This lighthearted anime series, based on the manga by Kiri Wazawa, focuses on high school freshman Ashiya Hanae, who one day finds that a furry white "yokai"--a spirit from the Underworld--has attached itself to him and is sapping his energy. Although he ultimately bonds with the entity he christens Fuzzy--which gives him the rare ability to see other yokai as well--he initially enlists stern classmate Abeno, who happens to be an exorcist, to separate Fuzzy from him. But Abeno demands to be Ashiya’s assistant in return. The series consists mainly of adventures in which the pair help yokai return to their Underworld home, but the narrative introduces other characters along the way, most notably Zenko, the daughter of a temple priest, who also gains the power to see yokai when she is nipped by Yahiko, a fox demon. The Morose Mononokean lacks both action and tension, and the lead figures are rather thin, with Ashiya coming across as a whiner and Abeno all too fully embodying the dourness of the title adjective. The animation is colorful, however, and younger viewers will likely enjoy the odd menagerie of yokai here, especially the cute Fuzzy. Presenting all 13 episodes from 2016 in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, rated TV-PG, this is a strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
The Morose Mononokean
(2016) 4 discs. 325 min. Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $64.98. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 3
The Morose Mononokean
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