The
Mononoke universe
continues to garner international recognition. Following last year's success
with Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain – which won
the Bronze Audience Award and the Satoshi Kon Award for
Best Animated Feature Film – the second installment in the trilogy, Mononoke
the Movie: The Ashes of Rage, has repeated the feat by once again winning
the Bronze Audience Award at the 2025 Fantasia
International Film Festival.
A
world-renowned festival
Founded in
1996, the Fantasia International Film Festival has established
itself as the largest genre film festival in North America. In its 29th
edition, held this year, it presented an international selection of titles,
from classics such as The Angel's Egg to recent premieres such
as the first episodes of Nyaight of the Living Cat. Anime thus
maintains a strong presence in the programming.
Production
and upcoming projects
Mononoke
the Movie: The Ashes of Rage is directed by Kenji Nakamura under the
production of the Twin Engine EOTA studio. The original
character designs are the work of Kitsuneko Nagata, while Yuuichi
Takahashi adapts these designs for animation and serves as lead
animation director. The soundtrack is by Taku Iwasaki.
The first
film in the trilogy, Phantom in the Rain, is available on Netflix,
and the third installment, Mononoke the Movie: Hinezumi, has
already revealed a key piece of art that shows an intense spiritual
confrontation between the Medicine Salesman and the fire
mice inside a Japanese palace.
The
Mononoke Story
Set in
feudal Japan, the saga follows the mysterious Medicine Salesman, a
traveler who is dedicated to exterminating evil spirits known as mononoke.
To wield his spirit sword, he must first discover the Form, Truth,
and Reason behind each apparition. With ingenuity and
determination, he travels the country facing these supernatural entities.
