Swords, samurai, and skeletons: Here’s the first look at Netflix’s anime adaptation of an underrated 2000s video game

It has flown under the radar somewhat but, yes, Netflix is making an anime adaptation of Onimusha, the hack-and-slash series that emerged as a Capcom cult classic in the early-to-mid 2000s.

While Onimusha, out on November 2, doesn’t appear to be a direct adaptation of any four of the console titles – with apologies to Jean Reno – it retains all of the stylish flair and samurai action that made the franchise a low-key success 20 years ago.

Following the story of real-life swordsman and strategist Miyamoto Musashi, Onimusha sees the peace and prosperity of the early Edo Period interrupted by invading demons. Musashi, with his mystical Oni Gauntlet, is tasked with destroying the impending threat – while protecting those close to him.

At first glance, Onimusha looks seriously impressive. We’re not far removed from other acclaimed adaptations in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Arcane. It’s early days but this looks to be cut from the same cloth and could wiggle its way into some top-10 lists by the year’s end.

It’s also bolstered by some considerable talent. Audition’s Takashi Miike is on supervising director duties, while Dragon’s Dogma anime director Shinya Sugai and studio Sublimation. You may notice that Musashi is also modelled after Toshiro Mifune, the legendary actor who frequently collaborated with Akira Kurosawa and starred in seminal Japanese movies Seven Samurai and – if I’m remembering this correctly – Rashomon.