the movie has a very deliberate pace and really sets into a mood of its own. the princess is courted by suitors at a young age by knights or princes who are determined to win her hand in marriage for the wealth they would gain. they were tasked to retrieve certain magical items. the princes/knights all proclaim their greatness and she sees through them and calls them out for what they are -- thieves and liars. a sorcerer fools the king into allowing her to marry him and he takes her to his castle and locks her up in the dungeon because it is prophesied that he shall fall because of her. it's a definite fantasy that fits in well with medieval europe around the 10th century give or take a couple of hundred years. the animation is extremely fluid and detailed. the characters don't have the typical anime face and everyone has noses. the backgrounds are gorgeously painted and the use of computer animation is very limited and none of it is too obvious unless you're an animation aficionado or professional. it seems slow in spots but all in all, a solid story with little to offend anyone.
Review of Princess Arete
