With Eyes Unclouded - How Studio Ghibli Inspired Breath of the Wild

[@Arcboltkonrad13]

Love the video but a big warning! @ 8:58 through 9:03 you used the flashing light animation from Zelda II when Link dies and it states "Game Over Return of Ganon" which has been removed from later releases because the bright flashing strobes are known to cause seizures. I don't know if you know that or not so I thought I would inform you since, well, safety first and all!

[@BeyondGhibli]

Aah thanks for bringing this to my attention - I'll put a warning in the description and try to add a card on the video. Thanks for the heads up !!

[@hungrrcaio]

Maybe you could add a Big card "filter" to hide this part somehow? Love the video.

[@coult45usmc]

If you get launched into a seizure because of some flashing lights, you probably shouldn't be watching KZbin videos about video games. I'm just sayin'. Responsibility for one's own personal safety and all.

[@hungrrcaio]

Aaron Coulter a lot of people have their first seizure after their 20s, and don't even know they have a condition before that. It's a serious medical condition. You should read and learn first before saying something so absurd. All people must have the right to watch some KZbin videos.

[@dajiban9325]

Beyond Ghibli I'm obviously going too have to play Breath of the Wild again!

[@CZsWorld]

This is an INCREDIBLE video. I forgot about the hand thing in Princess Mononoke. It must be connected to Link's new hand in Tears of the Kingdom.

[@rebeccagunther4030]

I stumbled onto this video, but gasped audibly at 6:21 when he says “his right arm is cursed” and now I want to see more of his videos… and I really want to play BotW right now.

[@RaindropsGames]

in the concept art for botw there's a drawing of link with a cursed arm made of malice, that can change its shape into weapons and tools- that's probably inspired by princess mononoke, and likewise inspires the sequel

[@emilycurran1707]

Wow I never put that together. I'm going to have to rewatch princess mononoke now to see if there are any more details to pick up. I'm so excited for the sequel.

[@nbeutler1134]

@@RaindropsGames not to mention the "gloom" in totk, looks and acts like the sickness in mononoke

[@r.c.c.10]

Or maybe there's no connection at all. People forget Ghibli wasn't created by God out of nothing. Their films are inspired by hundreds of books, movies and tales (as their creators say). Ghibli doesn't have to be the center of the world. Just because two things have things in common doesn't mean they got inspired. It's like people who claim TLOTR copied The Rings of the Nibelungs because they had 3 single similar concepts. Weren't both inspired by North mythology and Christianity?

[@sac.tragique1737]

As an aspiring game dev, artist and storyteller feeling run down and uninspired, finding this video was a blessing. You've reminded me of everything I'm passionate about.

[@israelmcclain8097]

Here's a random dark humor joke: "In Syria there are no Walmarts, only Targets."

[@chrisi7127]

​@@israelmcclain8097my dumbass read styria

[@nickdiciurcio158]

Dude the music the tone everything about this video was nothing short of enchanting .. you truly have a gift of making documentaries .. dont ever let anyone tell you different! im sitting here having my coffee in south Philadelphia outside on my step at 730 am and just loving this . I havnt finished zelda breath of the wild but you are the very reason im on my way to play it right after this video.. i will definitely be subscribing .. i cant afford the dlc for Breath of the wild but maybe i will soon cant wait

[@aaronando1218]

i just finished writing a comment of a similar vein, but you've expressed it so much better then me.

[@CesarCordova]

Can we see your sketchbook somewhere?

[@Cowgirl_Bebop]

Did you guys noticed that during the trailer of botw 2 (released yesterday), link's arm absorbs something ! Just like Ashitaka (from princess Mononoke) absorbs part of that demon!

[@lija9315]

Omfg it is

[@emilithium1]

I didn't see it, where does it happen?

[@emilithium1]

@@Cowgirl_Bebop I mean what timestamp.

[@Nubleborsky]

And Hyrule castle starts to ascend, a reference to Laputa maybe?

[@Cowgirl_Bebop]

@@Nubleborsky that's right! 😱

[@livfitzgerald1999]

I can easily say that this is my favorite video on KZbin. It is so beautiful and it never fails to bring me to tears every time I revisit it. You tell a great story that is masterfully pieced together.

[@mariushagelskjr5452]

Zelda and Studio Ghibli movies all have one big problem in common They end

[@mariushagelskjr5452]

at least Nintendos music doesn't end, or at least it loops. Princess Mononoke "Will to live" only last 31 seconds. Kinda sucks that my favourite song is that short. I wish it was at least 10 minutes

[@bitter-bit]

Good comment OP

[@gairah4945]

And there's never enough of them :(

[@stevegeorge7773]

Marius Hagelskjaer brilliant! You are right!

[@JacOfArts]

A dead end, as well. I love Zelda, but one major problem I have with the games is that once the game’s done, there’s nothing to come back to, nothing you missed to go back and hunt for, and whatever that does remain usually isn’t worth the trouble.

[@dylanmcla]

Thank you for acknowledging that the Wind Waker's graphics trick people into thinking that Twilight Princess is a darker story. It's not, Wind Waker is a much darker story.

[@kuuderekun7461]

You really think so? What makes it darker?

[@savannah8675]

I’d say they have their own strengths, and are equally dark but in different ways

[@KidIsildur]

@Kuuderekun The old world ends, never to return. Hyrule is lost forever under the waves.

[@alLEDP]

I would say it's not about dark or not dark its about the themes of the storys and I think the theme of wind waker is let go of the old ,letting it die. Twilight princess has instead the traditionell dark vs light theme known from OoT but with a twist...

[@exetone]

@@kuuderekun7461 a hero was meant to be born and save the world from ganon, but he was never born. Ganon stood unopposed, so the gods flooded the lands, killing 99% of all people to try and stop the ultimate evil. They failed.

[@Nugatron50000]

-Does that arm of yours wish to kill me Ashitaka? -If It would lift this curse, I would let it tear you apart.

[@juanignaciogutierrezechani3131]

LA PRINCESA MONONOKE ❤️😍🇪🇸

[@sven3413]

The german version is also pretty good. However there he said: If it would lift this curse, I would even do it with my left hand, which might at first seem out of character but it also gives a nice reminder, that there are no good or evil characters in ghibli movies.

[@NobleVagabond2552]

Must’ve been the dub, sub was a better line tbh

[@sven3413]

@@NobleVagabond2552 Yes. It was the dub. Altough it's not as original I still like it.

[@LMR__1]

I think even more influence from Princess Mononoke and Nausicaä is present in the new Tears of The Kingdom, with the Gloom feeling a lot like the Tatari-Gami from Princess Mononoke, and the new underground section called the Depths being very similar to the underground areas in Nausicaä, at least it reminded me a lot of the underground in Nausicaä in its visual aesthetic. Link's corrupted body and hand might even be directly influenced by Princess Mononoke as well, having his right hand specifically affected by the corruption just like Ashitaka.

[@pinecone189]

Totally agree

[@BlueMatty]

Howl's moving castle = divine beasts

[@sweetasbloodredjam]

Also the spindly chicken legs of the guardians with their big body look just like the castle as well.

[@ancale13]

True!! I hadn't thought of that!

[@Pollicina_db]

When Vah Ruta is going to its position there is a scene that REALLY resembles the moment when the moving castles is moving towards Sophie.

[@corrinflakes9659]

While certainly true of Vah Naboris, Vah Rudania and Vah Ruta. Vah Medoh could be a Castle In The Sky. (Not Laputa per say, since Laputa is propelled by magical minerals while the opening credits Castles In The Sky were propelled by turbines)

[@sultanvoices]

Also, in a way, the God Warriors from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

[@hovasaxa]

I’ve watched this video essay at least 5-6 times since you’ve uploaded it. So wonderfully done. Excellent work.

[@LeLe-bo7cs]

You're literally one of the only reasons why I love youtube.

[@corrinflakes9659]

​@@DDSmohannad I know right? I mean there's many great channels that analyze themes in media too. (Unless Mooo Guy meant KZbin itself as a company, I'm sure even KZbin screwed over Beyond Ghibli probably through demonetization such as by unjust copyright claims because Ghibli's legal team just love doing that and KZbin just hates to do something about that)

[@isaacgraff8288]

I think another thing that we could rely on Ghibli for, is its music.

[@Oryyyt]

This game literally teleported you to a Ghibli world. That journal you made was pure immersion!

[@tkjordan1376]

4:19 was perfection. From the very first time I played BOTW, I felt like I was in the world of Princess Mononoke. In this video you took it a step further with the undeniable parallels you mentioned between the two properties, as well as the other Ghibli films. A beautifully constructed and written video - I’ll be sure to check out more from you.

[@HeyYaKnow]

“To see with eyes unclouded”. Princess Mononoke reference. 😉

[@agogogoogdesart4797]

“To see with eyes unclouded by hate” also always glad to see ghibli fans :)

[@Ismael-kc3ry]

Same with the use of “Country Roads”, which is important in Whisper of The Heart

[@jamB2007]

The best anime ever, try to change my mind!

[@Ismael-kc3ry]

@@jamB2007 no, no I don’t think I will 😊

[@jamB2007]

@@Ismael-kc3ry Princess Mononoke was truly something amazing and special. I just wish we could explore more of that universe or if studio gibli made a second movie🥺 idek if it could be as amazing as the original. Truly it is the best anime movie of all time!

[@KavYT]

i didnt expect to thoroughly enjoy a random video in my recommended feed. subscribed. and i can't wait to watch more of your videos.

[@samuelwebster8570]

Same!

[@sparkyspinz9897]

I enjoy random videos in my feed all the time boi

[@McDoubleFunny]

and now Tears of the Kingdom has even MORE homages to Studio Ghibli like giving Link a literal cursed arm

[@louhemmings4255]

I want your breath of the wild book

[@scarface52587]

Lou Hemmings same

[@malcaraz123]

he says its on his patreon page for download

[@ThunderKnightSilver2]

I adore this. Also interesting to note that Ganon itself in Zelda lore is an embodiment of hatered and that Calamity Ganon's influence over the Guardians and Divine Beasts are referred to as "Malice" in-game, further adding to the parallels between Princess Mononoke and Breath of the Wild.

[@linkthepig4219]

That's why it always bugs me when people call him pig-like. A pig or boar is an innocent creature that doesn't kill over fun or hatred. It fights to survive. Ganon is *evil*. He's a mutated monster that embodies cruelty. He takes the appearance of a noble pig and twists it to serve his own physical strength. That's why Ganon, since Twilight Princess, always abused his boars, sent his soldiers to ride and eat them. It's why boars in BOTW aren't shown as 'greedy', and why Link is friends with a pig named after him in Wind Waker. I love this video but the second he called Ganon pig-like, I knew that I had to explain some stuff. Humans are capable of evil, but even we come from apes. Just like how Ganon is evil but comes from wild animals. Pigs are the victims of us, not the other way around like everyone keeps saying with to reasonable explanation.

[@firewall5189]

@@linkthepig4219 it's possible to draw similarities between two concepts without equating every single aspect of them, yknow. "boar-like" or "pig-like" works perfectly fine for ganon imo.

[@OHOHOHCOME]

Dude I cried so hard at 4:21 when the Princess Mononoke music dropped! That was like a punch in the face with nostalgia and beauty.

[@jamB2007]

I really wish I could find that exact theme idk what that OST is called

[@bangtwitterandtwicetagram830]

@@jamB2007 pretty sure the song is called departure to the west :)

[@houston-coley]

I know this video has been out for a good 7 months at this point, but I just came across it and I'm in awe. Instantly subscribed. As someone who's loved Breath of the Wild since I played it, and just recently binged all of Ghibli obsessively, this articulates so much I had on my mind that I couldn't put into words. You're a true poet.

[@tessc2194]

This must be the most well-written KZbin video I’ve ever seen. You sir are a gifted artist.

[@aquari1659]

Not only did you make a really interesting video here, but as an artist I have to point out how much I love your doodles and field journal notes you took for your playthrough of BoTW!!! I had a diary playing this for the first time and did similar, noting down useful info and to do lists of what I had to do in the game. But your drawings, the map, all the doodles, they are really cool and charming to look at! I had to pause to really look properly. REALLY creative notes and drawings. The Hinox in the dark and the waterfalls for the twin bridge riddle impressed me. Edit: DUDE! I just noticed the little triforce in the corner of your pages.... WE USED THE SAME DIARY! I was using the same one for my playthrough, the green Zelda merch journal, that has the SS Gate of Time pattern embedded on the front, with the little triforce on each page corner. I have so many traveller notes too. Even dedicating a page to solving the Twin peaks shrine puzzle. We had a similar idea!

[@BeyondGhibli]

Aaah a brother in arms!! That's hilarious that we even used the same journal :'D

[@aquari1659]

@@BeyondGhibli That is indeed very funny. :D

[@AnnaCullenEdward]

I keep coming back to this video every once in a while. It brings me so much comfort. Someone speaking so delicately about the two things I love. It's so well written and narrated. Thank you!

[@MOLLYLUNCHCO]

Oooo, I like how you dyed your Hylian hood red to match Ashitaka's! I may just do the same next time I play my file. Which, by the way, this video totally inspired me to do! Thanks for the lovely video!

[@kazeiarts3847]

14:07 she has Triforce symbol on her Kimono...

[@tystall2930]

I was beginning to think I was the only one who noticed

[@KingCleCle]

It's actually the Hojo symbol. The Hojo clan was a samurai family that lived near Izu penninsula (East Japan). They inspired Nintendo when making the Triforce, and is often used for artistic matters in Japan :D

[@FreedomIII]

@@KingCleCle Thanks for that. I was just about to comment about this and saw your comment.

[@KingCleCle]

@@FreedomIII Ahah no problem 😊

[@gray11206]

HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THAT

[@scarface52587]

I know it's a long shot but it would be fantastic if there was anyway to download your hand-drawn notes from Breath of the Wild. I have a huge appreciation for stuff like that in the gaming world(especially Zelda games).

[@BeyondGhibli]

It's available as a .pdf download on my Patreon :)

[@scarface52587]

Thanks so much. You made my day. Keep up the great work.

[@vansantosdaddy]

Best BOTW video I've seen so far. Amazing work.

[@JesseColton]

I came here to say exactly this, I'm so happy to hear you have it available for download, what a beautiful and immersive art project you've created.

[@menantumakawak]

What hand drawn notes are you guys talking about?

[@florianizer]

I know this video has been out for most of a year now, but for whatever reason I've only just decided to leave this comment tonight. You may have used Country Roads in the intro to capitalize on the hype for Fallout 76, but the way you've applied it here has really struck a chord with me and it's the reason I keep coming back to this experience. The montage of overgrown cities paired with your comforting dialogue weirdly captures essence of why I love West Virginia. I've been hearing this song for the 25+ years I grew up in WV, but this minute and a half intro has done more to make me home sick than any other piece of media and I thank you for that. I pledged on your Patreon tonight and I honestly don't know why it's taken me so long. Merry Christmas!

[@neonronin69]

florianizer enjoyed this comment!

[@briancoons2288]

This is incredible. I cant believe I never saw these similarities. Even now in TOTK his arm is cursed just like ashitaka's arm. 🤯

[@samdoehart1333]

This is far and away the best video essay channel on KZbin! Such an amazing video~ And your narration is just flawless!

[@shortazn97]

I keep coming back to rewatch this video. Your voice and production is so smooth and calming, and your conversation is intelligent and genuine. Incredible work.

[@louisalzate6185]

the way princess mononoke portrays war is so surreal that curiosity makes me want to experience something like it

[@paparafa1251]

Having experienced the darkest that man can be tawards one another, and the ravages of war, I highly suggest against that experience for it will change you forever. Maybe not in the way you want.

[@streetmagik3105]

Excellent video. I've dreamt of a Ghibli Zelda film since I saw Princess Mononoke in the 90s. It's not happening, but I also feel like BotW is the Mononoke game I never realized I wanted. It's my favorite Zelda game, and possibly my favorite Nintendo game of all time. Similar to how Princess Mononoke is also my favorite Miyazaki, Ghibli movie. Damn, now I want to go play for another 300 hours.

[@Larchcone]

The fact that you took detailed notes with sketches during your playthrough is just awesome

[@matbrady123456]

So much love in this. So much love... Well done, Joe. I particularly admire the notes you took as you played. Fantastic. It's my favourite game of all time, and I'm glad you enjoyed it as much (if not more, if that's possible) as I did. Well done, and thanks for doing this wonderful video. :)

[@logang631]

Thank you for putting words to a thought I’ve always had. This is one of the best yt videos I’ve seen. It proves to be even more relevant today with the themes continuing in the tears of the kingdom.

[@senseikonoi]

This is a beautiful narrative and exposition. I couldn't help but feel the emotion behind its creation. Amazing work, truly.

[@Swordfeather]

I came on looking for an ASMR/meditation video to calm a panic attack, but saw this in my recs and clicked on it instead. 15 minutes later, I'm completely calm. This video was a like tiptoeing through a nostalgic dream sequence and I cannot thank you enough for the peace it gave me.

[@Saitama_Llama220]

This video makes me wanna start the game all over and just enjoy the vast beauty instead of killing and lighting it on fire. Respect dude. love your stuff. Take my like and subscribe.

[@no_you_hang_up]

One of the best KZbin videos I’ve seen in a while. Magnificent. The intro to Tears of the Kingdom gave a huge nod to Princess Mononoke with Link’s arm getting infected.

[@ToriKo_]

Loved the video. Loved the music choice too, especially the focus on Joe Hisaishi. I've probably said this before, but I'd recommend experiencing The Last Guardian if you want something that 'feels' like playing through a Ghibli film. I might be crazy thinking that though, since many didn't mention the studio and critiqued it for its lack of gameplay. Hope you have a calming rest of your day Joe, since I'd reckon you were up for hours editing this one :D

[@BeyondGhibli]

Yeah I've beaten Last Guardian - you're absolutely right, it has that ethereal Ghibli quality to it. I really dug it personally - and never really struggled with getting Trico to do what I wanted. Glad you liked the video :)

[@ToriKo_]

Beyond Ghibli I think that's probably because we both petted Trico a lot :)

[@WASDofQWERTY]

I don't know why i love this vid so much... Either because I'm a fan of legend of zelda, or because I loved ghibli especially princess mononoke, or the song country road at the beginning, or the calming voice as the narrator, or even a beautifully subtle word phrasing you used... but it came out as one of the best vid I've seen on youtube.

[@seraaron]

This was a beautiful video. It maybe sounds a little strange, but it brought me to tears a couple times. Mostly thanks to your editing and choice of music and visuals, I think. The whole thing just evoked an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, doubled up by these two great properties. I don't know if it was your intent, but this is like a visual love letter to them both. Thank you.

[@neoakb]

+1 for recognizing mononoke being the best Ghibli movie

[@gabriellaarchive]

Wow! This is beyond gorgeous. Your voice is so soothing and you explain parallels very well. Loved watching this. Beautiful words too.

[@astrokris2097]

Literally my two favorite things I love, Zelda, and studio ghibli. I love this video

[@cass7247]

This is legit my absolute favorite video on KZbin.

[@sopito9923]

your drawings are AMAZING, its hard to find content on the topic of "game journaling" these days. keep it up my dude

[@AlexPDudley]

Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi uses a lot of quartal harmony and space in his compositions, as do the composers of BotW. When you walk out of the resurrection chamber into Hyrule for the first time the music takes you straight to any Ghibli film. It's a wonderful homage and sets the tone for the rest of the game.

[@DaveKatague]

LOL the right arm, the attack of a evil sludge monster, has aged very well in TOTK

[@ballutorts]

Good content can't die as long as you stay around. Every video is pure gold. Thank you friend!

[@amandaoakhart8081]

This is a beautiful piece. I honestly felt my heart swell and a tear come to my eyes. I’ve recently been playing tears of the kingdom but now I want to revisit breath of the wild bc of this video. Thank you for all your hard work. And thank you to those who helped you as well. I used KZbin as my radio,my tv, and my social media so I’m always on here everyday looking thru content and from all I’ve seen over the years, this is a beautiful KZbin masterpiece and I am so grateful to have experienced it. Keep up the good work 💛🙏😌

[@joey.h14]

This intro had me feeling so nostalgic for some odd reason. I appreciate this

[@roseyplays2023]

I just started playing BOTW for a week and this is the exact reason why Im falling in love with the game so much. It reminds me of Studio Ghibli films!!! My all time animated movies.

[@bakabinch]

Sooo beautiful, brought me to tears on multiple occasions. Can't wait to hear your comparisons/thoughts pertaining to Tears of the Kingdom!!

[@Beehive_miel]

Do you like TOTK ? With this news technologies and crafting

[@HarmoniChris]

I love this analysis. It's beautifully put together and well-thought out for its entire runtime. Your passion for both Breath of the Wild and Mononoke clearly shows, and it's this love you express for both that makes this such a joy to watch.

[@_Mike.P]

13:25 I didn't know you could do that.

[@BeyondGhibli]

It's brutal.

[@Soso_Doodles]

The fact that you actually JOURNALED your way throuugh the game is so amazing. It probably completely enhances the experience and immersion !

[@Soso_Doodles]

14:12

[@juanjodpr]

Just watching the cutscene at 1:30 is one of the very reasons if not the main reason I've replayed BoTW more tan 10 times already. That cutscene shows you just how big Hyrule is and how great it is and I'm extremely pleased knowing it's going to be again used for the sequel.

[@Kuldirongaze1]

7:23 have you seen the recent trailer for TOTK? This is mirrored with the purple tendrils of hate attaching to the hero's right arm. Wow, that's one hell of an Homage.

[@jackg.4773]

I discovered ghibli recently through stumbling upon the soundtrack of spirited away and have not gotten around to watching it but definitely plan to. Anyways, my first time hearing that soundtrack i dont know why but there was something so familiar about something that was beautiful. I think this video showed me that my first encounter with studio ghibli was not through that soundtrack, but through Breath of the Wild. No other game I have ever played captured my imagination or instilled the sense to explore in me like that game did. I can already tell through that song in sprited away and my experience with Breath of the Wild that studio ghibli has something special.

[@152bowser]

I have to give credit where credit is due. I was expecting this video to be some sort of mere tangent of comparisons that didn't even exist, but that wasn't what it was at all. This was a well thought love letter to Nintendo and Ghibli alike. Whether the similarities were intentional or not they were definitely there, and they were more artfully presented and ingrained into the game in every sentence you spoke than I could have imagined. The way you structured this video, as well as how much thought was put into this video enthralled me. The music,shots,editing and the effort you gave exploring and documenting every little thing you could find blew me away. Honestly great job and great video, i'm subscribing

[@BeyondGhibli]

Glad I could defy expectations :P Seriously though, thank you for your lovely comment :) Hope you enjoy the channel.

[@PhantomDragonEternal]

Just as a bit of an update, after seeing the BOTW 2 trailer a few days ago I think the Princess Mononoke connection has been strengthened. During the trailer, you see a glowing hand grab Link's arm and absorb into it, which could possibly be a curse. Could they have just sealed Link's fate, similar to that of Ashitaka?

[@SpoonTaco]

I Love this video so much, i always come back to it when i need inspiration, ive been watching it since it first came out and when i get lost in my game dev i come back here and get inspired again! This video in my opinion is one of the biggest master pieces ever i never forget about this video existence

[@BeyondGhibli]

Wow thank you so much! I hope you've checked out the sequel video I made about Tears of the Kingdom also!

[@SpoonTaco]

@@BeyondGhibli i have! And it was amazing!!! 🤗

[@Grimosaur]

...for a second I thought I was the only one who noticed all of this, BoTW is pretty much Princess Mononoke: The Game. Just as if it were carrying on from the end of the film when all the trees got destroyed and it was just grassland.

[@Grimosaur]

Lmao I don't even know what movie you're talking about

[@davemarx7856]

The internet is full of spoilers. That's the broad spoiler warning. If you don't want things spoiled... don't go online, don't read news papers, don't watch tv, don't listen to radios, don't talk to people and Luke is Vader's Son.

[@davemarx7856]

GRiMOSAUR Oh far from it. I think the reason they feel so similar is because they both embrace their Japanese culture with pride.

[@GreatSageSunWukong]

I disagree entirely, breath of the wild is THE closest to the original inspiration, its never been a secret that it was originally inspired by the film Legend, watch the tom cruise film Legend then look at breath of the wild again, of course things like the lord of the maintain seem inspired by ghibli and to an extent I can see the unicorn form legend there too, but then Ghibli is too as much of their work is from books and thats never been a secret, everything influences other things but please if you've not watched it watch Legend, the bokobins are clearly the goblins, link was always the elf boy trying to save the princess that holds a heavy burden, darkness is consuming the world with a dark force trying to take over currently not strong enough to do so but served by the goblins.

[@rickylovesyou9063]

GRiMOSAUR no, everyone knew the Miyazaki influences were there, ever since the first trailer, so you weren't the only one.

[@Lovfia]

I have to say this is the most beautiful and heart warming video I've seen in a long time. Your soothing voice perfectly telling how beautiful botw is and the words you use to describe everything is just so perfect. This whole video dragged me right back to my childhood with happy memories of both zelda and Ghibli films! Thank you!❤️

[@theowo2692]

"perhaps Ghibli's finest work to date: Princess Mononoke." 5:35 drops mic

[@theemeraldaxe1414]

Princess mononoke is my favorite movie

[@NobleVagabond2552]

Magnum Opus

[@jenniferchough]

I'm supposed to be doing my lesson plans right now but this video was recommended to me on KZbin so I was curious enough to click on it. Your writing is so evocative and elevated plus your wonderfully mature narration makes this a diamond in the rough in the midst of all the other unpolished vids out there. I am so glad I found this and for your sharing this wonderful work with us. Looking forward to more. Over a year later, and I still play BotW just to be IN the world and all its splendor (as well as its ASMR brilliance) and this video captures the many reasons why.

[@aspenpines6490]

I was just going to watch the first few minutes to see what you were talking about, but your calm voice, the visuals from the movie and the games, and your excellent dissertation of Breath of the Wild drew me in so hard. I was spellbound the entire time. Thank you for making such a wonderful video :)

[@ericcota4732]

Another extremely well-made video! I can’t wait for your Akira video!

[@spacegoldfish9481]

Coming back to this video with the release of the Tears of the Kingdom, and the parallels just get stronger and deeper, it’s really great.

[@mexheix]

in totk, link's hand is also consumed by malice just like the ghibli movie, good eyes, they really are similar.

[@electropixel]

I thought the same

[@UltraNerdyGamer]

What an absolutely masterful video. After seeing Princess Mononoke a year or two ago (better late than never), I made a lot of the surface level connections you mention at the beginning. I began endearingly referring to botw as "Princess Mononoke: The Game" and to PM as "Breath of the Wild: 18 Years Before it was a Game". But you've obviously gone miles deeper in this video and it's all brilliant. I'm so glad KZbin was able to dust off this year old video for me, it seems they can still do some things right.

[@NT-ys3oh]

This was expertly crafted and I’m subbed for sure.

[@sweetasbloodredjam]

I'm happy someone finally acknowledged that Breath of the Wild even used a Ghibli like font for their japanese title. That little, often ignored, tidbit always gets me. The visual similarities as well as what little soundtrack there is, pretty clearly evoke Ghibli and Joe Hisashi, ironically maybe more so than Ni No Kuni, a game Ghibli and Hisashi actually worked on. I think you really nailed it with your comments on the exploration. Exploring your surroundings is a major theme in almost all of Myazakis movies, it crops up time and time again. From Nausicaä exploring the Sea of corruption, Kiki and Ashitaka having to go on big Journeys exploring ther respective lands, Chihiro being thrust into a world that is wholly alien to her and Sophie leaving home to literally travel the land in a castle. These characters needed the journey, the exploration and the knowledge gained to learn how to overcome their internal struggles and BoTW let's you do just that.It gives you the journey.

[@nomercy8989]

TOTK is even more obvious with the Mononoke inspiration.

[@gabrielluis3344]

Easily my favourite video-essay, can't wait for one on the bone-chillingly, gut-wrenchingly terrifying Tears of the Kingdom, with some clear references to Princess Mononoke. Kudos, mate!

[@ToasterCatOfficial]

My goodness, it is actually disgusting that u have any less than 100k subs, ur videos have way too much effort and polish for u not to be thriving on this site and the fact that your not, really shows that KZbin needs to change their algorithm...

[@donttouchthisatall]

I wholeheartedly agree. Way too little exposure/subs for such high quality content.

[@janbaas672]

second that, to awesome video for so little subscribers. Pick up the pace people! took me long to find this inspiring video.

[@TommyPlesky]

Man this is one of the best KZbin videos I’ve seen. The music, narration and story is incredible. Thank you for this man, got chills many times.

[@chrisl1832]

Tears of the kingdom when link gets his arm cursed or whatever. I was like Leo pointing at the scream screaming "Mononoke!" 😂

[@Tatsueli]

this is such a great video! I was nodding along all the time and i was absolutely agreeing to all the parallels you showed for Mononoke and BOTW! I teared up watching this because really, I love both so incredibly much and you just reminded me of what incredible masterpieces they are. So thank you so much for this amazing video ♥

[@nplateau]

Yet again, absolute aces! I loved it.

[@Smokescale]

I keep coming back to this video. It's a wonderful, loving exultation of all things glorious and wondrous about both Ghibli and Zelda, specifically Mononoke and Breath of the Wild. Thank you so much for making this. It reaches me on a level I had not expected when I first clicked on it. In fact, after watching it for probably the fifth time last night, I felt inspired to write a short story upon the thought "You know... a really interesting first line to a story would be 'and so the world died'." Just as Mononoke inspired Breath of the Wild, your video inspired something else. The circle continues.

[@BeyondGhibli]

Thank you so much for this comment! I love that this video resonates with you so much. Good luck with your writing!

[@Smokescale]

@@BeyondGhibli I'm not sure if it would be something you would enjoy, but I have the rough draft of it up on my blog. I can link in a DM... if dm's are a thing on KZbin. I'm bad at social media platforms.

[@rickylovesyou9063]

Don't forget who influenced Ghibli / Miyazaki....Ghibli art style is very similar to Moebius and storytelling is none other than Ursula LeGuin. I suggest looking up an upcoming video game titled "Sable" which has very heavy influences from Moebius, and in that regard can be seen as another Ghibli styled game. Personally if Ghibli made any of their movies into games taking the open world approach they would be magical, flying over islands and forests as Porco Rosso, or gliding in an Airship as Nausca, or sailing across the seas as Future Boy Conan, they could all work incredibly.

[@momo.mikka13]

If you want a Studio Ghibli-like game, I highly suggest the Ni No Kuni games. They helped with the game and Joe Hisaishi, who does music for Studio Ghibli's movies, did the music for the game.

[@ochockart2104]

As a game designer student I would love to games in Ghibli/ moebius style.

[@oceanwolfspirit]

I love this video! Thank you so much for making this :) This is the exact reason why I love Breath of the Wild so much, why I love the series so much. Sometimes my friends or other gamers say Zelda is for kids, or not a real game, that the graphics are not hyper-realistic etc. But for me personally, this game series means so much, it's just so good. It is what got me into gaming, into exploration of nature and taught me a lot of English at a young age.

[@Krow621]

14:08 notice any triforces?

[@racquelrobinson3030]

This was such a good video essay. It was incredibly done, from the selection of clips to the organization of it. Definitely gonna play this game.

[@eimii5025]

bro i swear to god as soon as you started playing the rito village theme i started crying

[@3dogsinatrenchcoat674]

"A Wonderful New Look At The End Of The World" is such an underrated line and an amazing intro

[@annapauline3311]

i dont get how you all are talking about the similarities to mononoke but dont talk about castle in the sky. from the beginning of the game it always remembered me of it. the old and forgotten antique technology with light blue "energy" the highly developed lifeless guardiens made out of a strong material with long arm and shooting a high pitched laser from the eye. both originally made to protect the similarities between zelda and sheeta both of royal blood descendants of the old kingdom ,having some kind of power which awakens and sacrificing themselfs the overgrown architecture with runes in it and especially the soundtrack. for example when you activate a new Sheikah Tower. they both have these high piano keys for the old kinda magic-like technology

[@snefansson]

This video has of course been making the rounds now with the release of Totk and yeah the homage to Ghibli is just even greater now with Castle in the sky. Great video dude, got goosebumps

[@summerycast7936]

You know, after a whole year since the Switch launched, lots of people remark BOTW as a over rated and heavily flawed game. That we were blinded by the hype and now finally seeing the husk it is. Yet I cannot agree. Sure, there are some decisions I'm not happy with. Weapon durability is fine, but I wish there was a way to restore broken weapons or see how much life a weapon has left. Unlimited or more space for the camera than the 48 standard. Hot key weapon switching between a select few weapons instead of the whole arsenal. More enemy variety, and etc. But to me, there's never been a game that captivated my exploration and discovery thirst until BOTW came out. It's sprawling fields filled with mountain tops, wild life, the secrets hidden, the shrines begging to be conquered, towers reaching for the sky, the people/creatures you meet, and the villages you come across. And there's even more to discover including dangers (god damn guardians)! For awhile I thought maybe something is wrong with me. Am I blinded by hype? Am I just too easy to please? Perhaps that's true to an extent, but I don't feel ashamed to think the game is something special instead of over hyped trash. And videos like these help me realize that I'm not alone in this thinking. Heck, this video gave me a whole new appreciation for the game as a whole! So thank you for making this video, and I hope your success as a KZbinr continues to grow. You deserve it!

[@blarghinatelazer9394]

Anybody who considers BOTW to be "overhyped trash" is themselves trash. It's a phenomenal game, objectively.

[@V.U.4six]

Totally agree!

[@gamestar6479]

People say it's over hyped trash because it was popular, they want to stand out from the crowd and want to tear down a game that was super well received because majority of everyone who so much as tried the game for a few minutes adores it and eventually they get annoyed with all the praise it gets but I believe it gets that praise for a reason and people should spend less time trying to bring down the view of the game and more time understanding what people find special about it

[@TheOGCoZy]

Amazing video, and spectacular use of music. I have thought about this video and its use of music and narration since I watched it months ago. This is still one of my most favorite informational/documentary style videos that I have ever watched. Thank you for creating this masterpiece.

[@Jan12700]

8:28 BotW 2 Teaser Trailer

[@ByteReview]

This was a great video and a pleasure to watch. Breath of the Wild is a stunning game and I never realised the connections between this and Princess Mononoke, despite loving them both.

[@kabehzadi]

Another great video. I never tried to actually RIDE the forest god in the game but now I'm very tempted to do so. Did you know you can actually kill the Cucco (Cuckoo) by throwing it into the lava? It just poofs and disappears. I know, I'm very mature, but I found it quite cathartic to destroy that freakin' chicken. Anyway rant over. Great job! Onward to AKIRA!

[@BeyondGhibli]

I didn't know, actually!! That's awesome. I've wanted to destroy those feathered bastards for decades. Good to know I finally can :)

[@SkywardSquittle]

It's too bad they respawn exactly were you picked them up from lol

[@summerycast7936]

They also drown in water, but they'll always be back. All hail our chicken overlords! Lest you challenge their army to the death.

[@LulligesLulu]

Something about your warm and deep voice, the beautiful background music and the overwhelming gut punch of nostalgia genuinely made me cry as I watched this... Glad I'm not the only one who got major Ghibli-vibes from playing this game - I will never forget standing at the side of a ravine and gazing down into the wide vast world unfolding in this game... It's such a beautiful game^^

[@vernonbenton7476]

New zelda has Ashitaka cursed arm. The parallels continue.