PRINCESS MONONOKE

A ranked list of the greatest East Asian films would be incomplete without a Studio Ghibli film, and while Spirited Away (2001) may be a surprising exclusion, Princess Mononoke just misses out on a slot. Hayao Miyazaki's epic, released in the late 1990s just before Studio Ghibli's enormous international success from Spirited Away, is fanciful but yet rooted in realism, and contains some of the darkest scenes and themes are seen in his or the studio's work. For one thing, beheadings are frequently depicted in this animation, but there is also a sophisticated and caustic commentary on deforestation and animal slaughter.

The significance of ecology is emphasized several times throughout the film, which is set in a true period of Japanese history but incorporates different fictional aspects. Princess Mononoke contains practically everything that fans of Studio Ghibli's work adore: mature themes, amazing animation and world-building, sheer escapism, and great original music. East Asian film is extraordinarily fortunate to have a studio like this in its midst.

Detailed information:

Writer & Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Starring: Yōji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yūko Tanaka, Kaoru Kobayashi, Masahiko Nishimura
Release dates: July 12, 1997
Running time: 133 minutes