Mononoke anime film sequel confirmed for March 2025, trilogy announced

On Sunday, July 28, 2024, the official staff for the Mononoke anime film announced that the sequel, Gekijoban Mononoke Second Chapter: Hinezumi (Fire Rat), will premiere on March 14, 2025, in Japan. The movie tickets will begin selling in Japan starting August 2, 2024. Interestingly, the ticket's design has been unveiled.

The staff further announced that the Mononoke anime film project will have three films (trilogy). The first movie, Gekijoban Mononoke: Karakasa (Paper Umbrella), opened in Japanese theatres on July 26, 2024. No information about the third film has been disclosed as of this writing. That said, Kenji Nakamura, the film project director, has revealed exciting details regarding the trilogy.

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Mononoke anime film sequel opens on March 14, 2025

On Sunday, July 28, 2024, the official X account for the series (@anime_mononoke) announced that the Mononoke anime film will be produced as a trilogy. The second film, Gekijoban Mononoke: Hinezumi (Fire Rat), is set to open in Japanese theatres on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Along with this announcement, the movie's staff revealed that the tickets for the sequel will start selling in Japan on August 2, 2024. The ticket's design features the vibrant aesthetics of Ooku. Besides that, the illustration depicts the Medicine Seller observing the Ooku's interior.

The illustration for the sequel's ticket (Image via Twin Engine/EOTA)

Notably, the existence of the Mononoke anime film sequel was teased during the moments before the first movie's ending credits, with the words "To be continued in chapter 2" appearing on screen. The first film of the trilogy, Gekijoban Mononoke: Karakasa, premiered on July 26, 2024, in Japanese theatres.

Later, Hiroshi Kamiya, who voices the Medicine Seller in the film, revealed during a stage event for the movie on Saturday, July 27, that he will begin recording for the film's second chapter, "Hinezumi" (Fire Rat), starting Sunday.

Moreover, Kenji Nakamura, the film's director, said that the two following movies will be completed as separate theatrical works. In these films, the setting of Ooku and the character of Medicine Seller will remain constant.

However, the narrative will be different for each film. Kenji-san added that the trilogy follows the story of the Medicine Seller slaying a big "passion." More information about the sequel's plot will be revealed in the future.

Kenji Nakamura directed the first film at Twin Engine Studios, with Kitsuneko Nagata as the character designer. Yuichi Takahashi adapted Kitsuneko-san's illustrations for animation as the chief animation director. EOTA animated the movie, while Taku Iwasaki composed the music.

The narrative for the first Mononoke anime film centered around the redemption of a Medicine Seller, who arrives at Ooku, the woman's quarters in the Edo castle, to seek an Ayakashi.

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