Beautiful series of artistic wristwatches is also part of celebration of the Studio Ghibli classic.
At the time, of its release, Princess Mononoke was meant to be the grand finale of Hayao Miyazaki’s movie-making career. While his retirement turned out to be brief, Princess Mononoke remains the most darkly dramatic work Studio Ghibli has ever produced, and it became not just the highest-grossing anime movie in Japan, but the highest-grossing Japanese movie (a title it held until Miyazakai’s comeback anime, Spirited Away came along).
This Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of Princess Mononoke’s release in Japanese theaters, and to celebrate Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku had rolled out a special line of cute, cultural, and captivating commemorative merchandise.
First up is a series of four fashionable watches with face art featuring San’s mask, San herself, the Night Walker, and the rattly Kodama forest spirits.
Based on watchmaker Seiko’s Alba model, the San mask version is extra-special, with wolf goddess Moro and boar leader Okkoto featured on the band.
If you’re looking for something not to wrap around your wrist, but to stick on your fridge, there’s a series of highly detailed magnets.
There are six designs in total, for San, Moro, one of Moro’s pups, Yakul, Okkoto, and the Great Forest Spirit.
Similar to a capsule toy, only without the capsule, the design you get is random, but there’s also the option to buy a bundle of six, which appears to provide you with one of each.
Moving on to something more adorable, the Yakul plushie, at 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) tall, isn’t big enough to ride…
…but it is large enough to give great big hugs to.
And last, we promised something cultural, right? That’s where this piece of tableware comes in.
Called “Ahitaka’s Elegant Bowl,” and modeled after one used by the wandering prince in the film, this is a piece of lacquerware made in Ishikawa Prefecture’s Nakayama Onsen district.
Each zelkova bowl is hand-crafted, with its coating applied by brush, by the artisans of Oshima, a lacquer workshop founded over 100 years ago in the town of Kaga.
Hand-made lacquerware doesn’t come cheap, and the bowl is priced at 39,600 yen (US$289). Donguri Kyowakoku in general prioritizes high quality over low prices, and the watches are 15,400 yen for the San, Night Walker, and Kodama designs, with the San mask version slightly higher at 17,600 yen, and the Yakul stuffed animal, which the store proudly states is made in Japan, is 11,000 yen.
On the plus side, starting July 16 purchases of over 12,000 yen will get you a set of three small plates with Princess Mononoke artwork at no additional charge, and the magnets, at 1,320 yen each, are more impulse buy-friendly.
All of these items go on sale July 16 and can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here.
Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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