“Princess Mononoke” is a warning we didn’t heed

commentary Hayao Miyazaki's gorgeous epic is also his most humanist Senior Culture Critic Published July 22, 2026 10:30AM (EDT) (©1997 Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli) A version of this story first appeared in The Swell, Salon's culture newsletter. Sign up for early access to articles like this, for more culture that's made to last. Throughout July, The Swell is celebrating the lasting cultural inspiration of animator Hayao Miyazaki and the legendary films he created with Studio Ghibli. As part of GKIDS’ annual Studio Ghibli Fest, which kicked off in June, you can enjoy theatrical re-releases of some of his most famous works. My first gray whale sighting was entirely accidental. My husband and I had pulled over at a park somewhere on the Washington Coast, gotten out of the car to stretch our