After nearly 27 years, I realized thatThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timewas inspired by one of Hideo Miyazaki’s best movies, something that has already been confirmed by Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto.Considered one of the best installments in the franchise,Ocarina of Timewas released back in 1998 and received critical acclaim. The Nintendo 64 title was the first entry in the series to have 3D graphics.Ocarina of Timebroke barriers with 3Dand is widely considered the first game to have Z-targeting, a system that allows you to lock on to an opponent.
To this day, Z-targeting is used. InDark Souls, for example, you can lock onto your foes, and this is because of the legendaryZeldatitle.Aside from how revolutionary it was in terms of gameplay and new mechanics applied to 3D, the game was also praised for its unique story, a narrative that saw you traverse time to defeat Ganondorf.Ocarina of Timeis one of the bestgames of all time, even 27 years after its initial release, which shows just how ahead of its time it was, though it did borrow some accidental inspiration from another place.
Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Is Inspired By Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke
There Are Some Similarities Between Both Works, Which Were Noticed By Miyamoto
The masterpiece game was also inspired by a masterpiece movie, even if inadvertently. According to an interview with Miyamoto in the Japanese magazineGamejinback in 1998 (viaGood Blood Games),Zelda: Ocarina of Timewas accidentally inspired by Studio Ghibli’sPrincess Mononoke, an award-winning movie helmed by Hayao Miyazaki. Explaining some of the development team’s choices, Miyamoto highlights that Nintendo considered makingEpona inOcarina of Timea unicorn or a moose, but ultimately stuck with a horse. “The game was certainly also influenced by [Ghibli’s] Mr. Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke,” says Miyamoto.
“Both works were roughly in development around the same time, and when we finished, I was surprised at the similarities.”Miyamoto reveals that he was reminded ofMononoke’s Ashitaka and Yakul when seeing Link fire arrows while riding Epona, and that the Nightwalker from the movie directed by Miyazaki also made him think of the Giant Goron. “We really struggled with the similarities,” says Miyamoto. While they portray different stories, there is truly an overlap when it comes to themes and design, even if the similarities between the game andPrincess Mononoke, considered the best Studio Ghibli movie, were accidental.
The Company Expanded The Game’s World To Distance Itself From Miyazaki’s Movie
Even if the inspiration was a coincidence, Nintendo had to rethink its approach toZelda: Ocarina of Time. According to Miyamoto, “we decided to really build up Hyrule this time to differentiate it.” This is made clear by how different the game’s world is from the game’s fictional interpretation of the Muromachi period in Japan. Surely, the way Link rides Epona is reminiscent of Ashitaka riding Yakul, butaside from some thematic similarities, the game is truly different from the movie, and a lot of that is due to how well-builtHyrule inOcarina of Timewas.
During the interview, Miyamoto joked, saying that “we never imagined we’d rival Princess Mononoke (strained laughter).” Obviously, the two works never really rivaled each other, as they don’t compete directly within the same market. Even so, the inadvertent inspiration that the game took from Miyazaki’s movie is curious, and Nintendo’s decision to distance itself fromPrincess Mononokewas a wise one, asZelda: Ocarina of Timedid stand out for how unique it was.
