Every year on August 11, Japan celebrates Mountain Day—a public holiday created to promote nationwide appreciation for the country’s mountain ranges, along with the natural resources and beauty they provide. This month, a particularly dedicated Studio Ghibli cosplayer has channeled the spirit of Mountain Day with their spectacular tribute to the iconic fantasy film, Princess Mononoke.
Inside Games, a popular Japanese website dedicated to anime and gaming, recently compiled a group of cosplayers whose photos are “mountain-themed, or in which mountains appear as a backdrop” to celebrate the Japanese holiday. Over on X (formerly Twitter), the editors highlighted a stunning portrait from @beruka225, a user who regularly showcases high-quality anime and gaming cosplay. A recent post depicts them as San, the iconic heroine who fights alongside protagonist Ashitaka. Next to her, against a backdrop of mountains that resemble the film’s natural setting, is a watercolor-style depiction of Moro, the powerful Wolf God who raised San after she was abandoned by her human parents. While @beruka225’s original post is no longer available, CBR readers can check out their cosplay below.
Studio Ghibli's New Cosplay Makes a Strong Impression of San from Princess Mononoke
Like many Ghibli films, Princess Mononoke has a lot of environmental themes. The story is set during Japan's Muromachi period (1336 to 1573 AD), in a land where animal gods—and demons—roam freely. One day, a ferocious monster attacks a peaceful village. Their prince, a boy named Ashitaka, kills the monster but ends up infected with the same curse of hatred that possessed it, a boar god. Fearing for his life, the village priest advises Ashitaka to leave the village and find a cure.
The majority of Princess Mononoke's action takes place in the middle of a mountainous region covered in vast ancient forests. In the middle of this land is an industrial settlement called Iron Town, which has angered the forest gods by cutting down trees and polluting the natural terrain through constant mining. Incensed, San repeatedly leads attacks on the people of Iron Town and their leader, Lady Eboshi. After developing a close relationship with San, Ashitaka becomes a mediator who seeks a peaceful solution for both sides. Released in 1997, Princess Mononoke was the highest-grossing film in Japan that year, earning over 19 billion yen (US$160 million) in ticket sales nationwide.
Princess Mononoke's strong environmental theme fits Japan's Mountain Day
Princess Mononoke's profound and subtle message fits well with Mountain Day's goal of raising awareness and advocacy for environmental protection across all fronts. Although Mononoke has been surpassed financially by its immediate successor, Spirited Away (2001), it continues to be a favorite among Ghibli fans. Last month, the film received a special limited-time re-release in the United States as part of Ghibli Fest 2024 — a year-long screening of Ghibli's most popular animated works. Before August is over, Ghibli fans will also have the chance to see The Cat Returns (2002) and Whisper of the Heart (1995) in select theaters across the country.
For viewers in the United States and Japan, the Studio Ghibli film library streams exclusively on Max. This does not include Grave of the Fireflies, which is scheduled to begin streaming on Netflix for viewers worldwide on September 16, 2024. Netflix has also made other Ghibli films available to viewers in Canada, Europe, Africa, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Source: Inside Games
