Mononoke Movie 2: Hinezumi

One month after the Karakasa incident, the situation at the Inner Chambers is slowly returning to normal. To the noble families that run the country, normalcy means carrying on with their usual schemes to prevent any undesirable power shifts in the government. Their current target is the high-ranking concubine Fuki Tokita, who seems to be receiving Lord Tenshi's attention despite being the daughter of a merchant and, therefore, socially unfit to give him an heir.

However, supernatural forces still dwell in the shadows. When several unnatural deaths take place in the Inner Chambers, its residents are once again forced to allow the presence of the mysterious Medicine Seller inside its halls. The Medicine Seller is the only one who might be able to determine the cause of these incidents—and find out what role Fuki plays in them.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kusuriuri Main

Kamiya, Hiroshi Japanese

Asa Supporting

Kurosawa, Tomoyo Japanese

Kume Supporting

Hanai, Miharu Japanese

Mizorogi, Hokuto Supporting

Tsuda, Kenjirou Japanese

Sachiko Supporting

Tanezaki, Atsumi Japanese

Mizutani, Take Supporting

Akaneya, Himika Japanese

Suma Supporting

Mori, Nanako Japanese

Utayama Supporting

Souma, Kouichi Japanese

Suikouin Supporting

Sakakibara, Yoshiko Japanese

Fujimaki Supporting

Horikawa, Ryo Japanese

Satou, Kimiaki Producer

Sudoku, Yuuki Producer

Nakamura, Kenji Director

Suzuki, Kiyotaka Director

Reviews

Aug 14, 2025

SkyBlue1012

Recommended

Great movie — the art is spectacular, as always. The plot is far less confusing and much stronger than in the first film (Phantom in the Rain).

The characters are likeable and well-developed, with their meaningful actions and dialogues that elevate the story. The villain, in particular, perfectly fulfills their role — obnoxious and thoroughly contemptible, making them easy to root against.

The music exceeded my expectations. There's a strange and creative quality in the soundtrack that adds a unique layer to the experience, complementing the stunning visuals beautifully.

All in all, I highly recommend this anime, especially for those who appreciate bold art direction and imaginative storytelling.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Aug 27, 2025

kuuhaku257

Recommended

Hinezumi is a strong sequel which not only maintains but raises the level of the franchise.
While the first film (also exceptional) uses its runtime to situate us in the ooku ecosystem, the second installment manages to get straight to the point. It's much easier to follow the storyline and the film plays an excellent role in developing the cast's personality in a fluid and natural way (Besides Kusuriuri and Fuki,that already had my full interest in the previous film, Sakashita and Botan grew up hard on me on this one). Also, the Hinezumi's attacks probably have one of the best directions I've ever seen in ... an anime film (Especially Sayo scene, yukana nailed it) And the progression of events is concise, agile, engaging and culminates in an explosive and touching third act. I'm looking forward to third movie, and I feel like it will give an epic ending to this so far solid franchise.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Sep 19, 2025

C4bs

Recommended

Every now and then, as I'm choosing which anime to watch at the beginning of each season, I end up encountering some good and some bad surprises. This kind of feeling, fueled by my decision to avoid any promotional material for new anime to avoid spoilers as much as possible, ends up being a double-edged sword: on the one hand, I might encounter a radiation bomb that I'll question other people's tastes for having enjoyed, and on the other, I might encounter an excellent work that will become one of my favorites of the year (see Medalist).

Considering the second option, I might be even more ... surprised when, upon watching this new work, I realize it's better than its predecessor in every way. Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage, the second film in a trilogy, fits this bill perfectly. Bringing a mix of new sensations to those who watched its predecessor, the second film in the trilogy returns with everything that makes the film unique, but with the evolution of all the previously deficient elements.

In Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (Mononoke Movie: Dai-2 Shou - Hinezumi), we continue following Apothecary as he seeks to extinguish yet another mononoke terrorizing the imperial harem in Edo. Embroiled in family feuds, internal turmoil, and intense jealousy, Apothecary must uncover the motives of a mononoke that manifests itself in the form of flames that consume all its victims until only their ashes remain.

Continuing the artistic choice and directorial style of the first film, the second chapter of Apothecary's saga presents us with another colorful and frenetic psychedelic spectacle—and I mean that in a good way. The editing uses many quick cuts and different angles to expose the story's atmosphere, creating an air of mystery while also moving the narrative forward in a way that doesn't become confusing for viewers, despite the pacing. At first glance, it might seem like the film will get confusing, but the direction does an excellent job of guiding our attention to specific points on the screen, ensuring we don't lose track of what's happening. For a better experience, I recommend watching the film dubbed, as in addition to the excellent dubbing, the film was made with the audience's attention to what's happening on screen in mind.

As mentioned earlier, the second film builds on the positive aspects and highlights the most interesting elements of the first. O Boticário is more present on screen, dull secondary characters are sidelined to give way to new ones with much more empathetic personal dramas, and even in the explanatory moments, the pacing becomes much more enjoyable to follow, in addition to the use of light comic relief to make the story even more digestible. I consider even the final fight scene to be better, both in terms of animation and narrative catharsis, than the first film.

The main improvement, however, was the story, although it remains very distant for those unfamiliar with many Japanese cultural elements—and I include myself in that category. However, even though at times we may feel lost in the details that could give more weight to what's happening, the script is anchored in a universal theme that transcends cultural barriers worldwide: motherhood. Yes, Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage is, in short, a film about a woman's motherhood confronting the decisions of others regarding the child in her womb. It's not the pinnacle of films that address this theme, but it's a well-done and entertaining piece.

In short, Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage builds on virtually every aspect of its predecessor, as a good sequel should, but which we see less and less of these days. And for those who watched the first film and aren't sure whether the sequel is worth investing in, it might be time to reconsider, because I guarantee that it at least delivers much better entertainment than its predecessor.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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	Poll: Mononoke Movie: Dai-2 Shou - Hinezumi Episode 1 Discussion Spirelord - Aug 15	12 replies	by prozyne »» Dec 11, 4:59 AM
	How to watch outside Japan LizardKing0 - Mar 16	5 replies	by LizardKing0 »» Aug 14, 7:35 PM
	its coming to netflix on august 14th fanaticrat - Jul 25	1 replies	by Itachirulz1 »» Jul 26, 1:13 PM
	Another movie? _Ace-kun_ - Jul 28, 2024	12 replies	by lordgaara »» Apr 24, 3:32 PM
	I'm curious about Sachiko. StevieRara - Feb 8	0 replies	by StevieRara »» Feb 8, 1:48 AM