Mononoke and Kiki

Certain circumstances have prevented timely posting.

Althought they are so different, Princess Mononoke and Kiki's Delivery Service treat technology similarly. The end doesn't work out the same, but the attitudes portrayed are very close compared to Miyazaki's other films. In Nausicaa, for example, technology isn't blatantly shunned. Nausicaa uses her glider throughout the entire film and the only thing wrong with the Tolmekians is that they have a desire to destroy and conquer. In Castle of Cagliostro, Porco Rosso, and Totoro technology is hardly discussed. Castle in the Sky may be the only other film that discusses the use of technology. Very similar to Nausicaa, Castle in the Sky shows how greed and technology work together to conquer and destroy.

In Princess Mononoke and Kiki's Delivery Service, technological development may improve the lives of humans but the lives of those in nature will be complicated if not ended. Kiki, her town, her family, and the other witches are heavily aligned with nature. Kiki seeks nature when she is feeling down, her town is contrasted with the technologically developed town, her family's house is covered with growth, and the other young witch she meets rejects Kiki's radio. Once Kiki arrives in her new town she is greeted by technology in a very dangerous manner - she almost gets hit by a bus! Right away, this shows how technology is going to complicate her life. Later, when she and Tombo go see the zeppelin fly Kiki slowly loses her magic power out of a lack of confidence. This is an appropriate time for Kiki to lose her power because man has just mastered that same power. This, and Kiki's upcoming trip to the forest define Kiki's need to mediate between nature and technology. Near the end, the disaster with the Zeppelin requires Kiki to use her powers and thus, they are restored. In the final moments of the film and in the credits, Kiki has realized that the world isn't going to stop developing, and that she needs to be able to mediate between nature and technology - this is showed by her use of her radio again.

In Princess Mononoke technology is much more obviously scrutinized. The first horrible image of the film (the cursed god) was caused by the development and implementation of technology by lady Eboshi. Affected by this demon, Ashitaka must go solve the problems in the west. He becomes a mediator between the beings of nature and the other humans. Because he values peace over technological advancement and nature, he rises above the dispute. This absolute division of nature and technology is similar to Kiki, but to the extreme degree - mostly because the technology is causing so much death in the forest. In the end, although neither San nor Eboshi can get along and live with each other, they both decide that peace and harmony is worthwhile. The one thing that struck me about the end of this film was that Ashitaka decides to live in the ironworks. I expected him to live in nature with San but instead he decided that Eboshi's people would need more help rebuilding and organizing a nature-preserving process. Although unexpected, this moment reminded me of Kiki's decision to advance alongside technology, instead of against it.

I think this is something Miyazaki is stating very clearly in these two films. Neither the preservation of nature nor the advancement of technology are worth dying for. Instead, the two should work together and all people should keep both in mind.