Princess Mononoke: The First Story – book review
By Tribute on November 8, 2014 | Leave a Comment
Seeing as how the plot and layout of this book resemble that of a children’s narrative, it’s difficult to believe that this is the original inspiration for the box office hit, Princess Mononoke. Animation creator Hayao Miyazaki spins a very different tale of the relationship between a giant wildcat – a mononoke, and a princess who is promised to him by her father.
Strikingly different from the eventual storyline that would become Princess Mononoke, this book reveals the original tale, a story created in 1980, foreshadowing Miyazaki’s ability to narrate stories. The tale bears a resemblance to The Beauty and the Beast, and was ultimately rejected because Miyazaki felt that the story was not an accurate portrayal of Japanese culture, at the time in which it was set.
The visually stimulating 100-page book is rich with hand-drawn watercolor if animated characters, a typical trait of Miyazaki. Fans of the artist and collectors of the Princess Mononoke legacy will enjoy the purity of the pages, for the natural watercolor painting has not been tainted with animated effects. The large hardcover and fascinating spread permit opportunities to study Miyazaki’s natural talent. There is little textual content, yet the plot has been so tastefully delivered that readers of all ages will be able to enjoy the story.
Miyazaki is also able to play on a stark contrast of colors and paint; for example, characters and subplots that he would like to focus on have been accentuated with color, while the remaining characters stand naked in their pencil drawings. This effect works remarkably well with battle scenes, as the mononoke rides into battle to save his bride.
Although the original story is not as popular as the storyline used in the film, the book serves as an appetizer to Miyazaki’s later work. Young anime fans will be amazed with the transformation from print to the big screen; while older admirers can attempt to mimic their own drawings after “easier” Miyazaki models. ~Nadira Chand
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