Miyazaki Hayao’s Animism: The Historical Theories That Shaped “Princess Mononoke”

In June 2025, Studio Ghibli celebrated its 40th anniversary just before Japan commemorated 80 years since the end of World War II. Directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, central figures in the studio's success, were both born during Japan's wartime era, living through much of the 20th century. Over the past two decades, the studio has produced films by new generations of directors, including Miyazaki's son Gorō and Yonebayashi Hiromasa, alongside later works by Miyazaki and Takahata.

During the 1990s, Ghibli's anime gained international acclaim, and in the 2020s, its presence on streaming platforms expanded its global reach. However, there has been a noticeable decline in interest among Japanese people under 30, who cannot access the films via streaming due to rights restrictions.

This report explores how Miyazaki's 1997 film Princess Mononoke and other anime by the director reflect postwar Japanese thinking and society. I will examine lesser-known links between Japan's postwar cultural and intellectual history, Miyazaki's philosophy, and his imaginative approach to storytelling.

Manga and anime experienced significant growth as popular culture after World War II, leaving a profound impact both in Japan and abroad. Osamu Tezuka and Miyazaki Miyazaki, two towering figures in this development, share many similarities, including their affection for children, humanistic style, and ecological concerns. They are often grouped together in the same category.

Miyazaki was profoundly influenced by Tezuka's manga from a young age, and they even collaborated on an adaptation of the graphic novel Rowlf, which inspired Miyazaki's manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, released in 1982, and the 1984 anime film of the same name.

Despite their close connection, a notable difference exists between the two creators. Tezuka established a low-budget "limited animation" system for television production, which Miyazaki later criticized. This highlights a significant divide in their creative approaches. Nonetheless, their shared connection with philosopher Umehara Takeshi (1925-2019) offers a surprising link between the two men.

Umehara revolutionized established theories through his innovative interpretations of Japan's ancient history, culture, and mindset, leading to the development of "Umehara Japanology." In 1988, Umehara wrote a play based on the Epic of Gilgamesh, a world's oldest known story. Tezuka, who had never met Umehara, passionately asked him to adapt the play into an anime.

Tezuka passed away before his wish could be fulfilled, but in 1998, Umehara collaborated with medieval historian Amino Yoshihiko at a symposium focused on Miyazaki. They shared the story of Miyazaki's refusal to adapt Tezuka's Gilgamesh, though the director later recognized the influence of the play on Princess Mononoke.

Umehara's Gilgamesh features the protagonist slaying a forest deity, a motif echoed in Princess Mononoke when Lady Eboshi kills the Forest Spirit. Additionally, the character Enkidu, a human-beast hybrid, resembles San, the girl raised by wolves in the Forest Spirit's realm. Tezuka's desire to produce an anime version of Gilgamesh demonstrates that the epic contains elements reminiscent of his own works, such as the serow and spirits of the dead dialogue in Goethe's Faust, which Miyazaki might have subconsciously incorporated into Princess Mononoke.

The epic's quest for eternal life parallels Tezuka's Phoenix, and both films explore themes of nature and its creative potential in distinct ways. Tezuka's appreciation for nature stemmed from his suburban upbringing in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, where nature was carefully curated for observation and relaxation. In contrast, Miyazaki, born during the war and part of the "scorched earth generation," developed a more complex relationship with nature, shaped by his experiences during and after the conflict.