# Princess Mononoke question



## Templetroll (Dec 27, 2002)

While watching the video the question came up, "Why did Prince Ashi-taka have to cut his hair before he left his clan?"

Any info on this would be appreciated.

(edited to avoid offending the censoring program.)


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## garyh (Dec 27, 2002)

Templetroll said:
			
		

> *While watching the video the question came up, "Why did Prince Ashi-taka have to cut his hair before he left his clan?"
> 
> Any info on this would be appreciated.
> 
> (edited to avoid offending the censoring program.) *




Near as I can remember, it was just custom among his tribe for exiles to cut their hair.


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## Skade (Dec 29, 2002)

In many cultures a man's hair is his honor.  The following is merly conjecture:  His hair was grown long because as a noble he did not work in the fields or any othe capacity that his hair would be cropped short.  Also, having the luxury of time to care for it he could allow it to do so.  Eventually this sort of thing becomes custom, rather than simply whim.  When he must leave behind his life, and his status, he cuts his hair as an outward sign of that change.

Then again, it could be because his neck was hot.


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## Gumby (Dec 29, 2002)

It's a Japanese thing, and pops up in anime from time to time.  The last poster pretty much had it:  cutting one's hair signifies a major change in one's life.


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## Templetroll (Dec 29, 2002)

Gumby said:
			
		

> *It's a Japanese thing, and pops up in anime from time to time.  The last poster pretty much had it:  cutting one's hair signifies a major change in one's life. *




Ah, when sumotori retire from competition they have a hair-cutting ceremony as part of the retirement process.  

My daughter found a bunch of test to see what kind of anime (hero/villian/whatever) you were.  One of the questions in the things was "How long do you spend on your hair?".  I thought  it odd, but, it makes some sense now.  Thanks!


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## Valanthe the Sleepless (Dec 29, 2002)

Many cultures have variations on this theme, but in the case of Mononoke, the cutting of Ashi-taka's hair is symbolic of his 'death' to the tribe.  He must leave and never return, and the cutting is evocative of this.  This falls with a good deal of samurai tradition, where you would shave before certain suicide rights, for example...and to have your top-knot cut off was a great dishonor and source of shame.  This is the more dramatic example, but the idea holds the same for less severe examples.  Take note, for another example, of the amount of time and effort put into the samurai's top-knot or the geisha's exaggerated hair-piece.


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## Shapermc (Dec 30, 2002)

Valanthe the Sleepless said:
			
		

> *....  This falls with a good deal of samurai tradition...*




This can be seen from many Samurai movies.  Like Seven Samurai there is a scene where a great Samuri is geting his hair cut and the person doing it is crying and everone has no idea what is going on and they look at him like he is crazy, but it all for a disguise.  BTW Seven Samurai is one ABSOLUTLY amazing movie.


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