Set one month after the events of Phantom in the Rain, The Ashes of Rage returns us to the inner chambers of Ōoku, the secluded women’s quarters of Edo Castle, where the mysterious Medicine Seller once again encounters dark supernatural forces amid political intrigue. Otomo Botan has assumed leadership of the Ōoku, instituting strict rules that stir conflict with Fuki, a favored concubine of the emperor. As jealousies, ambitions, and conspiracies among courtiers intensify—especially over who will be guardian to the newborn heir—bodies begin spontaneously bursting into flame, victims of a strange phenomenon tied to “children of the Fire Rat.” These mouse-like mononoke attack anyone who seeks to harm unborn children, and the Medicine Seller must unravel the monster’s Form, Truth, and Reason in order to confront it. Amid ritual, betrayal, and loss, he navigates human malice and otherworldly sorrow alike to protect the innocent and bring balance back to the Ōoku.
- IMDB Rating - 7/10
- Directors - Kiyotaka Suzuki, Kenji Nakamura
- Writer - Yasumi Atarashi
- Stars - Chô, Yôko Hikasa, Ken'yû Horiuchi
