History YMMV / Mononoke

* {{Anvilicious}}: The Zashiki-Warashi arc may not have been intended to be an [[spoiler: anti-abortion]] AuthorTract, but [[NightmareFuel it sure is effective]]! Although the conflict arose from the fact that the abortions were done violently and without the mothers' consent, the anime does present the Mononoke as [[spoiler: sentient fetuses wanting to be born. It's not clear whether the Mononoke arose from the aborted babies or the mothers]], but keep in mind that it was based on Feudal folktales, which tend to look down on [[spoiler: abortion]] or anything other than heteronormative family units.

* {{Anvilicious}}: The Zashiki-Warashi arc may not have been intended to be an [[spoiler: anti-abortion]] AuthorTract, but [[NightmareFuel it sure is effective]]! Although the conflict arose from the fact that the abortions were done violently and without the mothers' consent, the anime does present the Mononoke as [[spoiler: sentient fetuses wanting to be born. It's not clear whether the Mononoke arose from the aborted babies or the mothers]], but keep in mind that it was based on Feudal folktales, which tend to look down on [[spoiler: abortion]] or anything other than hetero-normative family units.

* CrackPairing: The Medicine Peddler x ''his own mononoke-slaying alter-ego'' has an entire Live Journal community devoted to it. Crack or {{Squick}}, take your pick!

* TearJerker: Loads. Every single arc has at least one if not more. [[spoiler:Finding out the zashiki-warashi just wanted a mother to love it, Oyou's confession and subsequent self-sacrifice, Chou's mental breakdown.]]

* ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs: ''{{Mushishi}}'' on crack. Lots and lots of it. And then a few dozen tabs of acid.

* {{Anvilicious}}: The Zashiki-Warashi arc may not have been intended to be an [[spoiler: anti-abortion]] AuthorTract, but [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel it sure is effective]]! Although the conflict arose from the fact that the abortions were done violently and without the mothers' consent, the anime does present the Mononoke as [[spoiler: sentient fetuses wanting to be born. It's not clear whether the Mononoke arose from the aborted babies or the mothers]], but keep in mind that it was based on Feudal folktales, which tend to look down on [[spoiler: abortion]] or anything other than hetero-normative family units.

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel: A good part of the series if you're not careful.
* TearJerker: LOADS. Every single arc has at least one if not more. [[spoiler:Finding out the zashiki-warashi just wanted a mother to love it, Oyou's confession and subsequent self-sacrifice, Chou's mental breakdown.]]

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you ''really'' pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only shown for artistic purposes; and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal things that characters think happened did not actually happen]], and an [[YearInsideHourOutside ambiguous amount]] of [[NarniaTime time]] actually passed outside of the mononoke's influence, it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you ''really'' pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only shown for artistic purposes; and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal things that characters think happened did not actually happen]], and an [[NarniaTime ambiguous amount of time]] actually passed outside of the mononoke's influence, it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you ''really'' pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only for artistic purposes; and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal things that characters think happened did not actually happen]], and an [[NarniaTime ambiguous amount of time]] actually passed outside of the mononoke's influence, it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you really pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only for artistic purposes; and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal things that characters think happened did not actually happen]], and an [[NarniaTime ambiguous amount of time]] actually passed outside of the mononoke's influence, it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you really pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only for artistic purposes, and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal things characters think happened did not actually happen]], and an [[NarniaTime ambiguous amount of time]] actually passed outside of the mononoke's influence, it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you really pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only for artistic purposes, and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal things characters think happened did not actually happen]], and an ambiguous amount of time actually passed, and it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you really pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only for artistic purposes, and all of the instances where [[YourMindMakesItReal instances you think happened did not happen, and an ambiguous amount of time actually passed]], and it is at least a particularly heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you really pay attention to what is going on, with all the cases of UnreliableNarrator and TomatoInTheMirror, and the scenery that, as often as not, is not what is actually there but is only for artistic purposes, it is at least a really heavy MindScrew.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Even if you really pay attention to what is going on, it is at least a really heavy MindScrew.

* {{Anvilicious}}: The Zashiki-Warashi arc may not have been intended to be an [[spoiler: anti-abortion]] AuthorTract, but [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel it sure is effective]]! Although the conflict arose from the fact that the abortions were done violently and without the mothers' consent, the anime does present the Mononoke as [[spoiler: sentient fetuses angry at having been murdered. It's not clear whether the Mononoke arose from the aborted babies or the mothers]], but keep in mind that it was based on Feudal folktales, which tend to look down on [[spoiler: abortion]] or anything other than hetero-normative family units.

* {{Anvilicious}}: The Zashiki-Warashi arc may not have been intended to be an [[spoiler: anti-abortion]] AuthorTract, but [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel it sure is effective]]!
** It's not totally against the idea -- the controversy arose from the fact that it was done violently and without the mothers' consent. That, and it's based on Feudal folktales, which tend to look down on abortion or anything other than hetero-normative family units.

* AwesomeArt: Colourful + surreal + ''extremely'' stylized.

* ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs: ''{{Mushishi}}'' on crack. Lots and lots of it. And then a few dozen tabs of acid.

* AudioErotica: How about every time the Medicine Peddler opens his mouth?

* {{Anvilicious}}: The Zashiki-Warashi arc may not have been intended to be an [[spoiler: anti-abortion]] AuthorTract, but [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel it sure is effective]]!
** It's not totally against the idea, the controversy arose from the fact that it was done violently and without the mothers' consent, rather than from the overall issue.
** That, and it's based on Feudal folktales, which tend to look down on abortion or anything else beyond heteronormative family units. This troper has read a similar Nordic story where a woman is haunted, not by aborted fetuses, but by spirits of children she could have had but didn't because she didn't want to get married!

* CrackPairing: The Medicine Seller x ''his own mononoke-slaying alter-ego'' has an entire Live Journal community devoted to it. Crack or {{Squick}}, take your pick!

** That, and it's based on Feudal folktales, which tend not favour abortion or anything else beyond heteronormative family units. This troper has read a similar Nordic story where a woman is haunted, not by aborted fetuses, but by spirits of children she could have had but didn't because she didn't want to get married!

* AudioErotica: ...how about every single time the Medicine Peddler opens his mouth?

* LargeHam: The minstrel and the... minstrel... fish demon that appear in the Umi-Bozu arc. To be fair the latter ''was'' voiced by NorioWakamoto.
* MindScrew: And how?!
* SceneryPorn: Oh hell, is there ever! The scenery is so rich, detailed and colourful it's like going on a (very beautiful) acid trip...

* ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs: ''{{Mushishi}}'' on crack. Lots and lots of it. And then a few dozen tabs of acid.

* TearJerker: LOADS. Every single arc has at least one if not more. [[spoiler:Finding out the zashiki-warashi just wanted a mother to love it, Oyou's confession and subsequent self-sacrifice, Chou's mental breakdown.]]

* TearJerker: LOADS. Every single arc has at least one if not more. [[spoiler:Finding out the zashiki-warashi just wanted a mother to love it, Oyou's confession and subsequent self-sacrifice, Chou's mental breakdown... and don't even get me ''started'' on Tamaki and the Bakeneko story.]]
** The absolute worst one has to be the stinger for the original Bakeneko arc. After the credits are done and the Medicine Seller goes on his way, just when you think you're done crying, [[spoiler: you see Tamaki and her kitten walking out of the house, finally together and free, laughing and mewing happily.]] And then you cry all over again.

* AudioErotica: ...how about every single time the Medicine Peddler opens his mouth?
* CompleteMonster: Basically ANYONE in the ''Ayakashi'' Bakeneko story who isn't Odajima or Kayo is just an asshole. A bigger crew of jerks there never ever was.