Twin Engine announced on Thursday the release date for the Mononoke anime film in Japan. It’s scheduled to debut on July 26.
They also shared details about additional cast members and released a second teaser trailer for the film. They disclosed the complete title of the movie: Gekijōban Mononoke: Karakasa (Paper Umbrella).
In the new cast lineup, Tomoyo Kurosawa takes on the role of Asa, Aoi Yūki portrays Kame, and Mami Koyama brings Kayama to life.
The film, originally set to premiere last year, faced delays. In February 2023, alongside the announcement of the delay, the film’s staff revealed a change in casting.
Takahiro Sakurai, initially slated to reprise the role of the Medicine Seller, would no longer do so. Instead, Hiroshi Kamiya will take on the role of the protagonist, the Medicine Seller, in the film.
Kenji Nakamura will return to direct the Mononoke film, with production taking place at Twin Engine.
The new staff members include EOTA for animation production, Kitsuneko Nagata for character design, and Yūichi Takahashi as the animation character designer and chief animation director.
Yōichi Katōno will handle background design, with Akira Kuramoto and Yōko Saitō serving as background directors.
Kunio Tsujita will oversee color design, while Yoichi Senzui joins as visual director and Kenichi Shirai as the 3D director.
Shigeru Nishiyama will manage editing, Yukio Nagasaki will serve as sound director, and Taku Iwasaki will compose the music.
Kimiaki Sato and Yūki Sudō will produce the film, with Kōji Yamamoto overseeing planning production.
The Mononoke anime made its debut in 2007, comprising a total of 12 episodes. It originated as a spinoff of the Ayakashi – Samurai Horror Tales anime, focusing specifically on the medicine seller from the Bakeneko (Goblin Cat) arc. The series consists of five arcs, with the final one titled Bakeneko.
Kenji Nakamura directed the television anime under Toei Animation, while Takashi Hashimoto handled character design and served as the chief animation director. Yasuharu Takanashi composed the music for the series.
The anime was formerly available for streaming on Crunchyroll but is now accessible on other platforms such as The Roku Channel and Netflix. New Video Group distributed the series on DVD in North America in 2014.
About Mononoke the Movie
The Medicine Seller is a skilled and mysterious expert in the supernatural who travels through old Japan hunting dangerous spirits known as mononoke.
His task is to defeat these malevolent entities, but he can’t just fight them outright. First, he must understand their Form, Truth, and Reason.
Only then can he use his powerful Exorcism Sword against them. He starts by analyzing their psychology and investigating them, which is risky because he has to face the mononoke without any way to defeat them yet.
His journey brings him to an ancient inn where Shino, a pregnant woman, seeks refuge. Despite the owner’s hesitation, she’s given the last available room.
But soon, it becomes clear that the room is haunted by deadly mononoke called the Zashiki Warashi.
Using his instincts, the Medicine Seller begins his investigation to uncover the Form, Truth, and Reason of the Zashiki Warashi before they strike again.