Michael B. Jordan has spent most of his life in front of the camera, but one of his biggest creative touchstones comes from animation. The actor has named Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke as his all-time favourite film, and he returns to it often.
As Far Out Magazine notes, Jordan said of the 1997 fantasy epic, “It’s truly special,” adding, “Every time it’s on, I watch it. I have to experience something like this. Down to the movement of the smoke and the flames in this movie, it’s beautiful”.
Why Princess Mononoke Matters To Jordan
Jordan’s admiration for the film fits the direction his career has taken. He has worked with writer-director Ryan Coogler on all five of Coogler’s films, from Fruitvale Station to Sinners, and that partnership helped move him from promising actor to established star.
| Film | Year | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fruitvale Station | Not stated | First collaboration with Ryan Coogler |
| Creed | Not stated | Relaunched the Rocky franchise around Adonis Creed |
| Creed III | Not stated | Jordan’s directorial debut |
| Sinners | Not stated | Latest Coogler collaboration mentioned in the piece |
Creed was especially important because it re-centered the franchise on a new character, Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed. It also brought Sylvester Stallone back as Rocky, giving Jordan a modern sports-drama framework that felt distinctly his own.
Anime Influence On Creed III And Beyond
That creative streak became more visible in Creed III, where Jordan leaned on his love of anime and Japanese animated films to shape the fight scenes and the film’s overall visual style. The influence of Princess Mononoke and other anime helped set the sequel apart from what came before it.
The Miyazaki connection also helps explain why Jordan has gravitated toward larger-than-life heroes in other projects, including Bryan Stevenson in Just Mercy and Johnny Storm in the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot. The same sense of mythic scale that defines Princess Mononoke seems to echo in those roles.
Princess Mononoke itself remains one of Miyazaki’s most ambitious films, blending Japanese mythology, a coming-of-age story, and an environmental message about spirituality and nature. It also became one of his biggest overseas successes, boosted further by a 1999 English dub featuring Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Minnie Driver, and Billy Bob Thornton.
Jordan’s next major move behind the camera will be a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, where he will both star and direct. Given how strongly Princess Mononoke shaped his taste and the look of Creed III, the film will be closely watched for signs of that same influence.