Princess Mononoke: The Art and Making of Japan's Most Popular Film of All Time [Hardcover]

Miramax (Author), Mark Schilling (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 1999

This gorgeously animated film is the brainchild of Hayao Miyazaki, one of Japans most acclaimed directors, and is Japans most successful film ever, breaking the attendance records previously set by E.T. This lavishly illustrated volume tells the story behind the making of the film, and reveals the secrets behind anim, the popular Japanese animation technique. Set in the remote forests of northern Japan, The Princess Mononoke is an eco-fable of medieval times in which industry and civilization struggle against nature and humanity. Hailed as one of the best animated features ever made, The Princess Mononoke is certain to enthrall audiences across the country.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Director Hayao Miyazaki ranks among the most interesting and original figures currently working in world animation. His charming children's films My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service enjoy a rapidly growing audience in the U.S., and his brilliant Princess Mononoke, which broke box-office records in Japan, was released theatrically in the U.S. in November of 1999. Although storybook adaptations and a few Japanese volumes about individual films have appeared in the U.S., a major study of his work in English is long overdue. Miyazaki's many fans will enjoy Helen McCarthy's Hiyao Miyazaki and Mark Schilling's Princess Mononoke: The Art and Making of Japan's Most Popular Film of All Time, but neither is fully satisfactory.

Schilling's Mononoke is a translated and expanded version of The Art of Princess Mononoke, published in Japan in 1997. A respected journalist based in Tokyo, Schilling is a much more polished writer than McCarthy. His summary of Miyazaki's career is concise but informative. Scores of handsomely printed backgrounds, cel setups, and frame blowups trace the story of the film, but the reproductions of Miyazaki's own pencil-and-water color drawings are even more interesting. The layouts, landscapes, inspirational sketches, and early studies of the characters reveal the mind of a great artist at work.

Like McCarthy's Hiyao Miyazaki, Schilling's Princess Mononoke would have benefited from more careful proofreading; in a discussion of the use of computer animation techniques, for example, Schilling turns "morphing" into "morfing." --Charles Solomon

From School Library Journal

YA-A collection of background drawings, character sketches, cels, computer-generated images (CGI), and image boards from the film Princess Mononoke. The pictures, especially the backgrounds, are stunning in their attention to detail. The CGI are equally impressive because they blend flawlessly with the hand-drawn animation. There is a short and highly technical interview with Yoshinori Sugano, CG director, on the use of CG technology in the film. A 1995 speech by Toshio Suzuki, studio president, provides an insider's perspective on studio history. The text also includes a filmography, staff and cast credits, and several poems by Hayao Miyazaki, the film's director.The strength of the book, however, is in the many full-color pictures that trace the plot: Ashitaka, a young warrior, is cursed after killing a demon-god attacking his village. He journeys to the west to find a cure and stumbles into a battle between the gods of the forest and the ironworkers of clan Tatara. A great choice where anime is popular.
Susan Salpini, Purcellville Library, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Miramax Books; 1st Edition. edition (September 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786866098
• ISBN-13: 978-0786866090
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #389,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Movie With a Lovely Book, January 12, 2000

By 

"kachie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Princess Mononoke: The Art and Making of Japan's Most Popular Film of All Time (Hardcover)

Well worth the $, but mostly if you want to relive the beautyof the movie. This has all the scenes and breathtaking backgrounds inone book. It makes a lovely addition to a library, movie, or anime collection. It is a joy just to feel its slight heaviness in your hands, flip through the pages, and wonder at the artwork. The artwork itself is a collection of cels, image boards, sketches, story boards, and other of the like. It is interesting to see how the main characters were designed, and what went into this film that is now so loved. Several pages of the book are also dedicated to the history of "Princess Mononoke," Studio Ghibli, and Hayao Miyazaki. For people interested in the computer graphics, there is a section in the latter part of the book that tells of the steps taken to create certain scenes. Also an added bonus, poems written by Hayao Miyazaki are included to describe the characters of the film. All in all, every aspect of this book is a treasure, and will be greatly appreciated by any fan of anime or fine art. END

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book with good art, December 3, 1999

By 

Lou Limon (Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Princess Mononoke: The Art and Making of Japan's Most Popular Film of All Time (Hardcover)

This book is the perfect book for begining manga artists. Good pictures brings my rating to a five since I am an artist myself. Not a good book if you want information on the storyline, as it says in the cover "The Princess Mononke: The Art and Making of Japan's Most Popular Film of All Time"

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully detailed book on the film, December 23, 1999

By 

"anime_fan" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Princess Mononoke: The Art and Making of Japan's Most Popular Film of All Time (Hardcover)

I rencently saw the US version of Princess Mononoke, and I was blown away by the animation and the plot. Shortly afterward I went Christmas shopping, and saw this book. I became very interested in it by just flipping the pages and noticing how it not only discribes the animation but also gives background as to what the cells are depicting. I was also very impressed by each of the poems on the characters in the movie at the beginning of the book.

I liked the book so much that I picked up two: one for my brother and one for myself.

If you've seen the movie and want to know more about its production or thoughts from the creator, I highly suggest that you get this book. It will illuminate you on how the movie evolved and will remind you why it is so very special.