The final chapter of Tomoaki Koshida and Kenji Nakamura’s anime trilogy, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent, has arrived on Netflix. The supernatural psychological horror film reunites fans with the Medicine Seller, who returns to the Ōoku one year after the previous installment. He arrives just in time for the long-awaited birth of a new male successor to the royal line.
The Medicine Seller Returns
As the Ōoku gathers to mark the arrival of a new male heir, the Medicine Seller (voiced by Crispin Freeman) reaches the Imperial Palace. Once doubtful guards such as Sakashita (voiced by Blythe Melin) now greet him warmly, their earlier doubts having faded since he performed his duty within the Inner Chambers, where he slew the unnatural spirits known as mononoke. The joy of the occasion does not last long.
A palace-born spirit of vengeance pours forth a raging torrent of feeling, crushing the life from those who stand against it. The Medicine Seller and every dweller within the Ōoku struggle together for their lives, for comprehension, and for chances to begin anew.
Yukiko’s Refusal to Accept
His Majesty’s official consort Yukiko (Shaciah Rose) struggles after supposedly giving birth to the new heir. She refuses to accept that this baby is hers or that she could be replaced in His Highness’s life or heart. Her closest advisor, Tokiwai (Anne Yatco), pushes back against her denial.
As devotion and denial surface through the mononoke, the Medicine Seller peers into the Inner Chamber’s Form, Truth, and Reason’s Water Goddess and her actual identity 150 years past as Ōoku founder Lady Ama (Rebecca Wang). Only then can he determine the mononoke’s identity and battles to exorcise his most formidable foe yet.
What Else It Recalls
This movie shares ground with a number of animated films that carry surreal or supernatural elements, among them Children of the Sea, Spirited Away, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, and Paprika.
The Voice Work That Stands Out
The enigmatic main lead, the Medicine Seller (Crispin Freeman), and his supporting figure, official consort Yukiko (Shaciah Rose), are two very different characters who both leave a lasting impression. Their voice actors’ committed performances elevate them into stirring, memorable figures, despite the contrasts between the two roles.
A Fast Pace That Works
The film’s breakneck pace can get confusing, especially if you haven’t kept up with the first two installments. The movie hurtles from one frenetic scene to the next, making it hard to gather your bearings. But the ride is easy to enjoy when you have an anime title as optically arresting as this one.
The final act in particular keeps viewers riveted with ambitious action scenes and supernatural sequences. The film raises the trilogy’s already-high bar visually, ensuring that the spectacle matches the story’s stakes.
The Emotional Payoff
Closing a trilogy requires tying together a substantial amount of narrative history, and this movie accomplishes it with an ending that feels complete. Beneath the strange settings and striking images, the story’s true subject is people and recovery after remorse, wounds, and spirits from the past.
Our Call
The film’s fast pacing and intense action are easy to focus on, but they aren’t the whole story. Mononoke the Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent offers a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, pairing striking animation with strong themes. Anyone who loved the earlier films, or simply admires animation presented alongside stirring central ideas, will find plenty to enjoy here. Go ahead and STREAM IT.
“If you enjoyed the previous movies or just appreciate stunning feats of animation bolstered by stirring central themes, be sure to go ahead and STREAM IT!”
| Film | Setting | Main Threat |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter I | Ōoku | Unnatural specters |
| Chapter II | Imperial Palace | Unnatural specters |
| Chapter III | Imperial Palace | Vengeful spirit / Serpent |
Writer and comedian Maddy Casale works out of Chicago and covers topics ranging from animated series to Hallmark movies. You can follow her on Duolingo at @MCasale.
Source material: “Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Mononoke the Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent’ On Netflix, In Which The Haunted Palace’s Story Concludes In A Fast-Paced Feat Of Animation,” Decider.
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