Tonight on Netflix: Hayao Miyazaki’s animated masterpiece

In this lush tale by Hayao Miyazaki, Ashitaka, the future leader of an Emish clan, sets out in search of the Deer God to lift a curse that plagues his body. His search leads him to Princess Mononoke, who fights against humans to protect a sacred forest inhabited by giant beasts and other folkloric creatures.

Released in July 1997 in Japan, the public gave Princess Mononoke a triumphant reception, with no less than 17 million downloads. A colossal record for an animated film in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was with this film, set in 15th-century feudal Japan during the Muromachi era, that Miyazaki-san’s work – and Ghibli’s output more broadly – really broke through to the general public.

With great visual power, elegant, where the legends of the ancestors blend brilliantly with the historical references, Princess Mononoke There is also a great initiation story with a strong environmental message.

For in this story, where man and nature clash with all their might, the hero tries his best to prevent the conflict from escalating, advocating for harmony between humans and gods without needing to dominate one in order to survive and thrive.

“I was not satisfied with the image that Studios Ghibli gave of man in relation to his environment. In particular, the gentle, idyllic way in which we showed the relationship with nature. I think there is a horror in the relationship between man and nature. An aspect, something much wider…” said Miyazaki, who took three years to complete this dark and even violent work, which was not intended for a very young audience.

It’s no wonder that viewers, especially AlloCiné viewers, place this work in the top 3 Ghibli animated films. 26 years after its release, the strength of the film’s message is still there, as intact as it was on day one. And with a resonance that is more relevant than ever.