Onimusha (2023) follows a seasoned samurai who takes on a mission to combat a supernatural evil, and he is armed with a mythical gauntlet to help. The series is streaming on Netflix.
Story
Musashi Miyamoto borrows the Oni Gauntlet to aid in his journey into the mountains where a rebellious samurai has harnessed the power of the Genma to fuel his greed. Along with other samurai, Musashi has to overcome many obstacles that have been placed before him.
Old rivals have been awoken and monsters are sent to cut off Musashi’s journey but with the gauntlet, the wisened samurai is able to fend off all threats.
However, the more he uses the gauntlet, the more his humanity is at risk. It takes a young girl to remind him that being human is what he is destined for.
Positives
The blend of drawn backgrounds and 3D CGI character models works exceptionally well in this series. This technique isn’t employed perfectly all the time, but this is one example where it succeeds.
The art style is sensational, with every minute detail so clear and crisp. The monsters are truly hideous and the character designs are distinct and eye-catching.
Negatives
The series relies on exposition far too many times, and that slows down the pace drastically. Getting through the narrative takes quite an effort without a significant payoff.
The climactic battle is a letdown and the one occasion where the over-the-top visuals are a hindrance. It isn’t as compelling as some of the other battles and even the plot suffers a dip at this point.
Verdict
Onimusha (2023) is an average adaptation of a legendary video game series as it mostly disappoints. A weak narrative and troublesome pacing drag down some brilliant visuals, leaving this as another failed adaptation across platforms.
Onimusha
Director: Takashi Miike,
Date Created: 2023-11-02 12:30
2.5
Also Read: Onimusha (2023) summary and ending explained