Princess Mononoke is set in the late Muromachi period of Japan (approximately 1336 to 1573 AD) and includes fantasy elements. The story follows a young Emishi prince named Ashitaka, and his involvement in a struggle between the gods (kami) of a forest and the humans who consume its resources. This film was released in the United States on December 19, 1997 and in Japan on July 12, 1997.