Mononoke, episode 5

The unstoppable visual power of Mononoke continues strong through the "Umibozu" ("Sea Monk") arc, revolving around the revelations of a prestigious monk's dark past and repressed regrets, played out on an unbelievably ostentatious boat trapped in a "Bermuda Triangle" of monsters and ghosts.

It follows the same formula: everyone acts a bit suspiciously, a terrible monster shows up and is barely fought off, there's lots of talking and hinting about the true nature of the tragedy that formed the monster and the truth is only dramatically revealed when the monster reappears and is poised to strike. There are some hints at something deeper going on, however: the myserious "medicine sellers" seems more interested in banishing ayakashi than in saving anyone (and he seems to enjoy it), and he goes through some mystical release/transformation to fight the monster this time.

But, as I've said before, boiling Mononoke down to its basic formula does it an injustice. It's the style and (especially) the incredible visuals that form the core of the show. Once again it deftly deals with dark, tragic material through suggestion and imaginative symbolism. It may be difficult to follow at times and risks the same sensory overload that drove people away from Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Christo but that's exactly what makes it so riveting.

An otherwise rudimentary (if refreshingly dark) ghost story is given a whole new dimension and depth with the show's visual style. Highly recommended.

based on 5 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube

Hakaba Kitarou, episode 6

Based on a classic old manga about an amoral and somewhat grotesque boy (Kitaro) who is the last remaining descendant of the "Ghost Tribe" of yokai (aside from the spiritual remains of his father, who is just an eyeball with a little body), Hakaba Kitaro does an impressive job of capturing the old-school look with a modern polished sheen. Somewhat episodic, it generally revolves around a hapless human encountering a yokai or monster and suffering horribly or it - usually while Kitaro watches on, not bothering to help anyone unless its to his own benefit.

Kitaro is indeed a callous little brat and he lack of interest in saving anyone around him, no matter how undeserving their persecution at the hands of one or another disfigured monster, was rather surprising, as I was under the impression that Kitaro was a classic character who had always fought for peace between humans and yokai, rising above his own tragic origins. Instead, he openly wonders why he should bother saving any human and only gets motivated when its to his own benefit. The basic formula of the show is to have some human stumble into a monster and get cursed or attacked, with Kitaro taking action only when it affects him. If the human is saved (which is rare) then it's purely coincidental. All the while, the monster child is more than happy to sponge off a hapless man whose fate got wrapped up in his own.

Sharing an art director and animation style with Mononoke, Hakaba Kitaro is certainly visually impressive. The papered texture and patterns, combined with the retro character designs, create a strong feeling of age, fitting the venerable source material. It makes for a very odd mix impressions, seeming both modern and dated at the same time. The designs may well put off some viewers.

The aimless predictability of the show makes it hard to really get behind. A lot is said about Kitaro needing to survive, as he's the last of the Ghost Tribe, but it has little effect on the story. It's also difficult to empathize with him or find justification for his behavior - he certainly has a tragic backstory but it's delivered with just enough humor to diffuse any real gravitas (as are the rest of the horrific incidents humans suffer). It's not consistently funny enough to be a comedy, but neither is it really serious enough to be effective horror, despite the dark subject matter. That's a very tough line to walk, and I don't think that Hakaba Kitaro will be able to pull that off.

based on 6 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube

Mononoke, episode 3

A spin-off series born from the Goblin Cat arc of Ayakashi - Samurai Horror Tales, Mononoke follows the same "medicine peddler" as he travels around Japan, exorcising and banishing dangerous spirits after exposing their form, truth and regret. Invariably this involves exposing the shocking, sordid histories and tragedies of everyone around him. People act suspiciously, he makes cryptic comments, a monster appears, someone dies brutally, everyone denies wrongdoing - only to confess before meeting their own brutal end. And then he kills the monster and the cycle repeats with a new cast of sinners.

Miraculously, Mononoke manages to be anything but predictable and stale, despite rigidly following a clear formula. The fantastic visual style keeps the viewer engaged, demanding constant attention. Nearly every shot could be framed and mounted on the wall with incredible explosions of color and patterns, all seen through a filter that makes it look like crinkled paper. The show looks like an animated shoji screen and shares a lot of elements with other recent titles like Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Christo and Hakaba Kitaro.

The show is also startlingly brutal and callous, pulling no punches with stories about torture and systematic abortion. Such powerful and revolting topics are made even more unsettling by the deftly subtle (and frequently surreal) visuals. We aren't show abortions or dead fetuses - we're show dolls and red cloth, and we hear the laughter of hundreds of children who were never born blend together into one voice overflowing with resentment for the living.

The meshing of expert visuals with brutal and despicable sin elevates Mononoke far beyond the traditional formula. The structure may not be new, but the blunt honesty and dark content certainly is. Highly, highly recommended to anyone who can handle the subject matter or has an interest in visual design, anime fan or not.

based on 3 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia