I love this movie. So does my four year old son -- but he has very advanced tastes and is not easily frightened. ("It's just a movie, Mommy," complete with eye roll.) The violence is pretty intense and the resolution is rather subtle. My son had to see the movie many times before he really understood what happens to the forest spirit in the end.
Princess Mononoke
(1999, Rated PG-13, Family and kids, Starring Yoji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Akira Nagoya)Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
Have you seen it? 
Most Recent Reviews
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
Miyazaki's masterpiece
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
good for everyone but is violent at times
again one of the finest work of Mr.Miyazaki. bit violent though but movie conveys extremely high regards for nature and our system of balance with it with beautiful imagination and epic story.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Very violent compared to other Miyazaki masterpieces
Princess Mononoke is one of my top ten favorite movies, ever. Intelligent characters, amazing concepts, gorgeous scenery. No irredeemable villains; only imperfect souls trying to do their best in a difficult world. This film contains many scenes of violence, including death, dismemberment, blood, and decaying corpses. Over the next few years my kids will see every Miyazaki film; Nausicaa and Mononoke will be saved for last.
- I rate this title on for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
Please also be aware that this film DOES contain sexual content related to prostitution.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Brilliant flick will Entertain
With a beautiful score to finsh the whole thing up.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
unexpectedly gorey
i got this because common sense media said it was ok for 9+. i completely disagree, and i haven't done that before! the snakes covering the demon gods were creeping out my 11 year olds. the story eventually didn't make sense (the humans vs. gods vs. the earth has a confused ending - certainly nothing al gore would appreciate!) i wish we hadn't seen it. yes, the animation was good, but a child can't separate the story from the direction. it was really too graphic for younger kids - i think it deserves the pg-13 rating.
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Good for older kids.
It is extremely bloody, but sends a good message.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Masterpiece, but best for mature-minded kids
I bought this when I was 11 to complete my collection; at the time I decided it was too violent, so I put it aside for a year and was able to enjoy it when I watched it then; I have, however, met kids as young as 7 who had no issues with it. The main concern is the violence - beheadings, village raids, flying limbs, animals that literally melt into bloody messes, etc. Other than that, there's some references to brothels, and many women only wear what at generally looks like baggy, loose shirts (nothing is shown, though), but most kids probably wouldn't notice. All in all, just tread cautiously with youngsters and the gentler-stomached, but for anyone who can get past that, it's one of Miyazaki's best, if not the best.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Blood, Blood and more Blood :S
i really didn't like this movie. one of the reasons is that i got lost wile watching it! it was so long and horrifing i think i'm scared. But don't get me wrong i love this guys movies just not this one
- I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
I love this movie! there is a bit scary violence,but thats it. Me and my sister love this movie.
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
really cool!!!
I loved this movie very much. one part was pretty sick when ashitaka shot of a guy on a horse head.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great anime Love it
I actually watched this with movie when i was about 8 and there was nothing in there that scared me or creeped me out i didn't think the drinking was that bad but there were some quite gruesome scenes overall it was probably the best anime i had seen till i watched Akira
- I rate this title on for age 9 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Princess Mononoke
I love it personaly, however I recall some disturbing scenes with gore and violence but as all other Hayo Miazaki movies breath taking
- I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
I
- I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Wait till your kids are 10
Excellent movie but the most bloody anime movie I've ever scene.
- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Good movie, Just wait until they're atleast 13
I am not bashing Miyazaki, and this movie is wonderful! But it is certaintly not for 9 year olds. Violence is heavy blood, Not like everywhere but frequent, Scary for children under 10. Language contains words such as "Ba*t*r*", And some characters are seen drinking alchohol. So they got it wrong, but it is a great movie, just wait till they're atleast 13.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Iffy for 12, fine 13 and up
I have to diagree with you here commonsense although it is one of my favorite movies it is VERY bloody. Some people lost their arms head, ect. While the is a lot of blood most of the decapitations are comical. THe worst part is probobly when that boar diest and turns into a demon with all of those red worms things on it. *shudders* And im surprised my mom aucually lets me watch it. Anyway great movie for those who can handle it!
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
A must see
It is a wonderful film... one of the best movies I have ever seen.
- I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
WOW
Probably the most bloodiest animated movies I've seen. There were body parts and lots of sword fight action!
- I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
The stupid, bloody, non-stop action focus must anime focus on is replaced with a sense of environmentalism and Japanese mythology. But, unlike CommonSense, I think 9 is too young. Thirteen sounds good, parents.
- I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
Hooray! A Movie I Can Watch Everyday!
I love this movie. Anything by Miyazaki is genius. The spirits and the evildoers make the movie exactly what it is: FABULOUS!
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
Wow, 9 +
This is a great movie. The message is pretty much inaccessible to children. It also contains gore and references to brothels. I would not have given this movie a 9 +. I don't think that a nine year old could appreciate the message, and would be creeped out. It's rated pg 13!
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
Very Violent
Common Sense says on for 9 and up for this movie. So much for common sense. Princess Mononoke is the most violent i have ever seen. There are scenes of decapitation and limps being cut of. There is also plenty of blood. There is someone mild language but thats not a problem compared to the violence. I would say that its okay for someone no younger than 12 years old, let alone 9.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I loved it
it is a good movie just about any Anime or nature lover will love this film. it shows a lesson on messing with the balance of nature. my only complaint is the useage of blood and the boar gods becomeing demons
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Scary and Kind of Gross
This movie had a lot of unexpected parts. Although I read about it on Common Sense, I didn't realize it would be so violent. (Some people lose their body parts!) There is lots of blood, but it's also a really good adventure movie. The Tree Spirits are really cute and so is the Elk. I recommend it to people that like sort of bloody movies.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
9+? H*ll no!
Really. Princess Mononoke is awesome but 9 and up? CSM, that's too lenient. And to think that you've been strict by giving Spongebob 6+! Anyways, Princess Mononoke is violent. As if you didn't know that. Even Appleseed, which was rated R, isn't as violent as this. There's a lot of beheadings in the beginning but they're not that graphic, so if it was only that, then it would be 9+. But then there's a scene with a bunch of slaughtered boars, and that would have made it 11+. However, after that there's the forest god scene with creepy music and weird goo coming from its head, and that makes Mononoke Hime 13+. Definitely. Even though this is Miyazaki, who does mostly family-friendly films, this movie isn't for anyone under 13. Maybe a mature 12-year-old can see it though.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A must-see for everyone who can breathe!
"The fate of the world rests on the courage of one warrior." Princess Momnonoke is by far one of the best movies I have ever seen. There are some elements of the animation that could possibly scare children under age 9, though I watched it at 8 and had no problem with it. The animation is gorgeous; every little detail is put in to make it feel almost real. I watched it for my third time in two days today. There is use of the 'd' word, but nothing other than that. A very good movie for anyone 9+ who wishes to see another beautifully animated movie from Hayao Miyazaki.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Ahahaha... 9+????
A quote I recall was "If they show a nipple, it's NC-17. But if they cut the nipple off, it's only R" It fits my sentiments exactly as I laugh derisively at the 9+ age limit on there. Of course it's a good movie, with gorgeous animation and epic themes that would not normally be found in today's American movies. And considering that many people gave Brokeback Mountain a pretty bad rating, I was laughing at the rating. Having said that, Mononoke Hime is a gorgeous movie, as I have said before, but seriously, a 9+ rating? Granted when I first saw this when I was six, I didn't understand any of it (huh? pretty red?) But it isn't something analogous to, oh, let's say Naruto or Pokemon or Barney for that matter. With its complex themes and symbolism, the movie is further inaccessible to those 9 and under, in my opinion, and parents should wait before trying to show this masterpiece to their five year old kids. Again, when I first saw this, I had no idea what was going on. So please don't make the same mistake.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A Must for Miyazaki fans or action lovers!!!!
This movie is awesome. Nothing else. I consider it the best animated film of all time. The themes are realistic, but the story still is a fantasy. The character development is awesome and the action is gripping. Adult themes spice the story, but still make it a bit inappropriate. Themes as prostitution and lepers are involved. Must see!
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
