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Princess Mononoke

The trees cry out as they die, but you cannot hear them

This book is an essay on the planning, making and impact of a film work as important in the history of Japanese animation as Princess Mononoke.

Thus, it can be classified within the didactic genre of essay, and subclassified within the philosophy of contemporary pop culture.

This is a first edition released by Diábolo Ediciones, which is a Spanish publishing house specialised in comics. It is not translated into English.

  • Publication date: 2022
  • Country: Spain
  • Pages: 290
  • Reading date: January 2023
  • Rating: 5/5

The author is Álvaro López Martín (Madrid, 1985-). As a result of his passion and studies, he created the blog Generación GHIBLI, which is dedicated to the Japanese animation studio of the same name.

His other published books are:

  • Mi vecino Miyazaki (2014)
  • Antes de mi vecino Miyazaki. El origen de Studio Ghibli (2016)
  • El viaje de Chihiro. Nada de lo que sucede se olvida jamás (2017)
  • El universo de Makoto Shinkai (2018)
  • El castillo ambulante. Un corazón es una pesada carga (2020)

Within the list of other books published by the author, those for which there is already a post in this blog are highlighted.

Click on it to read it!

I discovered this book by chance in a bookshop at the end of 2022. My feelings when I saw it were of surprise and great satisfaction, as I had been looking forward to delving into one of my favourite animated films, Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, released in 1997. I had already read another book by the author that reflected on another great film by the same studio called Spirited Away, but although it was also one of my favourites, the connection I had with Princess Mononoke was different.

I don’t remember how old I was when I first saw it, but I must not have grown out of childhood given how much of an impact it had on me. I had never seen anything like it before in an animated film, a work that was as grotesque and gory as it was beautiful and moving. The film told a story of magic, cruelty and beauty to raise the old, but never outdated, theme of reflection on the relationship between humans and nature. The story, the characters and the scenery captivated me from the very first moment. Moreover, a few months before I found this book, in August 2022 I was able to see it in the cinema as it was re-released on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, which I thoroughly enjoyed in the company of one of the people who has changed my life the most. A magical experience. There is another person in my life who is a bit Mononoke too, and with whom I could not see it in the cinemas due to geographical distance. So I have given her this book as a present. I hope you like it. Thank you.

«In Princess Mononoke, San is a human with the attributes of a wild animal. Ashitaka is a cursed human, alienated from his own humanity. There is a dual essence in both of them»

Álvaro López Martín

In this essay on the film, Álvaro discusses both the form and the content of the work. He explains not only the decisions that led to the making of the film, but also various technical aspects, achievements and difficulties during its creation. Nor does he neglect to analyse the film’s references to Japanese history and multiple elements of its culture.

The author reflects extensively on the message of this Studio Ghibli work, as well as the themes and characters developed. Themes such as the relationship between humans and nature, hate, death, love, politics…

The technical and artistic aspects, as well as the themes, characters and their symbolism, are shared and analysed while the plot of the film is told scene by scene.

«Irrationally holding on to one side is not the solution to conflict»

«Not everyone who defends an exact idea is the same, but rather there are different ways of upholding it»

Álvaro López Martín

I found reading this essay on Princess Mononoke by Álvaro López Martín very interesting. I have been able to learn about aspects that I did not know about this film by Miyazaki and I have enjoyed a deep reflection on the themes, characters and artistic elements of the movie. Princess Mononoke hides many secrets and curiosities which have amazed me. Now thanks to reading this book, my bond with it has deepened. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of this work.

«We all have nuances, and those who do not have them act in an irrational way»

«Good and evil are not absolute characteristics, but variable attributes depending on the context»

Álvaro López Martín

Some reflections:

  • When is a real change in the characters of a film or book well founded?
  • What causes the relationship between human beings and nature to be complicated?
  • Does true love in a relationship have the power to change people’s inclinations? Should it?
  • Is someone who chooses no side in a conflict being indifferent? What is the best approach to conflict?
  • In a war are there winners and losers?

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