Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage is an animated supernatural psychological horror film that is streaming exclusively on Netflix globally after a March 14, 2025 original theatrical release only in Japan. The title is an adaptation of Toei Animation’s 2007 anime series Mononoke and is the second in a trilogy of films, taking place one month after the events of Phantom in the Rain. Japanese voice actor Hiroshi Kamiya (of Attack on Titan, One Piece, Kuroko’s Basketball, and more) leads the way as the nameless “Medicine Seller,” the one person who can stand up against the malevolent, vengeful spirits known as “mononoke”. Whether you’re a returning fan of Mononoke or you’re completely new to this world, there’s something fresh and captivating for all to behold in this eye-catching Netflix Original anime film.
The Gist: Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage takes place one month after the events of Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom In The Rain, with the mysterious Medicine Seller (Hiroshi Kamiya) still lingering in the area with the knowledge that his work at the Ōoku is not done, much to the initial chagrin and annoyance of longtime guard Sakashita (Daisuke Hosomi). Within these sacred walls of the Edo Castle’s women’s quarters, there is rising tension and jealousy as the Emperor continues to pick commoner-turned-royal concubine Fuki Tokita (Yoko Hikasa) for night service. Between all of the imperial harem members, Fuki and newly-appointed Ōoku manager Botan Ōtomo (Haruka Tomatsu) are deemed the most likely to carry the next heir, an honor that Botan hopes to secure for herself by implementing laws and rules that prevent Fuki from communicating with the Emperor or seeing him multiple nights in a row.
While Botan hopes to use the rules to ensure that more concubines have a chance at conceiving the next heir, other high-ranking figures use more nefarious means to bring Fuki down. At the head of this charge is Botan’s own father, the conniving and selfish Councilor Ōtomo (Kenyu Horiuchi), who hopes to retain his power and influence by destroying all of the obstacles in his way. He keeps Fuki’s father, Yoshimichi (Chō), close as a means of controlling him, playing shogi together while informing the low-ranking draper-turned-samurai that Fuki is a “seed of fire” that must be extinguished for the safety and good of the entire Ōoku. Conniving Lady Matsu (Ruriko Aoki) and her councilor father ally themselves with Councilor Ōtomo, willing to do whatever it takes to retain their high status and prevent “dirty blood” from tainting the royal bloodlines… even if it costs innocent lives.
All of these simmering ill intentions and animosities suddenly reach a boiling point when a concubine named Sayo (Yukana) suddenly burns alive from the inside after saying disparaging words about Fuki, prompting the Medicine Seller to take action. When Fuki is suddenly deemed pregnant with the Emperor’s child, the Medicine Seller realizes that the fires are caused by hordes of mice-like mononoke who attack those who mean to harm expecting mothers. With Fuki and her unborn child now the targets of jealous sabotage and fiery spirits threatening to burn the entire Ōoku’s system down from within, the Medicine Seller must navigate rigid rules, past traumas, and interpersonal conflicts to find the mononoke‘s Form, Truth, and Reason to be able to successfully exorcise it with the Sacred Sword that only he can wield.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage might call to mind other movies with arresting animation and artistic merit, like 2013 Studio Ghibli historical fantasy The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and 2014 coming-of-age fantasy Song of the Sea. If you’d rather watch a TV series, you can check out 2023 dark fantasy period drama anime Ōoku: The Inner Chambers and the ongoing folk horror Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories.
Performance Worth Watching: While all of the voice acting in this movie is terrific, the most notable performance of all has to be that of the animators. I can’t even imagine the amount of time and effort it took them to create this vivid and complex visual marvel, but their hard work definitely paid off and deserves recognition!
Memorable Dialogue: Councilor Ōtomo takes a moment to compare human beings to shogi pieces, highlighting his own sinister personality in the process: “Every piece has a role it’s meant to fulfill. Although they can be promoted, a pawn will never become a rook. The rook will never betray the king. At least in shogi, there are no foolish subordinates, no scheming lords, or large fires that threaten to ruin everything. That’s why it’s great!”
Sex and Skin: Although it’s not super explicit, there is indeed a scene with a bit of sex and skin here. This feels somewhat inevitable, since the movie revolves around the inner workings of an imperial harem, but it’s not especially egregious. Still, between that and several people being burnt alive, viewer discretion is advised.
Our Take: Much like with Phantom in the Rain, the visuals of Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage are in a league of their own. The movie is truly a feast for the eyes, full of rich colors, constant stimuli, and an incredible feeling of texture that makes every frame look like pages brought to life. This, coupled with the film’s strong audio design and resonant soundtrack, helps to evoke feelings within the viewers that promote all the senses of awe, unease, and discomfort that they’d hope to find in any good supernatural psychological horror title.
In terms of the plot itself, The Ashes of Rage wastes no time in diving right in, with a fast-paced story that demands that you keep up and won’t hold your hand to guide you. As a result, it can be easy to get occasionally lost in the frenetic pace and many plot points, but the brilliant visuals and sounds keep you hooked and invested anyway. That being said, I still thought that this storyline was easier to keep up with, and perhaps even simpler or more straightforward than Phantom in the Rain, which makes it pretty accessible to viewers who haven’t seen the original Mononoke anime series or even the aforementioned first film in this trilogy.
The Ashes of Rage is accessible, yet the themes of darkness, death, political intrigue, power struggles, and a jealousy so hot it literally burns all culminate in something truly layered and complex. Despite the supernatural elements, this is a human story through and through, and that alone makes it intriguing, affecting, and very well worth your time.
Our Call: If you loved the Mononoke anime or enjoyed Netflix’s 2024 film Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain, then Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage is right up your alley. But even if you haven’t seen the other two titles, The Ashes of Rage packs enough amazing animation, skilled voice acting, complex characters, and intriguing storylines to light the way as a standalone film. Treat your eyes to this title and STREAM IT!