Editing Princess Mononoke (section)

=== English dub and American release ===

[[File:Gaiman, Neil (2007).jpg |thumb |upright=0.7 |[[Neil Gaiman]] ''(2007 photograph)'', who wrote the English script]]

As part of the Disney–Tokuma deal, the film was handed over to [[Miramax Films]], a Disney subsidiary at the time, to dub and distribute in the United States and other regions.{{sfn|Denison|2018|p=14}} The dub was directed by [[Jack Fletcher (voice actor)|Jack Fletcher]], who had previously worked on the dubs of other Studio Ghibli films such as ''Kiki's Delivery Service'',{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=215}} and its script was written by the fantasy author [[Neil Gaiman]], who was an unusual choice for anime localizations at the time, according to Denison.{{sfn|Denison|2018|p=15}} Gaiman claimed that [[Harvey Weinstein]], who was the head of Miramax at the time, initially offered the role to the film director [[Quentin Tarantino]], who had then recommended Gaiman instead. Gaiman had intended to decline the offer before being impressed by a scene in which a stone wets in the falling rain, saying, "I have never seen anything like this. This is real filmmaking."{{sfn|Kelly|2022}} [[Steve Alpert]], an executive at Studio Ghibli, assisted with the translation.{{sfn|Nicholson|2018|p=134}}

Denison wrote that Miramax's approach to the dub "might be termed a project of indigenization" with an intent to form a new identity for the film outside of Japan.{{sfn|Denison|2005|p=2}} The language scholar Jennifer{{nbsp}}E. Nicholson wrote that the English dub's changes more closely approach an adaptation than a translation.{{sfn|Nicholson|2018|p=135}} Cultural differences between the United States and Japan, amplified by the film's discussion of specifically Japanese elements, resulted in a script that co-mingled the two languages and cultures.{{sfnm|Denison|2005|1p=2|Nicholson|2018|2p=135}} Gaiman inserted dialog for off-screen characters elucidating cultural concepts considered obscure for American audiences.{{sfn|Denison|2018|p=15}} Humor in particular demanded significant alterations; Gaiman approached the issue by searching for an "emotional equivalent" for the lines instead of considering the reason the originals were humorous.<ref>{{harvnb|Biodrowski|2009}}, cited in {{harvnb|Nicholson|2018|p=135}}.</ref> Gaiman later recalled that although he oversaw the writing process, some script alterations were made without his knowledge. Several of the changes removed terms that identified the setting, such as substituting {{lang|ja-Latn|[[sake]]}} with ''wine'' and removing mentions of Japan and China.<ref>{{harvnb|Biodrowski|2009}}, cited in {{harvnb|Nicholson|2018|p=136}}.</ref> Nicholson found these decisions indicative of Miramax's intent to strip the film of its cultural context and divorce it from history entirely.{{sfn|Nicholson|2018|p=136}} Gaiman also recalled his drafts receiving contradictory corrections from both Miramax and Studio Ghibli, to which he responded by writing two sets of revisions and asking them to "go fight it out amongst [themselves]."<ref>{{harvnb|Townsend|1999}}, cited in {{harvnb|Nicholson|2018|p=136}}.</ref>

The film featured a variety of celebrity voice actors who had developed followings in both traditional acting and voice acting roles.{{sfn|Carter|2018|p=163}} Denison wrote that various American and British accents were chosen to further remove elements of Japanese culture and color the film with "the 'American' voice that narrates it."<ref>{{harvnb|Denison|2005|p=12}}, cited in {{harvnb|Carter|2018|p=168}}.</ref> The English-language release was marketed primarily as an art house film,{{sfn|Denison|2018|p=15}} and the media scholar Emma Pett felt that choosing the Miramax label rather than the family film–oriented Buena Vista label helped target the film towards a "middlebrow, culturally sophisticated audience" outside the mainstream.{{sfn|Pett|2018|p=175}} By this time, Weinstein had developed a reputation for importing and cutting international films to appeal to domestic audiences.{{sfn|Kelly|2022}} However, among the terms of the distribution deal were that Studio Ghibli would approve and have ultimate control of the translation and that the film would not have any time cut.{{sfn|Nicholson|2018|p=134}} Weinstein attempted to convince Miyazaki and Suzuki otherwise but was unsuccessful.{{efn|The potential editing of ''Princess Mononoke'' by [[Miramax Films]] has been the subject of rumor.{{sfn|Pett|2018|p=185}} ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'s}} Xan Brooks reported in 2005 that Miyazaki was rumored to have sent the then–head of Miramax, [[Harvey Weinstein]], a samurai sword in the mail with the attached message, "No cuts." In response, Miyazaki stated, "Actually, my producer did that." He also claimed he "defeated" Weinstein's attempts to shorten the film's length.{{sfn|Brooks|2005}} The claim has subsequently appeared in other media coverage.<ref>{{harvnb|Collin|2014}}, cited in {{harvnb|Pett|2018|p=185}}.</ref> Emma Pett wrote in 2018 that Miyazaki was "complicit in the construction of his auteur image" and the perpetuation of the rumor by these responses.{{sfn|Pett|2018|p=185}} [[Steve Alpert]] recalled the events in his 2020 memoir, writing that [[Toshio Suzuki]], after procuring a replica sword from a shop in Tokyo, presented it to Weinstein at a meeting in New York. He then "shouted in English and in a loud voice: '<nowiki/>''Mononoke-hime'', no cut!{{'"}}{{sfn|Alpert|2020|p=76}} }} Gaiman said that Miramax rolled back the planned marketing campaign and opened the film in a very limited number of screens.{{sfn|Kelly|2022}} The English dub was first screened at the [[48th Berlin International Film Festival]] on February 11, 1998,{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=215}} and premiered at the [[Avery Fisher Hall]] in New York City on September 26, 1999.{{sfn|Kanō|2006|p=216}} It underperformed at the American box office, earning only {{USD|2.3 million}}.{{sfn|Kelly|2022}}