Latest news with #MiyamotoMusashi
Geek Culture
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword' Performs Thrilling Dance Of Steel, Blood, And Refreshed Tradition
Looking back at the 24-year-and-counting legacy of Onimusha , it's easy to forget that the series' origins date back to the very first Resident Evil game. The evolution of an idea exploring a ninja counterpart to Capcom's survival horror franchise, it has grown into its own identity, establishing a foothold in hack-and-slash gameplay, supernatural elements, and historical influence – so much so that Resident Evil 4 came full circle by taking inspiration from 2004's Onimusha 3: Demon Siege . Resurfacing after nearly two decades of absence is Onimusha: Way of the Sword , set to be a highly anticipated return to feudal Japan, with new protagonist Miyamoto Musashi taking centre stage. The title wastes little time in cementing its devotion to samurai authenticity, which features the likeness of Mifune Toshiro – the renowned Japanese actor best known for starring in Akira Kurosawa films like Seven Samurai , The Hidden Fortress , and Yojimbo – as the face model for the swordsman. It's a neat, even poetic, reference to his role as Musashi in Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy movies in the 1950s, while honouring the motion capture tradition that started with Japanese-Taiwanese star Takeshi Kaneshiro for the original game. Yusaku Matsuda contributed to the sequel, and Jean Reno, in the third instalment, all portraying historic figures who have shaped Japan's history. The franchise's latest frontman is no different, inspired by his real-world counterpart known for his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated 62-match streak. A silver of that might was the focus of an exclusive hands-off preview held for select media, showcasing combat gameplay, story premise, and revamped visuals. Taking place in a stage set at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the 20-minute demonstration points to a strong, hopeful revival in the form of punchy, blood-soaked action, vast demon variety, and a modern twist on traditional gameplay. The overall narrative beats are established in the opening moments: Musashi is on a quest to become the greatest swordsman in the world, battling anyone and everyone in his path. However, he receives the Oni Gauntlet against his will, wanting to be rid of it as he strives to become the master of the sword through his own power. Onimusha: Way of the Sword brings him to the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which has been afflicted with Malice, generated by the Genma, or demons, accumulating in the area. As exposed individuals who will soon perish, Musashi infiltrates the locale to vanquish the Genma. Coming in three generations after the previous entry in the series, the visual facelift is immediately prominent. Particle effects, such as swirling red-tinted clouds in the skies – a result of the Malice – and fog, add more realism, while enhanced textures make the world look better than ever before. There's also an emphasis on cinematic storytelling, with close-up shots of Musashi revealing articulate facial expressions and subtle detailing, right down to the tendons and veins in his arms. Entering battle yields a familiar yet fresh experience. Like its predecessors, the upcoming slash fest marks the return of soul absorption, in which killing enemies rewards players with different types of souls: blue powers skills, yellow regenerates health, and red provides experience points. Souls disappear after some time, so knowing when to absorb them feeds into gameplay strategy, and veterans should feel right at home getting back into the swing (no pun intended) of things. The Onimusha enjoyment isn't complete without Issen, though. Mastering the way of the sword requires the series' signature ability to perform a fast evade and counterattack, and preview lifts the curtain on three out of the five that have been introduced across all of its titles: the basic manoeuvre, Haijiki Issen / Deflect Issen, or Issen Dance / Chain Issen. Working the same way as before, the first mechanic triggers a critical hit when the attack button is pressed at the right time during an enemy's blow. Similarly, Deflect Issen sees players sending enemy projectiles back and deflecting frontal attacks if they block just an attack that's about to land, with Chain Issen kicking the action into overdrive by stringing a successful Issen after another, before it ends on a leaping slash. The hands-off nature of the preview makes it difficult to gauge how the sensation will feel during actual gameplay, particularly when it comes to haptic feedback on the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. According to Capcom, Issen execution promises 'a very satisfying feeling of cutting through enemies', and it does look like such. A crisp metallic sound rings through the air whenever Musashi locks blades with others, and there's weight behind each blow – a visceral touch accentuated through Break Issen, allowing players to target different parts of the body to disable attacks. The nifty mechanic is hardly the only tweak to the swordplay formula. Guarding now provides cover from all directions (Musashi's posture can still be broken after multiple hits), and the use of the surroundings is put into focus through parrying, which redirects hostile targets into a wall or the immediate environment. Spicing up gameplay beyond the usual dice-and-slice fare, it unlocks more ways to wreak destruction, such as redirecting enemies into a torch and setting them on fire, or lifting a table to block an arrow, then slamming it into them. Deflect enough blows, and Musashi will enter a powered-up state that deals more damage against foes. Attacking in this state creates more blue souls, allowing for quicker, more regular activation of his skills, including one which swaps out the katana for two swords – a nice little ode to the historical figure's dual-bladed tendencies – that land faster strikes and spits out health-regenerating yellow souls upon successful attacks. As per tradition, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set to introduce new Genma types, each with their own characteristics and abilities. The Hitotsume Gasa, for instance, wields swords, a bow, and shields, and attacks in groups, while the Kubi Akari, a floating soul-sucking variant, is capable of grabbing players before self-destructing. Elsewhere, a ninja-like species uses doppelganger projections to evade strikes. The boss fights are the highlight, however, and the hands-off preview shifts its focus to Sasaki Ganryu, a rival swordsman who also wields an Oni Gauntlet, and a gargantuan, tanky Genma called Byakue. Unlike common foes, these hard hitters have a second gauge under their health bar that decreases with every deflected attack and staggers the enemy when fully depleted, opening the window for a Break Issen. Both opponents ooze a distinctive design – the former, shown in a trailer unveiled during Summer Game Fest 2025, is a bloodthirsty, deranged blur of speed, while the latter becomes stronger the more it's soaked in its own blood. Another welcome cultural nod comes in the form of the paper talisman, or ofuda, covering Byakue's body, said to ward off evil spirits and misfortune, alongside the addition of the Japanese flute to the battle music, which, by the way, is a head-bopper that adds to the adrenaline rush. The varied attacking patterns and styles keep players on their toes, requiring different strategies to handle the threat. Pressing the dodge button in time and before the final blast triggers a grab reversal against Kubi Akari, and deflecting the Byakue's axe attacks takes out all enemies in the vicinity. From the look of things, swordplay is shaping up to be a thrilling, high-octane time, with flying enemies potentially being one of the more annoying forces to defeat, even when locked on. Just a small gripe, but it'd be great if enemy lines could have more variety, especially since Ganryu seems to have mastered the art of trash-talking. Outside of swordplay, Onimusha: Way of the Sword introduces Oni Vision for a puzzle-solving element to progression. This new feature can detect and reveal hidden objects, including invisible Genma blocking the entrance to a location; defeating them opens up the path forward. Dark Mass comes in as the other new flourish, described as the embodiment of the resentment and negative energy of those who have been killed nearby. A narrative device, it relives memories related to the Malice when absorbed, allowing Musashi to witness events that occurred in the past, such as a scene of a father forced to throw his child off the temple. It sets up a gritty tone for storytelling, especially with the parallel to a real anecdote, steeped in mystical intrigue through the manifestation of the Oni Gauntlet as a mysterious female voice, also hinted at in the latest trailer. 19 years is a long time to be away, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword appears to be steadily slashing its way to an encouraging leap into a new generation. While there were some slight stumbles and hiccups in the hands-off preview, the sneak peek at a parry-heavy spectacle and visual polish proved scintillating, if brief, serving as the evolution of an honoured tradition. Now, the wait to play as Musashi awaits. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will be released sometime in 2026 . Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Capcom Geek Preview Onimusha Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Onimusha: Way Of The Sword' Brings Toshiro Mifune Back To Life
A youthful likeness of famous actor Toshiro Mifune will be used in 'Onimusha: Way of the Sword'. The latest entry in the long-running Onimusha series takes us to a corrupted Kyoto with youthful Toshiro Mifune as our guide. Specifically, Toshiro Mifune's likeness has been used for the main character of the game, Miyamoto Musashi, who in turn is a famous Japanese historical figure. This is very much in line with prior Onimusha games, as Takeshi Kaneshiro's likeness was used in the first game and Yusaku Matsuda's likeness in the second. The Onimusha games also use notable figures from Japanese history, and Miyamoto Musashi is arguably one of its most famous. Musashi was a legendary swordsman and undefeated in combat, so much so that his duels with other samurai are the stuff of legend. The latter is also noteworthy here, as Sasaki Ganryu is also present in this new Onimusha game as a rival antagonist who also wields an Oni Gauntlet. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Whether Musashi will defeat Kojiro in the same way he did historically remains to be seen, but I always find this repurposing of history both fun and interesting in the Onimusha games. This new entry also looks very impressive, not only graphically but also functionally. While the older Onimusha games took their functional guidance from the fixed camera setup in the Resident Evil games, this looks more like Nioh or Sekiro in terms of combat, and that's a definite improvement. It also seems that Onimusha: Way of the Sword will be playable at this year's Gamescom in August, so it will be interesting to see what people think of the game after getting to play it properly. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will be released in 2026 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, via Steam. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
Geek Culture
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Onimusha: Way of the Sword' Shows Off Fierce Slashing Action Against Genma Demons
With a title like Onimusha: Way of the Sword , it's only fair to assume that there will be plenty of slashing action laying in wait. A new trailer unveiled at Summer Game Fest 2025 has put that into focus, showcasing the various combat encounters that stand in the way of protagonist Miyamoto Musashi. First up is swordsman Sasaki Ganryu and wielder of the Oni Gauntlet, just like Musashi, who engages in trash talking as he locks swords with the latter. Then, there are the Genma Demons: Daidara, a towering demon that uses a bludgeoning club to wreak havoc, and Kubi Akari, a floating, soul-consuming variant. The 'Issen' technique – a swift strike executed just before an enemy's attack lands (akin to a perfect parry) – was also revealed, alongside a pair of hammer-like dual weapons, a new stage, and a mysterious woman who appears at the end of the clip. 'Fight through bloodbaths of intense swordplay action. Explore the historic Japanese capital of Edo-era Kyoto, twisted by malevolent clouds of Malice. With every stage cloaked in mystery, danger and intrigue. Battle against monstrosities from the underworld known as Genma in a tale of dark fantasy', reads the synopsis for Onimusha: Way of the Sword . 'Follow the tale of a samurai who wields the Oni Gauntlet, a mystical artifact that grants its bearer the power to slay Genma. Through gritty, blood-soaked brawls, he searches for his reason to fight. What fate awaits at the end of his path?' The upcoming mainline entry is the first in the series since 2006's Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams , making it a long-awaited and highly-anticipated revival. First announced at The Game Awards last year, it will arrive sometime in 2026, the same year that Resident Evil: Requiem is due to launch. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Vagabond: The timeless manga masterpiece that deserves an anime
Credits: VIZ Vagabond, the critically acclaimed manga by Takehiko Inoue , stands tall as one of the greatest stories ever told in the samurai genre — and arguably, in all of manga. Based on Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi, the manga adapts the life of Japan's legendary swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi , with breathtaking artwork, deep philosophy, and brutal honesty. Even though it hasn't yet received an anime adaptation , fans across the globe continue to hold out hope. With a story that balances intense swordfights and emotional introspection, Vagabond could redefine anime storytelling if ever brought to screen. A samurai's journey like no other Vagabond begins with a young and hot-blooded Takezō Shinmen, who later takes the name Miyamoto Musashi. After surviving the Battle of Sekigahara, he sets out on a path to become 'invincible under the sun.' But Vagabond isn't just a tale of swordplay and conquest. It's a human story. As Musashi challenges powerful opponents and walks the bloodied path of the sword, he also faces himself — his fears, regrets, and search for meaning. Credits: VIZ The manga masterfully contrasts Musashi's journey with that of Kojirō Sasaki, a deaf-mute swordsman with a natural grace and silent strength. Their parallel development builds toward one of the most anticipated duels in manga history, all while questioning what true strength really means. Takehiko Inoue's art elevates the storytelling to another level. His brushwork, reminiscent of classical Japanese ink paintings, captures stillness and motion with haunting beauty. From detailed battle sequences to quiet moments of reflection, each panel is a work of art — raw, expressive, and timeless. Why an anime adaptation could be historic Credits: VIZ Despite its global success, Vagabond has never been adapted into an anime. Many believe it's because of the manga's complexity, mature tone, and irregular publishing schedule — Inoue has taken multiple hiatuses, and the story remains unfinished as of 2025. But that hasn't stopped the fanbase from growing. The emotional depth, philosophical themes, and rich historical setting make it ideal for a prestige anime series. A faithful anime adaptation could change the way people view action-oriented historical anime. In a time when stories like Vinland Saga and Kingdom have found success, Vagabond could be the next big leap — not just as a samurai epic, but as a profound visual meditation on life, war, and peace. Studios like MAPPA , Ufotable, or even Studio Ghibli (for its mature themes and grounded visuals) would be ideal candidates to bring this tale to life. The legacy of Vagabond Even without an anime, Vagabond has already influenced a generation of artists and storytellers. It isn't just about duels and swords — it's about evolving as a human being. Musashi's journey from an angry youth to a mindful warrior is something readers across cultures connect with. Credits: VIZ The manga's ability to blend action, art, and introspection makes it one of the few titles that feels both epic and deeply personal. It's the kind of story that lingers in your thoughts long after you've put it down. And if it ever comes to screens, it could become one of the most important anime of its time. Until then, Vagabond remains a quiet giant — a reminder that some of the most powerful stories are the ones still waiting to be told.
