I ran into this cartoon by accident and really enjoyed the animation. I have never seen an Anime movie that used a lot of videogame like CGI and combined well with the drawings. I do like some Japanese animated movies, like Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, etc. So I'm used to watching only the best anime.
The story line is quite similar to a lot of generic anime. Where our hero seeks out new powers and slings balls of energy and the like. But Onimusha had a slightly different take on leveling up his samurai super powers. I loved the idea of the magic gauntlet, which is a character on its own, and its constant desire for the the souls of vanquished enemies.
The main villain, is very interesting, and for me he really stole the show when he appears in the storyline. He, is completely mad, but his madness is consistent with an end goal. The good guys unfortunately are rather prototypical, but that's usually expected in any action driven story.
As far as dislikes. There are some seriously stupid scenes...yet somehow it didn't come of as bad to me unlike a movie. If I saw some of the idiotic like scenes in Onimusha, but in a film, I would be throwing popcorn at the screen...yet when you watch a cartoon, I seem to give more leeway on nonsensical parts. I think this is because animation is a lot more about beautiful magical scenes wich defy all laws of physics, and more about feeling rather than logic, as in a modern work of art.
If it wasn't for the stupid stupid few scenes, I would have rated this an 8. I should disclose that I'm not into cartoons, and rarely watch one. So,if you're like me Onimusha is really well made for all ages. The gore scenes are just fantastic, and somehow come of more visceral and terrifying than in a movie. There is absolutely zero sexual content, which is a big miss, so in the end Onimusha is still a tale for children.
Enjoy!
