Princess Mononoke, my first Ghibli

I’d never watched a Studio Ghibli animation before. I’ve watched very little in the way of animation at all, besides the staples of Aardman Animations growing up.

It was beautiful. It’s Mizuki’s favourite. She would have been eight when it released, when she first saw it, she estimates she’s seen it 10-14 times since. I would have been two then, but only now – at 26 – have I finally watched it. Despite having seen it so many times she still clutched at my arm in the dramatic moments, of which there are many – her immersion greater than mine.

I remember coming across Akira (1988), one of Japans most famous animated films back when I used to watch more films. I always meant to watch it but never got around to it. It’s set in 2019, the same year that Blade Runner (1982), one of my favourite films, is set.

I’d like to rewatch Blade Runner, and watch Akira, and see how their dystopian predictions, for what is now the recent past, compare to one another. Mizuki has seen neither.