Feats N' Faults: Princess Mononoke
The Perfect Adventure
Welcome back to Feats N’ Faults, where we use our Tiered Point System to rank and record our favorite characters based on their achievements and deeds. For a more in depth look on how points are awarded, please check the About page. Below is our Tier System for quick reference. Also, Spoiler Warning!
Watching through all these giant IPs and series got me nostalgic to watch some of my favorite stand-alone movies. Princess Mononoke is on my top 10 list for sure. It was also about time I covered an anime on this feed. I am surprised that one has not come up until now. For those of you playing at home, we will be analyzing Ashitaka, San, The Forest Spirit, Moro, Nago, Toki, Lady Eboshi, Gonza, Yakul, and Jigo. Go ahead and guess who you think scored the best in Feats N’ Faults by listing them from least to greatest. Let me know in the comments how your lists turned out!
Let’s Get Started!
10th Place, Nago: -1 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
In last place, we have the Boar god Nago. I don’t know what I was expecting but I was shocked to see a character in the negatives! Nago is an intimidating force, but that’s where it ends. I know he was injured in a giant battle, but I never saw him in action. Because of this, I could not give him any points about the war. For all I know, he could have been shot from a distance and retreated. I doubt that happened, but we will never know. In his injured delirium, he led the humans to the forest spirit. He was warned, even begged not to go, and he still ran. It was a dirty human trick, and he fell for it.
9th Place, Toki: 0 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
I am devastated that Toki has zero points—one of the all-time greats spurred by a stupid point system. Don't let this score fool you if you have never seen the movie. You will fall in love with her instantly. She’s strong, independent, and funny. The problem is she never does anything to warrant a feat. She works long hours and mounts a defense against a rival army. However, we do not see her shoot anyone, make peace, or achieve anything. Trust me, I was trying to find her a feat, but nothing came up. Oh well, they can’t all be high scorers.
8th Place, Jigo: 1 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
Jigo is another character that could have been higher if we saw more. His men did a couple of things, but nothing to warrant giving him a feat. He did steal the Forest Spirit’s head for the emperor. That’s something only one person can say.
7th Place, Gonza: 2 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
Never thought you’d see Gonza this high on the list, huh? Besides getting his sword bent and emasculated, Gonza only achieved one thing. It was the very first scene in which we saw the people from Iron Town. The wolf tribe is attacking, and Moro is charging at Lady Eboshi! Lady Eboshi shoots the giant wolf, but it keeps charging. It’s not until Gonza ignites his flame thrower that she stops her charge. This action saved a group of men and sent Moro off the cliff. Who knows what would have happened to Iron Town if he had not been there?
6th Place, Yakul: 3 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
Yakul is the bestest best boy on the entire planet! This red elk stuck with Ashitaka through thick and thin. Shot in the leg, no problem, I can keep up with you. Oh, is that god? No worries, I will just stand here and never leave your side. He is the best partner Ashitaka could have ever asked for. He got him where he needed to go and even saved a broken man’s life. If anyone would need a steed, Yakul is the best of the best. Also, look how cute he is! You just wanna scratch under his chin all day long.
5th Place, Moro: 5 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
In 5th place, we have Moro, the leader of the wolf clan and the adoptive mother of San. Moro is just a mother doing the best for her children. It is all those pesky human’s fault! I love how, even though she knows humanity's devastation, she always protects San. Even when the other animals turn against her, Moro is right there to stake her claim. Ultimately, she got what she wanted—spending her last moments in life biting Lady Eboshi’s arm off. What a creepy and iconic moment.
4th Place, San: 7 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
San is a wonderful character. Stuck between two different worlds. Ultimately, she chooses the animal world; I don’t blame her. Her parents threw her as a baby to a pack of wolves. What kind of parent could do that to their daughter? Luckily, the Moro decided to raise her. What a fantastic mother she was, too. San turned out to be a remarkable woman. Her sense of smell and agility are on an entirely new level. Able to infiltrate Iron Town with ease and dash around without getting shot. She never managed to kill Lady Eboshi but came close.
3rd Place, Forest Spirit: 9 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
The Forest Spirit terrified me as a kid. I had never seen animation or designs like this, and this facial expression was in my nightmares for years. He is the god of life and death but does not wield that power in a manner you might suspect. No one can predict nature. It is a force all its own with its own will. The humans wished to control it, but even taking his head was not enough. It just led to more ruin and destruction. Once the head was back, the trees and plants began to grow. It covered Iron Town in a field of green. Was this always the plan? In the end, it doesn’t matter. He did what he was there to do and made it into the top three of the movie. A score of 9 is not too bad for a character that only shows up in the last act of a film.
2nd Place, Lady Eboshi: 10 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
Lady Eboshi is the leader of Iron Town, a woman empowerer, and a god killer. She has one hell of a resume. Finally, we have a character getting into the double digits. Her ambition is what got her here. She is constantly striving to make the lives of her people better. Caring for the lepers and arming her saved brothel girls are just a couple of examples. It is for this reason that I love this film so much. Nothing is black and white. She is a good person. She cares deeply for her citizens. Yet, to the animal world, she is a monster. Killing them with bullets and cutting down the forest to mine iron. Should the people stop and suffer, or should the animals stop and become mindless? There are no easy solutions. Nothing is solved, and the world is a complicated place. Lady Eboshi does what she can and works her way to second place. What a legend.
1st Place, Ashitaka: 18 FN’F Score (1997) 1 Movie
Ashitaka is the middleman of the story. He has every right to be angry at both sides of this conflict. The humans caused the curse, and the animals cursed him. Because of this, he had to leave his village and never return. Yet, I never once sensed any bitterness. He wishes he could get rid of the curse, but he knows there is nothing to be done. Instead, he does what he thinks is best and tries to bring these two worlds together. He may just be a man, but that curse gave him a major power-up. He disarmed a man by bending his sword like a piece of paper, caught an arrow out of the air, and cut limbs off of multiple people with a single arrow. He is a monster. It is good that he was not out for revenge because I know he could have taken everyone out.
His pure soul kept him from receiving a single fault. I know he is cursed, but the Forest Spirit lifts it. Turning his outer appearance to match his inner. Does he lose all of his powers? Maybe, but that’s not the point. He is now able to help the people of Iron Town. To guide them to coexist with nature and give back instead of just taking. The people now know that the Forest Spirit makes the flowers grow. They should be more aware of their impact on the environment.
Review, Princess Mononoke: 10/10
It is a perfect film. There are no errors. The cell animation is flawless. It is ageless. No matter how old this film gets, it will be beautiful. There are no aging effects or outdated animation styles. It is timeless. The colors pop, the framing impeccable, and the soundtrack iconic. Miyazaki is a great filmmaker, but this film blows all the others away. The messaging, the plot, and the pacing are pristine. I can not give this movie enough praise. Please go watch it! You will be sucked in immediately, and every worry you might have will fade away. When I say it is perfect, I mean it. It has impacted my life so much that my kitchen and patio are overrun with these little glow-in-the-dark Forest Spirits!
Recommendation: Watch it twice and then show it to a friend
Thanks for tuning into another Feats N’ Faults. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date, and let me know in the comments what other movies you want to see featured on the feed. Sound off in the comments on your favorite IPs, and we’ll see if we can get to them. What do you think of Princess Mononoke? I’d love to hear everyone’s favorite Ghibli film.
This feed does not cover anime nearly as much as it should. So, if you are hungering for fantastic anime/fantasy content, check out my friend over at maria’s corner. There are loads of articles that I know you will enjoy.
I hope you all have a luxurious week, and I’ll catch you all next Thursday.
Until Next Time!
Thank you so much for the shout out!! Great post as always, I'm so happy you are covering more anime :D
Would you say you're having a "luxurious week?" Also, Yakul belongs on the good boys list.