#The forest god from mononoke

[homoqueerjewhobbit]

The point of rewatching Miyazaki films is not just to find new tattoo ideas The point of rewatching Miyazaki films is not just to find new tattoo ideas The point of rewatching Miyazaki films is not just to find new tattoo ideas The point of rewatching Miyazaki films is not just to find new tattoo ideas The point of rewatching Miyazaki films is

[c-kiddo]

[tales-from-the-frame]

Princess Mononoke by Hayao MIyazaki (1997)

[ofluckandmagic]

Alixandre Dumont Headcanons

——————

He was born in Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City, and studied through the College of Lore. He never knew his biological parents.

Wanting to prove to himself that he wasn’t a ‘holed up’ scholar, he opted to explore the Entertainer background, and frequented parties in both the Upper City and Outer City with performances.

His father is a Guild Artisan, who primarily fashioned weaponry, but often sold to dealers in the Underground for a profit.

He’s fascinated by magic and mythology, but also had a habit of going against his Adoptive parent’s wishes. They had both hoped he would be an Artisan like them.

Alix is transmasc. He is mostly a guy, but also is not a guy. He uses He/Him and They/Them pronouns, but tends to prefer the former.

His Father wasn’t entirely thrilled about this revelation, despite wanting a son to begin with, and cut Alix out of the family when he went to college and discovered this about himself.

The Tadpole incident, and subsequent adventure was the first time Alix felt like he did not have to put on a performance about who he was, due to finally finding people who saw him as an equal in all ways.

He is Bisexual, Polyam and most certainly some flavor of Acespec. His preferences lean more masculine, but he also equally has found himself attracted to most people.

Alix is autistic and has severe anxiety. He manages the latter with a combination of his music and different herbs.

Despite his severe social anxiety, Alix is fantastic at using his bardic skills to perform songs or poems, showcasing a much more confident version of himself around his companions.

Charismatic but a smidge awkward when attempting to flirt, often blurting out his intentions without thinking only to overthink those interactions later.

Note: the next few headcanons deal primarily with the Startouched God AU

Alix was gifted godhood by being the son of a Tiefling and the star God, Celestian often referred to as the Star Wanderer, a title Alix upholds to this day.

He has tattoos all over his shoulders and back that are blotches of various purples, pinks and blues, which all actively display whatever constellations are in the night sky in all the realms depending on the season.

He spent his summers in the emerald environs, studying the tombs and scrolls there. In turn living among the refugees after his adoptive family disowned him.

The day he was taken by the Nautiloid, he was planning to leave to scout ahead for the refugees to have safe passage to leave the Emerald Grove.

Alix’s magic was partially sealed away and weakened by both the Tadpole as well as what he believes is Celestian abandoning him for a second time.

It is unclear whether this is the truth, or something Alix tells himself to deal with his trauma. Though, he does seem to have less of a grasp on his magic after the Tadpole.

Some minor deity-influenced powers include:

Foresight for weather based on star alignments and wind patterns (astronomy stuff)

The ability to draw magic from the stars themselves.

Minor medicinal/healing magic, often attributed to his bard skills

Mild wildshape-ing. He can take the form of a dark purple, black, and silver antlered stag after a like an attempt to become a Ceryneian Deer. It looks as though this its fur is made of constellations.

He can create small balls of light that resemble stars, which acts as using the ‘Light’ spell without a spell slot.

[artist-issues]

I Hate How She Talks About Snow White

"People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it's like, yeah, it is − because it needed that. It's an 85-year-old cartoon, and our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond 'Someday My Prince Will Come. "

Let me tell you a little something's about that "85-year-old cartoon," miss Zegler.

It was the first-ever cel-animated feature-length full-color film. Ever. Ever. EVER. I'm worried that you're not hearing me. This movie was Disney inventing the modern animated film. Spirited Away, Into the Spider-Verse, Tangled, you don't get to have any of these without Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937.)

Speaking of what you wouldn't get without this movie, it includes anime as a genre. Not just in technique (because again, nobody animated more than shorts before this movie) but in style and story. Anime, as it is now, wouldn't exist without Osamu Tezuka, "The God of Manga," who wouldn't have pioneered anime storytelling in the 1940s without having watched and learned from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the 1930s. No "weeb" culture, no Princess Mononoke, no DragonBall Z, no My Hero Academia, no Demonslayer, and no Naruto without this "85-year-old cartoon."

It was praised, not just for its technical marvels, not just for its synchronized craft of sound and action, but primarily and enduringly because people felt like the characters were real. They felt more like they were watching something true to life than they did watching silent, live-action films with real actors and actresses. They couldn't believe that an animated character could make kids wet their pants as she flees, frightened, through the forest, or grown adults cry with grieving Dwarves. Consistently.

Walt Disney Studios was built on this movie. No no; you're not understanding me. Literally, the studio in Burbank, out of which has come legends of this craft of animated filmmaking, was literally built on the incredible, odds-defying, record-breaking profits of just Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, specifically.

Speaking of record-breaking profits, this movie is the highest-grossing animated film in history. Still. TO THIS DAY. And it was made during the Great Depression.

In fact, it made four times as much money than any other film, in any other genre, released during that time period. It was actually THE highest-grossing film of all time, in any genre, until nothing less than Gone With the Wind, herself, came along to take the throne.

It was the first-ever animated movie to be selected for the National Film Registry. Actually, it was one of the first movies, period, to ever go into the registry at all. You know what else is in the NFR? The original West Side Story, the remake of which is responsible for Rachel Ziegler's widespread fame.

Walt Disney sacrificed for this movie to be invented. Literally, he took out a mortgage on his house and screened the movie to banks for loans to finish paying for it, because everyone from the media to his own wife and brother told him he was crazy to make this movie. And you want to tell me it's just an 85-year-old cartoon that needs the most meaningless of updates, with your tender 8 years in the business?

Speaking of sacrifice, this movie employed over 750 people, and they worked immeasurable hours of overtime, and invented--literally invented--so many new techniques that are still used in filmmaking today, that Walt Disney, in a move that NO OTHER STUDIO IN HOLLYWOOD was doing in the 30's, put this in the opening credits: "My sincere appreciation to the members of my staff whose loyalty and creative endeavor made possible this production." Not the end credits, like movies love to do today as a virtue-signal. The opening credits.

It's legacy endures. Your little "85-year-old cartoon" sold more than 1 million DVD copies upon re-release. Just on its first day. The Beatles quoted Snow White in one of their songs. Legacy directors call it "the greatest film ever made." Everything from Rolling Stones to the American Film Institute call this move one of the most influential masterpieces of our culture. This movie doesn't need anything from anybody. This movie is a cultural juggernaut for America. It's a staple in the art of filmmaking--and art, in general. It is the foundation of the Walt Disney Company, of modern children's media in the West, and of modern adaptations of classical fairy tales in the West. When you think only in the base, low, mean terms of "race" and "progressivism" you start taking things that are actually worlds-away from being in your league to judge, and you relegate them to silly ignorant phrases like "85-year-old cartoon" to explain why what you're doing is somehow better.

Sit down and be humble. Who the heck are you?

[shark3va]

he reminds me of the forest god from princess mononoke

[h2llish]

ミ ˖ ✧ DEVIL'S GHIBLI EVENT

❝ once you've met someone you never really forget them ,,

✉ ─── i've been talking about doing this event for quite some time now after i was introduced to ghibli movies and here it is! there is no deadline for this event because i am only accepting a number of requests, further explanation, along with the rules, below.

♡ ─── rules (please read them carefully!)

♡ as i said, there is a set number of requests i will take, one for each prompt. it's first come, first served event. if the first prompt you wanted is already taken you can try asking for another! this post will be updated regularly, so keep an eye out!

♡ i have not added all ghibli movies, just the ones i really like, and got the best prompt for. some of them are only romantic, some are only platonic, and some can be read as both; i'll be sure to mark them so you know!

♡ i am strictly a male and gender-neutral writer, so do not request for female readers. if no gender is stated, it will be written gender neutral.

♡ all my fandoms apply! that being: twisted wonderland, demon slayer, obey me, stardew valley, and fields of mistria.

♡ if the request isn't exactly as you pictured when requesting i apologize! i'm doing my best!

♡ you can choose to switch the roles of the character and the reader.

that's all! if you have any questions, please let me know!

♡ ─── prompts (you can tell a prompt's been taken when a character's name is beside the prompt)

❝ it just takes a while for your memory to come back to you ,,

howl's moving castle ─ feat. elliott

(romantic) prompt: after a run in with the slightly infamous wizard rumored to consume the hearts of that which they deemed most beautiful ─ you were cursed by a very spiteful witch. with nowhere else to go, and no way to break the spell, you have to rely on that same wizard who you learn isn't quite what people say they are; and you fear, you may be falling in love with them.

spirited away ─ feat. ruggie bucchi

prompt: a move to a new place is stressful; only you weren't warned of the possibility of finding yourself in the world of spirits after a wrong turn and an overly curious pair of parents. and now you're left to fend for yourself with the weight of having to rescue your family on your shoulders, before you're trapped there forever and forget who you once were. ─ although, it helps to have someone who seems to know who you are, willing to help.

kiki's delivery service ─ feat. eiland

prompt: when coming of age, you must set out to begin a life as a brand-new witch. and after doing just that, you find yourself in a big city, with new people, interesting sights and ─ a loss of magic? it's an adventure you start to question if you're ready for, but in the end, you're happy to have the people you've met there at your side.

princess mononoke ─ feat. idia shroud

(romantic) prompt: after saving your village from a cursed and rampaging boar, a god, you're suddenly ailed with that same deadly curse. with the consequence of never being able to return again, you set out to rid yourself of this curse, only to find yourself in the middle of a war between humans and the gods of the forest. you meet a human who was raised by gods, with the intention to kill anyone who threatens their home and their family. ─ but perhaps, you realize, you're both in over your head.

my neighbor totoro ─ feat. epel felmier

(platonic) prompt: moving to a new house to reunite and grow closer to your ill mother, you and your sibling hadn't expected to learn your neighbor was a wood spirit, totoro. what awaits you as you set out on this new adventure with your younger sibling and your new otherworldly friends?

whisper of the heart ─ feat. balor

(romantic) prompt: after discovering the person you've had a (one-sided) rivalry with after they'd beaten you to so many books, you're suddenly questioning if you can live up to a purpose you don't have. so, setting out to feel worthy to stand at their side. an unspoken question remains, will you be able to answer it before time runs out?

tales from earthsea ─ feat. floyd leech

prompt: a force has upset the balance of magic as you know it. troubled and with regrets, you set out; it's up to you, to restore the world of magic as it once was. you meet people, both allied and foe. ─ only, something stirs in you, a darkness that eats at you: and the question rises, will you be able to restore order before chaos consumes, or will you give in to that darkness?

castle in the sky ─ feat. malleus draconia

prompt: after witnessing them float down from the sky, straight into your arms, you're unexpectedly drawn into a journey full of pirates, government agents, secrets, unknown identities and ─ flying castles? in your self-given quest to help your new companion, you're wrapped into a world you'd only heard about in stories. will you regret your choice?

that's all! remember this is first come, first served!

do not repost, translate, copy, or run my writing through an ai

[gorjee-art]

In light of your most recent colt art, I wanted to ask if they rule in the same/similar way as the old bishops?

Are the bishops and Nari long gone by then or are they a witness to the lamb’s change?

And does your lamb have a name/are you gonna give them a separate name?

Ok! This is a super interesting question, let's go one by one. Regarding Lamb's Name: I've thought about it, and I'm not sure! I'm leaning in the direction that after their beheading they just ...forgot their true name! So many followers, including the one who waits, called them "Lamb" or "Leader" that they just began responding to it as their name. Maybe in the future, I'll give them a real name. How does the "Shepherd of Souls" Rule? : Lamb in their Elder God form is, beyond what even a bishop is... bishops only claim they have authority over a certain title, deluding themselves into claiming their godhood but they were never true prophets of their crown. Like Narinder, they became paranoid and tyrannical with their power, mortals having a taste of godhood rarely goes well. Lamb however is different, for they are a true prophet, the true "royal" that claims the crown, as Arthur pulling the Sword from the Stone made him a King, The One Who Waits failed to realize that. What they become is essentially the legendary story of the Echo, no longer even resembling a human, just...a part of nature! There's no decision or thought at play, there's just instinct, a response, it is but fate. They do not speak, they do not answer, they do not play, they do not pass time with fun, they do what they must, and guide souls into their rightful place. Lamb is not just a god, they are now just a part of nature, and many mourn what they used to be... But theatrics aside, a good reference is the "Forest Spirit" from "Princess Mononoke" that'll give you a good idea of how they rule. Does Nari/The Bishops See the Change?: Unfortunately, they do! The Bishops are still tainted with the powers of their respective crowns, thus making them live twice...even thrice as long as other mortals, seeing the physical and mental changes of Lamb, as their silly personality starts to disappear into a mist. Narinder however takes it the hardest, a mixture of confusing feelings, friendship, and perhaps even unrequited love. Lamb despite their early dislike and hatred of Narinder, over these years of caring for the now..."village" they're in. They've grown wise, patient, and sickly sweet, passing on their leadership to the poor heartbroken animal, as they walk into the lush forests, bells tolling, echoing the chiming, jingling, now omen of everlasting sleep.

[trickstarbrave]

Once again ppl are wrong abt princess mononoke and now I am being accused of “making shit up to make it political” are you fucking stupid???? I’m making shit up about princess mononoke by hayao miyazaki the guy who has a political science degree and despised his father for making tools of war in wwii??? The guy who makes a lot of movies abt the horrors of war, anti-imperialism, and saving the environment or else it will destroy humanity???

I’m lying about the movie abt an oppressed indigenous man whose people are in hiding bc the imperial family has tried to wipe them out for centuries? Who goes on a quest to stop a foreign conflict bc he’s a dead man walking and doesn’t want anyone else to suffer the way he did? Where the ppl fighting are spirits and gods of the forest trying to protect their home from destructive human expansion in the form of mining, and a woman who wanted to build a town so she could save brothel girls, the destitute, and lepers? How hate literally rots you from the inside out and violence begets more violence regardless of how justified you might think bc both sides are being manipulated by a man trying to help the emperor become immortal so he can get rich? And in the end it’s also about rebirth and even if both sides can’t forgive each other they must learn to move on and coexist in the same place? I’m making that movie political????

“Heh, this is based on 1400’s era Japan and back then the emperor had no power!!! Therefore it can’t be a critique on Japan’s imperialism—“ yeah 1400’s Japan also didn’t fucking have giant talking wolf gods or boar gods or tree spirits you can all SEE. Not to mention no shogun exists in the movie, don’t you think there would have been mad political beef if everyone knew the emperor wanted to become immortal, might actually succeed bc this is a fantasy land, and promised a vast array of wealth to anyone who could help him be immortal? The emperor himself is signing papers and giving orders to take iron town bc he also wants that fucking iron to explain his military power so TELL ME AGAIN THE EMPEROR HAS NO FUCKING POWER?!?! And also were the modern day audience this was written for and we have the context of Japan’s imperialism. Hayao Miyazaki was aware of it. We’re aware of it. Get a fucking clue or do you have brain damage from crashing your stupid little clown car ???? I’m hope you are struck by lightning you make me sick

[goldenshrikecomic]

The Tongue here reminds me so much of some kind of Studio Ghibli spirit, like something between the forest spirit from Princess Mononoke and the river god from Spirited Away

Unsettling ol' guy

I loved Okkoto from Princess Mononoke! His sickly white colors especially, how washed out he was. The Seer wasn't inspired by any of these but I'm honored you'd be reminded of Ghibli.

[ganondoodle]

Since you said it's ok to send you random ask, i've always found your "monsters" design to be really really gorgeous, and I wanted to know : in any form of media you've interacted with, what's PEAK monster design for you ?

i have been thinking about this ask alot bc ... i dont ... know? theres a problem with what counts as a monster really too, most are either some sort of anthro/furry or the horror gore type of monster that instills you more with disgust than awe

i guess theres some i really like but idk if thats what id call 'peak' (though its rarely JUST the design but their vibe and stuff too);

(its a lot of zelda.. sorry)

Eldra, Farodra and Naydra (engl Dinraal, Farosh(?)) though Eldra is def my fav one of them, i like how they are a little more less typical dragon- with the fur around the neck the floppy ears and kinda goofy face yet manage to be the most ethereal, awe inspiring creature i have ever seen in a game with how they act and are presented as (in BOTW!!! do not mention anythign sonau/zonai with stupid magic pebbles to me about them i will manifest worms into your tea)

Leunen (Lynels) (botw) -i could not find a better picture wtf, fav are white and silver ones) FINE they had some pretty neat new horn designs in totk- idk i just like them alot, rather simple if you think about it, horse lion plus horns- but its so well put together it just kinda scratches my brain in a good way (also how intelligent they clearly are, like the way they fight and act and also even their death animation is so??? huh?? you are just gonna treat them like any other mindless monste- *remmbers they treat ganondorf even even worse all things considered* .. nevermind you're good)

'Beast' Ganondorf (twilight princess) its my favorite beast ganon design (even if it technically is just kinda a man boar .. again) though if ww gan had a non puppet beast form that one would most definitely be my fav lol (i will not get over the fact that some descriptions call this a hideous beast EXCUSE ME???? WHERE???) (honorable mention here, darkbest ganon from botw, pig on fire but it looks cool as fuck)

Nimbusgarde (ww) .. (engl .. darknuts?) do i need to say anything? (i could throw alot of ww design here) not sure if it counts as monster but they are not human so ????

the pathless bosses- (here in order, Cernos, the Godslayer, and Kumo) all of them are rad as hell (except for the final version of the godslayer ... liek im sorry but it looks to boring compared to any other one lol) again not just the design but man do i love them

since i dont know what would count as a monster or no i could just list my fav characters here bfmjbfmjsbmj like radahn (elden ring) is just kinda a zombie, aurelion sol (league of legends) is a space dragon, the forest god in princess mononoke, Narisha (skyward sword- sky whale)- i could go on but this post is long already (honorable mention to Omus in nausicäa, weird bugs but also something divine, though it is much more how they are treated and the vibe etc)

in all honesty though i cant think of one that i would describe as perfect, what i want of a monster design is to be ... cool but also a little weird, big hulking monsters that have something off about them and something that makes them 'other', but also not, as much as i like bloodborne, just bloody gory messes of rotting flesh, AND not just as a monster to kill, i just crave a game or otherwiese piece of media where the cool monsters arent just there for you to kill- the perfect one i guess would be something kinda big scary weird and off but while non verbal clearly not a mindless beast?

and here is the thing; my own characters do not furfill that, my designs are really rather conservative, much to my dismay, anthro of a mix of animals, maybe an extra arm thrown in- Eadrya, one of my favorites, is really just a blueish furry (yes they have fur) and their demon form is a mix of seals and catfish with some extra arms, too many teeth and a mouth that goas wayy to far (if they want) - Shargon is a feather dude with extra arms and his demon form is really just a chinese type dragon crossed with a bird, throw some darts at the color wheel, done

together with my problem of my monster characters losing their 'otherness' vibe within the story rather fast bc the majority of my characters are non human and speak and you see them in all sorts of emotions and parts of life- they lose that divine, unknown vibe and i HATE that that happens, i want them more akin to the forest god in mononoke but thats not possible unless i start from scratch

and i really dont mean to make myself look bad to sound self depre- ... however you spell that; i really am rather dissatisfied with my own designs but mostly just roll with what i got bc i never seem to be able to actually achieve what i want

even my redesigns often really make things LESS interesting (unless maybe the og was just ... human, but they are blue eyed with golden hair and white so that makes them divine you seE-), the skyward sword dragons as i redesigned them made them much more classical dragon, in part intentional bc i was drawing a connection of them becoming the botw dragons at some point, but by all means the canon design is much more weird and unusual than what i did with them, you could apply the same to even demise, his canon design might seem a little uninspired but really what did i do? inject him with some classic satan spice like that makes it in any way less stereotypical evil demon ??? lol

im sorry this post devolved into whatever this is but i really am trying to answer sincerely, i am confused about it myself, what counts as a monster, what doesnt, there must be more that i really loved but why cant i think of them, why do i design characters like this when i really want something much more different, i dont know, i feel like my brain is in a cage, why do i keep making things less interesting in an effort to make it interesting, am i falling into the corporate trap of cool sells who am i what am i doing

(theres a zelda artist with a style so strikingly genuis in shape, color and just .. DESIGN that i want to chew my nails off bc i cannot design like them, their designs and redesigns are so different yet sensical and so full of crisp shapes i have never seen before it drives me nuts and i would want to give them a shoutout but i think they dont like me so aaaaarhekjbfhgdknbgdfklbg)

[lanaflowerz]

Every day praising an indigenous character Day 40-

Ashitaka and San from Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime)

The term "native coded" refers to fictional characters who, although not explicitly identified as indigenous, present characteristics, behaviors, cultural traits, appearances or elements of their stories that are associated with indigenous peoples.

Princess Mononoke is a timeless tale of indigenous colonization and survival. The animated feature is set in late Muromachi period (approximately 1336 to 1573) Japan with fantasy elements. The story follows the involvement of young Emishi prince Ashitaka in a struggle between the gods of a forest and the humans who consume its resources. The term “Mononoke” is not a name, but a Japanese word for spirit or monster: supernatural beings that change shape.

The characters in Princess Mononoke are based on indigenous peoples of Japan, specifically the Emishi and Utari (often referred to as Ainu). Princess Mononoke is a 2016 Japanese animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. Its release date in Japan was July 12, 1997, and worldwide release began in 1999.

[roninreverie]

Kamui Woods' tragic backstory that was made into a documentary

I've got side character brainrot, so watch me make it everyone else's problem. Help me come up with some more ideas, or let me know your favorite theory!

THEORY #1:

He is a tree who gained a Quirk and sentience

(Kind of like what happened with Principal Nezu)

Personally am not a fan of this theory because I feel like his name and ambitions would be a little different or people would mention it more as jokes/jabs/or from flat-out astonishment.

But I'm not ruling it out.

THEORY #2:

His home faced the tragedy, he just lived through it.

He is from Kagoshima Prefecture, so using the vague location as a clue:

He could be from Yakushima:

(AKA, the island inspiring the forest in Princess Mononoke - could tie into his name translation "God of the Woods")

Has a vast forest with some of the oldest trees around

See: Yaku-sugi (Jōmon-sugi).

Has a lot of hot springs (not relevant, just happy for him)

Native with rhododendron

(See costume: if flowers are supposed to be rhododendron and not roses).

He could be from the Mangrove Primeval Forest on Amami Island:

Amami has the Kanoya Rose Gardens

(See costume: belt attachment is made of roses)

2nd largest forest of mangroves in Japan

(Lot of trees, water, and kayaking)

* Both areas are near active volcanoes and subject to typhoons:

Is tragedy related to typhoons, floods, volcanoes, or another type of natural disaster?

See driftwood compatibility: If ships/ water are involved, his wood Quirk could've allowed him to float to safety for several days, being enough hope in the face of tragedy to spark the documentary.

THEORY 4:

Pirates/ boat-related tragedy, also includes being marooned, held hostage, and gives him a newfound sense of justice against villains.

Buuut I feel like he would have maybe joined a mariner-related field if his hero origins involved pirates.

THEORY #5:

Wood was harvested for harsh winters without consent like a sort of body-farm situation that was eventually liberated.

Like if he had bad parents or his whole family was a part of some sort of servitude angle?

He only started counting his birthday/ age recently, so there are a number of reasons why he never celebrated it?

(A little too dark for me, and may be a little influenced by the DNA chambers Yamato Tenzo grew up with in Naruto.)

THEORY #6:

Abandoned in the woods and grew up as a little feral nature child.

Also plays into the "just started counting my age" angle.

EDIT: from the prototype sketch rough translations, this kind of sounds like what happened, though I don't know if the tragedy ends there or with his adopted family.

THEORY #7:

Related to his appearance.

Shinji is very secretive of his appearance, mainly his mouth area that is constantly hidden by a mask or scarf. It's possible, he just likes his privacy, buuuut... theories anyway:

He could be made of wood all over, have branch/limb-like teeth that are unsettling to others, a nutcracker jaw, Ghibli Forest Spirit face, or have a nod to a skin condition like Epidermodysplasia that he was ridiculed for as a kid, so now keeps his face hidden?

That's all the theories I think I've got. Feel free to share more if you have ideas too!

[alpaca-clouds]

Explaining Solarpunk With The Help Of Princess Mononoke

Recently I was asked to write an essay about Solarpunk - and especially the "punk" of Solarpunk and how it is used to tell stories - for a German publication that will be released later this year. Originally someone else had been asked to write an essay, but the publishers were not happy with that essay, becuase that essay very much focused just on the history, and worse, on the history in "the west". So, I did what I already do in this blog over and over: Ramble about Solarpunk. Though for that essay I tried to get it a bit scientific sounding. ;)

I did talk about the history of the genre, too, and about how the punk genre came to be. But with Solarpunk I especially talked about the influence of Hayao Miyazaki and Ursula K. LeGuin. And while discussing how those stories influenced Solarpunk as a genre, I realized one thing: The most Solarpunk Ghibli movie is Princess Mononoke. In fact, that movie is so Solarpunk, that I think it can be used to explain the genre more than anything. And that is despite the fact that this movie is not science fiction, but set in the Japan of the 14th century.

Because, well... I will repeat: No, Solarpunk does not necessarily need to be a SciFi setting. You can write a story that is fundamentally Solarpunk in almost any setting.

Now, let me talk a moment about Princess Mononoke, for everyone who has not watched the movie (at least in a while):

Princess Mononoke is the story of Ashitaka, the prince of the Emishi (one of the technically erased indigenous cultures of Japan). After his village gets attacked by a corrupted god, he travels west to find one of the last mountain gods in the hope that this god can heal him. Before he finds the god, however, he gets drawn into the conflict between a settleman calling itself Irontown and the minor gods of nature living around it. The gods try to bring down Irontown, which is lead by Lady Eboshi, as the iron extraction is destroying nature and with it the gods themselves, too. On the side of the gods, there is also San, a girl who had been abandoned in the forest by her parents and was taken in by the wolf gods. Ashitaka finds, that he will have to help both sides to find a peaceful solution.

Now, the movie is very interesting from so many Solarpunk aspects.

The central conflict is very much a conflict between men and nature, but one where both sides are shown with a lot of nuance. As well as having some aspects that a lot of people tend to overlook - like the importance of Ashitaka's perspective as an indigenous man.

Now, the movie could have been quite simple, but Miyazaki chose to not make it that way. Because the quite interesting point is, that Irontown is filled with people from the Untouchable Caste of Japanese society. (Because yes, Japan has a Caste system - untouchables exist to this day.) Untouchables were prostitutes, people who worked certain other jobs like mortician, sick people and such. And Eboshi is a former prostitute, who knew of this and decided to fill her town with only other untouchables, often rescuing them from abject poverty. And she does care about them. She wants to help those people. She just does not see the value in the nature she is destroying compared to the value she can create for herself and her people by selling weapons.

The mythology shown in the movie, rather than depicting classic Shinto mythology, actually is build more around what we know about pre-Shinto Japanese mythology, which has a lot more animalistic gods than what it evolved to with Shinto.

And again, the very interesting aspect that a lot of people ignore is that Ashitaka is indigenous. He is not Japanese, he is Emishi - he is from a culture that the Japanese culture (that came from Chinese and Korean colonialism of the Japanese islands) eradicated. But within the world of the movie some Emishi have survived and have hidden in the mountains.

Which brings me to the point that actually makes me say, that this is the most Solarpunk movie: The ending. Because the ending of the movie is, that both sides decide that they will need to find a way for both of them to live. And they will learn that with Ashitaka staying with the people of Irontown and helping them live together with nature.

Because the movie quite clearly says: Yes, the methods that Eboshi choses are wrong. But her goals - helping those people outcast by normal society - are still good ones. And there has to be a way that these people can live a good life at this place surrounded by this ancient nature without being antagonistic towards it.

Now, of course the movie leaves in a very open end. It does not say whether they manage and how they manage. But they at least try.

And I think that is what makes this movie so inherently Solarpunk: The mixture of those themes. The indigenous culture. The nature and its protection. And the survival of those outcasts. That is a lot of themes - and it is the themes that I think are at the very core of what Solarpunk should be.

Again... I keep harping on this in this blog, but I will say it again: No, Solarpunk is not an aesthetic. It is about themes and content. Which is exactly why so many of the stories people will tell you about when you ask them about it, are not very SciFi in fact - and not at all fitting with the tumblr aesthetic. They are a lot more like Princess Mononoke and Nausicaä. And... Well, I think that this is something people really should take more to heart. Allow for it to be more thematic - rather than necessarily fitting with the aesthetic.

[ersetu-gazette]

So after rewatching Princess Mononoke I suddenly realized it would be a great media to crossover with Mother of Learning (sorry I have crossover-itis, it's chronic). Internal political conflicts due to imperialism, two sides fighting (one side more in the wrong than the other) where mitigating damage and diplomacy is the best option and sometimes force is required, one side working against the gods, one character chosen by them, and a protagonist only tangentially involved forced into the conflict (and he jumps in once he knows the stakes).

Obviously they're very different media, but I think their framing and how characters approach their similar conflicts would be an interesting thing to play with. So out of curiosity what would everyone think would be more compelling?

Explanations on how I would do each version below the cut:

1st option: The Princess Mononoke movie plays out exactly how it did, and then the characters wake up at the start of the movie before Ashitaka was cursed but after Eboshi shot the first boar god. Ashitaka, San, and Eboshi have to find a permanent solution that leaves the Deer God alive by the end. This requires the three of them to team up and deceive Jigo and the emperor. 2nd option: The plot of Princess Mononoke takes place on Hsan. Most of the gods (the wolf, ape, and boar gods) are instead fey, except for the Deer God who is the last god left, who descended to the material plane to incorporate into a more mortal form (as he is the god that designed souls and believed they had to experience and protect mortals there). The main cast are all mages. Lady Eboshi got her nobility by inventing a stable method of making cold iron, an easier method to kill spirits. San is a battle mage raised by the fey chosen by the angels to help save the last god from dying. She used to be the heir to a native nation that was only recently conquered by the empire. Ashitaka is a minor soul mage/exorcist from a small nation trying to resist being conquered. When he was cursed at the beginning it persists throughout the loops, the more he relies on its power the more easily it taints his body throughout the loop. Eboshi is convinced the time loops are a way to allow her to succeed at killing the Deer god, San is doing everything in her power to stop her from destroying the forest, and Jigo is a high ranking soul/mind mage spy in the imperial church (who has partial awareness of the loop). In previous loops Ashitaka never made much impact but in one of them gets Jigo's attention when he triest to take a more neutral side, Jigo assumes that Ashitaka is a looper on San's side and worsens the curse he was inflicted with, (but somehow gets him into the loop? idk I'll workshop it)

The cast over the story are forced to find an uneasy alliance and recognize the emperor needs to be stopped. There's a lot of parallels to the original Mol plot but it goes in it's own direction. There's a chance for MoL cameos but they won't be a major focus. 3rd option: Zach and Zorian are pulled into the Monosuke plot and forced into a time loop until they can stop the Deer god from dying. (Still not sure if they're natives to the world or have been isekaid). 4th option: Straight up isekai. Zorian and Zach have to stop the Deer God's death and the conflict between humans and nature before things go bad. Of course there will be some type of extra burden or problem they'll have to deal with so they can't just use their magic to brute force solve everything.

[nekrosmos]

YES FELLOW HORROR FAN what's your opinion on Creaking then?? I personally love it. Definitely isn't as top tier as Warden, but man the mechanics behind it are adrenalin feast + I love me some forest guardian type of monsters.

You and your hard questions... does "misunderstood" count as a monster type?? Like, Warden is sexy, but Warden that is completely alone in the dark, lost in time, guarding ruins of a city no longer filled with life... blind and guided by the beating of his own heart? Having to approach him slowly, an inch a day just to get close and let him feel a tender touch?? Yeah that is SEXY.

Minotaurs are CHARGED with sexual energy + another sad lore piece, sign me up!! But if I think of actual monster kind, I think for me it's mostly the one with animalistic features. Like, vampires I do not get at all, but werewolves? Some water creatures (like creature of the black lagoon or shape of water creature)? That deer-like god from princess mononoke? GIMMIE.

But if we count King Kong as a monster, then well. There's a clear winner. My unironic crush on him is almost as old as my consciousness.

But ALSO, I don't know if they count as a proper monster. But. D'Vorah. She's somewhere in the xenomorph and driders (although bg3 Kar'niss? husband.) category for me, where "oh this is definitely not where pure love can save me, but i don't mind dying to feed its offspring" comes into play. The rest I just want to live a happy life with.

Did I just yap several paragraphs about monsters (and that's a fraction of what I have to say)? I sure did! thanks for letting me, lol. Don't forget to bring wool and a hoe to the ancient city!!

YEAAAAAAAH HORROR MY BELOVED. I love Creaking !! I haven't encountered it or saw much about it but the mechanic is just my thing. That weeping angels / SCP 173 / Those mannequins in the Resi Village DLC mechanic is always so creepy and good, can't wait to see more of this guy !! But the Warden's vibes are immaculate, that amphibian feel to it is so good design wise.

Love that you're into misunderstood monsters, there's definitely a lot of angst and sad lore going on :3c And hard agree about more animalistic monsters, werewolves are always top tier, aquatic creatures too, sometimes you need to embrace your inner furry a little. Love centaurs too !

Love that you're into King Kong, like that is so on brand VSNUJVHNSV. Mankey ......

I didn't know about D'Vorah but she looks REALLY cool and I can see the drider and xeno comparison. Kar'niss is my babygirl, I could fix him. Also Raphael's final form? Hot damn. Also, Nemesis from Resident Evil too, fuuuuck. Or Dimetrescu's dragon form. Yeah. Yeah :3c

You're always welcome to come yapping in my inbox!!! Fellow monster fucker !!! 🤝​