Princess Mononoke defamiliarise its historical setting in two important icons in Japanese culture as I quoted above in Q1: the myth of the feminine and the living in harmony with nature. Also he points out that this anime is “defamiliarising the conventional female characterization and its supernaturalization of nature.” (p.273) "Eboshi's character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role … the use of females in conventionally male-coded roles is another link within the films overall strategy of destabilization." (p. 240)
There are conflicts between the nature and human beings throughout the anime. And the female character, Eboshi, is strong, independent and the leader of Tatara with the equal status with other men. This is something whereas most of females in Japan (or Japanese culture or history) are just supportive to men with long sufferings for not being treated equally as men.
Q3. As I mentioned above, it is problematised traditional Japanese constructions of gender through the role of females in the anime through Eboshi and Princess Mononoke.
And.. for class and race… I’m not sure. DO you guys have any ideas?
Okok I'll answer question 4!
According to Wright (2005), “In signification contrast, the forest of shishigami is a wild and threatening place, consistently avoided by the human characters in the film. Rather than it’s just a film.” And Miyazaki has titled of the anime is a the story of battle between humanity and the wild gods.
Miyazaki likes to divide the characters into different creatures. In Princess Mononoke, he has put San is a girl who brought up by the wild wolf God. She does not like human as they keep destroying the forest. She stands by the wild side and fights again his original clan.
In other Miyazaki’s anime, Spirited Away, he tells the audience that the hero has entered into another world which is full of spirits. In Howl’s moving castle, he makes Howl is a monster which can have human form.
I think making the hero works with wild/other creatures is the feature of Miyazaki’s anime.
I am for Edmond's views on question four. All the same, I would like to share my own points regarding the depiction of humanity/natue divide in Miyazaki's movies.
Wright (2005) states that the story of Mononoke takes place in Muromachi era (1392-1573). During the era, the relationship between humanity and nature changed drastically in Japan. The humans there also declared war on the 'Kamigami',the wild gods.
Miyazaki intends to demonstrate a power shift in the growing conflict between the natural world and newly industrialised humans in ' Princess Mononoke'.
Wright says that 'the two heroes are both taken from this wild time before the forests were subjugated'.'Princess Mononoke of the title, also called Sen,is modelled on a Jomon period pottery figure ,and Ashitaka's people ,the Emishi,are suggestive of the Ainu or other groups that, like the forests, were pushed back by the growing Yamato civilization'. 'Linking these two are the markings shared by Hii-Sama and Sen-they both wear decorative headgear' (2005,p.11).
This is the continual discussion on Q.4.
In the story, Eboshi, leader of the iron-mongering Tatara clan expresses that she is prepared to finish the ‘shishigami’ to secure her people’s future. She also has intention of burning the forest down in order to get the iron ore in the mountains. She performs the brutal deed boldly, calling her hunters when she aims her rifle at the transforming ‘kami’.'Watch closely. This is how you will kill god.’
Wright considers that ‘Eboshi signifies a break from the
pre-modern past as she moves into the non-ritualistic, non spiritual future’. ‘There can be no happy ending to the war between the rampaging forest gods and humanity’.'The two crucial tenets of Shinto, respecting ‘kami’ and love of nature, are threatened by modernisation and industrialisation’ (2005. P. 12).
Apart from that, Wright also believes (2005) that 'Princess Mononoke' starts with the sense of curiosity and awe in the natural world. It had a number of symbolically resonant minutes when the human characters were courteous and awestruck by manifestation of natural forces and creatures, such as the 'kodama',the 'didaribotchi' and the animal 'kami.
In addition to that, in accordance with Wright (2005), in the story, the elimination of pollution to restore the essentially pure state of nature, and of the human spirit,were abundantly represent in 'Nausicaa'. Owing to the princess' and the Ohmu's actions, the irradiated and polluted state of the Toxic Jungle were begun to reverse and the 'tsumi' was annulled.
In 'My Neighbour Totoro' the
pre-modern spiritualism are represented by Totoro who considers that people are spiritually descended from the natural world.
Overall, Miyzaki's works are fully influenced by the ideas of Shinto which emphasised non-dogmatic relationship with nature,magical and accepting. Therefore, aspects of Shinto are read as inspiring Miyzaki's works in terms of themes and concerns, messages.
Have you got any comments about my view?
Post a Comment