Reyes, Jullie Anne D.

February 3, 2016

2014-04273

WFU-3

REFLECTION PAPER MONONOKE HIME

There are thousands of animated films in the industries today, its very popular because it can
vary from comedy to action to drama and it targets any kind of audience. I really enjoy watching
animated films especially Japanese animated films like, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Grave of
the Fireflies and many others. You tend to think that these kinds of films are for kids since theyre
animated but once you started watching them, you will soon realize that theyre not. Lots of deeper
meanings, lessons and truths are unveiled in these films that children in their young age cannot
comprehend. If you try and see the films in other perspectives, youll see that there is always this hidden
message theyre trying to get to you. For example, Spirited Away is about a 10-year old girl who
accidentally wandered into a world ruled by gods, spirits and witches but some say that this film is
actually about human trafficking, prostitution and the corruption of children, which in any way is not a
plot for children. In addition to that, some animated films, like Mononoke Hime, are very gory which is
best kept away from childrens eyes.
The animated film Princess Mononoke is about the journey of a village prince named Ashitaka to
find a cure for the curse that was passed down to him from a demon boar, Nago, only to find himself in
the middle of a war between the forest gods and humans. Towards the end of the film, not only did he
successfully end the war, his curse was finally lifted with the help of the forest spirit. As you can see, each
character may symbolize things or organizations on the current state our world is in. Lets enumerate
them.

First is Lady Eboshi. For me, she symbolizes all of mankind who will do anything to get what she
wants. The film shows how we humans are destroying nature as we develop, adapt and modify our living
styles. We have not yet realize the consequences of abusing our power over nature, abusing our resource
until its too late. Lady Eboshi aims to let us know that getting want you want is not the best for you, let
alone for everyone but it is best for you to know what is necessary and what you not.
Second is San who, for me, symbolizes nature. This shows how nature can nurture and take care
of you as long as you do not harm nature itself. And as you progress into hurting nature, it can soon turn
its back on you, it can hurt you as much as you harm it.
Third is Ashitaka. Ashitaka, for me, is the organizations that, with all the help they can get, keeps
the nature safe but at the same time helping the humans to keep living. He believes that it is possible to
obtain a balanced relationship between humans and nature and that if we soon realize that, peace can be
obtained.
Some minor character symbolizes big things too. For example, I can the monkeys as the business,
industries and organizations that deceives other into thinking that what mankind is doing, destroying
nature for buildings and stuff, is whats best for all of them and they themselves believe that it is and
when things go wrong at the end, they will act as if they were right and it was the others fault. And the
boars are the rebels and activists in the society these days who charges, without any plans or strategies,
organizations they believe that was doing wrong things and at the end, there will only be chaos and
disaster.
Mononoke Hime reflects the truth in todays society. By the end of the film, you will feel the guilt
of being a human for we humans are ignorant fools who truly destroy everything as we progress.
Although it can be gory at times, this film has a great story and lesson which can be passed down to kids.
I just hope that our generation or the next will be able to see the world as how Ashitaka sees it and soon
be able to save and preserve life