Mononoke (not Hime)

[Andrew Cunningham]

http://www.mononoke-anime.com/

This looks like nothing I have ever seen before - CG made to look like watercolors on handmade paper. Lots of impressive camera movements around the amazing looking rooms, but horribly ugly people overacting.
At first the style was a real turn off, but towards the second half of the episode it really started coming together - some really scary stuff, and some astonishing supernatural freakouts that were really unsettling and really felt like they'd found something new to do with the basic motifs.
Well worth checking out, but be warned, and be patient with it.

[roastedpekingduck]

CG made to look like watercolors on handmade paper.
Now that sounds interesting. That definitely piqued my interest, as I just love watercolor-looking animation, like The Old Man and The Sea.

[Dagger]

I have little interest in the other Ayakashi arcs, but I've been waiting eagerly for Bakeneko to come out on R1 DVD, and I'm definitely going to watch this as well.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Yeah, I've been digging around the last few minutes, and apparently the series is a spin off of the Bakeneko segment from Ayakashi - Tales of Japanese Horror.
Sounds like that bit was really well received, so they got the go ahead for a series.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Episode 2 - I have no idea what happened at the end...or rather I have several conflicting ideas and was unable to work out which.
Still really enjoying the show but I've read enough about youkai by now that it bothers me when they call the mononoke here zashiki-warashi, considering they obviously aren't zashiki-warashi, and I'm pretty sure there is an actual youkai for what these things are (forget the name, but mentioned in passing during Ubume no Natsu.) A little research rather than just making things up would sit better with me.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Episode 3 - this show makes everything look like something out of the Curse of the Golden Flower.
And totally mind-blowing things happen in that color riot world.
As much as I like Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei and Baccano! I'm starting to think this is the find of the summer.

[roastedpekingduck]

Unfortunately, like one of your other favorites from Spring, Oh!edo, this just isn't getting subbed. :sd: :sigh:

[Andrew Cunningham]

It has been subbed, extremely badly, but not in the usual place.

[HellKorn]

As much as I like Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei and Baccano! I'm starting to think this is the find of the summer.

Which makes it even more of a damn shame that this show is given such little attention to. Before I found out about Denno Coil or Ghost Hound, Mononoke was easily the show I was looking forward to the most, and it still is the case. The Bakeneko segment of Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror Tales blew my mind, because I suddenly realized that horror could be captured in anime with very precise direction, never mind that the art is unlike anything else in anime, the mystery is very engaging, and it had a touching ending, to boot. Considering that the core cast of that one was returning, that it was a no brainer to check out its spin-off.

Sadly, the way it's looking I'll have to wait for a license in order to appreciate and understand the series (which joins the list of GR -Giant Robo- and Oh! Edo Rocket), and I'd bet that a license for it depends on how well the Bakeneko, or "Goblin Cat" as Geneon has dubbed it, sells come September.

[Andrew Cunningham]

GR didn't even show up on raws. I could not believe that. I mean, I know it won't be any good, but I'd have liked the opportunity to be disappointed.
Oh! Edo Rocket at least got two eps subbed, and may be continuing, if reeeeally slowly. But it stands a fairly good of being picked up if only because of the staff.

I've got the Bakeneko DVD on preorder, and can't wait to see it. Hopefully word of mouth will get that an audience; the first two storylines in the series are apparently awful, which might make it hard to get noticed.

[HellKorn]

The first two Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror tales arcs just lack everything that made Bakeneko awesome (well, Yotsuya Kaidan has Yoshitaka Amano character designs and thrifty, ugly people wanting to kill each other, so it has something going for it). I'm not sure why Geneon decided to go with the worst arc first; if they wanted to catch the audience's attention with emphasis on horror, instead of presenting them "chronologically," they should've gone with Bakeneko. And given that first DVD volumes sales are the highest of series, chances are people will, as you said, brush it off because their first impressions weren't favorable.

Though, I'll be ranting if Chris gives Bakeneko anything less than an "A-."

[HellKorn]

"Family way." lulz

Alright, the brilliant subs out of the way, I got around to it quicker than I originally intentioned just because my curiosity got the better out of me. Definitely don't regret it.

First episode gripped me just as much as I can remember the Bakeneko segment did, and it hasn't even gotten to the meat of the story. Where that and Mononoke succeeds and where every other horror anime more or less fails to do is to play with the viewer's mind; I'm not talking about upfront horror, either. The grotesque, over-the-top nature simply doesn't translate well to animation (nor to comics, as Ito, a manga-ka who is amazingly overrated, stretches out that style of horror with no variation), and that's what we more or less watch when it comes to such a medium. However, good horror in any medium is one that screws with your mind, and Mononoke does just that -- not in a blatant, but subtle way. The small touches -- creaks, footsteps, heavy breathing, sudden camera angle shifts, differing perspective, facial expressions -- all add up to one unnerving, if at least suspenseful experience.

As this is a twelve episode series, I'd guess that each arc is three episodes as Bakeneko was. Works to its advantage, as anything less would be rushed, and anything more would indicate that the story is dragged out.

Oh, and the druggist is cool as ever.

Now I want more and it ain't happen' at the moment. I'd really love to see this thing licensed quickly.

[Andrew Cunningham]

The first storyline was only two episodes.
And you are amazingly wrong about Ito. Did you only read Tomie or something? Ito's best work is still untranslated, sadly...

[HellKorn]

Yeah, I discovered that when digging a bit deeper last night. The next arc covers three through five, so that leaves one more three-episode arc left if the planned five separate stories go down. There's also going to be another Bakeneko arc, different from the one found in Ayakashi.

As for Ito, I've actually never read Tomie. I checked out Gyo and Uzumaki a ways back, and while I found the latter to be more immersing in atmosphere, I just wasn't really freaked out like most who've apparently read it. However, I did get a real kick out of the short about the fault in the second volume of Gyo, as that's the type of horror I'm more geared towards -- if he has any other works along those lines, let me know.

[Andrew Cunningham]

His shorts are almost always better, yeah.

[roastedpekingduck]

After having watched the first episode, I have to say I was extremely impressed by Mononoke. It's nice to see something that does something really unique with animation to create a wholly unique and immersing experience. The beautiful animation, excellent sound direction, and rather unorthodox filming techniques really combined together to create a special experience. The panning worked especially well.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Yeah, it's kind of the reverse of typical animation - the characters never move, but the camera flies all over the place around the digital sets.
Really effective.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Man, this show is fucked up.

[roastedpekingduck]

"Fucked up" in a way worthy of admiration, or "fucked up" as in pedophiles and rapists?

[Andrew Cunningham]

Admiration. Fucked up is always slightly impressed.
Pedos and rapists are "wrong."

[roastedpekingduck]

Speaking of "fucked up," it looks like I'm going to be able to watch episode 2 tonight. "Fucked up" goodness, here I come. :D

[roastedpekingduck]

Wonderfully twisted stuff. Seeing the camera shake about was awesome and the "stop-motion"ish animation worked extremely nice well to give quite an unsettling atmosphere. The sound effects and voice acting were probably the highlight of the episode though and was what made the episode disturbing for me though. The bloodcurdling screaming of the pregnant woman and screeching crying of the children, and gave me chills. I can't say I was ever scared, but I was disturbed nonetheless. My favorite moment of the episode was probably when the usually composed Medicine Seller suddenly had an "Oh, fuck" expression on his face when the woman said she was willing to give birth to the thing. Anyhow, I can't wait for more.


By the way, Mononoke has gotten me intrigued in the Bakaneko. Does Bakaneko feature the same art style?

[Andrew Cunningham]

I can't say I was ever scared, but I was disturbed nonetheless.

Yeah, 'freaked out' is closer than scared; I'm grinning and enjoying myself to much to say scared.

By the way, Mononoke has gotten me intrigued in the Bakaneko. Does Bakaneko feature the same art style?
Apparently, yeah. Direct continuation with the same staff and style.

[roastedpekingduck]

I can't say I was ever scared, but I was disturbed nonetheless.

Yeah, 'freaked out' is closer than scared; I'm grinning and enjoying myself to much to say scared.

By the way, Mononoke has gotten me intrigued in the Bakaneko. Does Bakaneko feature the same art style?
Apparently, yeah. Direct continuation with the same staff and style.
So Bakaneko has the same painted-paper feel? If so, I'm definitely going to buy that.

[Andrew Cunningham]

I've got mine on order already.

[HellKorn]

Glad that Mononoke is getting more love on here, but far from it what deserves (I mean, only three, potentially four people so far?!).

The Zashiki-Warashi arc wasn't up to snuff with the Bakeneko arc from Ayakashi, but that doesn't mean it wasn't excellent. It's purpose wasn't meant to be scary beyond the unnerving latter half of the first episode, though it wasn't meant to be as suspenseful as Bakeneko. It was a good deal more disturbing, though; the beatings and the aborted children were sufficiently disturbing.

It also had an understated and something of a touching ending, so it certainly shares that in common with Bakeneko.

And direction, art, animation, music... Damn, it's all a marvel -- anyone watching it can plainly see that.

I can't wait for the Umibozu arc. I'm half-tempted to wait until all three episodes are available before watching it.

[Andrew Cunningham]

We've been talking about how the show tends to have spectacular sets but very little actual animation. I mean, the fish in the background move more than the characters do.
But damn do they know how to pull out all the stops for a big finish. Seriously amazing stuff. I hadn't even noticed that the dude didn't actually use his powers to resolve the first arc.
Man, why isn't Bakeneko already out!? Please ship early.

[roastedpekingduck]

Another amazing episode. I was worried Mononoke's novelty would grow old on me quickly, but that was no such case. One thing that's special about Mononoke is that when I'm watching it, I feel more like I'm watching an arthouse animation than anime due to how unique it is. I really hope more Japanese animators try to experiment with animation as a result of having seen Mononoke.

Again, about the episode itself, there's still not much to right about. Mononoke is just excellent at building tension and though I'm still not scared, I definitely take everything seriously. It's still great fun to watch the camera popping about. Mononoke almost disorients me sometimes.

Well, after having seen episode three, it looks like I now know what to do with my $20 Amazon gift certificate that my friend gave me. I originally wanted to use it on textbooks, but the Medicine Seller is just too damn cool for me to use that on textbooks. The wait for the release date of the third volume is going to be hard, of course. I sincerely hope that someone will pick up Mononoke and bring it over to R1 land, though unfortunately, the sales of Ayakashi are likely quite dismal.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Yeah, I'm kind of crossing my fingers that word of mouth means Bakeneko sells twice the previous volumes and convinces them to pick up Mononoke.
But given that even with fansubs out, there's still only like four of us watching it, that may be too much to hope for.

[roastedpekingduck]

Yeah, I'm kind of crossing my fingers that word of mouth means Bakeneko sells twice the previous volumes and convinces them to pick up Mononoke.
But given that even with fansubs out, there's still only like four of us watching it, that may be too much to hope for.

I think it's a major pity how easily people are turned off by art style. I've seen quite a few people across the internet avoid the show because of its "weird art."

Well, it looks like the four of us will have the work cut out for us in terms of spreading the word of mouth. We must not be too effective anyhow at this point because...well, there's still only the four of us on AoD who are watching the show. :sd: Mononoke does have an advantage in terms of its title though. After all, a licensing company can be devious and retitle the show "Prince Mononoke." The name Mononoke would at least earn the show some inadvertent sales. :D

[Dagger]

After all, a licensing company can be devious and retitle the show "Prince Mononoke."
*groans* :D

I liked the edge of closed-circle mystery mockery in ep. 3. ("The murderer saboteur is one of us!") Takahiro Sakurai as the medicine seller continues to be a highlight, with the deliberate rhythm he brings to his words. It was cool to have an explanation for the scales, also--I didn't know what to make of them in the previous arc.

[HellKorn]

I'm just hoping that this is one of those cases where there are people watching the series and we're the only four commenting on it. It also seems to have picked up some attention elsewhere, though not enough...

And yeah, the Bakeneko arc explains every tool that the Druggist has rather well, which might take away some clarity from a new viewer to Mononoke.

I haven't gotten around to episode three (trying to decide on whether to wait for the entire arc to be available or just go crazy by watching one at a time), but evidently there's some continuity from the Bakeneko arc -- one of the characters (who wasn't a vengeful ass) returns for the Umibozu arc.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Right, and the Umibozu arc also does reexplain all the items for the new viewers.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Astonishingly beautiful...contrasting nicely with the horrible death screams.
That sword fight with the camera spinning around them was amazing looking as well.

[roastedpekingduck]

Christ, after watching episode 4, I'll continue to say that the animation is just dazzling and amazing. The animation just looks so picturesque and...alive. The animation of the swirling sea especially looked awesome. It's hard to believe Toei was the animation producer behind this, as Toei usually produces substandardly animated stuff.
Besides the animation, everything else was great as well. The over-the-top way the characters talk really remind me of Japanese and Chinese plays and how each character is supposed to act in a stereotypical fashion to suit the role. While the Medicine Seller remains badass, I also liked how the writers certainly were able to poke fun at him for being so aloof. This arc isn't as scary as the first arc, but it edges out the previous arc in fun factor.


Please Chris, review Bakeneko well so Mononoke has a slightly better chance of getting licensed. :P

[Andrew Cunningham]

Several of the characters have just blatantly walked right off a kabuki stage into the show.
There are times when I wonder if this show is closer to what Japanese animation would have been without Western/Disney influence.
The final episode of the arc is where the really scary stuff comes in, but the bit where she gave birth to a fish was what prompted me to call the show fucked up. That really got under my skin.

[roastedpekingduck]

Yeah, while not entirely scary, I have been making suspicious glances at my goldfish thanks to the episode. :sd:
Edit: I also would like to add that for a claustrophobic person like me, getting into an Utsurobune sounds...bleh

[SkinnyCat]

well, there's still only the four of us on AoD who are watching the show.

Add one more! ^_^

I'd been looking forward to Mononoke ever since I found out there would be a spin-off from Ayakashi. I love the creepiness of the stories and the visual assault of colors and textures. The art style is not quite as giddy or as pretty as Gankutsuou's but, seeing as how the stories all border on the weird and horrifying, the "ugly" faces work very well in encouraging the viewer to suspend reality in the course of watching.

Looking forward to episode 4.

[Andrew Cunningham]

No idea what happened at the end...

[HellKorn]

It's going to sound trite of me to proclaim this -- particularly as it's so common for fans to label generic moe/mecha/fanservice/et cetera number thirty-six as a "masterpiece" -- but Mononoke is probably the best anime currently airing. Not too sure how I would stack it up against Denno Coil since they're leagues apart in their appeal, but it's something so unorthodox and devoid of practically anything that makes anime, anime that I can't help but be still utterly amazed by it, even with my obscenely high expectations coming into the spin-off.

I think what makes it succeed so much is that you can't take it dreadfully, completely seriously (the "guru" scene in episode one, Kayo's ramblings in episode four), yet there are numerous disturbing-as-hell moments that work with the rare emotional scenes.

Well, yeah, the fact that this is masterfully directed on all accounts, and the stories themselves are very involving are other factors, but you get my point.

I also loved the final scene in the last episode. I had suspected it ever since Genkei made his confession.

It would be criminal for Mononoke not to get licensed. It won't sell like hotcakes, that's for sure, but man, it's anime like this that take the medium to a whole other level.

The final episode of the arc is where the really scary stuff comes in, but the bit where she gave birth to a fish was what prompted me to call the show fucked up. That really got under my skin.

I wasn't particularly scared by the final episode (though there were a ridiculous amount of tense moments, thanks in part to the fish constantly swimminng in the background), but I'm in full agreement about episode four. My reaction was more along the lines of, "Goddamn, this is really fucked up!" (and of course I laughed because I was enjoying the hell out of it).

[Andrew Cunningham]

Mononoke is probably the best anime currently airing.

I can't shake the desire to say the same. This in no way detracts from the greatness of our other favorites, but what Mononoke is aiming for is so dramatically different than everything else in cinema (fuck in anime) that I can't help but respond ecstatically.

[roastedpekingduck]

Mononoke is, plain and simply put, a work of masterful art. While I hesitate sometimes to deem some creative works as "art," I can't call Mononoke anything else because it's consistently blown me away every episode. Mononoke provides me an experience unlike any work of visual art I've seen before. Unlike other series that I like, I can't say I'm having fun and enjoying myself watching Mononoke or find it emotionally impacting by any means, but it's a masterpiece all at the same time because the visuals of Mononoke never cease to entrance me for each episode. I'm sucked in at the start of an episode and snap back to reality after the episode is finished. Mononoke generates a unique feeling when I watch it that's just hard to describe. I only know that I really really love it. By the way, the ending to Umibouzu even sent a few chills up my spine, something I haven't felt in a long time. Though I originally feared that the traditional nature of Mononoke would, in fact, hold it back from being seriously disturbing at the beginning, that traditional nature of Mononoke actually added to the "WTF?!" feeling I got.


Mononoke's definitely cemented in the top tier of Spring/Summer shows with that episode, but unfortunately Hellkorn, I still can't knock my other top tier shows to the side and deem Mononoke the best of the season. I have too much fun with Denno Coil and Baccano! and cannot disregard Terra e either. :sd: With that said though, Mononoke certainly has the best art of the season, if not some of the best art I've ever seen in any animation. The style of art fits the show SO WELL. So many shows this season have a shot getting into my top 10 that it's just unreal.

[HellKorn]

Maybe it's just me seeking out something that's so radically different from anything else that I've seen before that's attracting me to Mononoke. Like Andrew said, that's one of the (many) pulls of the series: what it wants and tries to do is simply so far beyond what most anime could never even dream of doing. It's definitely not that other anime favorites are utterly fantastic, but Mononoke sets itself apart from the medium so far that I'm both in awe and in love with the show. It's easily one of my favorite anime, and the Umibozu arc just confirmed it.

I'm not quite sure what to think on the reasons for this coming to be, either. I mean, this is from freakin' Toei, of all companies. And this is a spin-off from what was far and away the most successful arc of Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror Tales. Yet there is absolutely no feeling of this series coming out to capitalize on that. And while it does have an "artsy" overtone that will cause some jokers to dismiss it as being "pretentious," it isn't a shallow attempt to prove the creators' intelligence (see Oshii circa Innocence, Sato circa Ergo Proxy).

I just want this damn thing licensed.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Still really enjoying the show but I've read enough about youkai by now that it bothers me when they call the mononoke here zashiki-warashi, considering they obviously aren't zashiki-warashi, and I'm pretty sure there is an actual youkai for what these things are (forget the name, but mentioned in passing during Ubume no Natsu.) A little research rather than just making things up would sit better with me.

This may well be the most ignorant thing I've posted in ages, apparently.
I'm reading Missing 9 now, which is all about Zashiki-warashi, and have learned a great deal more about the things that my other sources never went into at all.
Oops.
Apparently they did their research, and I did not. Zashiki-warashi were originally a much wider range of stories and related legends (not always called by the name) but one extremely influential anthropologist only chose the stories where zashiki-warashi are a positive influence. He completely ignored everything else, and all the related stories, including quite a lot of stories which originally overlapped with zashiki-warashi legends and involved the ghosts of aborted babies.
Fascinating stuff.
There are writers out there who have made entire careers out of exploiting the gap between the modern commercialized versions of the youkai stories and what the stories were like in the original folklore. It's a really rich field to explore, and I wish there was more information on youkai in English...

[Andrew Cunningham]

I can't believe they keep topping themselves like this.
Episode revolves around a smelling content in the dead of winter - everything except the medicine salesman is in black and white, with only a few spot colors, but when they inhale the scents they turn to full color as the imagines rushing through their minds are projected on the shoji around them.

[roastedpekingduck]

Wow...just mind-blowingly artistic stuff and it continues to provide me an experience that I can neither get through anime nor other forms of cinema. Mononoke is the kind of the thing that has to be seen to be believed. Writing about it does the show no justice.

[Dagger]

Frankly... this is on track to become my favorite series ever.

The thing is, when I watch a show like this, I expect it to be artistic & innovative. Food for the intellect alone, ya know? Not emotionally moving. Not viscerally thrilling & suspenseful. But Mononoke is all of those things, and that kind of blows my mind.

[roastedpekingduck]

Frankly... this is on track to become my favorite series ever.

The thing is, when I watch a show like this, I expect it to be artistic & innovative. Food for the intellect alone, ya know? Not emotionally moving. Not viscerally thrilling & suspenseful. But Mononoke is all of those things, and that kind of blows my mind.
Now...we are five people watching this show! We need at least two more. :neko:

[Dagger]

Now...we are five people watching this show! We need at least two more. :neko:
I've been watching it the whole time. ;) Posting, on the other hand...

[Andrew Cunningham]

Maybe we should start hyping it in every thread.

[CorrosiveMeso]

Oh, I haven't posted in this thread yet? Well, add me to the list of people watching. This is my favorite anime of the season, and one of my all-time favorites. Now, I need to go out and buy Bakeneko. I really hope this is licensed.

I enjoyed the episodes 6 and 7, even if I was a little confused by the ending. I can't wait for episode 8, especially because of the black and white/color element in the preview.

[roastedpekingduck]

Oh, I haven't posted in this thread yet? Well, add me to the list of people watching. This is my favorite anime of the season, and one of my all-time favorites. Now, I need to go out and buy Bakeneko. I really hope this is licensed.

I enjoyed the episodes 6 and 7, even if I was a little confused by the ending. I can't wait for episode 8, especially because of the black and white/color element in the preview.
Now we are six...

[HellKorn]

It's no secret that I love this show. But how much? Already one of my all-time favorites. My top favorite? If it keeps up the god-like quality, I think it might just happen.

And yeah, this arc broke my brain. After developing my own theories and looking around at others', this is what I've concluded: the Medicine Seller encountered the miserable Ochou in her own "prison," the one that she created after "killing" other facets of herserlf. From there it gets hazy, as obviously he himself was the man in the Noh mask -- some sort of alter ego or another...

... Actually, my thoughts are too jumbled at the moment, so I'm just going to try tackling that later.

All I really know is that I'm probably going to import the R2 DVDs. Love this anime way too damn much to pass them up.

[Dagger]

Man, it would really help to know just how human/inhuman the MS truly is...

Anyway, I agree with that theory. To elaborate a little further, I think the MS planned to help Ochou via his alter ego but that things went out of control... his alter ego sympathized with her too much, or cared about her too much, and ultimately fell under the control of (or willingly gave into) her alter ego (as represented by the Noh masks).

After the MS revealed the form of Ochou's mononoke, both his selves became free to act normally. I'm not sure if he actually destroyed her mononoke or if her alter ego retreated to her/rejoined with her before reaching the point of no return. I think the latter fits better, though...

What's the significance of the one piece of red paper that floats into her hands?

[Andrew Cunningham]

Wow, what a great reveal.
Plus, watching the medicine seller just fucking with them was a treat.
Didn't really expect this to lead to such a spectacular finish.

Looks like the final arc will be another Bakeneko.

[roastedpekingduck]

After watching Bake Neko and rewatching Mononoke for the past few days, I suddenly realized I had made a really stupid mistake. When watching Mononoke for the first time, I paid so much attention on the cinematography that I didn't really look at the thematics. My second time through, I realize that each of the arcs do indeed have some pretty redeeming themes that I initially just glanced over, and after having scene Bakeneko, Umibouzu, and the arc about the woman who kills her husband, it seems that there is a really interesting fixation on "prisons" and closed spaces. Beyond that, I also noticed that while subtle, the Medicine Seller seems to have developed at the end of every arc. Whether it's through small nuances such as a facial expression at the end of an arc, a slight physical movement, or some interesting line, I'm getting the sense that the Medicine Seller has indeed changed.

Man, every time I think about Mononoke I have to shudder from its awesomeness.

[Andrew Cunningham]

I definitely think it belongs to what, for lack of any larger frame of reference, I think of as the Kyogoku Natsuhiko school of thought: Youkai/Mononoke as a metaphorical (or not so metaphorical) manifestation of mental illness. What we would now define in psychological terms, people once described in supernatural terms - not because they necessarily believed in the monsters but because that gave behavior and events they did not understand a shape that could be grappled with. All of the Mononoke only exist because events have led someone into a mental trap, and only the revelation of the truth, reasoning, and shape can break through and allow them to move forward again/make peace with their demons.

[roastedpekingduck]

Mental illness? Hmmm...I didn't quite think of the mononoke in that way, as I always took them to be metaphors of personal inner demons and buried sins.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Using a slightly broad definition of mental illness, inner demons and buried sins definitely qualify.
Kyogoku's novels have had youkai representing everything from outright madness to unnatural sexual fixation to deep seated guilt.

[Andrew Cunningham]

The always reliable AniPages have a great review (http://www.pelleas.net/aniTOP/) up.
Covers through episode 9, but without any real spoilers. More about the style than the plot.

[Andrew Cunningham]

With another Bakeneko story, they clearly decided they needed to make a dramatic shift...and set it on board a train, seemingly hundreds of years after the earlier stories.
I particularly liked that everyone not a speaking role is drawn as a store front mannequin.

[CorrosiveMeso]

I don't normally watch raws because I can't understand anything, but your description of episode 10 tempted me, so I watched a few minutes of it. I didn't expect it to jump forward in time, but it's interesting. I like how the medicine seller still wears the same clothing and thus stands out even more, and the mannequins were a really cool touch. It's sad to see such a great series enter its final arc, though.

[roastedpekingduck]

The art in this episode was utterly beyond description. I've always been a sucker "black and white-goes with occasional color" stuff, like in Pleasantville and Schindler's List, but Mononoke just executed this extra well. I still find it amazing that Toei is the company behind this show when they are not exactly known for innovation.

[HellKorn]

I still find it amazing that Toei is the company behind this show when they are not exactly known for innovation.

Aside from Mamoru Hosoda's two Digimon films and One Piece movie, Mononoke and Bakeneko are the only anime that Toei has made that I care for.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what could've motivated them to create something as avant-garde as this...

[Andrew Cunningham]

Racking up an impressive body count.

[Andrew Cunningham]

What, did they run out of money? I didn't expect this, of all shows, to go out like a damp firecracker.
Episode was entirely a flashback to the reasoning, and right near the end gives us like a minute of really spectacular build up to the big bang climax...and fucking cuts away to the credits and a happy every after all the less evil people forgiven and alive bullshit ending with a tidy moral to wrap it all up.
Kind of disappointing, to say the least.

[roastedpekingduck]

Oh shit...that does not sound good. :sd: The part of a show I always scrutinize the most is the ending and decides whether a show makes into my top 10 or not. After a string of innovation, it's disappointing to see that happen indeed.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Hopefully this will be a case where my disappointment lowers everyone's expectations so that you all like it better.
But considering how great the endings to each of the other five stories was, it just baffles me that they could have fumbled the ball like this at the end of the damn series.

[HellKorn]

Ah, damn.

Well, if that's the only mistake throughout this entire anime, then it'll definitely stay in my top ten. Probably won't end up as my favorite because I put a lot of stock in endings, but if it's eleven and three-fourths of pure goodness, then I'll still love it to death.

[roastedpekingduck]

Wow, what a great reveal.
Plus, watching the medicine seller just fucking with them was a treat.
Didn't really expect this to lead to such a spectacular finish.

Looks like the final arc will be another Bakeneko.
While I didn't expect it to be so, the arc became my favorite one of the series with that episode. The smell battle, for one was great. I'd even be entertained with a "smell battle" anime. By the way Andrew, why did the translation say that the people were "hearing the smells."? That confused me a slight bit. Moving on, the artistry and black-and-white to color style of this arc blew me off my feet. The mindfuck to make the people realize that they were dead was wonderfully awesome, orange juice blood included. I was also shocked by how many tombstones there were at the end.


The smelling game looks REALLY fun though. :sweatdrop:

[Andrew Cunningham]

By the way Andrew, why did the translation say that the people were "hearing the smells."?
If the translator was good enough to be doing this for a living, he would be?

[roastedpekingduck]

By the way Andrew, why did the translation say that the people were "hearing the smells."?
If the translator was good enough to be doing this for a living, he would be?

In that case, what would the actual translation for the phrase be? I'm just curious since "hearing a smell" sounds quite awkward.

[Andrew Cunningham]

No idea. I don't remember the line and don't keep these things around after I watch them.

[roastedpekingduck]

This was probably the most chaotic arc, with numerous things going on. As such, there was a "messy" feel to this arc I didn't quite like, but it was still great nonetheless. I'm not looking forward to the last episode because I do not want Mononoke to end or want it to leave a bad final impression. Anyhow, what happened to the Medicine Seller's paper tags?

[roastedpekingduck]

Hopefully this will be a case where my disappointment lowers everyone's expectations so that you all like it better.
But considering how great the endings to each of the other five stories was, it just baffles me that they could have fumbled the ball like this at the end of the damn series.
Well, you lowered my expectations enough. I enjoyed that episode for the most part as much as I did the previous ones and really liked the buildup and revelation. I knew Moria was the bad apple from the beginning, but I still felt "shocked" when I found out it was him. I did crack up in the last five minutes of the episode with how cheesily everything played out, but I enjoyed the stuff before nonetheless that it didn't really affect my enjoyment. Even if we never saw the actual gore of the woman getting run over, I still grimaced during that scene. Train deaths have always scared the fuck out of me.


Well Mononoke is finally finished, and it's been on of the most awesome things in artistic media in general, not just among anime, that I have enjoyed. Seeing how unique it was just makes me want to see directors experiment with animation more.

[HellKorn]

I did crack up in the last five minutes of the episode with how cheesily everything played out...

Five minutes? More like just the ending theme and epilogue.

It didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but it's an ending that Mononoke certainly doesn't deserve. I mean, that transformation sequence towards the end screamed that it was going to be one of the most fucking awesome moments ever in anime, and it's suddenly cut away...?!

The revamped Bakeneko arc wasn't my favorite one, mostly in part do the its finish. Still, it was visually it was probably had the grandest visual splendor that we've had in the series, including the gorgeous Nue arc.

There were also plenty of bothersome moments. (The scratching!) I also like how even Kayo -- the innocent, almost comic-relief character in her two prior arcs that she appeared -- was even put to a villainous status.

Mononoke will remain one of my absolute favorites in spite of its underwhelming finale. Unlike anything else I've ever seen before, anime or otherwise, and probably ever will. This should be the type of anime series to win an ungodly amount of awards in Japan, and I can only hope that it will.

A license would be utterly fantastic, too!

[roastedpekingduck]

I did crack up in the last five minutes of the episode with how cheesily everything played out...

Five minutes? More like just the ending theme and epilogue.


Still, it was visually it was probably had the grandest visual splendor that we've had in the series, including the gorgeous Nue arc.

Five minutes? Whoops. I meant five seconds.

The Nue arc was my absolute favorite. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing a 13 episode series about smelling competitions.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Only two tracks in, but wow.
Under the ooooeeeoooeee soprano and thundering string section there are cats screaming.

[HellKorn]

So the soundtrack's worth a listen? I thought that the score is one of those that works with the images but isn't anywhere as strong without them. Will definitely give it a shot, then.

Also, some good news about Mononoke's DVD sales. Its first DVD has outsold -- IN JUST ITS FIRST WEEK -- the entire Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror tales combined.

Won't propel a license over here, but if Toei ever wants to create more...

[roastedpekingduck]

So the soundtrack's worth a listen? I thought that the score is one of those that works with the images but isn't anywhere as strong without them. Will definitely give it a shot, then.

Also, some good news about Mononoke's DVD sales. Its first DVD has outsold -- IN JUST ITS FIRST WEEK -- the entire Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror tales combined.
Won't propel a license over here, but if Toei ever wants to create more...
Toei should take a part of Mononoke and spin it into its own series. I, for one, would most definitely enjoy a 13 episode "Smell Battle" series.

[roastedpekingduck]

So the soundtrack's worth a listen? I thought that the score is one of those that works with the images but isn't anywhere as strong without them. Will definitely give it a shot, then.

Also, some good news about Mononoke's DVD sales. Its first DVD has outsold -- IN JUST ITS FIRST WEEK -- the entire Ayakashi ~ Samurai Horror tales combined.

Won't propel a license over here, but if Toei ever wants to create more...
I didn't even remember what the score from Mononoke was like since I was so fixed on the visuals. Upon listening to the soundtrack, I was completely blown away. There's some damn good orchestral work in there and quite a few nice traditional Japanese pieces. The rhythmic drumming that is present in most of the tracks is especially awesome. I didn't expect it, but the Mononoke OST made it on my list of OSTs to import in the future.

[Redcoffin]

Once again playing catchup with another great show. Count me number--what is it up to, six? who thinks this a fabulous show. Despite what I hear about the smelling contest at the end...

[Redcoffin]

What, did they run out of money? I didn't expect this, of all shows, to go out like a damp firecracker.
Episode was entirely a flashback to the reasoning, and right near the end gives us like a minute of really spectacular build up to the big bang climax...and fucking cuts away to the credits and a happy every after all the less evil people forgiven and alive bullshit ending with a tidy moral to wrap it all up.
Kind of disappointing, to say the least.

I think you're overblowing it a little. All of the story arcs in the series were heavily moralistic in a rather conventional way, and several of the endings were ambiguous including the end of the very first arc. The ending of ep 12 was a little weak but not enough so I would have thought much about it otherwise. Great show.

[pianocello]

I just finished this entire series and I must say:
I'm disappointed.
I kind of liked the Bakeneko arc in the original Ayakashi series but this series was a major step down. With every episode featuring horribly ugly people overreacting while the medicine seller speaks in monotones, this got old really fast. The only moments that were slightly entertaining were the moments where the girl from the Bakeneko appeared. Her banter with the medicine seller was at least entertaining.
Disappointing.

[roastedpekingduck]

horribly ugly people
Mononoke was supposed to depict the uglier side of humanity, and thus, the character designs were a bit uglier and grotesque to reflect that. Strikingly beautiful people (pretty girls with D cups for that matter) just would not have fit in Mononoke.

[miake]

I really loved the whole aesthetics of Mononoke overall, but I didn't tie ugly characters to ugly human nature. Throughout the stories there are very flawed characters who aren't grotesque at all (thinking of Nopperabou arc in particular). But personally I don't care for an entire cast of kewpie doll looking cuteness unless you're doing a cutesy show. For Mononoke that reveals the raw underbelly of human emotions, I think certain figures are striking for that very reason (i.e., faceless mannequins in the Bake Neko arc for people not embroiled in the central story).

This show definitely doesn't have mass appeal because I think it requires a level of thoughtfulness to appreciate it, but I know it's well-loved by much more people than this thread suggests. I can only hope someone will license it someday.

[something]

Episodes 1-2: Zashiki Warashi

This is something I've had on the backburner for a looooooong time. I was always somewhat interested in the show but never got around to watching it. While I was compiling this post (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showpost.php?p=1821797&postcount=38) I was reminded of it again and figured this was as good a time as any.

Initial impression was not good. I knew it was described as having an unusual visual style but I'd never actually seen what was meant by that, exactly. Andrew C described it (in part) as "horribly ugly people overacting" and that is pretty damn accurate. And while I really like the funky, lively watercolory look, I found the animation excessively minimalistic, and not in a way I could just pass off as "artsy". Sometimes I thought I was watching one of those episodes Shaft does when they can't make their broadcast deadline. Extended scenes with almost nothing moving, dialogue without characters on screen, etc. I also don't like the OP and the ED doesn't click with me either. Basically, being "artsy" and "different" does not inherently score any points with me at all, so I wasn't going to be all over it just because of that. It would have to win me over just like any other show.

I don't think my opinion changed much from that initial one, but what's important is that the show is clearly more than the sum of its parts. What especially sold me is that Medicine Seller (Apothecary, whatever - easier for me to just call him Kusuriuri) is fucking awesome. While everyone else is a grotesque, vaguely humanoid caricature, Kusuriuri looks fantastic. I've always liked his design where I've seen it over the years and it works in-episode as well. Being voiced by Sakurai Takahiro is a huge plus too, although I keep hearing Meme when he talks. :sd: Meme must be his descendant... Everything he did in the first episode, little though it was, completely won me over. He's a great character that establishes a compelling and powerful presence immediately.

The conclusion to the arc was also handled very well. I don't have much emotional attachment to children, parenthood or the act of childbearing (I want nothing to do with any of them) but it all came together in a really satisfying story nonetheless. While I much prefer a different (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/201703) [nsfw] zashiki warashi, I guess Mononoke's version works too. =P

I have no idea what kind of schedule I plan to watch this on. It's already 630AM so I shouldn't watch any more tonight (er, this morning) and I have plenty of currently airing anime to catch up on. But I hope to watch more at some point. Being able to watch in 2-3 episode chunks with a gap between helps a bit.

An aside: Reading some comments early in the thread about how this is a spin-off of the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi (which I knew though I haven't seen Ayakashi). Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi was the only release from that show to chart on the DVD rankings. Given usual trends in R2 sales, that implies that the other parts sold less than 1-1.5k while Bakeneko sold 2,140. And then of course Mononoke went on to sell almost 13k average and is still the highest selling (but probably not highest grossing, as the discs were cheaper) noitaminA show so far.

[something]

Episodes 3-5: Umibouzu

Went ahead and got this one in today. It's probably for the best if I keep a brisk schedule with this instead of waiting a long time in between arcs. Waiting just increases the chances of forgetting about it.

I was amused to see that two seiyuu who have a habit of stealing shows both showed up in this arc: Yukana and Wakamoto Norio. They're both Arai Satomi-level at taking over a scene. Wakamoto moreso in this case, he was just brilliant as the Umizatou. Sound is clearly one of this show's strong points (scratching from inside the utsurobune for example) and I'm loving the way Kusuriuri delivers his lines. Visually, I think this arc handled itself better. Some fantastic techniques were employed in the first arc as well, but Umibouzu just satisfied me better there. Characters not being quite so severely caricatured may have helped, but the more interesting setting tapped into the strengths of the art better as well.

In terms of pacing two episodes may be better than three for this show. It can get a bit... ponderous... at times, although I can't say I'd go so far as to have cut out a full episode. Ep 4 had all the crazy scenes surrounding the characters' "fears". I think my favorite part of that was that we didn't see the pompous guy's hallucination from his perspective. We were left to imagine what he was seeing, and we got Kayo's reaction to it, which was the best bit.

Interesting that this arc came second rather than first given that it explicitly links us to Bakeneko and explains a few things about Kusuriuri. Like those scales. I had absolutely no idea what they were about in Zashiki Warashi or even that they were scales in the first place. It was also interesting to meet someone who knows Kusuriuri personally (and I'd like to meet her again but don't expect to). Kusuriuri is still a mystery. Is he actively pursuing mononoke? Does he just happen upon them? Is there some deeper meaning behind his abilities? And so on. I'm not sure any of that will get answers, though, and I'd say it doesn't particularly matter. He just is.

As for whether this show is "scary" - no not particularly. Not when the characters look so silly and deliver their lines in such dramatic ways. Not when it's so colorful and vibrant. And that's all for the best because I really have no patience for "Boo! gotcha" scares and this show doesn't need them. It replaces fear with intensity and that's almost always a positive trade-off. It's more like Jigoku Shoujo with the focus on tension and grotesque (but not gory, or I'd be dropping it) imagery than "zombies crash through the window" style horror story. And all the better for it.

So again, there were unwieldy moments here and there (basically, about half of the monk's rambling backstory, though the parts of it that worked worked really well) but like the first arc, all the pieces were pulled together into a very, very nice ending. I'd give Umibouzu the nod over Zashiki Warashi, personally. It's not that Shino's dilemma wasn't striking, but I find Oyou's story more moving. Oh and Kusuriuri got to be awesome in a more detailed way. In Umibouzu you only see his other form for a split second.

[Isuzu Inugami]

Heh, I myself finally got around to watching this just recently!

Episodes 1-2: Zashiki Warashi

Initial impression was not good. I knew it was described as having an unusual visual style but I'd never actually seen what was meant by that, exactly. Andrew C described it (in part) as "horribly ugly people overacting" and that is pretty damn accurate. And while I really like the funky, lively watercolory look, I found the animation excessively minimalistic, and not in a way I could just pass off as "artsy".

Man, I loved the visual style! Yeah, the characters are by and large grotesque, but my god, the color! The detail! I swear, this is the only show I've seen where the use of CG genuinely enhanced the animation.

Extended scenes with almost nothing moving, dialogue without characters on screen, etc.

Hmm, I can see what you mean there, but it seemed a cerebral show from the beginning, so it didn't particularly bother me; and, you know, "artsy" anime.

Basically, being "artsy" and "different" does not inherently score any points with me at all

Bah! :P

What especially sold me is that Medicine Seller (Apothecary, whatever - easier for me to just call him Kusuriuri) is fucking awesome.

Yeah, he definitely sells the show. He doesn't seem like the safest ally to have, though--he's way more interested in uncovering the story (even sealing the mononoke seems more an afterthought) than in protecting anyone involved.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi was the only release from that show to chart on the DVD rankings. Given usual trends in R2 sales, that implies that the other parts sold less than 1-1.5k while Bakeneko sold 2,140.

Especially unsurprising if you've seen the other two arcs. Bakeneko looked like an entirely different (and much better) show.