Princess Mononoke: When Ashitaka looked on with 'Eyes Clouded by Hatred'

There are few lines more powerful in Mononoke-hime (Princess Mononoke) than those spoken to Prince Ashitaka of the ‘Emishi’ (Ainu) people of the northern parts of the fairy-tale Japan of the movie, by the village wise-woman.

The line spoken of is to ‘go with eyes unclouded by hatred’, and it is uttered in reference to the terrible hatred that the fallen …