Long acknowledged as the preeminent animator and director in Japan, Hayao Miyazaki remained a cult figure to American devotees of "manga" (Japanese comic books) and "anime" (Japanese animated features) until the 1999 US release of his undisputed masterwork "Princess Mononoke" (1997). Acquired by Miramax and redubbed into English using a script by Neal Gaiman and the vocal talents of actors like Billy Bob Thornton, Claire Danes, Billy Crudup and Minnie Driver, "Princess Mononoke" introduced the richly crafted animation and superb storytelling to mainstream audiences. The film was deemed too