Netflix has announced the premiere date and released the main trailer for Mononoke the Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent, the concluding chapter of the anime film trilogy. The movie will premiere exclusively on Netflix on September 29, bringing the story that began with The Phantom in the Rain and continued through The Ashes of Rage to its final chapter.
The upcoming film once again follows the mysterious Medicine Seller, a wandering exorcist who confronts supernatural entities born from human emotions, grudges and suffering. This time, his investigation leads him toward a terrifying serpent god and the hidden history behind the creation of the Ōoku, placing the character in his most dangerous confrontation yet.
The Mononoke franchise originated with the acclaimed 2000s television anime, which developed a devoted following through its distinctive visual style, supernatural mysteries and stories centered on human emotion. The movie trilogy has expanded that mythology while maintaining the Medicine Seller as its central figure.
The Curse of the Serpent Connects the Trilogy’s Stories
The Curse of the Serpent continues after the events of the first two movies, with the Medicine Seller still investigating disturbances within the Inner Chambers. The trilogy has deliberately shifted its focus between women occupying different levels of the Ōoku hierarchy.
The first movie, The Phantom in the Rain, focused on a newly arrived maid, while The Ashes of Rage moved its attention toward the elite concubines known as Ochurou. The final chapter centers on Yukiko, the Emperor’s lawful wife and the highest-ranking woman within the Ōoku.
Yukiko’s hopes of repairing her unhappy marriage through the birth of an heir collapse when her newborn son dies despite the prayers surrounding his birth. Her grief eventually draws her into a conspiracy that threatens the Inner Chambers, while strange tremors and mysterious triangular scales signal the arrival of something far more sinister.
The resulting deaths point toward a massive serpent Mononoke. Although the Medicine Seller manages to temporarily repel the creature, he cannot draw his Sacred Sword until he discovers the entity’s Shape, Truth and Reason.
Medicine Seller Faces the Ōoku’s Darkest Secret
The investigation eventually leads 150 years into the past, revealing the origins of the Ōoku itself. The Inner Chambers were established by Ama-no-Tsubone, the wet nurse of the Third Emperor, and the institution eventually became associated with the faith surrounding “Omizusama.”
The final movie promises to connect this history with the Mizorogi family, Ama-no-Tsubone and the recurring Mononoke that have appeared throughout the trilogy. The Medicine Seller ultimately discovers that the serpent god’s rage is connected to centuries of accumulated hatred and the hidden history of the Ōoku.
With the creature gaining overwhelming power, the Medicine Seller faces an unprecedented crisis that could force him to risk everything. The final chapter will determine whether he can uncover the truth and defeat the Mononoke before the Inner Chambers are consumed by its wrath.
The Phantom in the Rain and The Ashes of Rage are currently available to stream on Netflix, ahead of The Curse of the Serpent’s September 29 premiere.
Mononoke the Movie: Chapter III Production Staff
The final film is led by Chief Director Kenji Nakamura and Director Tomoaki Koshida, with Yasumi Atarashi handling the screenplay. Kitsuneko Nagata serves as character designer, while Yuichi Takahashi is the animation character designer and chief animation director.
The production team also includes background art designer Youichi Katoono, background art directors Akira Kuramoto and Yoko Saito, art supervisor Takashi Kurahashi, color designer Kunio Tsujita and visual director Yoichi Senzui.
