Legendary extreme metal band reveals Studio Ghibli tribute for iconic movie’s anniversary

There’s always been a strong overlap between heavy metal and anime fandoms, and a major group has made that crossover literal with a new shirt to commemorate one of the best Studio Ghibli movies.

This year, Princess Mononoke turns 27. One of the best anime movies ever, the Hayao Miyazaki-directed classic has been a favorite among Studio Ghibli’s filmography since release.

So beloved is the fantasy film that grindcore band Pig Destroyer have re-released a shirt inspired by the picture to celebrate the milestone. It’s on sale now, just in time for Studio Ghibli Fest as well.

“Inspired by the God/Demon Boar of Princess Mononoke, this homage to one of the greatest animated epics of all time is available once again,” the band wrote, noting the designer, Form Terror Growth.

The Demon Boar is quintessential Hayao; a gnarly, slightly gross, terrifying creature that stands out among the gorgeous, colorful environments. Like No Face in Spirited Away, he turns out to be an anti-villain, corrupted by other forces from the movie’s universe.

He makes excellent t-shirt fodder, especially for a band named Pig Destroyer. Legends in the realm of grind and extreme music, the band are currently celebrating an anniversary of their own, with their third full-length, Terrifyer, turning 20.

As the event name implies, Studio Ghibli Fest is a recurring program run by distributor GKIDS. Over the course of several months, many Ghibli favorites are re-released on the big screen for a limited run, allowing fans of all ages to enjoy the magic theatrically.

Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro have already ran, but you can check out what other movies are left on the official site.

Hayao Miyazaki recently enjoyed another Oscar win for The Boy and the Heron, and there’s talk that he has a new movie in the works as well. Maybe Napalm Death, Rotten Sound, or Wormrot can do a shirt for that one.