Mononoke is currently streaming in Australia on Crunchyroll, and in the US on Netflix and Crunchyroll, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. Across 1 season, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Takahiro Sakurai — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Available now on Crunchyroll — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason Mononoke keeps coming up in conversation. Mononoke uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. The Medicine Seller is a deadly and mysterious master of the occult who travels across feudal Japan in search of malevolent spirits called mononoke to slay. When he locates one of these spirits, he cannot simply kill it; he must first learn its Form, its Truth, and its Reason in order to wield the mighty Exorcism Sword and fight against it. He must begin his strange exorcisms with intense psychological analysis and careful investigative work—an extremely dangerous step, as he must first confront and learn about the mononoke before he even has the means to defeat it. The human element stays intact thanks to Takahiro Sakurai and Daisuke Namikawa, who anchor every scene. It was aired in 2007. The rules of Mononoke's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Mononoke a chance. If you have already watched Tokyo Ghoul, Mononoke is a natural next step. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Watch for Takahiro Sakurai in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.

Mononoke wrapped up in 2007 — and 1 season is available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.