Mononoke Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage

Last year, I was lucky enough to catch the first Mononoke film at the Fantasia film fest. They already spoiled the release of oncoming sequels, so it wasn't a big surprise to see Mononoke Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage [Mononoke Movie 2: Hinezumi] announced a little after. I wasn't in Montreal this time around, so it's a good thing Netflix didn't take very long to follow up with the home release. Fans of the first film can rejoice, as The Ashes of Rage is right up there in terms of quality, though ultimately, it is just more of the same.

The first Mononoke film is already a derivative of an anime series, and they really put a lot of effort into the development of the aesthetic, so in the current climate it's really no surprise that they planned sequels from the get-go. The setup of the Mononoke films (the lead character solves mysteries) is also perfect for episodic releases, and it helps to spread the cost of the initial investment. I'm a bit surprised to see a somewhat tepid response to the first film, it truly is a technical and audiovisual marvel with a unique aesthetic. Then again, anything that requires too much thought, attention and effort has a tough time wooing audiences nowadays.

This second film is noticeably shorter than the first one, but that's mostly because the characters and the setting don't need a formal introduction anymore. In that sense, it's better to have seen the first film up front, as that one explains some key elements of the lore in more detail. Someone with half a brain could still pick everything up along the way, but the film is already quite dense and overwhelming, so be warned. Other than that, The Ashes of Rage follows a very similar structure, with our lead inserting himself into another case of demons festering inside the Ooku.

After Madam Utayama's passing, the Ooku needs a new leader. Counselor Otomo proposes a new candidate, Lady Botan, who immediately jumps at the opportunity to introduce stricter rules. The Majesty has been favoring one of the concubines, to the dismay of some of the other ladies. Lady Fuki was his chosen one and is now with child, but the demons of the past are coming back to haunt the Ooku. Luckily, the Medicine Seller is still around. He needs to get to the heart of the matter first, before he can do away with the demons roaming the palace.

The visuals are by far the most distinctive and overwhelming element of Mononoke, and once again they didn't skimp on the execution. The explosion of color, the limited contrast between foreground and background objects and the denseness of the detail all add to the richness. What stood out to me this time around is that the editing also plays a considerable part in the maximalist effect. Cuts come fast and switch between unusual and opposing camera angles, which makes the visuals even more disorienting. If you prefer minimalism this is all way too much, but maximalists will eat this up, even more so thanks to the impeccable technical execution and the glorious art style. It's rare these days to see anime deliver both aesthetics and technical quality in high measures, so kudos to the team.

The visuals are the clear highlight, but it would be unfair to brush off the score completely. It's not fully on par, I think for that you'd need someone like Susumu Hirasawa to have a go at the music, but it's still a very distinctive and remarkable selection of tracks that guides the mood and demands attention. In pretty much any other film, this would've been a score I'd praised without any notes, it's just that here the competition with the visuals is a little too stark. As for the dub, the Japanese one is far superior (I quickly scanned the English one and it was grating to the point of being offensive), but if you struggle with reading subs then this is probably the film where I'd understand picking a non-Japanese alternative.

There isn't much need for a full introduction, but that doesn't mean the film takes it slower. There's still quite a bit of time spent on the inner workings of the Ooku, including some political intrigue. Meanwhile, the mystery slowly reveals itself while demons take over the Ooku in riveting action scenes. With 15 minutes less on the clock, it still makes for a dense and fast-paces narrative that may deter people who prefer quieter films, but they were never really the target audience to begin with. It's nice to see films like this, not afraid to commit.

The Ashes of Rage is a worthy sequel. Yes, it's more of the same and its structure is quite formulaic, but the political and cultural background mixed with the film's overwhelming audiovisual qualities turn it into a unique experience. And for being the middle part in a series of three, it doesn't really lag or stumble trying to awkwardly bridge any narrative arcs. It's a very sweet, short and dense package that hopefully inspires other studios to once again invest more into unique and challenging aesthetics. I'm not holding my breath, but at least there's still a new sequel to look forward to. And the best thing of all, it's conveniently available on Netflix.