The final trailer for Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3 – Snake God, which opens nationwide in Japan on Friday, May 29, 2026, has been released.
About the Series
Mononoke the Movie is based on the original Mononoke anime that first aired in the 2000s and has been passionately loved by fans ever since. It follows the mysterious Medicine Seller as he travels across Japan to exorcise mononoke—malevolent spirits born from human emotions and grudges. The all-new theatrical trilogy began in 2024. The first film, Mononoke the Movie: The Umbrella, enjoyed an extraordinarily long theatrical run. The sequel, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 2 – Fire Rat, released in March 2025, earned acclaim not only in Japan but also won the Audience Award for Best Animated Feature at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada for two consecutive films, thanks to its accelerating story, deepening character portrayals, and evolved visuals.
The Final Chapter
Now in May 2026, the epic saga set within the Ōoku—the secretive women’s quarters brimming with mysteries and schemes—reaches its conclusion with the third chapter. This chapter delves into the “greatest secret” that has been hidden within the Ōoku for ages: the truth behind the Ōoku’s origins and the sorrowful yet fierce emotions that intertwine across time. When the Medicine Seller gazes upon that truth, the series’ most terrifying mononoke will emerge, shaking the Ōoku to its core. What awaits at the end of the battle is an unimaginable development and a fierce finale. The final “rite of salvation” begins.
Trailer Highlights
The newly released final trailer opens with a tense scene as the Medicine Seller raises his voice, demanding, “Tell me! The most important thing… the true identity of the Snake God!” In response, Tenshi confesses, “I, too, was a lie,” followed by Sachiko’s question, “Was it not that you wished for a child?” The truth long hidden deep within the Ōoku is finally revealed. Tenshi’s expression as he utters “I am tainted” marks a departure from the emotionless demeanor established in the first two chapters, strongly hinting at the emotions concealed inside.
The trailer also shows the two as children, revealing that Tenshi and Mizorogi Hokuto were childhood friends. An innocent childhood promise—”It’ll be our secret, okay!”—is exchanged. However, years later, Tenshi quietly tells him, “You only spoke the truth, both now and then.” What happened between them in the past, and how will that “secret” connect to the Snake God’s true identity? All eyes will be on the resolution of the mysteries that have been building.
In the latter half of the trailer, the Medicine Seller’s line “The Snake God appears!” triggers an even more eerie and unsettling atmosphere. Alongside the appearance of Amanotsubone, who is deeply involved in the Ōoku’s birth, scenes hint at a fierce battle between the Medicine Seller and the Snake God. Combining magnificent visuals with dialogue that cuts to the heart of the story, this final trailer generates an overwhelming sense of anticipation befitting the series’ conclusion. Will the Medicine Seller be able to determine the Snake God’s “form, truth, and reason” and reach its true identity? What awaits at the end of the Ōoku’s negative history?
Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3 – Snake God opens nationwide in Japan on Friday, May 29.
Theme Song
“No Epilogue” by AiNA THE END (avex trax)
Cast
- Medicine Seller: Kamiya Hiroshi
- Sachiko: Tanezaki Atsumi
- Tenshi: Irino Miyu
- Mizorogi Hokuto: Tsuda Kenjiro
- Suikō-in: Sakakibara Yoshiko
- Asa: Kurosawa Tomoyo
- Tokita Fuki: Hikasa Yōko
- Ōtomo Botan: Tomatsu Haruka
- Tokita Saburōmaru: Kaji Yūki
- Saga Heiki: Fukuyama Jun
- Sakashita: Hosomi Daisuke
- Tokita Rōji: Chō
- Fujimaki: Horikawa Ryō
- Amanotsubone: Yukana
- Tokiwai: Hirano Fumi
- Kawa: Honda Mariko
- Mizorogi Saku: Takemoto Eiji
- Third-generation Midaidokoro: Sawashiro Miyuki
Staff
- Chief Director: Nakamura Kenji
- Director: Koshida Tomoaki
- Screenplay: Shin Yasuakira
- Character Design: Nagata Kitsune
- Animation Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Takahashi Yuichi
- Art Setting: Kamitono Yōichi
- Art Director: Kuramoto Akira, Saitō Yōko
- Art Supervisor: Kurahashi Takashi
- Color Design: Tsujita Kunio
- Visual Director: Izutsui Yōichi
- 3D Director: Shirai Kenichi
- Editing: Nishiyama Shigeru
- Sound Director: Nagasaki Yukio
- Music: Iwasaki Taku
- Producer: Satō Kimiaki, Naruse Kōichi, Katō Haruka, Uematsu Minako
- Planning & Produce: Yamamoto Kōji
- Production & Distribution: Twin Engine
- Production: Studio Kafka EOTA
(C) Twin Engine
