Mononoke

Here is another horror anime I found awesome! I was looking for more yokai anime to watch, and I came across this brilliantly animated series from Toei Animation.

Now I wasn't sure if this series is a spin-off of an earlier series called "Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales" or simply related because the last story from that series features the lead from this series-a mysterious "medicine seller" who exorcises spirits known as "mononoke." But either way, I really like this series.

My personal opinion on this anime series is that I thought the animation was eerily psychedelic but also visually brilliant. So anyway, as I said, I really like this series, and it's now another favorite from Toei Animation. I'm a huge Toei fan.

This show is similar to Mushi-shi in many ways. Like Mushi-shi, it is structured as a collection of short stories, each with its own characters, settings, and ideas. A medicine seller travels the land in search of mononoke to defeat, which are demons born from human hate, regret, and sorrow---the darkest recesses of the human heart. Each storyline, which consists of either two or three episodes per story, play out like a detective story. The demon slayer must figure out three things before he can draw his sword and defeat each mononoke. He must know the Form, the Truth, and the Reason; that is, he must know its appearance, the truth of why it came to exist, and the reason it has a grudge against certain people.

This show delves into the deepest and darkest recesses of the human heart. Each demon is born because of some horrific injustice or evil action committed by people against others. It does not shy away from delving deeply into dark topics; it does not shy away from confronting the evil which resides in every heart. The story's narrative never takes away responsibility from the sinners, who either meet horrible ends or are forced to live on with their guilt (which is so refreshing in this age of blaming others for our own mistakes). I particularly like how sinful actions have consequences not just for the sinner, but for those around them as well, creating a never-ending cycle of perpetrators and victims. There are so many deep and profound messages in this show.

Note on the Style: The style is supposed to resemble kabuki and noh theatre, which often feature gaudy colors, crazy masks, and wild make-up with specific symbolism attached to each. I love the beautiful detail in the show.

I found this show by pure chance. I took a chance with something that was completely unknown to me, having seen or heard nothing about it, just watching it on the recommendation of someone.

That's exactly how a show like this should be enjoyed, with no expectations for the purest kind of viewing. I recommend you do it too, though you might've already been influenced by the reviews here.

It's not for no reason that this show was voted the studio's most beloved show of all time. That vote has lead to the studio now making a new story for it, to be released in 2023. Hopefully there'll be a re-release so I can buy it!

Still, here is my review!

--------------------------------------

I can understand if people don't find this one particularly interesting as it will require some patience to watch. You will not be blown away by non-stop action, but be required to actually pay attention to what's going on. The art style might be a turn-off for some, while evidently (and to me as well) one of the biggest draws of this particular show.

Through the viewing of this show you are given visual hints as through the strange art style, the actions of the characters and the dialogue, hints that during your first viewing you may not pick up on. Some of them are even red herrings to mislead you to the wrong conclussion. But eventually, more and more things are revealed in twists and turns until the climax of each story arc where the truth of each case is revealed.

My favorite one is the second story arc, Umibozu. It really takes you for a ride and has some stunning visuals.

So if you're not willing to sit down and enjoy the visuals, the excellent drama, the interesting characters and the twists of a who-dun-it mystery I suspect this might bore you. I'm sure there's some Shounen show out there that'll fit you better, one that doesn't require your brain to function.

This is not your average anime, it has an art concept based and the ancient paints that Japan is famous for.

Mononoke follows a wandering, nameless character known only as the "Medicine Seller" (voiced by Takahiro Sakurai). The series is made up of individual chapters in which the medicine seller encounters, combats and subsequently destroys mononoke. The "mononoke" are a type of ayakashi, unnatural spirits that linger in the human world. The Medicine Seller always proceeds in the same manner, using his knowledge of the supernatural to fend off the mononoke until he can learn the spirit's shape (Katachi), truth (Makoto) and reasoning (Kotowari).

The opening track is "Kagen no Tsuki" by Komatsu Ryouta and Charlie Kousei and the ending is "Natsu no Hana" by JUJU.

In a personal note, the stories are more mysterious than scary, there was two stories that were actually kind of scary to me. It really deserves more recognition in the anime world.

I love Japanese anime, I'm a 74 year old grandma and a big Ghibli studio fan! What brought me here is the title "Mononoke" which I found out has nothing to do with " Princess Mononoke" by Ghibli studios lol! I was intrigued by the colours and detailed art at first and kept watching! Truly I don't know why I still keep watching but I started it and now I want to know what is happening! I love everything Japanese and this very colourful art nouveau style anime show just got me hooked!

The details in the anime are simply amazing, the colours beautiful and I get to learn a bit more about Japanese culture!