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, guys~ How u been? must b busy with all the assignment!! T.T
I wanna talk about question 1- Actually i found Princess Mononoke is not the easy anime to just enjoy...i was bit surprised after i watched it....lots of things to think and was pretty complex to be an anime..!
I think there are two big underlying themes in Princess Mononoke. - "Talkind about living with nature & roles of women" Firstly, it tells us about the living with nature as how we're importantly related together and especilly human can't live without it.- so it kind of warns us to save and care the environment. Secondly, it talks about a gender role. - 'gender boundaries'- that represented differently comparing with typical ideas. For example, Eboshis' character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role.(p.240) Napier(2005) stated that "Princess Mononoke uese female characters who exist in their own right, independent of any male and these independent females are not domesticated by marriage or a happy ending but are instead interested in living seperate but quite fulfilling lives, San with her companions n the natural world & Eboshi with her industrializing community."(p.246)
According to Napier(2005), "it is indeed negotiating changes in identity for its Japanese audience."(p.232) and "this is a film about love in many aspects - love of nature, love of family, love between the sexes- but it is also a film about 'the extent to which love involves loss of many kinds'" (p.236)
Question 2. According to Napier(2005), "Princess Mononoke is not a work based on historical faithfulness...it is fantasy dressed as historical fiction with a variety of facts and fictions gathered together."(p.237) Instead focusing on genuine and major history or myths of Japan it deals with more 'marginals of history' and bit differently expressed that I think was a good chance to have broder sense to think not only in the ordinary way and it was successfully represented in this Miyazaki's film.
I agree with hanna, Princess Mononoke is not only for enjoying. It's quite serious and make the audience think a lot.
I think this film is trying to wake up the audience:our human beings to think about how to treat and exist with the natural environment and other creatures harmoniously.
As for question 2, according to Napier (2005), Princess Mononoke defamiliarise its historical setting in two important icons in Japanese culture.
One is the myth of the feminine. In Japanese history, females were supportive and long-suffering. But in Princess Mononoke, the main characters Eboshi is the leader of Tatara, also other females in the film are strong, independant, they have equal status in their society.
Another vital icon that the film defamiliarises is the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with the nature. As we can see, the conflicts even fights between human and nature are throughout the whole film.
As Napier (2005) points out, the film "defamiliarizing the conventional female characterization and its supernaturalization of nature".(p.273)
According to Napier, this anime problematise traditional Japanese constructions in the aspects of gender, class and race.
Firstly, as I mentioned before, the governer of Tatara is the main female charactor Lady Eboshi, this is the undermining of traditional convention. Also another main charactor Princess Mononoke is a powerful female. The conventional notion of the traditional female role is changed in this film.
Secondly, this film takes place in a mythical space rather than the capital which is the ruling samurai class settled. As Napier(2005) cites form Miyazaki, "Contrary to the usual period film, this is a movie in which few samurai, peasants or feudal lords appear. This is a film in which the main protagonists are those who usually do not appear on the stage of history. Insteat, this is the story of the marginals of history." (p.271)
hi guys I agree what you guys said. The underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke is the importance of living with nature as Napier (2005) states that "the film defamiliarizes two important icons in Japanese culture, the myth of the feminine as long suffering and supportive and the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with nature, often expressed through the union of the feminine with the natural" (p. 233).
Moreover, i think Miyazaki wanted to say from this film environmantal problem in today's world and that people should preserve nature.
As Napier (2005) states about feminine, I found interesting about character Eboshi because if it was other films Eboshe character would be a guy.
Napier states that "the use of females in conventionally male-coded roles is another link within the films overall strategy of destabilization" (p. 240).
Napier (2005) also says that "Eboshi's character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role" (p. 240).
Hey everyone...sorry for commenting late...was working on my assignment..anyway as all of you said princess mononoke was not so great and i found some parts quite draggy and quite hard to understand some parts.
However i will comment on question 2 first. I agree with you grace that the two important icons in japanese culture would be the myth of feminine as long suffering and supportive and also the myth of living in harmony with nature(Napier,2005). These aspects are evident in the movie as the role San and Moro who scarifice alot for the nature and the Eboshi who supports the people itself. I believe this film has shown the conflicts between human and nature and how it has lead to a huge issue.Therefore these three females had to stand in the gap to fight for what was right and also to defend for the nature and the humans.
As for question 4, Wright(2005)stated that The historians in the Murorachi era felt that the relationship between humanity and nature was radically changing in japan. As we see the problems between nature and humans especially in Princess mononoke, for example eboshi(leader of tatara clan)admits that she wanted to burn the forest down and also kill a shishigami to secure the future of the people.This shows that humans are enemimies with the nature and are willing to do what ever they can just to support the people by destoring the nature.Wright(2005) futher imposed a question whether humanity's survival is more important or nature?However wright claimed that miyazaki felt that there can be no happy ending to the war between the forest gods and humanity.
For question 4, i agree with what Deli mentioned ^^ I think the example of Eboshi in Mononoke is very appropriate for this quetion- the humanitiy or the nature.
We can easily recognize the preception of Miyazaki for the 'humanity & nature divide' in most of his films. In according to Wright(2005), "His work displays a sense of nostalgia for a time when human lived more in harmony with nature, but at the same time he refuses to deny the current reality of modernity and industrialisation." (p.3)
I want to think 2 other films - 'Nausicaa & My neighbor Totoro'- for this question as Deli already talked about Mononoke. ^^;;
In the 'Nausicaa', Miyazaki addresses very clearly for the kind of ecological influence to human and the main character (princess) delivers the ideas about how the humans have to live with the natural world - 'the harmony'. Also Wright(2005) said "In Nausicaa, pollution comes not from the reversal of power relations between humans and insects, but in the interruption of the countinuity (or nagare) of nature.(p.7) For 'My neighbor Totoro', it reveals the idea of "nostalgia" -the sadness of severing spatial and temporal links with the natural world and the past(p.10)-and the effects of modernisation with kind of contrasitng them. According to Wright(2005), "(it) could be read as nostalgia for a time when people lived more closely with nature and had an extended family to draw on as well as the more obvious yearning for the magical state of childhool."(p.10) In this way, I think Miyazaki's films could indirectly address the humanity & nature divide which the humans have to consider very significantly for our safe or even better life.
Hey hanna its intereting to know that most of miyazaki's films are related to human and nature.i didnt know that totoro and nauscia shared the same aspects as princess mononoke..I guess its hard for me to comment on the other 2 films as i havent watch it yet..However i think its interesting that miyazaki has highlighted this issue in his films..Perhaps this is also something that the audience can learn as sometimes people tend to destroy the nature...So probably this a lesson that they can learn in order not to polloute the environment and to preserve it well.For example i have heard some countries such as indonesia who actually burnt down forests.Its really sad because they seem to take this lightly not knowing that this is actaully damaging the environment and also affecting the people. So films like this bring out a good message for the people to start doing what is right for the enviroment before its too late...
12 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, guys~ How u been? must b busy with all the assignment!! T.T
I wanna talk about question 1-
Actually i found Princess Mononoke is not the easy anime to just enjoy...i was bit surprised after i watched it....lots of things to think and was pretty complex to be an anime..!
I think there are two big underlying themes in Princess Mononoke. - "Talkind about living with nature & roles of women"
Firstly, it tells us about the living with nature as how we're importantly related together and especilly human can't live without it.- so it kind of warns us to save and care the environment.
Secondly, it talks about a gender role. - 'gender boundaries'- that represented differently comparing with typical ideas. For example, Eboshis' character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role.(p.240)
Napier(2005) stated that "Princess Mononoke uese female characters who exist in their own right, independent of any male and these independent females are not domesticated by marriage or a happy ending but are instead interested in living seperate but quite fulfilling lives, San with her companions n the natural world & Eboshi with her industrializing community."(p.246)
According to Napier(2005), "it is indeed negotiating changes in identity for its Japanese audience."(p.232) and "this is a film about love in many aspects - love of nature, love of family, love between the sexes- but it is also a film about 'the extent to which love involves loss of many kinds'" (p.236)
Question 2.
According to Napier(2005), "Princess Mononoke is not a work based on historical faithfulness...it is fantasy dressed as historical fiction with a variety of facts and fictions gathered together."(p.237)
Instead focusing on genuine and major history or myths of Japan it deals with more 'marginals of history' and bit differently expressed that I think was a good chance to have broder sense to think not only in the ordinary way and it was successfully represented in this Miyazaki's film.
Hi, all
I agree with hanna, Princess Mononoke is not only for enjoying. It's quite serious and make the audience think a lot.
I think this film is trying to wake up the audience:our human beings to think about how to treat and exist with the natural environment and other creatures harmoniously.
As for question 2, according to Napier (2005), Princess Mononoke defamiliarise its historical setting in two important icons in Japanese culture.
One is the myth of the feminine. In Japanese history, females were supportive and long-suffering. But in Princess Mononoke, the main characters Eboshi is the leader of Tatara, also other females in the film are strong, independant, they have equal status in their society.
Another vital icon that the film defamiliarises is the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with the nature. As we can see, the conflicts even fights between human and nature are throughout the whole film.
As Napier (2005) points out, the film "defamiliarizing the conventional female characterization and its supernaturalization of nature".(p.273)
Now I want to talk about question 3.
According to Napier, this anime problematise traditional Japanese constructions in the aspects of gender, class and race.
Firstly, as I mentioned before, the governer of Tatara is the main female charactor Lady Eboshi, this is the undermining of traditional convention. Also another main charactor Princess Mononoke is a powerful female. The conventional notion of the traditional female role is changed in this film.
Secondly, this film takes place in a mythical space rather than the capital which is the ruling samurai class settled. As Napier(2005) cites form Miyazaki, "Contrary to the usual period film, this is a movie in which few samurai, peasants or feudal lords appear. This is a film in which the main protagonists are those who usually do not appear on the stage of history. Insteat, this is the story of the marginals of history." (p.271)
hi guys
I agree what you guys said.
The underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke is the importance of living with nature as Napier (2005) states that "the film defamiliarizes two important icons in Japanese culture, the myth of the feminine as long suffering and supportive and the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with nature, often expressed through the union of the feminine with the natural" (p. 233).
Moreover, i think Miyazaki wanted to say from this film environmantal problem in today's world and that people should preserve nature.
As Napier (2005) states about feminine, I found interesting about character Eboshi because if it was other films Eboshe character would be a guy.
Napier states that "the use of females in conventionally male-coded roles is another link within the films overall strategy of destabilization" (p. 240).
Napier (2005) also says that "Eboshi's character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role" (p. 240).
Hey everyone...sorry for commenting late...was working on my assignment..anyway as all of you said princess mononoke was not so great and i found some parts quite draggy and quite hard to understand some parts.
However i will comment on question 2 first. I agree with you grace that the two important icons in japanese culture would be the myth of feminine as long suffering and supportive and also the myth of living in harmony with nature(Napier,2005). These aspects are evident in the movie as the role San and Moro who scarifice alot for the nature and the Eboshi who supports the people itself. I believe this film has shown the conflicts between human and nature and how it has lead to a huge issue.Therefore these three females had to stand in the gap to fight for what was right and also to defend for the nature and the humans.
As for question 4, Wright(2005)stated that The historians in the Murorachi era felt that the relationship between humanity and nature was radically changing in japan. As we see the problems between nature and humans especially in Princess mononoke, for example eboshi(leader of tatara clan)admits that she wanted to burn the forest down and also kill a shishigami to secure the future of the people.This shows that humans are enemimies with the nature and are willing to do what ever they can just to support the people by destoring the nature.Wright(2005) futher imposed a question whether humanity's survival is more important or nature?However wright claimed that miyazaki felt that there can be no happy ending to the war between the forest gods and humanity.
For question 4, i agree with what Deli mentioned ^^ I think the example of Eboshi in Mononoke is very appropriate for this quetion- the humanitiy or the nature.
We can easily recognize the preception of Miyazaki for the 'humanity & nature divide' in most of his films.
In according to Wright(2005), "His work displays a sense of nostalgia for a time when human lived more in harmony with nature, but at the same time he refuses to deny the current reality of modernity and industrialisation." (p.3)
I want to think 2 other films - 'Nausicaa & My neighbor Totoro'- for this question as Deli already talked about Mononoke. ^^;;
In the 'Nausicaa', Miyazaki addresses very clearly for the kind of ecological influence to human and the main character (princess) delivers the ideas about how the humans have to live with the natural world - 'the harmony'. Also Wright(2005) said "In Nausicaa, pollution comes not from the reversal of power relations between humans and insects, but in the interruption of the countinuity (or nagare) of nature.(p.7)
For 'My neighbor Totoro', it reveals the idea of "nostalgia" -the sadness of severing spatial and temporal links with the natural world and the past(p.10)-and the effects of modernisation with kind of contrasitng them.
According to Wright(2005), "(it) could be read as nostalgia for a time when people lived more closely with nature and had an extended family to draw on as well as the more obvious yearning for the magical state of childhool."(p.10)
In this way, I think Miyazaki's films could indirectly address the humanity & nature divide which the humans have to consider very significantly for our safe or even better life.
Hey hanna its intereting to know that most of miyazaki's films are related to human and nature.i didnt know that totoro and nauscia shared the same aspects as princess mononoke..I guess its hard for me to comment on the other 2 films as i havent watch it yet..However i think its interesting that miyazaki has highlighted this issue in his films..Perhaps this is also something that the audience can learn as sometimes people tend to destroy the nature...So probably this a lesson that they can learn in order not to polloute the environment and to preserve it well.For example i have heard some countries such as indonesia who actually burnt down forests.Its really sad because they seem to take this lightly not knowing that this is actaully damaging the environment and also affecting the people. So films like this bring out a good message for the people to start doing what is right for the enviroment before its too late...
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