After the awesome feedback you guys gave me on my Spirited Away post, I decided to go with a request for another Hayao Miyazaki film, Princess Mononoke. This is my first time watching the animated movie, and I’m happy to say it completely exceeded my expectations!

You can watch the dubbed English trailer here:

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Princess Mononoke Crash Course

Princess Mononoke or Mononoke Hime (pronounced: Moh-noh-noh-kay Hee-may) is a 1997 epic historical fantasy anime film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli, with music written by Joe Hisaishi. Many argue that it’s Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, so it’s a must-see for anime fans like myself!

With fluid animation, a moving soundtrack, and profound symbolism, Princess Mononoke is overflowing with inspiration. I’m so excited to talk about it today – let’s get right into the fashion:

Princess Mononoke Fashion Inspiration

One of the recurring themes in Princess Mononoke is its use of powerful women in warrior roles, which is a tremendous inspiration on its own. For these inspired looks, I wanted to create a sense of female empowerment, while also incorporating current trends like fringe, layered jewelry, and more. Let’s get started!

Look #1: San

San is known as Princess Mononoke, a 17-year-old girl, the princess of spirits and beasts. When San was a baby, her parents, along with some other travelers, were attacked by the wolf goddess, Moro. San’s parents threw her to Moro as a sacrifice to save their own lives, thus escaping while Moro was preoccupied with the baby.

However, San was spared. Moro did not eat her, instead raising San as her own daughter. San grows to see Moro as her mother and Moro’s two natural pups as brothers, rejecting her own humanity and thinking of herself as a wolf. Possibly because of her past, San hates humans with a passion, even more than Moro does. She wears a coat made of wolf hide, and carries a dagger made from the tooth of a wolf.