# Princess Mononoke **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031 "2003-09-07T02:33:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031/41 "2003-09-09T21:52:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*It’s also about twenty years older than Spirited Away–you have to keep that in mind. You might also want to give Kiki’s Delivery Service a try–you’ve seen everything else that’s out over here, save for the Sherlock Hound tv series and Castle of Cagliostro (highly recommended). \*\* Yeah, that was sort of what I was getting at. Seen as a part of an artist’s progression, it’s probably more effective. Seeing it right after watching his two latest (and greatest) films, it’s hard not to get hung up on how much he would improve over the next two decades. In addition, I’ve never cared much for the look of anime from the late seventies/early eighties. Although Miyazaki did some wonderful things with the woodcut-look to the backgrounds in _Laputa_. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by criminalcatalog_ > **For a different style of animation, try Fantastic Planet. More of illustration than paint, and with some very memorable elements.** Ugh, what a turkey. Poorly conceived, poorly written, poorly animated. Easily one of the dopiest movies I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031/42 "2003-09-09T22:29:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CyberPundit \* > \*\* > Yes IMO it’s one of Miyazaki’s two weakest films(along with the Lupin film). It’s still quite enjoyable though (like the Lupin) and it says something about a director when you can say that about his worst films. \*\* _Castle of Cagliostro_ is interesting because it is the only one of Miyazaki’s movies (that I know of anyway) that is based on someone else’s franchise (in this case, Monkey Punch.) It is also the _cleanest_ _Lupin_ I have ever seen. If it wasn’t for Manga’s horrible dub, you could show it to a six-year old (and still can, if you don’t mind him hearing a bit of cursing.) ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031/43 "2003-09-10T22:49:19Z")
Huh, I just finished watching _Spirited Away_ and can’t say I liked it half as much as _Princess Mononoke_. ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031/44 "2003-09-11T08:04:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by asterion \* > **_Castle of Cagliostro_ is interesting because it is the only one of Miyazaki’s movies (that I know of anyway) that is based on someone else’s franchise (in this case, Monkey Punch.)** And it’s a damned good flick, too… However, I’d think that _Kiki’s Delivery Service_ fits into that category, too. It’s based on a children’s book by Eiko Kadono, although Miyazaki took the characters and settings and added his own story to them. Ms. Kadono was upset with his additions, and almost killed the project; after Miyazaki and his producer visited her home, and had her visit the studio, they managed to persuade her to continue. And don’t forget the aforementioned _Howl’s Moving Castle_… There are some other Studio Ghibli films (not directed by Miyazaki) that are based on other works, too. _Grave of the Fireflies, Ocean Waves, Whisper of the Heart,_ among others. Here is a [link](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1550377884/qid=1063267142/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-7332245-3196653?v=glance&s=books) to the English translation of the book, “Kiki’s Delivery Service”. (The [Japanese](http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/books/kiki/index.html#novel1) cover looks much better, imho) ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031/45 "2003-09-11T14:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > As for Shinto being the basis of his films, of the Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films I have seen, I’d say four out of fifteen of them have strong Shinto elements in their premises (My Neighbor Totoro, Pom Poko, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away). Very interesting. These are the four movies I have seen. Since Shinto seemed to have an element in each of these I figured the others would have a little of something too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-mononoke/200031.md?page=2)