2023 is officially the year of video game adaptations.The Last of Us,The Super Mario Bros. Movie,andGran Turismohave all made their way out of the console and onto the big screen. And we are here for it.But the year isn’t done yet, and we have another fan-favorite video game adaptation on the horizon with Netflix’s animeOnimusha, adapted from the Capcom game series.
The choice to adapt this particular series came as a surprise to fans, albeit a pleasant one. The first installment,Onimusha: Warlords,came out in 2001. Two more games were released in 2002 and 2004, and although the series was initially planned to be a trilogy, a fourth installment,Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams,was released in 2006. Things went quiet for the series until 2014, whenOnimusha Soul,a browser-based game, was released. Almost a decade has passed, and although the series has sold 8.6 million units worldwide, it is still only Capcom’s ninth best-selling franchise.
Luckily, fans have remained dedicated enough that the announcement of the anime adaptation has sparked a revitalization of interest in the series, both in-game and on-screen. With the release date fast approaching, here is everything we know so far aboutOnimusha.
What is the Release Date of ‘Onimusha’?
Onimushawill be released on Thursday, August 04, 2025. The series will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
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Watch the Trailer for ‘Onimusha’
The trailer forOnimushahas gained almost 2 million views in the month since its release, so it’s safe to say people are excited.
Alongside the trailer, Netflix released the following official synopsis:
Capcom’s “Onimusha,” the landmark survival action video game series set in Japan’s feudal Sengoku period, is being adapted into an anime series that will start streaming from Thursday, November 2, only on Netflix. Directed by Takashi Miike, this ambitious series will focus on Miyamoto Musashi, who is modeled after Toshiro Mifune, the Japanese film icon known around the globe. This is the beginning of an intense series full of realistic action in which Musashi’s blade slices through evil as he traverses a land plagued by poverty.
Who is the Cast of ‘Onimusha’?
Voice actorsAkio Otsuka,Aya Yamane, andKazuyuki Okitsutake the helm of this series, bringing life and emotion to the characters.
Veteran actor Akio Otsuka (who voices the protagonist Musashi Miyamoto) has over 500 credits to his name, with notable roles in classic projects likePaprika,Ghost in the Shell, andMetal Gear Solid. His voice has a unique balance of sharp and calm qualities, and has won him multiple Best Voice Actor awards in Japan.
Although only in her 20s, actor Aya Yamane (who voices Sayo) has made a name for herself voicing in internationally acclaimed projects likeAttack on Titan. Kazuyuki Okitsu (who voices Kaizen) is best known for his work in theJoJo’s Bizarre Adventurevideo game series.
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Who is Behind ‘Onimusha’?
The series is co-directed byShinya SugaiandTakashi Miike. Miike is one of the few legendary directors who can say that they have directed over 100 films and TV shows in their career, a number that is still rising. Sugai is the new director on the block, with only three directing credits to his name, one of which being a short. But this doesn’t mean he is new to the film industry. Instead, he has a strong background in the visual effects department, working over 15 years as a 3D animator and CGI modeler. One look at the action sequences in the trailer and audiences can tell that Sugai’s trained eye will expertly guide the series through its intricate battle scenes.
What Is the Plot of ‘Onimusha’?
While the four video game series provide lots of source material to pull from, it is hard to tell how strictly the series adaptation will stick to the game play until the pilot is released.
One notable difference is that the video game protagonist Samanosuke Akechi does not make an appearance in the trailer. Instead, the anime’s protagonist Miyamoto Musashi is modeled after the late Japanese screen legendToshiro Mifune, who died in 1997. Mifune is most celebrated for his collaboration with directorAkira Kurosawa. The two worked together on many influential films, includingRashomon,Seven Samurai,Yojimbo, andSanjuro. His performances in these films are considered iconic anddefined the samurai film genre.
The series, similar to the game, isset in feudal Japan during the Sengoku periodand combines historical elements with supernatural and samurai-themed elements. Early in the game, the protagonist comes into possession of an Oni Gauntlet, a mystical and powerful artifact that grants him enhanced abilities and allows him to absorb the souls of defeated demons that can be used to power up his weaponry and unlock special abilities. In the trailer, fans get their first sneak peek at Miyamoto Musashi wielding the Oni Gauntlet, right before they are treated to quick cut snippets of the epic battle sequence that ensues.
In the trailer we see Musashi given a 33-day deadline to complete a mysterious mission. Along the way the master swordsman will meet allies, like a young girl he meets who asks for his help in killing the samurai who destroyed her family and down. But he will also encounter enemies, both human and supernatural. He faces human enemies who believe samurai are all miserable and should be exterminated, and supernatural enemies who he must outwit. In a later part of the trailer, Musashi is assigned the mission of eliminating the Genma, a demonic race that acts as the antagonistic force in the Capcom series. He must then capture their souls and store them in the Oni Gauntlet.
Much like the video game, the series will explore classic samurai film themes of honor, duty, and the struggle against evil. It combines historical events and characters with a supernatural twist, creating a unique blend of action, horror, and samurai mythology that two decades after the original video game release fans still can’t get enough of.
