| Onmyoji | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Yōjirō Takita |
| Produced by | Kazuya Hamana Tetsuji Hayashi Nobuyuki Tohya |
| Written by | Baku Yumemakura |
| Starring | Mansai Nomura Hideaki Ito Hiroyuki Sanada |
| Music by | Shigeru Umebayashi |
| Cinematography | Naoki Kayano |
| Running time | 112 min. |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Onmyoji (陰陽師) is a Japanese movie that was released in 2001 and sent to the US in 2004. Directed by Yōjirō Takita, it tells of the exploits of Abe no Seimei, the Onmyoji (also known as: The Yin Yang Master) from the court of the Emperor. He befriended bungling court noble, Minamoto no Hiromasa, who enlists his aid to defend the Heian emperor. Meanwhile, an opposing onmyoji Doson is plotting the downfall of the emperor, while attempting to frame Seimei by unleashing a horde of yōkai to do his bidding.
There are some modern depictions of Onmyoji magic involving divination, transforming paper cutouts into beautiful maidens, and the like. Mansai Nomura is a famous kyogen actor, a type of traditional theater related to noh but of a more comic nature, and this role is considered something of a big transition for him. His portrayal of Abe no Seimei has been described as including a number of 'foxy' looks, perhaps in acknowledging the folklore describing Abe no Seimei's mother as a kitsune. The lead actress, Eriko Imai, a pop singer, has very few lines and little involvement with the plot.
A sequel, Onmyoji 2, appeared in 2003. Both movies are based on the Onmyouji novels by Baku Yumemakura, which also inspired a manga series by Reiko Okano.
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