Netflix's Bonkers New Anime Series Is Basically Resident Evil With Samurai
Even those who aren't very familiar with gaming as a hobby will be well aware of the "Resident Evil" series. After nearly 30 years of new entries, it's likely developer Capcom's biggest active franchise after all. What you may not know, however, is that the popularity of the zombie-killing franchise also went on to inspire similar games about fighting dinosaurs with "Dino Crisis" and battling demons with "Onimusha."
While Netflix has already done a "Resident Evil" series and a "Dragon's Dogma" series, it looks like they're coming back for more with their upcoming anime adaptation of "Onimusha." The series will follow Musashi Miyamoto (Akio Otsuka), an aging samurai, as he attempts to use the Oni Gauntlet to eradicate the demons who haunt Edo-era Japan.
Drawing from some of the best and brightest in Japanese cinema, the series has modeled its main character after "Seven Samurai" star Toshiro Mifune and will be overseen by supervising director Takashi Miike. He is best known for his often gruesome and over-the-top genre films, including "Ichi the Killer," "Audition," and "13 Assassins."
Netflix seems to be working well with Capcom thus far
Meanwhile, Shinya Sugai will be operating as the director of the "Onimusha" series. Sugai has previously worked as a director on the "Dragon's Dogma" series for Netflix, as well as the "Shikizakura" anime series. Prior to these projects, Sugai also worked on visual effects for two of the "Evangelion" remakes and a "Psycho-Pass" film, among many others.
Though a previous attempt at a samurai anime series, "Yasuke," failed to resonate with viewers despite its critical acclaim, it doesn't look like that's stopping Netflix from chasing their next anime hit with "Onimusha." Furthermore, with an upcoming "Devil May Cry" series also in the works, it would appear that the streamer is developing a pretty solid working relationship with Capcom.
The series is also set to star Daika Yamashita of "My Hero Academia," Makoto Furukawa of "One-Punch Man," and Toshihiko Seki, an industry legend with over 30 years of voice-acting experience. While "Onimusha" may not have the name recognition of some of Capcom's other big franchises, it could succeed anyway based on the talent behind the adaptation. How the story will translate to a serialized anime, though, will remain to be seen when the series is released on November 2, 2023.