Editing Princess Mononoke (section)

=== Marketing and Japanese release ===

The promotional strategy was spearheaded by Suzuki, who by 1997 had already developed relationships within the media industry while promoting previous Studio Ghibli releases.{{sfn|Yoshioka|2018|p=33}} Napier noted that the marketing put the film under the Studio Ghibli brand for the first time{{nbsp}}– as opposed to previous works that were labeled primarily as Miyazaki films{{nbsp}}– which she felt reflected Suzuki's rising position as the studio's main producer.{{sfn|Napier|2018|p=179}} According to Suzuki, three important elements of the campaign were the repeated use of a recognizable title logo, key imagery from the film, and a tagline.<ref>{{harvnb|Suzuki|2005|p=122}}, cited in {{harvnb|Denison|2018|p=6}}.</ref> The tagline underwent several iterations before, with Suzuki's input, the final phrase was chosen: "Live."{{sfn|Kanō|2006|pp=209–210}} Suzuki also changed the title from the original intention of ''The Legend of Ashitaka''{{hair space}}{{efn|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]: {{lang|ja|アシタカせっ記}}, [[Hepburn romanization|Hepburn]]: {{tlit|ja|Hepburn|Ashitaka Sekki}}. Napier alternatively translated this title as ''The Tale of Ashitaka''.{{sfn|Napier|2018|pp=182–183}} }} without Miyazaki's initial approval, as he found it less interesting.<ref>{{harvnb|McCarthy|2002|p=182}}; {{harvnb|Suzuki|2016|p=71}}, cited in {{harvnb|Napier|2018|p=276|loc=note 12}}.</ref> The budget allotted for the film's promotion was at least {{JPY|2.6 billion}},{{efn|Equivalent to {{JPY|{{Format price|{{Inflation|JP|2600000000|1997}}}}}} in {{Inflation/year|JP}}{{sfn|''Rateinflation.com''}} }} even higher than the production budget, making it the largest film advertisement campaign in Japan at the time.{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=209}} Yoshioka argued that it was essential for ''Princess Mononoke'' to be a commercial success to make up for the large production budget, and the scale of its campaign was significantly expanded from previous films' as a result.{{sfn|Yoshioka|2018|p=33}} Several types of merchandise, such as [[Stuffed toy|stuffed]] {{lang|ja-Latn|kodama}} and copies of San's mask, were sold.{{sfn|Denison|2018|pp=16–17}} A number of preview screenings were organized before the release to advertise the film by [[Word-of-mouth marketing|word of mouth]]; 130 of them were originally scheduled, and 70 were ultimately held, a number that the film scholar [[Seiji Kanō]] still found "astonishing". Miyazaki's previous film, ''Porco Rosso'', had had only 23 screenings by comparison.<ref>{{harvnb|Kanō|2006|p=210}}, cited in {{harvnb|Yoshioka|2018|p=33}}.</ref>

After [[Walt Disney Studios (division)|Walt Disney Studios]] and Studio Ghibli's then–parent company, [[Tokuma Shoten]], secured their distribution deal in 1997, the film would be the first among Miyazaki's works to receive a worldwide release. While the arrangement did extend the studio's reach to new regions, the announcement was made primarily to attract local audiences.{{sfnm|Napier|2018|1p=179|Denison|2023|2p=173}} Miyazaki also hinted at his retirement following the film's release, further piquing audience interest.{{sfn|Yoshioka|2018|p=34}} The film was marketed as a split between an [[anime]] and an [[art house film]], avoiding advertising in the mainstream ahead of its release.{{sfn|Denison|2008|p=106–107}} Denison felt that this choice was indicative of the studio's initial lack of confidence in the film's commercial viability{{sfn|Denison|2008|p=107}} and their perception of its financial riskiness.{{sfn|Denison|2018|pp=5–6}} {{ill|Yasuyoshi Tokuma|ja|徳間康快}}, the president of Tokuma Shoten, said in an interview before the release that it would be a "huge success" just to make back the investments that had been put into the film.<ref>Cited in {{harvnb|Denison|2018|p=5}}.</ref> Denison argued, however, that the marketing campaign's scale revealed the studio's ultimate aim to achieve a commercial success;{{sfn|Denison|2008|p=107}} she interpreted this approach as a "local equivalent of the 'calculated' [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]] film."{{sfn|Denison|2018|p=5}}

''Princess Mononoke'' was presented by Tokuma Shoten, [[Nippon Television]], and [[Dentsu]], and released by [[Toho]] in Japan on July 12, 1997.{{sfnm|Galbraith|2008|1pp=399, 414|Miyazaki|1999|2p=217}} It was the subject of immense public anticipation, and it was screened at 260 of the country's 1800 cinemas,<ref>{{harvnb|Kanō|2006|p=211}}, cited in {{harvnb|Yoshioka|2018|p=34}}.</ref> many of which reported audiences queueing to purchase tickets in previously unseen numbers.{{sfn|Yoshioka|2018|p=34}} The Japanese specialist magazine ''[[Animage]]'', which was published by Tokuma Shoten and had been closely associated with Studio Ghibli since the 1980s, released special issues on the film, as did several other publications.{{sfnm|Denison|2018|1p=5|Yoshioka|2018|2pp=31–32}} Newspapers began to refer to the film's release as the "''Mononoke'' phenomenon",{{sfn|Yoshioka|2018|p=34}} as by the end of its first week, the film had brought in over a million viewers and earned {{JPY|1.5 billion}}{{efn|Equivalent to {{JPY|{{Format price|{{Inflation|JP|1500000000|1997}}}}}} in {{Inflation/year|JP}}{{sfn|''Rateinflation.com''}} }} at the box office.{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=212}} Advertising for the film labeled it a blockbuster ({{lang|ja-Latn|daihitto}}), and it increasingly competed with many high-profile films in the Japanese market, including Hollywood imports such as ''[[The Lost World: Jurassic Park]]''{{nbsp}}(1997).{{sfnm|McCarthy|2002|1p=185|Denison|2008|2pp=108–109}} By November, it had surpassed {{JPY|9.65 billion}}{{efn|Equivalent to {{JPY|{{Format price|{{Inflation|JP|2650000000|1997}}}}}} in {{Inflation/year|JP}}{{sfn|''Rateinflation.com''}} }} in [[distribution rental]] sales, breaking the national record previously held by ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]''{{nbsp}}(1982).{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=212}} During that period, 12{{nbsp}}million people, a tenth of Japan's population at the time, saw the film in theaters.{{sfn|McCarthy|2002|pp=185–186}} A year after the film's release, it had attracted over 14.2{{nbsp}}million viewers{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=212}} and earned {{JPY|11.3 billion}}{{efn|Equivalent to {{JPY|{{Format price|{{Inflation|JP|11300000000|1997}}}}}} in {{Inflation/year|JP}}{{sfn|''Rateinflation.com''}} }} in gross revenue,{{sfn|Yoshioka|2018|p=33}} making it the all-time [[List of highest-grossing films in Japan|highest-grossing film in the country]].{{sfn|McCarthy|2002|p=186}}{{efn|The film was overtaken as the highest-grossing film in Japan shortly afterward by ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]''{{nbsp}}(1997).{{sfn|McCarthy|2002|p=186}} }}