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12 comments
16 comments
Rank This Matchup or Comment/Reply Below
on 8/25/2009
Two Miyazaki masterpieces. Spirited Away is better.
on 11/25/2009
Princess Mononoke floored me. And I'm admittedly jaded toward Spirited Away. Known too many people unhealthily obsessed with it. Been subjected to it too often.
on 1/25/2010
Both are great but I'm going with Princess Mononoke here. Spirited Away was wild and imaginative but Mononoke seemed to have a more coherent story and was overall more intriguing to me.
on 5/8/2010
While I think Spirited Away is a better film (a more solid story with better crafted characters, and not so thematically ham-fisted), Princess Mononoke never fails to elicit more of an emotional reaction from me. Every time I watch it, the sheer majestic beauty of the whole thing nearly moves me to tears. Mononoke wins for me.
on 2/10/2011
Meh.
on 6/3/2011
Miyazaki's 2 best films (followed closely by Nausicaa). Spirited Away is slightly better.
on 3/19/2012
While Spirited Away was a far more consistent film than Mononoke, I mostly remember it for being really weird. Mononoke was ambitious as hell, and even though it's uneven, I will never forget it. So... Mononoke wins this round.
on 4/30/2012
Soooo close. So, so close. I agree with whoever said that Spirited Away is more consistent. But on any given day I might rather watch Mononoke. Spirited Away is a great entry into Miyazaki, and Mononoke is something that perhaps requires more background knowledge and experience with Miyazaki to fully appreciate. I'm lucky to have seen both with their original language tracks on the big screen. I'll give it to Spirited Away this time, but I hate to choose between the two.
on 12/11/2012
Spirited Away,just because.
Princess Mononoke. Spirited Away was brutal....I'm sorry...I know that will bring hate...
on 5/26/2013
I recently changed my mind on this one and went with Princess Mononoke. I'm changing that back today.
Two movies that are nearly the exact opposite of what I expected after hearing so much hype about how magical they are. Can I just vote for one of Miyazaki's 80s movies instead?
on 6/13/2013
So these are the only two Ghibli films I've seen so far, and neither have lived up to their god-like reputation. God help me when I get onto watching the rest of Miyazaki's work. However, whereas Spirited Away held very little interest for me, I will give Princess Mononoke credit for not being ham-fisted and giving me something else to think about beyond the usual Miyazaki fare of "isn't the animation and design pretty!", in the form of it's take on man vs. nature. Mononoke wins.
Surely Mononke's environmental agenda is more ham-fisted than Spirited Away's surreal whimsy. Like, by default, man.
When i said that Mononoke's message wasn't ham-fisted, I meant in comparison to Western cinematic efforts on the same topic like Avatar and Fern Gully. I wouldn't describe Spirited Away's "surreal whimsy" as being ham-fisted, because to be brutally honest, I don't find it charming or whimsical in the slightest.
on 7/30/2013
I think Mononoke is the winner for me, but they are both spectacular films. I'd never say that someone's opinions are "stupid" or "not worth reading", but I'd like some of the detractors to give more detailed explanations, because telling me these films aren't incredible is like telling me 2+2=5. Though it's not that they're lies, I just can't comprehend the ideas. I am that blown away by them!
on 11/15/2013
Both these films are terrific Miyazaki films, very unlike anything you'll find in American animation, and thoroughly enjoyable watches. But nonetheless, Spirited Away stomps on Mononoke. As good as Princess Mononoke is, Spirited Away is a beautiful and imaginative piece of work, one of the greatest animated films I've ever seen, and the clear victor.
on 12/11/2013
Princess Mononoke puts Spirited Away to shame. These are the only two Miyazaki films I've seen so far. Spirited Away left me wildly disappointed, wondering why everybody worships at Miyazaki's alter. Princess Mononoke made me begin to understand why. I'm still not completely sold on him, but I'm now looking forward to exploring more of his filmography ... something I couldn't say after I watched Spirited Away.
on 12/13/2013
Mononoke is better.
on 1/12/2014
Princess Mononoke is a good fantasy but Spirited Away is a great fantasy. Both of these films are good movies. I do think that Spirited Away is better than Mononoke as it seemed to drag on. The best parts in the film were the fight scenes. I didn't care that much for the characters. In Spirited Away, the characters are likable and are also relateable.
on 2/14/2014
Spirited Away
I think there's more to spirited away and does a better job with characters so I think its the winner here
on 5/5/2015
Princess Mononoke is a epic of such beauty and power, it would've made Kurosawa proud. It wins
Spirited Away for sure. Liked Mononoke but found it slightly overrated
on 7/26/2015
Argh!! Nooo!! Well, I think Princess Mononoke wins by an incredibly close slide. As I have noted, Spirited Away has a very unique concept. In addition, Spirited Away had stronger romance imo than mononoke. BUT Mononoke had a good message, even if a bit used, still great with the animation, the serious suspence, the great violence and incredible cilmax that leads into a chilling ending (while Spirited Away plays it safe, because man that romantic scenery is difficult to defeat!). I feel like spirited away started and ended much too safe. (I call it the "comfortable padding" beginning and end) while Mononoke took the risks with the story background, the action-packed horse-riding scenery, and ending with the rat-tat-tat of those strange nature things. Two of this guy's best works, though.
on 7/27/2015
Love both but Spirited Away is more creative
on 8/4/2015
Spirited away felt even less powerful in comparison after I re- watched Mononoke. the latter wins again.
on 8/28/2016
These two movies prove that Hayao Miyazaki is a phenomenal filmmaker and pioneer in animated cinema. But if I had to choose, I pick Spirited Away just because I have more of an emotional connection to it. Both are absolutely incredible films, though.
on 10/31/2016
Both are masterpieces, but the action junkie in me gives the edge to "Princess Mononoke"
on 9/21/2017
Both are two of the best animated movies of all time, but if i had to choose one of them, then it would be Spirited Away
on 10/3/2018
Mononoke was my first Ghibli experience, and I did absolutely love it. However, Spirited Away just has this... well, spirit that I adore. It just draws me in. Both fantastic films, but Spirited Away juuuust edges it for me.
on 1/7/2021
Princess Mononoke was a good attempt by Miyazaki as an action blockbuster, and it is pretty good. Spirited Away, however, was more powerful for me and remains the greatest animated film ever made.
on 1/8/2021
Surprised Mononoke is winning this. Spirited Away is MIyazaki's masterpiece IMO.
on 5/14/2021
Two studio ghibli movies that I recently watched for the first time. Both are great but Mononoke was much more my tempo and pretty epic in scope. Spirited Away left me more confused than entertained.
on 7/2/2023
Spirited Away. Princess Mononoke was cool, but come on, Spirited Away is Spirited Away.
