The Medicine Seller stands in quiet contemplation, his keen eyes fixed on the unfolding scene. The form, truth, and reason reveal themselves, serving as an invocation for unsheathing his sword. With a fluid motion, the sword unsheathes, precisely cutting through the Mononoke. Each elegant sweep restores the delicate balance between the mortal world and the supernatural realm of Mononoke. This ceremonial act becomes a cyclical dance, a timeless struggle stretching to the series' conclusion.
In an interview conducted by Animage Magazine, Nakamura explains, "I wanted to make a story told with visuals as much as words. Visuals become words. I wanted to do that kind of storytelling. For example, it’s not like you say “love”, but I wanted to convey that visually within a scene; something that is conveyed organically. I just don’t like to explain things in the script. I pondered the point of making images. If you want to convey the theme in the script, then why not just write a story?
Nakamura underscores relying on visuals to depict complex emotions like love. He believes that visuals can express and connect with the audience at an emotional level. In Mononoke, Nakamura uses various visual motifs such as doors, red bridges, stairs, red ribbons, wall paintings, and Daruma dolls to craft a narrative where art conveys meaning beyond words. The arc begins with the opening of the wooden door in which the medicine seller is seen outside a dull-looking Inn. The opening and shutting of the wooden doors are common visual motifs. The opening depicts the Medicine seller unraveling the realm of Mononoke and the secrets that reside within a particular setting. The closing of the door symbolizes the restoration of balance in the mortal world and the end of each chapter. These actions add psychological depth and build up the suspense throughout the arc. When the inn's owner attempts to escape by opening the door, she fails, carrying a deeper symbolic meaning. Doors symbolize barriers and confinement, and her failure to escape depicts her psychological entrapment due to guilt. This imagery underscores the necessity of confrontation with one's past and the futility of escape from it.
The red-colored bridge outside the Inn is another interesting visual motif. This red bridge reappears inside the Inn, transforming into a red-colored staircase. The recurrence of the red staircase and bridge serves as an important story motif, connecting to the supernatural realm of Mononoke. These staircases act as the passage that allows Medicine Seller to dig the forgotten truth buried deep within the heart of the Inn. Stairs and the bridge pave the path to connect with the truth and reason of the Mononoke. The choice of color for the bridges and stairs also plays an essential role. Red, a bold color stands out in the setting, symbolizing danger and a sense of warning. It also brings alive the history of passionate moments that happened within the Inn which lead to the moral decadence of the characters.
Beyond the bridge and stairs, red ribbons were another crucial motif of the arc. Like stairs, they form the reason for the Mononoke's unrest. They represent the umbilical cord of the unborn babies, symbolizing the souls of these babies and their profound connection with their mothers. These ribbons remind the Inn owner and her compliance about the horrifying crime committed within those walls. The representation of the umbilical cords paints the emotional scenario of the Zashiki-warashi, touching upon its innocence that parallels with the forbidden nature of its existence and potential for danger.
Another essential story motif is the Daruma dolls, the physical representation of the babies. Traditionally, Daruma Dolls symbolize good luck, perseverance, resilience, and fulfillment of goals. However, in this psychological horror setting, their nature starkly contradicts the popular culture. Daruma dolls were the eyes of Zashiki-warashiki, silently observing each nook and cranny of the Inn. Scattered throughout, they first appeared in a water puddle outside the inn, and then on the staircase. They would quiver, tilt, fall, randomly appear, and disappear, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Finally, the last visual motif was the vibrant colored painting inscribed upon the inn's walls. These paintings capture the inn's cruel past filled with truths that evoke pity and disgust. They serve as a silent narrator, foreshadowing and revealing the grim history to the spectators.
Deafening pauses and slow speeches enhance the dramatic effect and eeriness, harmonizing with the shifting perspective of Shino, the Medicine Seller, the Inn owner, and Mononoke. Medicine Seller remains detached from unfolding events, with Nakamura using closeups of his facial expression- squinting and widening the eyes- to convey his unique perspective. He breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience and acknowledging their role as spectators.
Mononoke's movements are quiet and chaotic, adding to their unsettling ambiance. The dripping of the amniotic fluid, children's ghostly voices, and the mysterious appearance of the dolls infuse the setting with a sinister touch. These elements draw the audience closer together to the haunting world of Zashiki-warashiki.
The positioning of the characters adds a poetic essence, especially as the truth gets unveiled. As the speaker spoke, the listener stood ahead with their back towards them, rather than facing them. This posture stems from a deep desire to avoid the haunting, uncomfortable reality, and their psychological denial. Such positioning underscores the collective fear, guilt, and shame that have taken root, highlighting the emotional weight of their situation.
During the climax, Shino's reality intertwines with Inn's truth and Zashiki-warashi's reason. Time reverses, and overlaps the present. The inn owner transforms into her younger self, and Shino finds herself in the abortion room, ensnared in the harrowing repetition of the past. She is beaten, and each blow echoes through the room merging with the cries of the babies reiterating the pure horror that transpired. The beating syncs and reverberates off the walls, creating an echo that reveals the tombs of dead babies. Her suffering underscores the inescapable oppression and commodification of women.
Later, Shino learns and acknowledges Zashiki-warashi's wish to be born through her womb. She accepts their desires and reconciles with them. Meanwhile, the medicine seller battles the Mononoke. As he is about to slay the spirit, Zashiki-warashi's face fills with serene smile, depicting peace and acceptance. The door shuts and leaves us with bitter-sweet feelings, a poignant reminder of the complex interplay of past, and present, sorrow and redemption.
From the heart of Japanese culture, Mononoke weaves a gripping psychological thriller, unraveling the haunting past, the treatment of women across the ages, and the cruelty of the times. Nakamura uses visuals rather than dialogue immersing us in an awe-struck surreal experience. Mononoke is not just a supernatural horror; it is a poignant exploration of humanity's forbidden corners, depths of the human psyche, and the weight of societal guilt. |
