Hi guys (^_^)/

Nice to see yer discussion coming to life this week, with everyone posting - now it would be really nice to see also some fanfic props/drafts from Pop Genres 6, so you can give each other some feedback on your cool ideas.

Here're some questions about Princess Mononoke, which we view Thursday. Hope y' enjoy...

1. What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke?

2. How does it ‘defamiliarise’ its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?

3. According to Napier, how does this anime problematise traditional (or conservative) Japanese constructions of gender, class and race?

4. How do it and other Miyazaki films address the
humanity/nature divide, according to Wright (2005)?

5. Could Miyazaki’s vision be described as in some sense religious (inasmuch as it conveys a sense of the sacred)?

6. Finally, with reference to Cavallaro (2006), what distinguishes Mononoke technically as being – it is generally agreed – a great work of anime?

Any other thoughts??

BTW, y' might notice this week's 'banner' shows not Mononoke but Tales from Earthsea, directed by Miyazaki's son, Horo. May be of interest that this is an adaptation of the Earthsea franchise (remember Wizard of Earthsea, guys??).

Funny history here as Hayao Miyazaki long wanted to adapt AWoE but Ursuala Le Guinn originally refused, so he made Nausicaa instead. There's a little creature that sits on N's shoulder that is based on the Otak in A Wizard of Earthsea, a kind of signature by M of Earthsea's influence on him.

One student last year did her fanfic on this, FYI - here's the link to her posting last year's Pop Genres 6 blog.

http://popgenres6.blogspot.com/2007/11/otak-of-earthsea-by-maho.html

It's called An Otak of Earthsea

Years later (30 years!) Earthsea was finally made by Studio Ghibli, but by Horo - unfortunately with opposition by his father and some hurtful criticism afterwards; Le Guinn says she regretted it and wished she'd let Miyazaki Sen do it instead! Poor Goro (>_<)

Out of interest, anyone seen Earthsea and care to comment?

in relation to the first question, one of the underlying thematics of Princess Monoke according to Napier (2005) is the emphasizing loss of the Japanese identity. Napier says that the film undermines the myths of traditional Japanese identity and offering a fake or not original counternarrative in their place. He says “The film defamiliarizes two important icons in Japanese culture, the myth of the feminine as long-suffering and supportive and the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with nature, often expressed through a union of the feminine with the natural”.

Firstly, Princess Mononoke was a really enjoyable movie. Like I mentioned earlier I am new to anime, whereas you Binna are quite the expert, not only do you have the DVDs but you have the limited editions with all the special features. I think that is so cool.

In relation to question 1. What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke? Well straight off the top of my head, the most prominent for me was the importance of living as one with nature. I thought that it was extremely effective in that Miyazaki addresses these issues through the lens of Japanese cultural myths. For many this could be seen as unpatriotic.

Yet I feel that this issue is applicable to the wider world. Here in 'God's own'we market ourselves on being clean and green. We pride ourselves on our being close to the land (look at the fuss over the foreshore and seabed issues). Yet you don't have to travel far to see land being cleared in the name of advancement ie. Albany. In much the same way Miyazaki addressed this issue, according to Napier there are two main themes "the film defamiliarizes two important icons in Japanese culture, the myth of the feminine as long suffering and supportive and the myth of the Japanese as living in harmony with nature, often expressed through the union of the feminine with the natural" (p. 233).

I think that it is interesting that Miyazaki's character of Eboshi is critical in leading the fight against nature, this was an interesting choice as normally it is the role of a male who not only leads a community but is also at the forfront of battle.

Yet the viewer is slightly rocked in their viewpoint when they see Eboshi caring for the lepers and taking in the element of society that is considered outsiders, in a more nurturing and femine role. Napier states that "the use of females in conventionally male-coded roles is another link within the films overall strategy of destabilization" (p. 240). Napier goes on further to state that "Eboshi's character subverts the conventional notion of the traditional female role" (p. 240). Yet this subversion is beliveable to the audience as Eboshi is acting in a perceived male role to protect her utopian society. Eboshi is destructive for nurting reasons.

Miyazaki is a master at taking current issues and setting them within a storyline that people are not only entertained but willing to take a closer look at their own ideologies.

In relation to the second question Princess Mononoke defamiliarizes its historical setting through Miyazaki’s decision to set the film during the fourteenth-century Murmach period and then damage or replacing its common conventions or what is known. According to Napier (2005) that Miyazaki states in his introduction to a book about the film, “this is a movie in which few samurai, peasants, or feudal lords appear. This is a film in which the main protagonists are those who usually do not appear on the stage of history. Instead, this is the story of the marginals of history.” So in the film the most marginal groups of that period appear more such as women, outcasts, and non-Yamato tribes and kami.

Q3: Napier (2005) states that princess Mononoke is a powerful film and this power depends on Miyazaki’s strategies of subversion that problematize many of the accepted myths of Japanese culture through his ability to blend the real with the fantastic as Princess Mononoke produces a world that looks to have some historical features and then take off its common conventional or the audience expectations of how that world should be. According to Napier, the reason for Miyazaki’s decision to use this specific historical period is for education because it was a period of signification historical transition from a world was in close contact with natural and supernatural forces to a world that would become increasingly oriented toward the human.

In relation to question 4 'How do it and other Miyazaki films address the humanity/nature divide, according to Wright (2005)? I think that humanity and nature are intrinsically connected in Japanese culture. According to Wright "naturally occuring phenomena that was particuularly awe-inspiring were given the title of kami, or Gods" (pg. 5). This was seen in Princess Mononoke by Eboshi's peoples respect for the Kami in the forest. Wright goes on further to say that, "it was believed that respect for the kami was inseperably a part of peoples love of nature" (pg. 5).
Even though people have respect for nature they are not afraid of it, "the kami were respected and honored, but usually not feared" (pg. 5).
It is important to note that Miyazaki "is reshaping what it means to be Japanese" (pg. 4).

Iam posting my proposal for my fanfiction. I don't have good creative writing so I will depend more on Vogler's structers and archetypes. Please feel free to give me any comments.

After surviving his last adventure, Sindibad, decided to return to his home town, The Old Baghdad, carrying with him many of precious jewelries and lot of money that he earned and collected during the time of his sailing adventures. When he arrived at his home land, he ran quickly to find out who owned his parents’ house and his father’s shop. He made a quick arrangement to buy back his late parent’s house, but buying back his father’s shop had cost him a big amount of money as the owner heard about Sindibad’s fortune and was greedy to get some of it. Sindibad loved his new life’s routine, he spent most of the time working in his father’s shop and at the end of the day he and in the afternoons did some gardening and remembering his parent’s how they used to treat him. At night he used to spend sometimes with his friend Hassan joking and listening to Yasmina’s (talking bird that his uncle Ala Al din had gifted to him) funny stories that she brought from around the town. The first few months went very quickly until one night Yasmina told Sindibad about infectious sickness that many people had and the number was increasing. She reported that the town’s healer had told that the only way to kill this odd disease was an infused of rarity herb that grow in a land behind the sea where many dangers wait the person who think to reach this land.

This is my introduction,

Of course after some hesitation Sindibad go to to bring the herb to help his people, of course, he faces many difficulties to get the herb and finally success to get it and in his way back he also face some risks, but at the end he bring the herb that killed the sickness then the happy end.

Hi Saja,

your story sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read it. I haven't read the original story but my kids have a kids anime that I might watch. So that I can better understand your story.
Just a quick question is that your actual introduction or just a synopsis? The reason why I ask is as this is fanfiction is you might want to add some dialogue in.

Hi Rachel

Thank you very much for your comments. This is completly is my own story, to be honest both of my sons help me to create its main lines. However, the most of archetyps I will use were the same of the real story ones.

I haven't seen wizard of earthsea, but I am excited to see what it is all about and the way in which Horo interpretted the book, as I really enjoyed the book and am a huge fan of the fantasy genre.
Out of curiosity why was Miyazaki upset at Horo for the movie. and the whole public criticism, come on he is your son if you don't like it you can tell him over Sunday lunch. It just sounds a little like sour grapes. Miyazaki is a master at what he does and is probably able to create an amazing WoES, I wonder what the differences would of been.

As for my fanfic proposal, I am still undecided. I know so bad, anyways the reason why is because I have a previuos fanfiction that I wrote for iwrite and I would like to continue on with that and develope that story more. But then I also would like to go in a whole other direction. Here is a link to the story:http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3709303/1/DAYS_GONE_BY
HOwever I am not sure if the story follows Voglers mythic structure very well, as it is slowly unwinding (very slow, considering the time it is taking).
If I go in another direction I can better follow the mythic structure, and therby have a complete story. I do know I want to do Harry Potter story though.

Oh already 11 posts, I couldn't expect that Paul gonna post this fast Lol
I have to read the critical reader so maybe I can answer the questions tomorrow :(

and Rachel I think it's great to continue your previous fanfic and really want to read your one since you are good at writing. I decided to write Spirited Away, and it is quiet not related with its original story, I created one new character. I will post my proposal soon (hopefully)

Hello again :)
Firstly congratulations again Rachel!!

For the first question, although Napier (2005) sates that Princess Mononoke underlying the myths of traditional Japanese identity (p.233), as Rachel said, it was also noticeable for the environmentalist themes. I think it is frequently introduced into Miyazaki’s films, such as “PomPoko” which is about Raccoons and human’s war; Raccoons try to protect their habitats against to a development project of human. What I also think is that Miyazaki’s anime has archetype repertoires such as wages of war and their effect on the ecosystem and it is strongly played out in Princess Mononoke. Moreover, what makes Miyazaki's movies all the more remarkable is he address these issues through the lens of Japanese cultural myths as Rachel said.

In relation to question four and five, according to Wright (2005), Miyazaki’s film “describe an intriguing mixture of earthy spirituality and while spiritual themes are present in all oh his films to some extent, his earlier works are more concerned with articulating the possibility of a mystical connection between humans and the natural world.” (p.3) Wright (2005) further states that his films problematise Japan’s oft–touched love of nature. As I mentioned above, the conflict depicted as outright war between the Gods of the forest and the industrial humans (Wright, 2005) in Princess Mononoke or Pompoko.

Historically, Japanese have been comfortable with holding a multiplicity of spiritual beliefs. Shinto is one of the few surviving animistic faiths in the world and despite official attempts either to suppress of appropriate its ideology, it has survived in Japan. Through Kojiki which described as the bible of Shinto, Japanese people possessed a “Kami (god) given nature” that allowed them to live in perfect harmony with their natural surroundings (Wright, 2005). “Representations of kami (god) and the natural world in Miyazaki’s films express an underlying belief of the early Shinto worldview-continuity between humanity and nature.” (p.5)He further argues that this concept leads to the conception of vital connections between the divine nature of the god and by extension the natural world and humanity (Wright, 2005). The ancient Japanese did not divide their world into the material and the spiritual nor between this world and another perfect realm. Miyazaki is aware of this in his work and he says “I’ve come to the point that where I just can’t make a movie without addressing the problem of humanity as part of an ecosystem,” (p.5)

Hi Binna,

I am really excited to read your fanfic, as i borrowed Paul's copy of Spirited away and I loved it. Even my 9 sorry 10 I always forget anyways her friend and her also watched it with me and they loved it as well. She is currently reading over my shoulder and said 'I want to read it'. So you already have an eager audience. You mentioned you will be adding a chapter, whereabouts and which characters? I know you will do a great job as you are such a big fan of anime.