Onimusha

I have played hundreds of single player games but never touched the Onimusha games. So i can't compare this adaptation on how faithful it is to the Capcom games. So coming unfamiliar to the lore and story i am generally pleasantly surprised about how good the anime turned out with just a few minor flaws.

Overall i liked this show way more than Castlevania Nocturne which i watched recently too. And the reasons are many. This show had extremely well written dialogues, the pacing was right and the protagonist was very intriguing and grounded. The art style was also fine to me. Nothing spectacular but i didn't have a problem with it at all. It felt unique on its own. It was like watching different sets of paintings. Like it was hand drawn art style and animation. Different doesn't mean bad. The rest of the characters besides Musashi were also quite good, with each one having different personality, motive and skills. The fantasy elements in the show was also done in a way that it didn't feel bloated and it balanced the realistic action fights very well. The action felt 90% on point with only in a few occasions becoming over the top. But i also have to point out some flaws too.

First flaw for me was that the villains were not interesting. The reason is that half of them either didn't have clear motives and backstories for them to care about, or their characters were simply very straightforward and one dimensional. Second flaw for me was that the show didn't took the time to explain some of the lore and mythical elements such as the gauntlet's origins, who made it and when, how Musashi knows about it to begin with and wanted it so badly that he fought countless men risking his life to obtain it and how the monks gave it so easily based on how valuable it was. I would also have liked to see the history and the conflict from flashbacks of the gods of this universe (Oni Vs Genma) and what each one represents with their different powers. A backstory through flashbacks of Musashi when he was young fighting through duels and wars, his training and upbringing and how he became the best swordsman would have been cool to see too, even if it was for a couple of minutes. This would be such a cool idea for a prequel series without having to rely on fantasy elements and the show would work just as good or better in my opinion because Musashi was a very well written character with a great voice actor.

Overall i am satisfied with the show, because it had most of the things i asked for. Great action, art style, voice acting, writing and pacing all amazing with only flaws being the villains and the very little explanation of the fantasy elements, powers and gods of this world. Feudal Japan is such a cool concept to adapt into live action, anime or games that i really hope the trend continues. I look forward to the Shogun live action Remake TV show, Ghost of Tsusima movie but most above all i look forward for the Sekiro anime adaptation that was announced just a couple of months ago. It is very similar in concept to Onimusha . If it has that kind of passion like these creators showed in this show with just higher production values it can easily be one of the greatest animes of all time. The Fromsoftware game that won Game of the year 2019 is still considered one of the greatest action games of all time and one of my favorite games.

Onimusha caught my attention in late September when it appeared on my Twitter timeline via the Netflix Anime account. I was impressed by the trailer, particularly the stunning visuals and well-chosen music, which piqued my interest in the show. I went into it with no prior knowledge of the franchise, having never played the games or shown any prior interest in them.

Having now watched the show twice, I'm grateful that I stumbled upon that initial trailer. While the story's premise starts out simple, it becomes increasingly intriguing as the series progresses. The combination of compelling characters and sufficient exposition in the latter episodes makes the narrative the strongest aspect of the show. My main complaint revolves around the pacing, which is heavily action-oriented in the first half of the season and shifts towards a more narrative focus in the second half. Additionally, a couple of plot twists towards the end do little to enhance the story and raise questions about their inclusion.

The anime's visuals are another standout feature. Over the past few years, 3D animation has become far more impressive, with films like "Puss In Boots" and the two Spider-Man movies ("Into the Spider-Verse" and "Across the Spider-Verse") setting the standard. Despite a potentially smaller budget, Onimusha manages to maintain a high level of quality, almost on par with recent stylized 3D animations. It is a bit jarring to see it mixed up with some 2D animation in certain scenes, but I would guess that was due to budget limitations.

The action sequences are also impressive, showcasing remarkable choreography, with just a single exception in an episode that serves as a means to provide exposition. The exceptional music and visual effects contribute significantly to the fights, enhancing their sense of speed and power and distinguishing them with different color schemes. The designs of the Genma creatures are impressive and align well with the overall theme of the show.

Regarding the connection between the anime and the games, I can't provide personal input. However, from what I've read, the adaptation appears faithful to the original IP. As a standalone show, I would easily recommend Onimusha for those seeking action-packed entertainment with inventive fights and a light yet effective narrative, despite a few minor flaws.

Another alternate history anime that came out in late 2023. Unlike "Blue Eye Samurai", however, "Onimusha" is not as well-polished though it is still entertaining but limited in its very Japanese-style of storytelling, such as too much exposition.

The Good: I do like this version of MIyamoto Musashi in anime. He's flawed, but he's got skill and determination, and he's smart and honorable (in his own way), which makes him the best samurai for his time - and in all of Japanese history and even fantasy versions.

The Bad: It's not a bad anime, but it falls far short of being excellent due to some major technical issues that cannot be overlooked. Chiefly, the story and plot are a bit disjointed and nonsensical, characters are not that well developed, and the dialogue not all that great either. And then there's an annoying kid.

Overall, it's a serviceable anime and a lot better than most that are out there. But compared to the very best ones, such as "Blue Eye Samurai" its flaws become very evident. Still worth a watch.

I'm not 100% certain his to accurately articulate everything I'm feeling and thinking.

I'm glad I finished it before writing a review, however. Though not as bad as I was originally thinking, it isn't exactly awe-inspiring. There definitely are benefits to have the pseudo-cgi anime style Netflix has been developing for quite some time now. I did make the mistake of watching Blue-Eye Samurai first, which just set the bar so high it would have been impossible for anything other than Arcane to surpass it.

If you're an anime fan (meaning accustomed to anime tropes), and are fine with the cgi anime style thing, I imagine you'll probably enjoy it. Go into it with the expectation to see some cool fights and you'll be good.

To be honest, I feel conflicted about this show. I loved the games, so I really wanted to like this show and parts of it do feel very close to the games. Some of the characters and dialogue are well done.

The fighting in particular, however, was a letdown. The games delivered such aesthetic and spectacular fights, but this show fails to capture both the aesthetics and the feeling of those fights. The fights are over stylized and movements depicted so abstract, that it loses any resemblance to actual sword fighting. They end up feeling generic and became the least favourite part of this show for me... and that is a problem for a show that is supposed to be based on sword fighting games.

That is not to say the other parts all hit the mark. The style is somewhat "hit or miss", with parts of it being very atmospheric and well done, while certain scenes lack detail in a major way (waterfalls/strong currents for example look hideous in multiple scenes).

Overall not a must watch. A fan of the games might find some enjoyment in this series. Everyone else is probably better off watching Blue Eye Samurai.