Onimusha series
Encyclopedia
is a series of video games by developer Capcom
. The series makes use of the historic figures that shaped Japan's history
, retelling their stories with supernatural
elements. Most of the games are of the action-adventure game
genre, a combination of third person
combat and puzzle solving, where the protagonist wields the power of the Oni enabling them to fight the Genma, the main enemy of the series.
Onimusha is Capcom's 6th biggest franchise
, behind the Resident Evil, Street Fighter
, Mega Man
, Monster Hunter
, and Devil May Cry
series. The series has sold at least 7.9 million copies to date. A full-length full-CG film for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams has been made as well, with the alternate title of Shin Onimusha.
action game software that utilized the Resident Evil engine, but eventually changed its hardware, including the game in the release of PlayStation 2
. Afterward, Onimusha was developed as one of the PlayStation 2 debut contents. It sold over two million copies as PS2 software. The central character is based on Takeshi Kaneshiro
, who was also a voice actor. Models of the characters include the late Yusaku Matsuda
in Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
and Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jean Reno
in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
. The series was initially planned to be a trilogy but a fourth installment, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
was released in March 2006.
in feudal Japan. In each game, the protagonist has the ability to absorb Genma soul
s from defeated enemies, which helps to restore health, infuse power within weapons and armor, and provide power for the elemental attacks of special weapons.
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 such as Onimusha 3: Demon Siege and Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams 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. Unusually, actions common to many action-oriented titles, such as jumping, grabbing, and climbing over obstacles cannot be performed in Onimusha titles.
Unlike the Resident Evil series (with the exception of Resident Evil 4
, Resident Evil 5
and Resident Evil: Dead Aim
spin-off series), Onimusha is very action-oriented with a heavy emphasis on combat, only employing a few horror-inspired elements. The player takes on the role of the hunter, deploying a varied arsenal of destructive weaponry, ranging from a regular katana
to elemental-based broadsword
s. 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.
Yagyu Jubei's mystical parentage through Takajo 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 Ultimate 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, because of this he was only able to transform into one form. 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 alternate deceased self when he returned to a slightly alternate timeline. 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.
In the fourth game, it was revealed that the God of Light Fortinbras created the Genma and while God of Darkness produced the Oni. Though he died in Onimusha: Warlords, Fortinbras acted through Oda Nobunaga
, then Hideyoshi before fully resurrected. 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 an 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.
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 another Onimusha with 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 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 and wielding two broadswords to attack Fortinbras.
, Davis Films, and Gaga Productions announced its joint venture to adapt the action-adventure game series into a $50 million live-action feature film
. According to Paramount Pictures and Davis Films' Samuel Hadida, "It's samurai fighting against demons – it's very close to this simple pitch. There's also a love story woven in. It's a big adventure movie with lots of special effects." Hadida also proposed the possibility of a film franchise. In December 2006, director Christophe Gans
said that he had Onimusha lined up to film. The film, budgeted at over $70 million, was to begin production in China in February 2008 for a December 2009 release. In a June article by movie site Ain't It Cool News
, it was revealed that Takeshi Kaneshiro will be in the movie, reprising his role as Samanosuke.
Hadida had to delay the filming of Onimusha, which has resulted in the film's Japanese cast working on other film projects during the delay, and being unavailable to start filming Onimusha. These factors were enough that French director Christophe Gans will now direct an adaptation of Leo Perutz's novel The Swedish Cavalier first, taking over the reins from Gilles Mimouni. Satomi Ishihara
and Tsuyoshi Ihara
remain attached to the project.
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
. The series makes use of the historic figures that shaped Japan's history
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
, retelling their stories with supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
elements. Most of the games are of the action-adventure game
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
genre, a combination of third person
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
combat and puzzle solving, where the protagonist wields the power of the Oni enabling them to fight the Genma, the main enemy of the series.
Onimusha is Capcom's 6th biggest franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
, behind the Resident Evil, Street Fighter
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
, Mega Man
Mega Man
Mega Man is a video game franchise from Capcom, starring the eponymous character Mega Man, or one of his many counterparts. The series is well-known and comprises well over fifty releases, easily making it Capcom's most prolific franchise. As of December 31, 2010, the series has sold approximately...
, Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter is an action game for the PlayStation 2. The game was developed and published by Capcom. Monster Hunter was released in North America on September 21, 2004...
, and Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry
is an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the series of the same name, the events in Devil May Cry are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and...
series. The series has sold at least 7.9 million copies to date. A full-length full-CG film for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams has been made as well, with the alternate title of Shin Onimusha.
Games
| Year | Game | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Onimusha: Warlords Onimusha: Warlords Onimusha: Warlords, released in Japan as , is the first action-adventure video game of the Onimusha series, released first for the PlayStation 2 in 2001. Later it went through many changes and was released as for the Xbox in 2002... |
PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... , Xbox Xbox The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console... , Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... |
| 2002 | Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, released in Japan as is the second installment in the Onimusha series of video games. The plot revolves around a new protagonist, , as he battles a demonic Genma army which is invading 1571 Japan. Nobunaga Oda, a sinister warlord who was slain in the previous game,... |
PlayStation 2 |
| 2003 | Onimusha Tactics Onimusha Tactics is a strategy installment in the Onimusha series released for the Game Boy Advance. It does not follow the storyline of the previous PlayStation 2 games and is considered a side story... |
Game Boy Advance Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... |
| Onimusha Blade Warriors Onimusha Blade Warriors Onimusha Blade Warriors, released in Japan as , is a multi-player game from the Onimusha series. Similar to Super Smash Bros., Blade Warriors is a simple 2D fighter game featuring many of the characters of the Onimusha franchise.... |
PlayStation 2 | |
| 2004 | Onimusha 3: Demon Siege Onimusha 3: Demon Siege Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, released in Japan and Europe as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It is the third game of the Onimusha series and was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 27, 2004. It was later ported to Windows on December 8, 2005.-Plot:The game opens... |
PlayStation 2, Windows |
| 2005 | Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Onimusha 3 | PlayStation 2 |
| 2006 | Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha... |
PlayStation 2 |
Summary
Initially, Capcom began to develop a PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
action game software that utilized the Resident Evil engine, but eventually changed its hardware, including the game in the release of PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. Afterward, Onimusha was developed as one of the PlayStation 2 debut contents. It sold over two million copies as PS2 software. The central character is based on Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
, who was also a voice actor. Models of the characters include the late Yusaku Matsuda
Yusaku Matsuda
was a Japanese actor. Yusaku was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi to a Zainichi Korean mother. His father is not known. His date was wrongly recorded as 1950 on his birth records due to a parental error in filing a report.-Career:...
in Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, released in Japan as is the second installment in the Onimusha series of video games. The plot revolves around a new protagonist, , as he battles a demonic Genma army which is invading 1571 Japan. Nobunaga Oda, a sinister warlord who was slain in the previous game,...
and Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jean Reno
Jean Reno
Jean Reno is a French actor. Working in French, English, Spanish and Italian, he has appeared not only in numerous successful Hollywood productions such as The Pink Panther, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, Ronin and Couples Retreat, but also in European productions such as the...
in Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, released in Japan and Europe as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It is the third game of the Onimusha series and was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 27, 2004. It was later ported to Windows on December 8, 2005.-Plot:The game opens...
. The series was initially planned to be a trilogy but a fourth installment, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha series, released in March 2006. Dawn of Dreams focuses on a new protagonist, Soki Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams, released in Japan as , is the fourth canonical installment of Capcom's Onimusha...
was released in March 2006.
Gameplay
The gameplay in most of the Onimusha series is roughly based on the mechanics from Capcom's horror survival franchise Resident Evil. Although the protagonist changes in every Onimusha title, he is always a skilled swordsman who embarks on a set mission and journey, which involves slaying demons and fearsome enemies during the waning years of the Warring States PeriodWarring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
in feudal Japan. In each game, the protagonist has the ability to absorb Genma soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
s from defeated enemies, which helps to restore health, infuse power within weapons and armor, and provide power for the elemental attacks of special weapons.
The control scheme of Onimusha resembles that found in the Resident Evil series. The player controls their character using the D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
(although later games such as Onimusha 3: Demon Siege and Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams introduced analog stick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
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. Unusually, actions common to many action-oriented titles, such as jumping, grabbing, and climbing over obstacles cannot be performed in Onimusha titles.
Unlike the Resident Evil series (with the exception of Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific...
, Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. The game is the seventh installment in the Resident Evil survival horror series, and was released on March 5, 2009 in Japan and on March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe...
and Resident Evil: Dead Aim
Resident Evil: Dead Aim
Resident Evil: Dead Aim, known as in Japan, is the fourth release in a series of light gun shooter video games by Capcom. It is also the first in the franchise to feature first-person shooting alongside the third-person movement seen in its predecessors in the Resident Evil series...
spin-off series), Onimusha is very action-oriented with a heavy emphasis on combat, only employing a few horror-inspired elements. The player takes on the role of the hunter, deploying a varied arsenal of destructive weaponry, ranging from a regular katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
to elemental-based broadsword
Broadsword
Broadsword may refer to:*Broadsword , a military sword used by heavy cavalry during the 17th to early 19th centuriesIn more modern times, it has also been used to refer to:...
s. 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.
Oni Gauntlet
Central to the first and third major chapters of the Onimusha franchise (and to a lesser extent, the fourth chapter) is what is known as the Oni Gauntlet. This is the gauntlet that was given to Samanosuke Akechi 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 Takajo 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 Ultimate 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, because of this he was only able to transform into one form. 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 alternate deceased self when he returned to a slightly alternate timeline. 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.
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. Many of the main Genma are named after characters in Shakespearian Plays.In the fourth game, it was revealed that the God of Light Fortinbras created the Genma and while God of Darkness produced the Oni. Though he died in Onimusha: Warlords, Fortinbras acted through Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, then Hideyoshi before fully resurrected. 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 an 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.
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 another Onimusha with 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 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 and wielding two broadswords to attack Fortinbras.
Film adaptation
In May 2003, Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, Davis Films, and Gaga Productions announced its joint venture to adapt the action-adventure game series into a $50 million live-action feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
. According to Paramount Pictures and Davis Films' Samuel Hadida, "It's samurai fighting against demons – it's very close to this simple pitch. There's also a love story woven in. It's a big adventure movie with lots of special effects." Hadida also proposed the possibility of a film franchise. In December 2006, director Christophe Gans
Christophe Gans
Christophe Gans is a French film director, writer, and producer who specializes in horror, fantasy movies and video game adaptations.-Biography:...
said that he had Onimusha lined up to film. The film, budgeted at over $70 million, was to begin production in China in February 2008 for a December 2009 release. In a June article by movie site Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
, it was revealed that Takeshi Kaneshiro will be in the movie, reprising his role as Samanosuke.
Hadida had to delay the filming of Onimusha, which has resulted in the film's Japanese cast working on other film projects during the delay, and being unavailable to start filming Onimusha. These factors were enough that French director Christophe Gans will now direct an adaptation of Leo Perutz's novel The Swedish Cavalier first, taking over the reins from Gilles Mimouni. Satomi Ishihara
Satomi Ishihara
is a Japanese actress.Popular mostly among Japanese fans, she gained recognition for her acting talent. She started taking parts acting in Japanese dramas in 2003. Also, she appeared in various commercial events also known as public relations...
and Tsuyoshi Ihara
Tsuyoshi Ihara
is a Japanese actor of Korean descent, born on November 6, 1963 in Kitakyūshū, and who grew up in Ikuno-ku, Osaka. He is a graduate of Imamiya Senior High School, situated in Naniwa-ku, Osaka. Ihara is represented by the K Dash agency.-Biography:...
remain attached to the project.