Week 6: Danni :What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke? How does it ‘defamiliarise’ its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?

What are the underlying thematics of Princess Mononoke? How does it ‘defamiliarise’ its historical setting, according to Napier (2005)?

Princess Mononoke 'defamiliarises' Japan's historical setting by what is said by Napier as 'Princess Mononoke undermines the myths of Japanese identity while offering a counter-narrative in its place'(pg 233). The film does this by making the old Japanese myths like 'the myth of the feminine (long suffering and supportive)' and 'the myth of the Japanese living in harmony with nature.' These myths are a big part of Japanese culture, and this film changes them, making them unfamiliar.
Napier also says that the film Princess Mononoke was set during the 14th century and doesn't include the usual 'conventions' about tea ceremonies and Japanese high culture, whereas the film was more about the 'outcasts' of history, the people who usually do not appear or are talked about, these include the peasants, outcasts, women and half casts (not completley Japanese) And of course the film including a war between people and the Gods (Kami in Japanese), who in the film are more beast like. The defamiliarising of historical setting and the film is also the use of women being in control of others but are not bad or villians. This was not seen in Japanese culture or history as the men are to be respected and in charge, a notion still prominent in Japanese culture today.