The third chapter of the completely new theatrical film trilogy "Mononoke: The Movie," based on the popular TV anime "Mononoke," titled "Mononoke: The Movie Chapter 3 - Serpent God," will be released on May 29th. "Mononoke: The Movie" is set in the Ooku, a women's quarters of the Edo Castle where the passions of women swirl, and follows a medicine seller as he pursues the true identity of the "Mononoke." Following the first chapter, "Karakasa," released in July 2024, and the second chapter, "Hinezumi," released in March 2025, the trilogy finally concludes with the third chapter, "Serpent God." We spoke with Kenji Nakamura, the general director who has worked on "Mononoke" since the TV anime, about his thoughts on the theatrical film trilogy and the third chapter, "Serpent God."
◇The Ooku (women's quarters of the Edo Castle) is a mirror of modern times: What I tried to depict in this trilogy
The theatrical trilogy is themed around the "fallacy of composition." The fallacy of composition is an economic term that states that what is right for an individual does not necessarily coincide with what is in the best interest of the group as a whole. In the first chapter, "The Umbrella," a new maid is forced to abandon her individuality and serve the group, while in the second chapter, "The Fire Rat," the ladies-in-waiting, each bearing the responsibility of their respective households, become embroiled in a power struggle.
"The reason the film series became a trilogy was to set it all in the Ooku (women's quarters of the Edo Castle) and to allow viewers to experience the fallacy of composition, which isn't something that's immediately understood just by hearing it. In the first chapter, 'The Umbrella,' we gave a general idea of what it was like, and in the second chapter, 'The Fire Rat,' a clearly evil character appears who argues for the convenience of the establishment. However, that wasn't necessarily correct; it was rather based on personal convenience, and I think it represents the logic of the evil group. In reality, the group's opinion should be logical, based on thought and logic, not emotion, but a lot of emotion got involved, which made it strange. In the second chapter, Otomo Botan, the daughter of the senior councilor, has the sense to see the whole picture correctly, and the story unfolds with her saying, 'Father, is that really okay?' I think it was really good that we were able to depict that."
The trilogy progresses from the first chapter, which focuses on a new maid, to the second chapter, which features the rise in rank of the main characters, including the middle-ranking ladies-in-waiting and the senior ladies-in-waiting. The third chapter centers on the Emperor and his wife, Sachiko, and reveals the greatest secret surrounding the birth of the Ooku (women's quarters of the Edo Castle). Going back 150 years, the chapter also features Ten no Tsubone, the wet nurse of the third Emperor who created the Ooku, and the third wife, who has a complicated history with her.
Regarding the organization known as the Ooku (women's quarters of the Edo Castle), the explanation goes: "After many civil wars, when the country finally became one under the emperor and it was believed that there would be no more wars, the Ooku became necessary to maintain that order. However, as it gradually became commonplace, people began to wonder, 'Why does the Ooku exist?' and 'Is it really necessary?' The feelings of the individuals within it and the needs of the Ooku became extremely disconnected."
"The reason for this is that their perspectives are fundamentally different. Everyone expects Sachiko, the Shogun's wife, to perform her duties properly, understanding the entire system and its structure, but Sachiko herself is not convinced. Her personal feelings clash with the grand idea of 'why the Shogun's wife is necessary.' It's like, even at such a high position, you can still make mistakes."
Throughout the production process, Director Nakamura constantly grappled with the difficulty of the theme of the fallacy of composition, for which there is no single correct answer.
"Each person has their own circumstances and is actually quite different from everyone else. It's impossible for people like that to neatly fit into a single logic. But I think that's probably true of our world as well. So then the question becomes, 'How far can we all go in making agreements?' If we're too lenient, conflicts will arise, so what's the right line? That's something we all have to figure out together. I think it also depends on the members of the organization. If there are a lot of unruly people, the rules have to be very strict, but if everyone can get along easily, then loose rules might be fine. That changes with the times. I think that in today's world, we have to make the rules strict because of one unruly person. So I think the Ooku (women's quarters of the Edo Castle) is a microcosm of that."
◇A new expression of "Mononoke": Condensing the climax
As director Nakamura stated, "I want people to experience the fallacy of composition," the "Mononoke: The Movie" series has captivated fans with its breathtaking visual beauty that stimulates both the brain and the heart. In the third chapter, the enormous number of cuts, the gorgeous and opulent world created using washi paper textures, and the lightning-fast action are all still present. Following the second chapter, in which he teamed up with director Kiyotaka Suzuki, the third chapter was produced in collaboration with director Tomoaki Koshida.
"Director Koshida is incredibly flexible. He's also a very hardworking person who never gives up. In animation, the fewer people who give up, the better the work becomes. Even if you're on time, if everyone gives up, you end up with something that everyone gave up on. Director Koshida is someone who can give it his all."
By teaming up with director Koshida, a new form of expression was added to "Mononoke."
"Director Suzuki and Director Koshida are somewhat similar in that they both really like straightforward, almost cliché expressions. If I'm a curveball pitcher, they're fastball pitchers. In terms of direction, they suggest straightforward expressions, and while I myself might think, 'Really?', the staff really love them. That was a great help. Clarity is important, after all."
In the third chapter, there is a scene in which Hokuto Mizorogi, played by Kenjiro Tsuda Tsuda, covers one eye with his hand and grabs his bangs messily. Apparently, the reason for this scene is that "it was Koshida who did it. He told me, 'You should do this,' and when I said, 'Huh?' he said, 'No, this is...' He himself would sometimes exclaim, 'I like clichés' (laughs)."
He says that he "put his all into the entire story," to the point that "everything in Chapter Three is a climax."
"It might be a recent trend in animation, but it seems like there aren't many valleys between peaks and valleys. Chapter three is just peaks, peaks, peaks, peaks... There's no place to take it easy, so I worked hard on the whole thing. I also think the shorter the length of the main story, the better, so I condensed it."
The "Mononoke: The Mononoke" franchise, is something I want to experience on the big screen to see how its final chapter concludes. (Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
