Princess Mononoke, or Mononoke Hime, was the second highest grossing movie in japanese theater history when it was released over on the Pacific (second only to Titanic), and you can see why when you watch it. Created by none other than Miyazaki Hayao, Princess Mononoke is a thrill to watch and an inspiring commentary on man's battle versus nature, both at the same time.

With music by Hisaishi Joe(Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away), Princess Mononoke never fails to create the perfect mood. There's stunning orchestral music when needed, sad music when needed, and even no music when it needs to create just the perfect mood. It's just so well timed, and it really made the whole experience a heck of a lot better. The is complimented by the usual Ghibli magic that is instilled in every movie they make. The environments are lush and beautiful, and the amount of detail put in is astounding. One thing that seemed a little out of place, though, was the demon god in the beginning.

Princess Mononoke is one of those movies that has a conflict, but no side is really "good" or "evil". Though many viewers may associate Lady Eboshi as being the "bad guy", that really isn't the case here. The battle between man and nature is one that has been waged for ages, and we see here that the harshness of nature is just as bad as man. It all works extremely well thanks to the great cast of characters. Ashitaka, San, Eboshi, and even all of the little side characters were fun to watch. All of them are developed intensely, thanks to great dialogue, voice acting, and that little Miyazaki magic that makes all of them complete.

In fact, I probably would have given Princess Mononoke a perfect rating had it not been for all of the body parts flying around. This movie is easily the most serious and graphic of all of Miyazaki's films. Though it may not bother some, I know I uttered a few "Ohhhhh"s over the course of my viewing of the movie. Still, this is one movie that I'd recommend to everybody. If you miss out on Princess Mononoke, you're missing out on a piece of anime history.