What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke? How does it ‘defamiliarise’ its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?
Napier said that the one of thematics of Mononoke is the identity issue of Japanese culture, and the relation between Japanese and the nature they lived in. He strongly implied that the harmony of human and nature is the most considerable area in the animation. He also tried to recognize the female identity of the Japanese myths, or we can say it the princess Mononoke is instead of the Japanese antihero of female who wants to make a balance with the wild God.
According to Napier, the period of the princess Mononoke is considered as in Murimachi period. The features of this period are samurai and feudal lords etc. However, the animation didn’t have either of them. Napier thought the story of the animation is on the marginal of history. The characters aren’t like the historical person, I mean the both of personality and their view of the world. He use the word “defamiliarise” to describe all these.
Napier, S. (2005). Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
Its interesting how Miyazaki uses strategic ideas that 'defamailiarise' Princess Mononoke's characters and period. Its like he intentionally wants us to see what Japan 'could' have been like.
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