Original poster artwork · Great Cinema Master List
Spoiler-free premise
Cursed prince Ashitaka travels west and enters a conflict among forest gods, ironworkers, and the human-raised warrior San.
Read expanded premiseLonger, still spoiler-free+
After a boar god's curse marks his arm, Prince Ashitaka leaves his Emishi village seeking its source and a possible cure. He reaches Iron Town, where Lady Eboshi's workers battle forest gods defended by the human-raised San, Princess Mononoke.
Why it belongs
Princess Mononoke gives forest gods, ironworkers, and warriors competing needs, creating an ecological epic without simple conscience-bound camps.
Read expanded why it belongsThe fuller editorial case+
Miyazaki opposes the living complexity of the forest with Iron Town's purposeful industry, giving gods, workers, and warriors competing needs rather than simple conscience-bound labels. Joe Hisaishi's score enlarges the conflict without simplifying it.
Major award wins
No verified wins in this six-institution crosswalk.
Awards are reference metadata only · zero points in 40/40/20
Good for
Date NightFilm Club
Descriptive guidance derived from rating, genre, runtime, mood, and GCML scores.
Institutional reference ranks
Sight & Sound—IMDb Top 25083AFI 100—
Reference metadata only · not part of the 40/40/20 score
Great Cinema Master List scores
Greatness9.2
Engagement9.3
Ease8.6
Japanese · PG-13 Animated Feature Mood: Imaginative & Accessible
