Onimusha (series)
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Onimusha (Japanese: 鬼武者, literally "Oni Warrior") is a PlayStation 2 action-adventure game series by Capcom. Each game features a protagonist along with others that they encounter and befriend. The protagonist wields the power of the Oni enabling them to fight the Genma, the main enemy of the series. The game makes use of the historic figures who shaped Japan’s history, retelling their stories with supernatural elements. These figures are often allied with a demonic race called the Genma and attempt to take control of the world in some way, their historically spectacular rise to power explained through this influence.
The game is a combination of third person combat and puzzle solving. The game also has a system of absorbing souls from defeated enemies to restore health, accumulate power to infuse within weapons and armor to improve their capabilities, and provide power for the elemental attacks of special weapons. Onimusha is Capcom's 4th biggest franchise, behind the Resident Evil, Mega Man and Street Fighter series respectively (with Devil May Cry as a fifth one). The series has sold 6.9 million copies to date, although these sales may have increased since the U.S. and European releases of Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams.
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[edit] Gameplay
The gameplay of the Onimusha series is roughly based off of the mechanics from Capcom's horror survival franchise, Resident Evil. In Onimusha, the player is placed in the role of a skilled swordsman who, with the help of an Oni Gauntlet in earlier chapters of the series, sets about slaying various demons during the waning years of the Warring States period in feudal Japan.
The control scheme of Onimusha resembles that found in the Resident Evil series. The player controls their character using the D-Pad (although later games introduced analog stick control) and travels in a fairly linear method, able to rotate slowly with the input of an opposing direction. Characters tend to move slowly and can only slightly increase their speed with the dash maneuver by tapping twice in any direction. Characters cannot perform basic actions that have been taken for granted in other action oriented titles such as jumping and in being able to grab or mantle over obstacles. Adventures take place in a variety of settings, ranging from an enclosed facility, a village, or a forest wilderness.
Unlike the Resident Evil series (with the exception of Resident Evil 4, and possibly Resident Evil 3: Nemesis), Onimusha is very action oriented with a heavy emphasis on combat. This tends to force the franchise out from the survival horror genre, as it is more along the lines of an action adventure with only a few horror inspired elements. The player takes on the role of the hunter and uses a various arsenal of destructive weaponry, ranging from regular katana to elemental-based broadswords. The player does, however, possess a limited supply of spiritual energy which can be used for magical attacks. These magical attacks, which vary depending on what weapon is equipped, and other offensive attributes can be raised throughout the game by accumulation of souls from defeated enemies. By this, the player becomes stronger and stronger nearing the game's conclusion.
[edit] Oni Gauntlet
Central to the first three major chapters of the Onimusha franchise and, to some extent, in fourth chapter is what is known as the Oni Gauntlet. This is the Gauntlet that was given to Samanosuke in Onimusha: Warlords and was created by the power of the council of the twelve Oni Gods. It absorbs souls (see Nature of Souls), gives power to Samanosuke's weapons and changes the color of the orb in its center to match with that of the corresponding weapon, allows him to achieve an Oni Awakening, and is capable of functioning with other Oni items such as the Oni Army Orb.
Yagyu Jubei's mystical parentage through Takajou enabled him to use Oni power without the need for the Gauntlet. This was also repeated with Soki, who was revealed to be the reincarnated Oni God of Darkness. On the other hand, while Samanosuke and Jacques both had Oni Gauntlets, only Samanosuke could become the Onimusha. It is likely that Samanosuke was chosen by the twelve Oni gods enabling this, while Jacques was granted power by only one of them. Additionally, Jacques' gauntlet began with a red sheen, turning to gold as it gained more power.
In the third game, Samanosuke had been sent to modern Paris and thus his Gauntlet had reverted back to its original bluish color and all of his previous weapons (Raizan, Enryuu and Shippu) were lost since he was in a different timeline. However, he was able to restore his Gauntlet to its true potential by reabsorbing more souls, regaining new weapons (namely Tenso, Kuga and Chigo). Later, he was able to fuse the power of his Gauntlet with the Gauntlet of his past deceased self when he returned to his proper time. This gave him two gauntlets, thus allowing him to achieve his Ultimate Onimusha form.
After defeating Nobunaga, he absorbed the Genma Lord's souls. Unlike the souls of other Genma, these were a dark-hollow, green color that gave the Gauntlet and its gem a dark red sheen. This symbolized that the gauntlet had sealed away the essence of the Genma Lord. This was also the reason he had to seal the Gauntlet away. Years later, as the God of Darkness was reincarnated as Soki, Samanosuke lost most of his power as the Onimusha and thus the Oni Gauntlet lost all its potential, turning his hair grey within a short period of time after losing part of the Oni Mystic Power. The only power that remained in the Oni Gauntlet was the sole power of the Genma Lord retained from Nobunaga.
In the fourth game, Tenkai/Samanosuke utilized this power against the Genma Army and even achieved an Oni Awakening with it, before it was transferred to Soki. At that point, Nobunaga's power was unsealed in the final duel against the resurrected Fortinbras. This Oni Awakening was a result of the Genma Lord's power since that was the only power left in the Gauntlet, explaining why he wasn't able to use the same moves or the same weapons that he did in the previous games.
[edit] Onimusha vs. the Genma Lord
Another central theme to the series involves the main protagonist as the Onimusha fighting against the forces of the Genma Lord. Both personages are polar opposites of each other and represent the unending struggle between the Genma and the Oni Clan.
In the fourth game, it was revealed that the God of Light had created the Genma, and the God of Darkness for the Oni. The God of Light, Fortinbras, was the Genma Lord and the main villain of Onimusha: Warlords, with Oda Nobunaga playing a more peripheral role. After Fortinbras' defeat, his essence was passed to Nobunaga, becoming the new Genma Lord. After Nobunaga's defeat, Hideyoshi was used as a vessel for the reincarnation of Fortinbras. The God of Darkness was the first Onimusha and each subsequent Onimusha is a being who channels his power. In the second game, Yagyu Jubei was able to use five special orbs created by the Oni to transform himself into the next Onimusha. When Jubei underwent an Oni Awakening, he was able to shoot beams of light.
These abilities were transferred to his Onimusha form as Jubei used the arm cannon formed on his left hand. In the third game, it was revealed that two gauntlets were needed for Samanosuke to become the next Onimusha. This is why a second gauntlet was given to Jacques. However, Jacques' gauntlet was consumed as it was used to resurrect Jacques' son who died during the events of Onimusha 3: Demon Siege.
However, Samanosuke was spirited away by the Oni following the death of his alternate self at the hands of Nobunaga. By combining the gauntlet of his alternate self from the other timeline, he was able to become the next Onimusha. This version of the Onimusha had a gauntlet on each of his hands and absorbed souls through an orb on his chest. In the fourth game, it is revealed that Soki, unlike the other Onimusha, was a reincarnation of the Omnipotent God of Darkness. Hence his title "Black Oni". In order for him to achieve his Ultimate Onimusha Mode, he awakened the sealed power of Nobunaga, the deceased Genma Lord’s power which was held within Tenkai's Oni Gauntlet. In his Onimusha Mode, Soki wears shining armor with dark colors beneath it while flying in combat to attack Fortinbras (who in his true form has a human appearance and wears merely a white Western suit).
[edit] Important Notes
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- Translation - It is important to note that when translating words from one language to another, some of the meaning in the words tend to be lost. For example, in many of the games the word "demon" was used to describe both the Oni and the Genma. Since the two clans are different, this led to some confusion about who was who. In the fourth game, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, many villagers were calling Soki "the Blue Demon"; they should, in fact, have called him the Blue Oni because he has no affiliation with the Genma who can be considered to be more "demonic" given their intentions. Another criticism that has been voiced is the use of the word "Ogre" to describe the Oni clan. While the physical appearance of the Oni within the game lend some credence to this definition, their benevolent nature indicates otherwise; thus "Ogre" seems like a very inappropriate term.
- Nature of Souls - Souls, as they are represented in Onimusha, do not represent the "spiritual energy" of an individual as the general definition may indicate. This is further demonstrated by the ability of the player to harvest souls from defeated foes, living opponents as they are wounded, and from relics. Other items can control the type of soul that is released; whether it be a blue, red, yellow or purple soul. In this sense, the term is used as a general classification for the different forms of energy that the Oni warriors are able to absorb. Yellow souls replenish life force, blue souls replenish magical ability, and purple souls can fuel an Oni Awakening for characters that are able to make use of the ability. Finally, red souls are used to improve weapons and armor.
- Science (Genma) - Both the Genma and the Oni are shown to possess a level of science that goes beyond anything that the humans possess. In the first game, it is revealed that many human leaders have forged pacts with the Genma over the centuries, during which the Genma would lend the humans their technology in exchange for being provided with countless humans to feast upon. These technologies include a mechanical ship as seen in Onimusha: Samurai's Destiny and a device that allowed Guildenstern, a Genma villain, to fly with during his fight with Samanosuke. There are also indications of their ability to manipulate biology. Examples include Genma that would split into two if not killed properly, or powerful Genma created through science such as Marcellus.
- Science (Oni) - Throughout the series, details concerning Oni technology are scarce. Although the Oni Gauntlet is the most visible relic of the Oni in the series, it was created through magic. Onimusha: Samurai's Destiny revealed more examples of their technology such as a mechanical horse. The most notable accomplishment appears to be their ability to create temporal distortions (such as creating portals; this was demonstrated with an Oni Battalion Orb that housed an entire army of Oni Warriors summoned by Samanosuke); a science that Guildenstern quickly learned.
- Dark/Phantom Realm - In most of the titles, this is called the Dark Realm and in others it is known as the Phantom Realm. The portal to this world is controlled by a race known as the Mino Clan. In most games, only one person of this race, Minogoro, a midget aged-man hanging upside-down by a rope, is shown. In the fourh game, another of this race, named Minokichi, the son of Minogoro, is revealed. The Mino clan have the power to teleport themselves and others to places they're already visited. They also hold control over the portal of the dark realm. One theory states that this place was created by the Oni and many Genma were sealed in it. Those who travel there are faced with the imprisoned Genma and must survive their attacks as they travel deeper into the Realm. By surviving these many trials, Oni warriors are able to gain find different items and weapons that the Oni of the past had wielded and left in this place in order to safeguard them against those who would abuse their power.
- Physical Appearances - The Genma seem to be a very diverse race. There are many different types of monsters who are classified with the name Genma. It is likely then to not consider the Genma as one species, but a collection of different species, including humans that have become corrupted by their power such as Nobunaga and his loyal underling, Mori Ranmaru. The Oni, on the other hand, do not seem to be as diverse. They can appear angelic such as when Takajou, who made an appearance in Onimusha 2, was seen flying in the air with a strange white glow around her, dressed in Chinese-styled clothing with the body of a woman with a serpentine tail. However, there are theories that question this, placing her with a different mystical race related to or associated with the Oni as opposed to being Oni. While no female Oni have been revealed, there were twelve Oni Gods all of whom appear to be male such as those that gave Samanosuke the Oni Gauntlet. One of these male Oni was also seen giving Jacques (Onimusha 3: Demon Siege) a new Gauntlet, although the Oni bore little resemblance to Takajou. That Oni had a humanoid body with a ghastly appearance.
- Weapons - Throughout the different games, there are a number of weapons that can be collected by the player and found in the most unlikely of places such as within a church or below a road in modern day France. This is because the Oni are masters of dimensional technology and thus have made it so that their warriors can access different mystical weapons from locations that surpass the limits of place or time. Each warrior has a certain set of weapons made available for them, not to mention that each of them have a particular "ultimate" weapon that can be found within the Dark Realm. Even though the Realm and its challenges remain the same, each weapon that is received depends on the warrior who undergoes the trials. Samanosuke's ultimate weapon was the Bishamon sword in both games that he appeared in; Jacques' ultimate weapon was the Ultimate Whip and Soki's ultimate weapon was the Gokumonji (which is similar only in appearance to Genma Samonji). All the ultimate weapons radiate a purple glow similar to the Oni Gods; however the ones in the fourth game did not. This is presumably because the characters were not blessed directly by the Oni gods, despite making their way through the Dark Realm. The same factor holds true to the original Jubei in the second game, as his ultimate weapon was the Rekka-ken, a powerful red broadsword that used the power of fire.
- Onimusha Weapon - Each Onimusha seems to have a particular special weapon. While certain warriors blessed with the power of the Oni such Jacques can access different weapons, it is only the Onimusha who can receive a particularly special weapon when they unlock their true Onimusha form which is different and obviously more powerful than when they merely undergo an Oni Awakening. For example, Jubei Yagyu from the second game had an arm cannon in his left hand that released lasers and Samanosuke had the Onimusha Sword which glowed with a rainbow-like color when it was powered up. In Dawn of Dreams, Soki had a red sword on his back which was launched through the air and used to purify/damage his opponents. But this particular blade was only physically wielded as a dual weapon when he was in his true Onimusha form. Soki's True Onimusha transformation also had a move called "Ultimate Critical"; where Soki would swing both swords in massive speed and attack his enemy with his energy channelled through the blades.
- Oni Awakening vs Onimusha Mode - Those blessed with the powers of the Oni are able to undergo an Oni Awakening; a temporary state during which they able to access Oni powers. During Jubei Yagyu's Oni Awakening, he was able to shoot lasers from his left hand which was where he had absorbed Genma souls. In the third game, whenever Jacques or Samanosuke underwent an Oni Awakening, they can stab their weapons in the ground to release a shockwave of purple energy. This difference in technique is most likely a result of the fact that Jubei has Oni blood within him, since he was the son of Takajou (who, as previously noted, may be an Oni). Samanosuke and Jacques are humans who have been granted powers by the Oni Clan. In the fourth game, however, Soki does not have any special techniques that he can use in his Oni Awakening. However, the Onimusha Mode is something that is rarely seen. All the different Onimusha undergo radical changes to their physical appearance, sometimes accompanied with an almost traditional head of silver hair, in both their Onimusha and Oni Awakening modes. Since the Onimusha is the one channeling the power of the Oni God of Darkness, there can only be one Onimusha at any one time.
[edit] External links
- Shin Onimusha Information
- Sinjin's Onimusha 2 Samurai's Strategy Guide
- Official PC version homepage
- Onimusha Series at MobyGames
- Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams Screenshots Gallery
