Exorcising the Human Heart: The Folklore and Psychology of Mononoke

In this podcast, we take a closer look at the supernatural world of the anime series Mononoke. We explore what a "mononoke" truly is within the show's universe—a spirit born from intense human emotion—and how this concept is rooted in traditional Japanese folklore about yōkai and yūrei. We'll discuss the Medicine Seller's unique exorcism process of uncovering a spirit's Form (Katachi), Truth (Makoto), and Reason (Kotowari), and examine how each story arc adapts real folkloric tales to explore deep psychological themes of guilt, oppression, and trauma.