Mononoke Revealed

We start this cue with Ashitaka looking across the river and seeing the equipment of the soldiers of Lady Eboshi and the Eboshi Chords (A#m - G#m6) play. Ashitaka sees a man laying unconcious and the B phrase of the Ashitaka Theme plays in a fragmented form. As Ashitaka looks around, the main Ashitaka Theme plays in staccato. He finds another man and brings him to the riverbank. While this is happening, only the chords of the Ashitaka Theme can be heard. As Yakul notices something, the score transforms and we hear a triplet idea played with the celesta. Ashitaka notices the uneasiness of Yakul and has a look around. This segment is scored with a nice little chord progression which doesn't serve any narrative purpose (Gm7-Adim). Ashitaka spots wolfs at the other side of the river and the Wolf Tribe Theme plays with tremolo string chords underneath. As Mononoke looks directly at Ashitaka, the celesta triplet motif from earlier is back but now more fleshed out. Also, the chords of the Princess Mononoke Theme, which will be introduced in the later cues, are played in clarinet, hinting at the girls true identity. After that, the first three pitches of the Princess Mononoke Theme play in violin without revealing too much of the whole theme. As Ashitaka reveals himself to Mononoke, the Ashitaka Theme plays in its complete form. The two of them stare at each other and a little bit more of the Princess Mononoke Theme is revealed through the vibraphone. But as the focus shifts to the wolf pack leaving, the Wolf Tribe Theme can be heard.

Ashitaka hears the screams of one of the two men. The man who screams is called Kohroku and he is given his own theme. The Kohroku Theme is being played in woodwind staccato while he is getting scared by a Kodama. Ashitaka recognizes it as a Kodama and the Kodama Theme plays. In General, the forest, the Kodama and the Great Forest Spirit all have one distinct tone and feel being a lot of "bell instruments" and "mystical percussion" along with their signature instrument, the mandolin. After the first phrase is ended, the same phrase plays again only modulated a little bit higher. But as Kohroku talks about the Great Forest Spirit, we hear the synth harp playing whole tone scales underneath the Kodama texture. As the Kodama vanishes and Kohroku panics again, the Kohroku Theme plays again in its typical comedic staccato fashion. As we see other Kodama, we can hear other instruments playing short notes, which ends the cue.