Princess Mononoke is the film that introduced me to Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. The film originally released in Japan in 1997, but it wasn’t until 1999 that it released here in the States. At that time, I was in college and working at a Barnes & Noble. My first exposure to the film was through a gorgeous art/making of book I stumbled across on the shelves.

It was this book, actually, and the subtitle said it was “Japan’s most popular film of all time.” Color me intrigued. Why hadn’t I heard of it? When I read that Neil Gaiman (who was in the middle of his legendary run on The Sandman) adapted the script for English, I was even more intrigued. And then I saw that Claire Danes (who stole my heart in My So-Called Life) was part of the English cast, I was sold. I needed to see this movie.

I eventually saw it and fell in love, even though I frankly didn’t understand much of it.

Still, I wanted to see more. But back then, it wasn’t exactly EASY to track down slightly obscure Japanese films that hadn’t been blockbusters.

Listen, kids, there WAS a time before YouTube, Amazon, and the internet. I’m old. When Spirited Away was released in 2001, I fell back in love with Miyazaki and Ghibli, and I was determined to track down the entire catalog. But it was the temptation and tease of Princess Mononoke 20 years ago that brought me into the world.

So it’s a particular thrill to see this gorgeous new collector’s edition release of the film from Shout Factory and GKIDS.

The Packaging

The first thing you’ll notice is the packaging. For purists and Type-A collectors of physical media, the slipcase will drive you nuts. It’s a 7″ square, which obviously doesn’t fit with the rest of your uniform Blu-ray snapcases. But it’s the same dimensions as the My Neighbor Totoro collector’s edition, so if you have that release, they make a beautiful pair!

The slipcase is solid and features a gorgeous image of San and Moro. Slide out the goodies inside, and you’ll find a “deluxe disc portfolio” that features the Japanese title and one of the iconic stills from the film. Open it up, and thick “pages” protect both the Blu-ray disc of the movie and the CD soundtrack.

The Discs

Let’s get this out of the way. The Blu-ray disc is the same exact disc as the 2017 GKIDS/Shout Factory release of the film, which is essentially the same thing as the 2014 Disney release (minus the Disney trailers).

But, OK, let’s say you don’t own either of those previous versions. The 1997 film features the specs you’d expect – 1080p widescreen (1.85:1) video and English & Japanese DTS-HD 5.1 audio – and it looks stunning. Obviously.

In addition to the film, the Blu-ray includes the following featurettes and bonus features:

• Behind the Microphone
• Princess Mononoke in the USA
• feature-length storyboards
• original theatrical trailers and TV spots

The soundtrack, though, is not included in the previous releases. And, honestly, it’s the highlight of this release. It includes all 33 tracks that were on the Japanese soundtrack, and if you’re a fan of Ghibli soundtracks, you know how elusive – and expensive – they can sometimes prove to be.

For example, the current price on Amazon for a physical copy of the soundtrack is more than this box set, which includes the movie. To be fair, a digital version is available on iTunes, but I do my best to avoid that platform.

Joe Hisaishi’s score, as always, is stunning. The music for Princess Mononoke is equal parts sweeping epic and creeping dread. There are tracks that recall some of the best high fantasy orchestrations he’s composed for Ghibli and others that evoke a series of goosebumps and will have you peeking over your shoulder.

The Booklet

Also included is a 38-page booklet featuring a new essay by The New York Times‘ film and music critic Glenn Kenny (“The Monumental Worlds of Princess Mononoke“), Hayao Miyazaki’s director’s statement about the film from 1995, and six poems Miyazaki wrote for composer Joe Hisaishi to convey his vision for the film.

All told, it provides an interesting look at the movie from a historical and film geek perspective. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the film, I’d also recommend the sumptuous art-of book and the lavish picture book Princess Mononoke: The First Story, both from VIZ Media.

So? Should I buy it?

Is this collector’s edition worth it? If you’re a superfan, then you probably already have it preordered. If you’re just looking for the movie, you can still pick up the regular edition of the film (with all the same special features) for less than half the price. It’s hard to recommend this version for those just looking to grab a copy of the film.

But, like with the My Neighbor Totoro collector’s edition, it’s the soundtrack that tips the scales in favor of this one. If you’re at all interested in the music (and want a physical copy of it), then I heartily recommend grabbing this beautiful set.

And if you don’t already own the film or the music? My goodness, go buy this set and don’t look back.