Highlights
- The Netflix anime adaptation of Onimusha distinguishes itself from other game adaptations by creating its own unique story while maintaining the samurai versus demons concept of the games.
- Memorable quotes from the series include Musashi’s declaration of “I’m Going Hunting, Demon Hunting,” adding to the show’s action-packed vibe.
- Onimusha explores themes of humanity, with characters like Sahei expressing concern over the protagonist’s loss of self through the use of the powerful Oni Gauntlet.
The Netflix anime adaptation of Capcom’s Onimusha franchise is a lot different from what fans probably thought it was going to be. For example, Netflix’s adaptation of Konami’s Castlevania franchise used a lot of characters from the games. Onimusha doesn’t do that, and instead creates a unique story all its own while borrowing the idea of samurai fighting demons in feudal Japan.
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Onimusha’s plot follows Miyamoto Musashi on a quest with several samurai to rid the land of demons via a powerful gauntlet infused with the power of Oni. Can Musashi lead his teammates to victory? That shall remain a mystery for now, so let us instead focus on the show’s badass, funny, and thoughtful quotes. There will be spoilers.
8 “I’m Going Hunting, Demon Hunting.”
Musashi: Episode 1
The first episode kicks off with an intense fight wherein Musashi is fighting off a bunch of monks. He’s able to fight with his bare hands, which is astounding for any capable fighter. In the end, he earns his reward, the Oni Gauntlet, which the master of the temple gives him for a rental period.
When the master, Unsyo, asks Musashi what he is going to do with it, he replies with this demon-hunting line. As far as action anime goes, it’s a good cold open to set up the story.
7 “But Enough Talking, I Challenge You.”
Kensuke: Episode 1
After acquiring the Oni Gauntlet, Musashi rejoins his traveling group of samurai who are out to kill a rebel named Iemon. After traveling a while, Musashi reveals that there is a spy in the group. This traitor is revealed to be Kensuke, the swordsman who instructed the other samurai in the group.
After multiple speeches, he’s had enough and challenges Musashi to a duel which ends quickly. The real fight against another traitor, Gensai, is where the action heats up, but Kensuke was a good warm-up for Musashi at least.
6 “What If, In The Process, Your Humanity Breaks Down?”
Sahei: Episode 6
One of the core themes of Onimusha is humanity. Humans give up their lives to serve demons via Genma, or are reawakened from the dead to become zombies. Then there is Musashi who keeps using the Oni Gauntlet and losing a bit of himself in the process.
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This line about humanity is said by Sahei. Like the other party members, he is worried about what will become of Musashi if he keeps using the Oni Gauntlet. Where should one draw the line when it comes to power?
5 “Perhaps They’re Ghosts?”
Kaizen: Episode 2
This is a callback to a previous line in episode two. At the start, the group finds themselves in a village that is seemingly abandoned. Then suddenly they see a little girl and give chase, only to see her disappear.
Heikuro comments that it must be a ghost, but Kaizen fires back about seeing a ghost in the daylight being illogical. Later on, when zombies start to ingest the village, Kaizen makes a crack to Heikuro about them being ghosts.
4 “I Invited Him To Dinner With A Rock.”
Sayo: Episode 3
Sayo is the name of the little girl from episode two. She wasn’t a ghost at all and was instead the sole survivor of the village that got wiped out thanks to Iemon’s Genma shenanigans. Even though she is young, she proves herself useful to Musashi and the others as a good cook.
She finds a rabbit in the woods for dinner and says this line to the group upon finding it. It’s a cuter way to say it, instead of mentioning she beat it to death with a rock. While true, it’s a bit less endearing when put in that way.
3 “Yoshiokas, When I Send You To Hell Again You’ll Stay There For Good.”
Musashi: Episode 4
Most of the series, up until episode four, is filled with small conflicts. It’s not until this episode that Musashi truly flexes his muscles. After the death of Goromaru, the group finds themselves cornered in an abandoned temple.
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Three brothers in the Yoshioka family, who faced Musashi before, return from the dead with newfound Genma powers. Upset over the loss of Goromaru and their imprisonment of Sayo, Musashi swears revenge upon them with this line, before absolutely dissecting them in battle.
2 “Wherever It’s Been, It’s Much Heavier Now Than It Was When It Left.”
Master Unsyo: Episode 8
This is one of the final lines of Onimusha, and it comes full circle back to the monk temple. This line is said by Master Unsyo after he retrieved the Oni Gauntlet from the temple archway. Who left it there? Was it Musashi? Is he alive after his battle with Kojiro, or did he finally die a warrior’s death?
There are certainly a good number of questions left hanging that could be answered if there is a season two. Maybe someone else will take on the Oni Gauntlet as it is now “heavy” with power.
1 “To Be The Best; Isn’t That A Good Enough Reason?”
Kojiro: Episode 7
The entirety of Onimusha is building up to the conflict with Iemon. Upon meeting him, all he gets to do is say a bunch of fancy words before his minion, Kojiro, cuts off Iemon’s arms and legs. It subverts anime expectations, as Iemon wasn’t the big bad after all.
Kojiro isn’t an evil person either, as he just came back from the dead to fight Musashi. That’s why he says this line to him before the duel. He doesn’t want to rule the country or anything like that. He just wants to be the strongest warrior Japan has ever seen.
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