Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mature themes, sex, violence in solid anime sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MONONOKE THE MOVIE: CHAPTER II - THE ASHES OF RAGE, the Medicine Seller (Hiroshi Kamiya) is back and senses more mononoke (spirits) around the palace. Meanwhile, the structure of the "household" is being reformed after the events of the first movie, with new characters vying for positions, power, and influence.
Is It Any Good?
This sequel tries to place more agency in female characters this time around. Although not perfect, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage manages to hit deeper than the first movie. The narrative centers on how, over the years, many women had fallen victim to men's demands over whether or not they can "keep the baby" during pregnancy. Thus, while the first film's mononoke roughly manifests because of "a woman's scorn," this second story's mononoke manifests because of how women have been treated unfairly, unjustly, and abusively.
For most audiences, these higher stakes are welcome. Certainly, some may be put off by the nature of the content (abortion, coercion, the "harem" of women in the palace that give "night service" to the prince, etc.), but at least it feels like the writer thought of a better way to make these stories the stories of women, rather than the stories of the Medicine Seller, who isn't much of a character. Again, the art is unique and incredible, and the way the animation can generate the impression of glass or a shine on a marble floor is amazing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the culture of feudal-era Japan depicted here. How does Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage depict the palace environment? Does it seem like a positive place to be? Why, or why not?
While the roles people serve seem determined by societal tradition, what kinds of freedom or agency do the female characters have? What kinds of freedom and agency do the male characters have?
What do you think the moral of this story is? Do you think this film effectively conveys this lesson?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 14, 2025
- Cast : Haruka Tomatsu , Hiroshi Kamiya , Yôko Hikasa , Ken'yû Horiuchi
- Directors : Kenji Nakamura , Kiyotaka Suzuki
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Japanese Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Activism ( Animal rights , Gender equality , Climate change ) , Fantasy , STEM ( Nature ) , Friendship
- Run time : 74 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 5, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate