Visual Language: Environmental Storytelling Princess Mononoke

As part of the Visual Language Environmental Storytelling brief we were required to research other animations that are examples of Environmental Storytelling. An animation I looked at was the Studio Ghibli film Princess Mononoke, directed by Hayoa Miyazaki.



I absolutely love this film for its visual style, in particular the beautiful landscapes presented in the film. It is almost entirely set outside in an untouched forest. When humans come into the picture they threaten to disturb the forest's delicate ecosystem for the good of industrialization. When the humans begin their activities the natural land reacts negatively.





Although some elements of the film were CGI the backgrounds were entirely hand drawn and painted. I feel this technique allows the film to be stylistically beautiful but also have a nice traditional feel to it.

So much of the film is visual, there is actually very little dialogue. So much of the film is spent watching movement and landscapes. Many of the creatures in this film such as the forest spirit do not speak so instead the story is told through watch we are watching on screen. We know that humans are damaging this delicate environment, not because we are being told, but because we are watching the land and the forest change colours and begin to rot.