Princess Arete

Princess Arete (アリーテ姫, Arīte Hime^?) (also Princess Arite) is a 2001 animated film released by Japanese animation studio Studio 4°C based on Diana Coles's 1983 story The Clever Princess. The film is a non-traditional approach to the standard tales of fairy tale princesses, and it is known in Japan as one of the most successful animated feminist works.

Under the rule of her solemn father the King, the young Princess Arete grows up in a lonely tower awaiting a suitor worthy of her. While the suitors accomplish countless treasure-collecting quests for the King, the princess begins to experience an awakening curiosity in the outside world. Sneaking out of the castle several times she begins to recognize that she has been missing out on life while locked away in the isolation of her tower. One night, Arete investigates the gifts given to her by her suitor, and finds a book telling her the stories of ancient witches and wizards creations. When her life is disrupted by the arrival of two very enthusiastic suitors, who she shows no interest in, Arete makes up her mind to escape into the wider world however she is caught by the guards and sent before her father.

Just before she is brought to him, the King has met with a powerful sorcerer named Boax to discuss his proposal that Princess Arete be betrothed to the sorcerer. Although the King hesitates at first, he eventually gives in after Boax enchants her into becoming a traditional princess and accepting his advances. Boax then takes the princess to his far away castle prior to the wedding. There he reveals that he does not love her and that the only reason he has brought her here is to imprison her in a dungeon as he is familiar with a prophecy that a princess named Arete will have the power to take away his eternal life.

As Arete sits in her new lonely surroundings, she slowly becomes friends with the one sympathetic person in Boax' castle – a villager named Ample. Ample explains to Arete that Boax has arranged with the nearby town that he will provide them with water for their fields so long as they feed him. Despite this arrangement, Ample reveals that she has begun digging her own well and that soon she will be free from dependence on Boax' magic. Encouraged by Ample, Arete at last loses the enchantment Boax had placed on her and regains her old spirits. Soon after she is released by Boax who still believes her to be enchanted and sent on a magical quest of her own. Returning in secret to Boax' castle, Arete instead discovers the source of Boax' magical ability to create water for the town. In trying to recover the source of the water, Arete is discovered by Boax who in a fit of despondency destroys his own castle and releases water into the land. It is revealed that he is a not really a great wizard, and can only use limited power before his people were wiped out. As he runs to escape the water, his gem that gives him eternal life is destroyed, losing his eternal life. Showing that the prophecy was indeed true.