Genre Animation

Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024)

Item: Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain
Rating: 3.0
Author: Ross McLaren

★★★ — Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024)

Kenji Nakamura's Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain arrives in 2024 as the feature-length debut of one of anime's most visually distinctive properties. The Mononoke franchise traces its roots back to a 2007 television series of the same name, itself a spin-off from the anthology series Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales. The central figure across all of it is the Medicine Seller, a wandering, white-haired enigma who hunts supernatural spirits called mononoke, but only after uncovering their Form, Truth, and Reason. It is a premise rooted as much in folk ritual and moral philosophy as it is in horror, and the franchise has always worn that combination with some pride. Setting this first film within the chambers of an Edo-period harem gives the story a claustrophobic, politically charged backdrop, where two new arrivals find themselves caught between court intrigue and something far more dangerous lurking in the rain.

The film is a joint production between EOTA, Twin Engine, and 01douga, and runs at a tight 90 minutes. Nakamura, who directed the original 2007 television series, returns here to familiar territory, and his hand is visible in every compositional choice. His approach has always prioritised the visual and the atmospheric over conventional narrative momentum, which makes him a natural fit for this material but also, depending on your patience for that kind of filmmaking, a potential stumbling block. For animation fans curious about other films that take a similarly bold aesthetic approach, it is worth noting that The OceanMaker is another animated film covered on this blog that pushes visual storytelling to its limits. Nakamura is also already working on a follow-up: Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II, The Ashes of Rage is due in 2025, also under his direction, suggesting this is intended as an ongoing cinematic series rather than a one-off experiment.

The voice cast assembled here is, on paper, a strong one by any measure of the Japanese animation industry. Hiroshi Kamiya returns as the Medicine Seller, a role that suits his ability to project cool detachment with an undercurrent of quiet intensity. Kamiya is a prolific presence in anime voice work, and if you have seen any of the Kizumonogatari films covered here, such as Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu or Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu, you will already have a sense of the kind of measured, controlled performance he brings to morally ambiguous central figures. Joining him are Tomoyo Kurosawa, Aoi Yuuki, Kana Hanazawa, and Mami Koyama, a roster that collectively covers a considerable range of registers, from the delicate to the dramatic. The film's supernatural and political tensions depend heavily on these performances to carry weight when the visuals alone are not doing the storytelling.

Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain is a visually arresting first entry in the Mononoke universe, carrying forward the franchise’s signature aesthetic into feature-length form with bold, painterly animation and a striking art direction that blends Edo-period motifs with surreal, almost psychedelic flourishes. Every frame feels like a moving ukiyo-e print (rich in texture, pattern, and symbolic detail) and the film leans heavily into atmosphere over exposition, creating a dreamlike, sometimes disorienting experience that’s undeniably unique in today’s animated landscape. The voice acting is strong across the board, with the cast delivering nuanced performances that ground the film’s more abstract moments. The Medicine Seller, with his calm, enigmatic presence, remains a compelling anchor, and the supporting characters (though thinly sketched) bring emotional weight to the central mystery. The sound design and score further enhance the eerie, rain-soaked mood, making the film a sensory treat even when the narrative lags. That said, the story itself is where the film falters. It’s less a tightly plotted mystery and more a series of vignettes strung together by mood and motif, which may frustrate viewers seeking clear stakes or character development. The pacing meanders, and the thematic ambiguity (while intentional) can feel more elusive than profound. It’s not bad, by any means, but it doesn’t quite cohere into something unforgettable. Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain is more good than bad though. A stylish, well-acted, and visually distinctive film that honours its source material’s spirit. But without a story that truly grips or surprises, it remains a beautiful curiosity rather than a standout masterpiece. Worth watching for the art alone, but don’t expect to be swept away.

For me, that tension between the visual and the narrative is really the heart of the matter here. I can sit with a film that prioritises mood and image over tidy plotting, and there are passages in this one that are genuinely unlike anything else in recent animation. But there is a difference between ambiguity that rewards patience and ambiguity that simply keeps you at arm's length, and The Phantom in the Rain occasionally tips into the latter. The ghost of something genuinely special is present throughout, which is, I suppose, rather fitting given the subject matter. Whether the series finds its footing as a whole is something I am keeping an eye on, but for now: beautiful to look at, worth your time, just do not go in expecting everything to click neatly into place.

Rating: ★★★ | Year: 2024 | Watched: 2026-05-16

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Trailer

▶ Watch the official trailer for Mononoke the Movie: The Phantom in the Rain (2024) on YouTube

Where to watch

Watch in the UK
Stream: Netflix · Netflix Standard with Ads
Physical: Amazon UK · Zavvi

Watch in the US
Stream: Netflix · Netflix Standard with Ads
Physical: Amazon US

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