Or you can opt for a kimono sash strap with an assassin hiding inside a murdered boar’ skin. It’s up to you!
Princess Mononoke doesn’t waste any time establishing its amazing visual presence. In the very first scene of the 1997 Studio Ghibli anime, we see a rampaging boar that’s been cursed and consumed with hatred, covered in writhing tentacles that reach out and spread the corruption to male lead Ashitaka as he fights to defend his village.
And now, those tentacles can be yours!
As part of its ongoing celebration of the 25th anniversary of Princess Mononoke’s Japanese theatrical release, Studio Ghibli specialty store Donguri no Kyowakoku has released a new collection of accessories inspired by the art of what was originally meant to be director Hayao Miyazaki’s final feature film. Proving that there’s nothing that Japan can’t find a way to turn into a pun, the designers call this piece the “Tataring,” a play on words with tatari, the Japanese word used to describe the curse that afflicts Ashitaka.
If you prefer your rings with less sinister undertones, there’s also a series of triple-ring sets, one for monster princess San, one for Ashitaka’s steed Yakul, and one for the Kodama forest spirits.
These can be worn stacked atop each other…
…but in the case of the Kodama, there’s also a strong case to be made for spreading them out so that you can have some Ghibli style on both hands.
Also available are earrings modeled after the circular ornaments worn by San. Made with shell and wood, they’ve been reduced in size compared to the anime, making them more practical for those of us who live in less spacious environments than the vast forest that was San’s home.
▼ The earrings come in both pierced-ear and clip styles.
If you’re looking for a pendant to complete your outfit, Donguri Kyowakoku has a new, larger version of the crystal dagger that symbolizes the bond that forms between Ashitaka and San…
…and, if you’re in the need for some kimono-applicable accessorizing, and you don’t mind soe morbid imagery, there’s a netsuke commemorating the assassination plot hatched by the humans against boar god Okkoto, in which the conspirators disguised themselves by wearing the skins of Okkoto’s slain warriors, complete with a tatari tentacle and “25th” written on the pelt.
▼ Netsuke are originally meant to be used as decorative fasteners to keep pouches from sliding off of a kimono sash, but there’s nothing stopping you from using it as a general-purpose decorative strap.
The Tataring and netsuke are the most affordable of the bunch, both at 1,980 yen (US$15), with the earrings 2,420, the three-ring sets 3,300 each, and even the pendant refreshingly reasonable by anime fashion merchandise standards at 5,940. The whole lineup is available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here.
Source: PR Times
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Dongur Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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