"The Morose Mononokean" is an anime about a high school boy, Hanae Ashiya, who gets a youkai attached to him and seeks help from a morose exorcist, Haruitsuki Abeno, who owns a tea room called the Mononokean. Abeno reluctantly agrees to help, but only for a fee that Ashiya cannot afford, so he must work off the debt by becoming an employee at the Mononokean. Together, they work to guide youkai back to the Underworld, with Ashiya's unique influence over youkai proving helpful. 