Many Ghibli films have a comment to make about nature and environmentalism. Where western studios occasionally approach this in a topical manner, such as Pixar’s Wall-E with a focus on global warming, Ghibli makes a more general statement about mankind, technology and the balance that needs to be struck to achieve a non-destructive harmony. In Princess Mononoke, that balance is represented by its hero, Ashitaka, who is pushed between Lady Eboshi and the residents of Iron town, and the nearby forest and its gods. He gains links with both sides of the war and attempts to bring them together. Although it appears he has failed when Lady Eboshi kills the forest spirit, there is some kind of mutual respect gained by the end, and Ashitaka stays in Iron town to prevent anything similar from happening again.

Where animations like Fern Gully will classically give black and white representations of the evil of mankind and the inherent goodness of nature, Miyazaki shys from such simplistic devices, in an interview saying “I don’t create films where good and evil fight.” instead favoring more complex, realistic representations. Therefore Lady Eboshi may be defiant, but it’s her force of will that kills the God, and that will is intended for the benefit and protection of her people. Similarly San has been brought up by wolves, and is therefore one of the protectors of the forest, but her world and nature is also violent and unpredictable, she is looking after her family rather than some greater good.

I would suggest this could be due to a deep seated cultural difference, where we have won the last World war the Japanese did not, and so are more readily accepting of the idea that neither side must be infallible and neither completely wrong.

It is also cultural difference that leads the film into more violent territories; in Japan animation is not seen purely as entertainment for children like it generally is in the west. In the interview below, Miyazaki answers a question about this violence simply with “children know there is violence in the real world” which seems to summarize his view that children need to be educated by film, and not talked down to.

References:

Filmography

Wall-E (2008) directed by Andrew Stanton. USA, Pixar Films [DVD:Blu Ray]

Princess Mononoke (1997) directed by Hiyao Miyazaki. JPN, Studio Ghibli [video:DVD]

Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest (1992) directed by Bill Kroyer. USA, 20th Centure Fox [video:DVD]

Online References

Interview To Hiyao Miyazaki [Internet], Youtube. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJLBED-6M8I [accessed 8, May, 2010]

Animator Hayao Miyazaki worries about children's future [Internet], Japan Today. Available from: http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment-arts/view/animator-hayao-miyazaki-worries-about-childrens-future [accessed 8, May, 2010]