Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime)

In ancient times the land lay covered in forest.. where

from ages long past dwelt the spirits of the gods.

PRINCESS MONONOKE

Yakul!

Ani-sama!

Good to meet you here. Hii-sama says to get back to the village.

Jiji, too.

Jiji did?

- He says something's wrong. - No birds in sight.

No animals either...

All right, I'll go to him. You get back home.

Yes!

Something's coming!

Jiji, what is it?

It's not a person...

In the village, Hii-sama's called everyone in.

There!

A demon god!

What?

Yakul, run!

It'll attack the village! Let's hurry!

Ashitaka!

Don't touch it! Its curse will be on you!

Yakul!

Quiet your rage, I beg you!

O forest god who cannot be without name, why do you rampage so?

- A monster! - Run!

Stop! Do not destroy our village!

Stop! Still your rage!

Get up!

- It's down! - Ani-sama!

Bring Hii-sama!

Watch the fire!

Ani-sama!

Don't touch it! It's no ordinary wound!

He's hurt! Where's Hii-sama?!

All of you, stay back!

Hii-sama!

Pour this water over it... slowly.

O raging god unknown to us...

I bow before you.

Where you have fallen we will raise a mound and perform rites.

Bear us no hate, and be at peace.

You loathsome rabble!

You shall know my hatred and my grief!

This is very, very bad.

The boar-spirit came from far to the west.

A poison within him goaded him on, rotting his flesh...

...drawing evil as he ran, making a monster out of him.

Prince Ashitaka...

Yes?

Show your right arm.

Hii-sama!

Prince Ashitaka, are you steeled to gaze upon your fate?

Yes. I was resolved when I let my arrow fly.

The scar will seep into your bones and you will die.

Can nothing be done?!

He was defending the girls, and the village!

Can we but sit and wait?

You cannot change your fate.

Though you can rise to meet it.

Look.

This was inside the boar's body.

He was in agony. It shattered his bones, tore at his entrails...

What else could have made him that way?

Calamity has befallen the land of the west.

Journey there, and see with eyes unclouded.

There might be a way to lift the curse.

Yes.

More than 500 years have gone since the Mikado drove us into this land.

Now we hear how his power fades...

...and the fangs of his Shoguns are broken.

But the blood of our tribe likewise grows thin.

And now, bitter fate... The youth who was one day to lead us...

...must journey far to the west.

The law forbids that we watch as you go. Farewell.

Ani-sama!

Kaya, you can't be here!

I don't care. Remember me by this.

But it's your jeweled dagger!

Keep it with you to guard you.

I'll think of you... Be sure of that.

As will I, Kaya.

Fighting?

Move up!

A warrior!

His head is mine!

Stop!

What's wrong with my arm?!

Don't let him get away!

Let me pass!

A demon!

The scar's growing...

This gruel tastes like hot water!

There he is!

Will this do?

This isn't money!

Give back my rice!

Could I see that, please?

Oh, could this be?!

Woman, this is pure gold!

Is it coins you want? I'll pay you.

Give me this.

Is there a money-changer here?

No?

I'm just a simple priest, but I'd say this is worth three sacks of rice!

Wait, young sir!

That's mine! Give it back!

Hey! Don't be in such a rush!

No need to thank me. It's I who should thank you.

I saw what you did before against those samurai. Thanks to you I was saved.

You fight like one possessed!

Ah, you see those men, too? Keep your gold hidden, my lad.

Hearts have grown hard throughout the land.

They'll rob you in your sleep. Shall we run?

Oh, so the boar became a monster...

I tracked it back to where the samurai attacked the village, but...

You lost it.

See over there?

When I was the last time here, there was a fine village.

Maybe there was a flood or a landslide. I'm sure many died.

The land teems with the twittering of bitter ghosts...

...dead from war, sick or starved and fallen where they stood...

A curse, you say? This world is a curse.

Ah, this is good!

I shouldn't have gotten into that fight. I killed two men.

Thanks to you I was saved.

Give me your bowl.

We all die eventually.

Some now, some later.

Hm, an elegant bowl...

You remind me of the old tales...

Brave people, far to the east...

...who used stone arrowheads and rode red elk... the Emishi.

First, though, avoid the jaws of death.

Or so my old teacher used to say.

Eat, my lad. It's your rice!

Would you know what this is?

No.

It was in the body of the giant boar. It's what killed him.

Far to the west, deep in the mountains, is the forest of the Deer God.

There no man may tread.

The Deer God?

They say the beasts there are giants, as they were in ages past.

I knew he'd go...

It's not far now! Stay on your guard!

Here they come!

The wolves!

Calm the oxen! Don't rush! Form your ranks!

Keep your powder dry!

Let them come in range!

Number 1, fire!

Number 2, fire!

They weren't much, as monsters go.

Those were just the pups. Where's the mother?

It's Moro!

Come on!

Got her!

She's a god. She won't die from that.

She did some damage....

Move them out.

What about the ones who fell?

Form up and move out!

He's breathing!

Hang on!

I am Ashitaka! I have come from far to the east!

Are you ancient gods of the forest of the Deer God?

Leave!

A kodama? Are they here, too?

You're hurt. Keep still.

They won't harm you. They're a sign the woods are healthy.

They'll bring their lord!

Who? The wolf?

No, a huge monster!

It's gone!

Yakul's not afraid. There's no danger here.

We beg passage through your woods.

Let's go back! Please!

There's a trail across the river. We'll never get through these woods!

The current's too strong.

And if we don't get this man back soon, it'll be too late.

Are you showing us the way, or getting us lost?

Sir! These things aren't helping us get home.

There's more and more of them!

This is your mother? A fine tree!

That girl and the wolves... So this is where they live...

We're getting in deeper, sir. This way leads into the other world.

Yes, let's take a rest.

Tracks...

Three toes... and still fresh.

Sir! What's wrong?

Are you all right, sir? You're awfully pale...

I told you!

Did you see something?

Forget it.

Hang on a little longer.

I'm sorry.

It's gone...

Why does he suddenly feel so light?

Hey! It doesn't hurt!