The original 2007 Mononoke anime is a Japanese horror anthology series set in the closing days of the Edo period. It follows a man known only as "The Medicine Seller" who wanders across Japan and exorcises "Mononoke"—unnatural monsters that have bound themselves to our world using the negative emotions of humans. This film is simply another of his adventures. Because of this, Mononoke The Movie: Karakasa is one of those films that can be enjoyed even without any previous knowledge of the series—and it makes sure to go out of its way to explain the core concept of the overall story.

To exorcise a Mononoke, three things must be known: the form of the Mononoke, the truth of its existence, and the reason behind the dark emotions that allowed it to connect to the mortal realm. This forms a framework to explore the mystery behind the monster and its nature.

In the case of this film, we have a Mononoke located in the inner chambers of the imperial palace where women are gathered in the hope of producing an heir. Much of the story is told through our heroines, Asa and Kame. Complete opposites in personality, the two newcomers form a fast friendship surrounded by the cult-like atmosphere they find themselves in. Moreover, only the pair seem to notice the sense of rottenness that has infected the palace.

Thematically, their story is a criticism of the groupthink that permeates society—not only back then but now as well. Merely entering the inner chambers requires these women to give up the material things they hold most dear. Day by day, they find themselves forced into predetermined roles within the palace. Little by little, their individualism is being stripped from them. And so, we face the question: What can be given up to fit into a group? What must not be thrown away, no matter what? And what happens to those who lose too much of themselves to carry on?

But as strong as this film is in its supernatural mystery and greater themes, its visuals stand above everything else. On the most surface level, this movie looks like a traditional Japanese watercolor in motion. The animation has a texture filter put over it to make it seem like Twin Engine EOTA animated it on parchment rather than paper. The characters and locations are done almost entirely in a pastel color palette—with bright, vibrant, and fluorescent colors largely reserved for the supernatural. But the colors are only the start.

The entire film is unnaturally over-detailed in its backgrounds—further adding to the uneasy feeling of the film. Most of the women's faces are drawn as simple spirals—signifying their eerily inexpressive faces. The film also brilliantly uses its visuals to portray smells, tastes, and sounds—e.g., good smells appear as vibrant spinning geometric shapes, and rotten ones appear brown and withered. And we aren't even getting into the fantastic scene composition, creative camera angles, and creepy-as-hell blink-and-you'll-miss-it jump cuts.

All of this comes together to create a feast for the eyes, unlike any anime I have ever seen. As far as I remember, I have never given an anime an A+ in art or animation. Well, this one gets both. It deserves to sit right up there alongside the standout works of Science SARU and SHAFT regarding mind-boggling surrealistic animation.

On the other side of the presentation, we have the music. While the animation overshadows it, it's likewise great. The soundtrack accentuates the constant suspense and horror and even has some certified bangers. This includes the awesome ending theme "Love Sick" by Aina The End and an opening theme that mixes traditional-sounding Japanese shamisen music with techno and auto-tuned vocals to create something new and haunting.

Without its groundbreaking visuals, Mononoke The Movie: Karakasa would still be a film worth watching thanks to its mystery, suspense, and well-explored themes. With them, this is the best-animated film of the year so far. I wouldn't be surprised if this film becomes required viewing as a case study for just how far anime can go as a visual medium in the future. It doesn't matter if you don't tend to enjoy Japanese horror or period pieces; give this film a watch. Your eyes will thank you.