Onimusha: Way of the Sword is just a couple of weeks away. In case you missed it, it’s the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer, and I traveled to Capcom’s Osaka HQ to play never-before-seen parts of the game, interview the developers making it, and more. Subscribers can read my cover story here for the full picture, but alongside that, I’ve been posting exclusive behind-the-scenes interview features, news breakouts, retrospectives, and more, and it can all be found in the Game Informer Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub.
With the game closer than ever, I have just two more features to go – I know, I know, very sad. But hey, these pieces will live forever on the site for you to read, and I suspect a lot of them will be especially insightful as you play the game in September. For the penultimate feature, I want to talk about Izumo no Okuni.
History tells us that Okuni was born around 1578 and that, famously, she invented the Japanese theatrical art form known as Kabuki. She apparently began performing where the Kamo River cuts through Kyoto today, and there’s even a beautiful bronze statue of her watching over the river that I photographed (see below).
A bronze statue of Izumo no Okuni in Kyoto, watching over the Kamo River
Something interesting I learned during my visit to Capcom HQ is that Onimusha: Way of the Sword lead writer Hiroshi Yamashita specifically wanted to shine a light on Okuni in the game. Though I didn’t get to see her in the game at all, he tells me the reason protagonist Miyamoto Musashi visits Dokyo’s underground lab (read more about that in my hands-on preview here) is because of Okuni, stopping short of saying why. Yamashita says he’s long wanted to include Okuni in previous games he’s worked on in some way, but it never worked out.
“So finally, after 20 years of working as a scenario writer or lead writer, being able to finally have her in this game is a dream come true for me,” Yamashita says.
As for what drew him to Okuni, Yamashita says it’s her importance in history. While the Edo period, when Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set, is known for its stability in Japan, that tranquility and subsequent historical significance mostly extended to men, or to women (wives/siblings) associated with important men. Okuni was an exception to the period in that she was a nobody who rose to become a somebody – the creator of one of Japan’s most important art forms.
“I find it very impressive that she was able to become this known figure and remain so in history despite the turbulent times,” Yamashita says.
Though I don’t know her role in the game, I’m looking forward to finding out – Yamashita is clearly passionate about Okuni and her place in history, and it will be interesting to see how Capcom blends her historical significance with the dark-fantasy action of Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
There’s just one more feature left in Game Informer’s month of Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage, and you can expect it tomorrow. However, we still have exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes videos (including a Rapid-Fire interview) to publish on the Game Informer YouTube channel. Keep an eye on the Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub so you don’t miss any of it.
In the meantime, here’s some additional Onimusha: Way of the Sword reading for you:
Are you picking up Onimusha: Way of the Sword on day one? Let us know your September game pickups in the comments below!