Onmyoji (2023) follows Minamoto Hiromasa and Abe Seimei as they tackle various demonic and supernatural threats in the capital of Heian Kyo. The series is streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary:
Minamoto Hiromasa is the grandson of Emperor Daigo and a musical prodigy. When a demon woman traveling to the palace threatens the safety of the capital, Hiromasa visits the Bureau of the Onmyo to find someone who can help.
He is pointed toward Abe Seimei, an onmyoji with a peculiar reputation due to his unique appearance. Hiromasa pleads with Seimei to help and is successful with his request.
They confront the demon and Seimei deduces that it is a woman scorned by the Emperor long ago. He tricks the demon using an illusion of the emperor and exorcizes it.
Seimei assumes that his interactions with Hiromasa would end at that point, but he is mistaken. When Lord Kaneie is reduced to a talking head, Hiromasa is sent to Seimei for help getting his body back.
Kaneie states that he challenged the demon of Sazaku Gate in exchange for a woman of peerless beauty but then reneged on the deal, losing his body as punishment.
Seimei researches the demon and learns they have an affliction for the flute. He and Hiromasa carry out a ruse so that Hiromasa can look for the demon’s magical flute, Two Leaves. Hiromasa plays it and wins the favor of the demon because of his magnificent talent.
Sensing some mischief at play, Semiei visits Lady Ashiya Doman, another onmyoji. Doman likes to play games with Seimei and unfortunate individuals are usually caught in between.
A young girl is resurrected to please a grieving woman, and Seimei and Hiromasa have to help them both attain peace. They also help the wandering spirit of an aspiring poet pass on after helping him realize the significance of his friendship with a poet demon.
When Lady Tsuyuko comes in possession of a sekisanko, Seimei wants to inspect it because they are usually evil creatures. Doman had hoped that Tsuyuko would raise it and then she would claim it as her Shiki, but it emerges as a benevolent sekisanko.
As Hiromasa and Seimei spend more time with each other, they grow closer as friends. Hiromasa’s mentor, Lord Atsumi arrives in the village and marvels at his pupil’s ability with Two Leaves.
Seimei helps the Toji Temple unravel a mystery involving dead insects and also aids in the birth of a new dragon. However, Hiromasa and Seimei are attacked by a demon who releases a sekisanko that enters Seimei’s body.
Seimei’s senior, Kamo Yasunori attempts to help but cannot figure out a way to do so. Hiromasa holds onto Seimei’s hand and gets a glimpse at his memories as a child when he was constantly bullied for being different and talented.
Hiromasa gets desperate and goes to Doman for help. Atsumi is there too and she says that he can pray to Lord Taizan, the god responsible for human lifespans. However, he must exchange something of equal value and Hiromasa chooses his talent with the flute.
When Seimei recovers, he attempts to find out who placed the curse on him with Hiromasa’s help. Hiromasa keeps his sacrifice a secret from Seimei.
Their doubts lie on Yasunori, but it is actually Atsumi who is the demon and his real target was Hiromasa because he was jealous that his pupil surpassed him.
Atsumi kills Hiromasa and Seimei is devastated. Yasunori reveals that he managed to save Hiromasa’s soul which means that he can still be brought back to life.
Seimei sets a plan to hold a Lord Taizan Ceremony with Yasunori and Doman’s help. He lures Atsumi there as well and brings Hiromasa back to save Atsumi and disappears.
Onmyoji (2023) ending explained in detail:
How does Hiromasa defeat Atusmi?
Hiromasa doesn’t wish to fight Atsumi and keeps dodging the demon’s attacks. Doman tells him that to turn Atsumi back, he must cut off his horns which are a source of poison.
Hiromasa tries to talk sense into Atsumi and after cutting off one horn, his words begin to affect Atsumi who does his best to fight back against his demon self.
With sufficient distraction, Hiromasa is able to cut off Atsumi’s other horn as well and end the battle.
What happens in the capital?
While performing the ceremony, several evil spirits are released which Doman and Yasunori try to hold back. Tsuyuko also assists them with her sekisanko.
As Hiromasha defeats the demon Atsumi, Yasunori performs a spell to repel all the evil spirits right at the source, clearing up the skies.
How is Atsumi turned back?
Despite having his horns cut off, Atsumi continues to be in demon form. Seimei shows up once again and Atsumi asks to be exorcised.
Seimei obliges despite Hiromasa’s protestations but before he goes, Atsumi asks if he can exchange his talent for Hiromasa’s. He begins playing the flute and Seimei tells Hiromasa to join in.
When they finish performing, Atsumi is turned back to his human form as Seimei explains that his obsession with the flute is what drove him to madness, and by giving it up willingly, he regained his humanity.
How did Seimei survive?
Seimei tricked Lord Taizan by asking Doman to create a sekisanko in his image as an offering. It was created from all the ill will and insults that the people of the court hurled at Seimei.
He drained a sliver of their lifespans and added it to his. To convince Taizan of the value of his decoy, he also offered up his true name. He tells Hiromasa that onmyoji avoid sharing their true names to ward them from curses.