Ashitaka's Burden

As the camera moves up to the wise woman's cottage, the harp improvises around the Eboshi Chords (A#m - G#m6) with col legno violins and flutes playing the beginning of the Emishi Tribe Theme. As we are in the cottage, flutes play the Village Theme, followed by a suspended cymbal as a way to start the conversation. Ashitaka sits opposite of the wise woman, with the wounded arm and a hint of Ashitaka's Theme plays in low violins. As the wise woman reads Ashitakas fate, piccolos play the Village Theme followed by an F# minor chord to highlight the darkness of the wise womans prediction. Ominous string chords wander around, ending with a little hint of the Demon Theme in brass and strings. As Ashitaka unravels his arm, we hear a constant percussion beat with the anvil (a key instrument for Irontown).

The wise woman asks if Ashitaka is ready to know his fate and a variation of the Ashitaka Theme plays in violin with xylophone and crotales hits, "decorating" the melody. The wise woman reveals his terrible fate and a single tubular bell hit plays as we see the reaction shot from Ashitaka.

The furious reaction of the past princes of the emishi tribe are, obvously, underscored with the Emishi Tribe Theme. As the wise woman explains the situation, the Village Theme plays with the Eboshi Chords underneath (A#m - G#m6). As we see what the wise woman has found in the dead boars body, staccato violin stabs play the Demon Theme again with the anvil in the background as a percussive element (a key instrument for Irontown). After that, we hear the Demon Theme once again (now played legato) but underneath is a constant rythmic idea with, again, the anvil. This rythmic idea is exactly the 5/4 rythm of the Irontown Theme, but now in a 4/4 meter, further connecting Irontown with the current situation. As the wise woman explains the fate of Ashitaka, an interesting chord progression (D#aug - D# - D#(b5) - D#(add4)) arises, played with violins, but underneath are, again, hints of that ominous 5/4 rythm. These chords lead to a perfect cadence from G major to C minor. As we see the past princes of the emishi tribe and hear their sad story, the Emishi Tribe Theme bursts out with the full orchestra. It's an emotional moment. Ashitaka cuts his hair, showing that he is no longer a member of the emishi tribe, a really honest version of the Ashitaka Theme plays in flute. He then completely leaves and a new, interesting idea, using the last two pitches of the Ashitaka Theme, appears. Prince Ashitaka is now gone.