Of the Mononoke and a Karigurashi
Assalamualaikum.
First and foremost, I opted to be a bit unconventional here.
1. I didn't provide any special 'New Year's Post' because I celebrated 1st January this year with International Law II revision=final exam rage mode.
2. I wrote my first 2012 post on 16th January. What a timing. It's my little sister's; Nana's 21st birthdayyyy! *late post tho'. Sowwy.*
(Nana and Me. People always mistook her as my elder sibling. MWAHAHAHAH)
3. I kicked it off with an unorthodox anime review... jyeahhhh!
However, I, being an ultimate slowpoke, here, am writing things on animes produced gazillion years ago.
Well, that's a metaphor, since gazillion years means that Tyrannosaurus Rex or Pteranodon may not exist yet, so anime, of course did not exist yet, since human too, did not find their existence on the Earth yet.
Or so they said.
So!
Today is Ghibli Studio's Appreciation Day today!
Ghibli Studio, is founded by living anime legends Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao (their names rhymed!). Ghibli Studio is famous for producing countless iconic animes and solely responsible in defining the ultimate epitome of amazingness in Japanese animation.
I love, loooooooooooooove, the details emphasized in every Ghibli-produced anime movies, every animation techniques were applied without leaving any impression to the viewers on its technicalities at all. Every animated movement was so life-like, despite of their traditional 2D trait.
Simply, Ghibli never failed to mesmerized me.
Honestly, I was struck with awe the first time I watched Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し/Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), back in early 2000s. I was still a primary schooler.
Pretty late actually, since any staunch Studio Ghibli fan will name older animes like My Neighbour Totoro ( となりのトトロ /Tonari no Totoro) or Laputa Castle in the Sky ( 天空の城ラピュタ/Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuuta) as their favourite. But pardon moi, my exposure to Ghibli Studios are indeed late, as I'm a Malaysian whose society frowned "animes" as frickin "cartoons".
Pretty late actually, since any staunch Studio Ghibli fan will name older animes like My Neighbour Totoro ( となりのトトロ /Tonari no Totoro) or Laputa Castle in the Sky ( 天空の城ラピュタ/Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuuta) as their favourite. But pardon moi, my exposure to Ghibli Studios are indeed late, as I'm a Malaysian whose society frowned "animes" as frickin "cartoons".
No people, Ghibli Studios's masterpieces are never a "cartoon".
They don't have genetically disturbed growth of Powerpuff Girls, or the slapticity of Looney Tunes, so to put them in the same platform with "cartoons" is pretty much serves as an insult.
I'm dead serious. The differences are obvious!
For example, Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓/Hotaru no Haka) is an awesome, super tear-jerker anime based on WWII. Depictions of death and suffering are very explicit. Miyazaki and his crew are never shy to explore into many humanitarian and humanity issues. Every animes produced by Ghibli Studio received an extra-terrestrial treatment of extreme care and handling. It was so carefully made that we were absorbed into its world without realizing.
Gosh, to talk about Ghibli probably will take me three days to finish everything. To skip my lengthy explanation, I advised you to at least, rent one of Studio Ghibli's movies and finish all your tissue papers on it. For tearing up, of course!
So, for the purpose of this post, I would like to talk about 2 of Studio Ghibli's masterpieces: 1997's Princess Mononoke ( もののけ姫 /Mononoke Hime) and 2010's The Borrower Arietty ( 借りぐらしのアリエッティ /Kari-gurashi no Arietti).
I watched Princess Mononoke sometime ago, my first time watching Arietty was 2 days ago. And after Arietty I re-watched Princess Mononoke again... :P. I admitted I spent last night watching anime discreetly instead of studying. Oh, guilty pleasures!
Nevertheless!
Both Mononoke Hime and Arietty are feast to the eyes. State-of-the-art animation, amazing (I mean, AH-MAH-ZING soundtracks; kudos to Hisaishi Joe and Cecile Corbel) and great storyline completes the movies in a wholesome bundle ready to be enjoyed!
Mononoke Hime detailed on a quest of one young man called Ashitaka in finding the Deer God rumoured to be powerful enough to lift off the curse bound by the demon Nago on his left arm. In his journey, he found countless treacherous setbacks but met San, a girl raised in the thick jungle by a pack of white wolves. They are the inhabitants of the jungle deemed sacred and seemed to hold a key to help Ashitaka remove the curse.
However, San and her pack were happened to be in conflict with the people of the nearby ironwork, led by one Lady Eboshi.
My crappy synopsis did not give justice to the story as a whole, but I wish to convey the symbolism used in abundance in this movie. The purity of the forest contradicts with the interest of the people in the ironwork who longed for development is something that is comparable to today's struggle of humanity versus the environment.
Before my points gets waaay to philosophical I advise you to get the movie and deliver your own judgment. :)
*(R-L): Ashitaka and his red elk, Yakul. Yakul, is my favorite character throughout the whole movie. A very loyal elk he is. :)*
*Super sexxxay Ashitaka in loincloth with Yakul (again!) Gaaahhh! They're so cute I wanna die!!*
Karigurashi no Arietty meanwhile lay down the story of Arietty, a kobito (小人/little people); which look like fairies but simply people, just with different size and her family staying underneath an old house. They are termed as Borrowers, because they take things from human, little things that human often take for granted, e.g. a cube of sugar, a sheet of tissue, bay leaves from the garden...little things that human did not realized that they were taken.
One condition must be met though as a cardinal rule to live as a Borrower; that neither the Borrower, nor their families should be seen by the human.
Nonetheless Arietty was seen by Sho, the boy who live in the house.
O.O
What happen next? Carilah sendiri~ and by that I mean tengoklah sendiri~
*Sho's size vs. Arietty size.*
*Arietty. Look closely at the "bunny-ear-thingy". They are not bunny eaaarrrrs...*
So both movies emit very promising set of story.
But I somehow drawn more to the "vintage" Ghibli anime more than the contemporary ones. I see some sort of charm on the older ones. It cannot be explained but I think that it's more appealing due to the theme that was subtly incorporated to attract the viewers.
I'm not saying Arrietty lacked of solidity to lash out good punches though, but current Ghibli trends that somehow cater younger generations i.e. 5-15 year old demographic somehow did not come up to me as a fresh, "segar-dari-ladang" idea.
Mononoke Hime boasts off 2hr 15mins total time of viewing and it has serious complexity discussed as the content of the movie, so I can see that great effort was given to satisfy more adult viewers. However, it can be quite mind-boggling; I spent few hours more trying to configure the theme and sub-themes: I shall say, only few may avail in the quest of deciphering the interwoven elements in it.
Arietty however lacked that "maturity" but nevertheless is a good breath of fresh air in "little kids" animation. It's ending is NOT predictable and also very very realistic. It has no Disney-ish vibe or the so-called "and they lived happily ever after" suggestions.
It didn't go up so randomly as to marry off both protagonists or to set them into the land of far-far away. This, is a great way to end a story.
So! Ghibli Studios movies are just amazing as the way the look and sound. Miyazaki Hayao won his Oscar for Best Animation in Spirited Away, and countless local Japanese animation awards, solidifying his status as a legend.
I had the opportunity learning about animation from his protege, Sakurai-sensei during my exchange student stint in Bunkyo. And Sakurai-sensei couldn't stop smiling whenever Miyazaki-san's name popped out. I believe he himself consider the opportunity learning/privately knowing Miyazaki Hayao is one of the greatest achievement in his life. :)
P.S: This is a mouthful. Whoa. Probably one of my longest posts after Moonchild :P I can go to enthusiastic mode when I like something :)
Both Mononoke Hime and Arietty are feast to the eyes. State-of-the-art animation, amazing (I mean, AH-MAH-ZING soundtracks; kudos to Hisaishi Joe and Cecile Corbel) and great storyline completes the movies in a wholesome bundle ready to be enjoyed!
Mononoke Hime detailed on a quest of one young man called Ashitaka in finding the Deer God rumoured to be powerful enough to lift off the curse bound by the demon Nago on his left arm. In his journey, he found countless treacherous setbacks but met San, a girl raised in the thick jungle by a pack of white wolves. They are the inhabitants of the jungle deemed sacred and seemed to hold a key to help Ashitaka remove the curse.
However, San and her pack were happened to be in conflict with the people of the nearby ironwork, led by one Lady Eboshi.
My crappy synopsis did not give justice to the story as a whole, but I wish to convey the symbolism used in abundance in this movie. The purity of the forest contradicts with the interest of the people in the ironwork who longed for development is something that is comparable to today's struggle of humanity versus the environment.
Before my points gets waaay to philosophical I advise you to get the movie and deliver your own judgment. :)
Karigurashi no Arietty meanwhile lay down the story of Arietty, a kobito (小人/little people); which look like fairies but simply people, just with different size and her family staying underneath an old house. They are termed as Borrowers, because they take things from human, little things that human often take for granted, e.g. a cube of sugar, a sheet of tissue, bay leaves from the garden...little things that human did not realized that they were taken.
One condition must be met though as a cardinal rule to live as a Borrower; that neither the Borrower, nor their families should be seen by the human.
Nonetheless Arietty was seen by Sho, the boy who live in the house.
O.O
What happen next? Carilah sendiri~ and by that I mean tengoklah sendiri~
So both movies emit very promising set of story.
But I somehow drawn more to the "vintage" Ghibli anime more than the contemporary ones. I see some sort of charm on the older ones. It cannot be explained but I think that it's more appealing due to the theme that was subtly incorporated to attract the viewers.
I'm not saying Arrietty lacked of solidity to lash out good punches though, but current Ghibli trends that somehow cater younger generations i.e. 5-15 year old demographic somehow did not come up to me as a fresh, "segar-dari-ladang" idea.
Mononoke Hime boasts off 2hr 15mins total time of viewing and it has serious complexity discussed as the content of the movie, so I can see that great effort was given to satisfy more adult viewers. However, it can be quite mind-boggling; I spent few hours more trying to configure the theme and sub-themes: I shall say, only few may avail in the quest of deciphering the interwoven elements in it.
Arietty however lacked that "maturity" but nevertheless is a good breath of fresh air in "little kids" animation. It's ending is NOT predictable and also very very realistic. It has no Disney-ish vibe or the so-called "and they lived happily ever after" suggestions.
It didn't go up so randomly as to marry off both protagonists or to set them into the land of far-far away. This, is a great way to end a story.
So! Ghibli Studios movies are just amazing as the way the look and sound. Miyazaki Hayao won his Oscar for Best Animation in Spirited Away, and countless local Japanese animation awards, solidifying his status as a legend.
I had the opportunity learning about animation from his protege, Sakurai-sensei during my exchange student stint in Bunkyo. And Sakurai-sensei couldn't stop smiling whenever Miyazaki-san's name popped out. I believe he himself consider the opportunity learning/privately knowing Miyazaki Hayao is one of the greatest achievement in his life. :)
P.S: This is a mouthful. Whoa. Probably one of my longest posts after Moonchild :P I can go to enthusiastic mode when I like something :)
Comments