Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari (2025)

When spirits cross over into the human world, they can possess old objects and gain a physical form: a tsukumogami. Tsukumogami can be gentle, violent, or somewhere in-between, so the Saenome clan peacefully helps send them back to the spirit world to avoid destruction. Kunato Hyouma is a member of the clan, but is... less than peaceful, since he holds a grudge from when a tsukumogami robbed him of something important. Afraid that Hyouma's brash anger in dealing with these spirits will lead to supernatural catastrophes, Hyouma's grandfather sends him to live in Kyoto with an unusual young woman: Nagatsuki Botan, a girl who actually lives with tsukumogami like family! Can Hyouma learn to control his emotions when dealing with tsukumogami, or is his own spirit doomed to be possessed with rage forever?

When spirits cross over into the human world, they can possess old objects and gain a physical form: a tsukumogami. Tsukumogami can be gentle, violent, or somewhere in-between, so the Saenome clan peacefully helps send them back to the spirit world to avoid destruction. Kunato Hyouma is a member of the clan, but is... less than peaceful, since he holds a grudge from when a tsukumogami robbed him of something important. Hyouma's grandfather sends him to live in Kyoto with an unusual young woman: Nagatsuki Botan, a girl who actually lives with tsukumogami like family! Can Hyouma learn to control his emotions when dealing with tsukumogami, or is his own spirit doomed to be possessed with rage forever?

When spirits cross over into the human world, they can possess old objects and gain a physical form: a tsukumogami. Tsukumogami can be gentle, violent, or somewhere in-between, so the Saenome clan peacefully helps send them back to the spirit world to avoid destruction. Kunato Hyouma is a member of the clan, but is...less than peaceful, since he holds a grudge from when a tsukumogami robbed him of something important. Afraid that Hyouma's brash anger in dealing with these spirits will lead to supernatural catastrophes, Hyouma's grandfather sends him to live in Kyoto with an unusual young woman: Nagatsuki Botan, a girl who actually lives with tsukumogami like family! Can Hyouma learn to control his emotions when dealing with tsukumogami, or is his own spirit doomed to be possessed with rage forever?

FAMILY MATTERSIt’s been two months since Hyoma moved in to the Nagatsuki residence, and he’s starting to feel like part of the family. Sure, there’s a marriage proposal that both he and Botan are trying to ignore, but overall, things have gone smoothly. As Botan begins her third year of university, Hyoma continues his specialized training. That is, until a high-level tsukumogami challenges him to a fight. This tsukumogami knew Hyoma’s siblings—and also knows the paper umbrella tsukumogami who murdered them. And he knows something else, too—a secret that could shatter Hyoma’s peaceful life!

SEPARATION ANXIETYWhen Hyoma learns an unsettling new piece of information about Botan, he decides to take a much-needed break from the Nagatsuki household. Unsettled herself, and reeling from Hyoma’s absence, Botan takes matters into her own hands and vows to learn more about her past and her own abilities. Since her family will sugarcoat the truth, she instead pays a visit to the head of the Kadomori Saenome. Will he give her the answers she seeks? Or is Botan, separated from all those who protect her, putting herself in a dangerous situation?

A HOUSE DIVIDEDFollowing an intense battle with a tsukumogami trying to draw out the dormant being within Botan, the Nagatsuki house is destroyed, and one of the Nagatsuki tsukumogami is gravely injured. Hyoma wants revenge, but the top priority is keeping Botan safe—which the Saenome clans now suspect the Nagatsukis aren’t capable of. While the Nagatsuki tsukumogami head to Tokyo to plead their case, Hyoma stays behind with Botan at the Kadomori estate, where enemies could be lurking around every corner...

FIRE AND RAINOn their way to Tokyo, the Nagatsuki tsukumogami run into a strange roadblock—a whole group of paper umbrella tsukumogami who are after Botan. Suzuri manages to send a message to Botan in the nick of time, alerting Hyoma and the others at the Kadomori estate that a group they thought were allies are actually aligned with the paper umbrellas. A concentrated attack separates Hyoma and Botan from everyone else, and this time, Hyoma is determined to protect Botan at all costs—even if it means casting aside his chance for vengeance.

The all-out attack at the Kadomori estate continues, with the paper umbrella tsukumogami seemingly having the upper hand. After the Nagatsuki dowry joins the fray, however, the paper umbrellas quickly retreat, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake-and a parting blow to Hyoma that forces him to confront his own past. In the aftermath, it's clear new allies are needed to bolster Botan's protection, but who will step up? A meeting between the Three Great Saenome Clans will determine everyone's fate!

NEW RECRUITSAs a result of the meeting between the Three Great Saenome Clans, two new Saenome are added to Botan’s security detail—much to the chagrin of everyone in the Nagatsuki household. Hyoma takes it all in stride, determined to keep protecting Botan—even when offered the chance to go after the paper umbrella tsukumogami. But the atmosphere at the Nagatsuki house becomes tense when Hyoma learns the true goal of one of the new Saenome. If Hyoma assists with her goal, he’ll find himself up against not only the Nagatsuki tsukumogami, but possibly his own family!

FALSELY ACCUSEDAfter one of the new Saenome staying at the Nagatsuki house is brutally attacked, suspicion turns to the Nagatsuki Dowry. Even Hyoma’s considered a suspect, and no amount of evidence seems to be enough to dissuade the powerful Yachimata family from locking everyone up. Now the Nagatsuki Dowry faces a fate worse than death, and Hyoma is unable to free himself of his own bonds to help. It’s up to Botan—and an unlikely ally—to uncover the truth before it’s too late!

FALL FROM GRACEDuring the fight to save the Nagatsuki Dowry from execution, the leader of the Yachimata clan revealed his involvement with the paper umbrellas, inciting chaos among the houses. In the aftermath, Hyoma and the others are left to pick up the pieces, and at long last, they learn the truth about how Botan became a yorimashi, housing the living god within her. Unfortunately, there’s no respite from the fight as the paper umbrellas launch another all-out attack. There’s only one Saenome who can help turn the tide of the battle—someone from the disgraced Yachimata clan!

EVERYTHING TO LOSEThe battle with the paper umbrellas turns drastic when they reveal their trump card—the powerful Saenome who were sent to deal with them have all been devoured, with the umbrellas possessing their bodies. Forced to fight his own grandfather, Hyoma nonetheless gives everything he’s got to protect Botan. But as more and more umbrellas join the fray, his odds of winning, or even coming out of the fight alive, dwindle. Meanwhile, Botan’s been holding on to a secret that could turn the tide of her own struggle with the marebito inside her. Can she confront the truth, or is it too late?

INTO THE UNKNOWNBotan has been captured by the paper umbrellas, and the Saenome have suffered a scathing defeat. It’s time now for Hyoma and his remaining allies to regroup and rescue Botan, which is no easy feat. The Three Great Saenome houses have been decimated, and while the Nagatsuki Dowry still stands whole, not having their master around takes a toll on their morale. As the group makes preparations for what could be their final battle, the paper umbrellas lie in wait for them at the road connecting the land of the living to the land of the dead.

BACK FROM THE DEADThe fierce battle between the Saenome and the paper umbrellas continues! While Hyoma charges ahead in search of Botan, his allies are split into their own skirmishes against the umbrellas. Everything changes when one of the Saenome thought devoured by the umbrellas suddenly appears, leading to the appearance of more formerly departed allies—and enemies—who join the fray on both sides of the battle. But the longer the two sides clash, the more Botan’s fate hangs in the balance, as the living god within her comes closer to emerging…

WORTH FIGHTING FORAs the Nagatsuki Dowry clash with paper umbrella Shigure, and Sumire and Benihi make their way back to the land of the living, Hyoma confronts the remaining paper umbrellas—the two who now inhabit his siblings’ bodies. But Hyoma is no longer the man he was when he first set foot on the Nagatsuki estate, and hate no longer dictates his combat style. Now he fights with the techniques he’s learned from all the Saenome he’s met since coming to Kyoto. Now he fights for someone, rather than for revenge. But will it be enough to save Botan?