Princess Mononoke
The story takes place in a confusing era, when the system
of the medieval era had collapsed and society was moving towards the modern era. At that
time, although the population had increased and many virgin forests had been cut down,
there still remained many ancient forests which refused humans. In dark, black forests of
evergreen trees, animals such as mountain dogs, boars, and deer were huge and wise, and
could understand human language. They were fighting against humans who invaded their
sanctuary, and were feared as Raging Gods. The protagonist is Ashitaka, a descendant 
of a Royal family
of the people who had been defeated by the Yamato government and had been living in a
hidden mountain village in Northeast region for hundreds of years. He was put under a
curse of death by the Boar God who had become "Mononoke", called "Tatari
God" (Curse God) out of anger and hatred. He started on a journey to solve the
mystery of the curse, and in the Western country he visited, he was dragged into a heroic
battle between the Raging Gods and humans.
Eboshi Gozen was leading the Tatara iron making group, and wanted to get rid of the Gods
of the forest to turn the forest into a rich land for people. She assembled women who had
been sold and men who had been oppressed, and had created a humanistic society, making
iron. On the other hand, although she was a human, Mononoke Hime, San, had been raised by
a mountain dog who could understand human language
. 
With the Gods, she was fighting against the
Tatara group. Each side believed that their own belief was just. Eboshi Gozen cut the
forest down so that humans could live, and the Gods tried to protect their land so that
they could live. Ashitaka wasn't sure which side he should take. Further, Samurais who
were after the head of the Shishi God which had the power of eternal youth, entered into
this battle. It is now a three-way battle.
The boy and the girl met in the middle of this tragedy, and exchanged their feelings, but
the fighting over the mountain became more gruesome, and mass killing started. The Raging
Gods became mere wild animals. San tried to calm the God who became the Tatari God, but
she was swallowed by the Tatari. Ashitaka tries to rescue her, risking his own life. And
among the confusion, the story dashes towards the end....
The voice cast includes MATSUDA Youji as Ashitaka, and ISHIDA Yuriko as Mononoke Hime,
San. TANAKA Yuuko plays the calm and composed woman Eboshi Gozen, the leader of the Tatara
group, who are going to fight against the Mononoke most violently. For her men, KAMIJOU
Tsunehiko as Gonza, NISHIMURA Masahiko as Kouroku. And as an old medium, MORI Mitsuko. As
the mysterious monk who is after the head of Shishi God, KOBAYASHI Kaoru. This is the cast
filled with great actors. And for the voices of the Raging Gods who will have violent
fights with humans, we have a great ensemble of MORISHIGE Hisaya (a 500 year old Boar God,
Okkotonushi) and MIWA Akihiro (a 300 year old female Dog God who raised San).
The music is by HISAISHI Jo, who is essential to Miyazaki anime. And the song
"Mononoke Hime", which "depicts the heart of Ashitaka" (according to
Miyazaki Kantoku), will be sung by MERA Yoshikazu, a worldly famous countertenor (a male
singer who sings in higher key than tenor, using falsetto).
The current plan is to theater
release Mononoke Hime in North America in the second quarter of 1999 through Miramax.
However, nothing is official yet. It will be dubbed, but a subtitle version isn't totally
out of question. Neil Gaiman, the writer of "The Sandman", is currently working
on the English script of Mononoke Hime. The voice cast includes Claire Danes (Romeo &
Juliet, The Rainmaker) as San, Gillian Anderson (X-Files) as Moro the Wolf God, Minnie
Driver (Good Will Hunting) as Eboshi, and Billy Crudup (Sleepers) as Ashitaka.
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