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Mononoke was an absolute treat to watch, and I wish I could unsee it just so I could have the pleasure of discovering each episode for the first time again.

This show was outside my usual preferred genres, but I checked it out because I happened upon a crazy looking screenshot that caught my interest with its many colors. I didn't expect to like it much, yet from the first episode I was hooked.

The first thing that jumps out at the viewer is the art style. The unique color combinations, character designs, and crinkly paper filter give Mononoke and aesthetic like no other. Each episode introduces ... some new elements that flex the creators' artistic thoughtfulness, whether it be snow that zig zags to the ground, bodies flashing technicolor as they die, or my favorite "guru, guru, guru, guru" shots. As I begun each new episode, I was excited to see what the artists' had in store for me this time. I was impressed every time.

The music is composed by the legendary Yasuharu Takanashi, who I believe is the master of horror scores. He was the perfect choice for this anime, as his touch gives the series a believable sense of magic and allure. There is a fine mix of brooding traditional instrumentals and intense climactic fight songs to fit the escalation of each episode.

The Medicine Vendor is, in all respects, badass. He was a protagonist I could root for like the star quarterback on my home football team. While many people may want a character who is struggling with inner demons and challenged by daunting circumstances, I was quite content to watch Kusuriuri effortlessly whoop demon ass with a calm smile in every episode. It was honestly pretty cathartic. On the one hand, I wish we learned more about his background and motives (although I'm sure that's probably explained in Samurai Horror Tails, which I've yet to watch) but on the other hand, the mysterious confidence of this enigmatic nomad character is appealing as is.

While I usually don't like series with episodic plot structures, I found that I really enjoyed it here. I liked how every two or three episodes were contained stories, and that I could look forward to a totally new Mononoke and environment in the next arch. There was sort of a gratifying dramatic irony every time the Medicine Vendor was introduced in a new setting, gawked at by the confused side characters, and as the viewer I'm thinking, "oh boy, these people have no idea what's coming for them."

This is really one of my all time favorites, and I recommend it to anyone with an open mind and an eye for art.

Genji Monogatari is the type of film that will only be enjoyable to certain types of people. It seems to be the type of film that you either find brilliant or a waste of time, no in between. If you are patient and can enjoy a film for more than just its story, then I think you will find Genji Monogatari to be a valuable cinematic experience.

I came across this film randomly one night in my YouTube recommended. I thought the thumbnail picture was interesting, so I clicked it and only planned to watch the first five minutes to see what it was like so ... I could decide if I wanted to watch it some other time. (This was at midnight as I was scrolling my phone before bed.) Instead, I ended up watching the entire movie right then, staying up way later than I usually do just because I was too fascinated to pause it til tomorrow.

Sound 10/10
First and foremost, this movie is defined by its music. I am a huge fan of soundtracks and always take care to pay attention to the sound of a movie, and I promise that this soundtrack by Haruomi Hosono has to be the best film score I've ever heard -- American, Japanese, or otherwise. The mixture of natural ambience, Japanese folk instruments, and melancholy chord progressions manifests a unique vibe that defines the movie. At times the music feels almost vaporwave with its slow, moody '80s synths (such as the song "Kechigan"), and at other times it feels ethereal and heavenly beyond human capability (the song "Wakamurasaki" is particularly striking). If nothing else, this soundtrack demands admiration.

Art 10/10
The other major strength of this movie is its lovely art style. Faces, clothing, scenery, etc. are all drawn in such an interesting way. The color choice is also excellent. You can also notice the attention to detail in the artwork. For example, in the Heian Period, it was considered inappropriate for the inside of your mouth to be visible, so people would speak with their lips as closed as possible -- which you can see in how they drew their speaking, the lips barely move. The layers of beautiful clothing -- so much so that they are a burden to walk -- are also historically accurate of Heian aristocracy. There are parts of the film that are experimental, such as the strange opening credits and the ending. The visuals are really such a treat.


Story 6/10
Truth be told, the story itself is not that thrilling. I had never heard of Genji Monogatari before watching, so I couldn't figure out what was happening for a lot of the movie. The plot is best enjoyed if you read what it's about beforehand (like I send, I jumped right in without even reading the description) and I know some other reviewers said its not entirely loyal to the ancient classic. On the other hand, I understood what was going on well enough for the ending to have an emotional tug on me, so if you really pay attention you'll be fine.

Characters 6/10
While Genji isn't exactly likable, he does perfectly capture the quintessential "handsome prince" of the Heian Period -- angsty, reserved, polyamorous, and beautiful. If you ever read up on the Heian Period (or watch the Crash Course on YouTube) the aristocracy really behaved like this. They spoke in poems and slept around and acted sad all the time -- that was the culture. To that effect, the movie captured Heian life well. However, beyond the historical accuracy, most of the characters are pretty flat. I had trouble telling the various women apart because they were drawn very similarly (except their hair, I realized) and all acted basically exactly the same. No one had any flavor to them -- each character was interchangeable with all the others, personality wise.

Overall, Genji Monogatari is movie best enjoyed alone, in the dark, with the best speaker system and biggest screen you can access. Resist the urge to check your phone during the slow parts, don't pause it to go get food or finish a different time. I highly recommend watching John Green's Crash Course on the Heian Period prior to watching the movie so that you can appreciate (and understand) what you're seeing.