Capcom has chosen Miyamoto Musashi, one of Japan's most renowned historical samurai, as the protagonist for the upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword. This marks the first installment in the Onimusha series in two decades, a revival that director Satoru Nihei described as a "bold but exciting decision." The decision to feature Musashi was driven by how his life and historical accounts could be integrated into the game's mechanics.
Nihei explained that while a samurai lead was a natural fit for the series, Musashi's background offered unique opportunities. "Looking more into his background and the elements of his real history, where he would use any means necessary to claim victory or use the environment around him, these are things we thought would feed in very nicely to the gameplay to introduce new elements into it," Nihei stated. This approach allows for interactive environmental combat, where players can utilize objects like wooden pallets to shield against arrows or kick large wagons into groups of enemies. Explosive barrels were also noted as an environmental hazard utilized in combat scenarios.
A key aspect of Musashi's characterization in Way of the Sword is his reluctance to use the Oni Gauntlet, a powerful artifact that previous Onimusha heroes embraced. Unlike predecessors Samanosuke, who used the gauntlet to rescue a princess, or Jubei, who used its power to stop Nobunaga, Musashi's primary motivation is to get rid of the gauntlet. His use of it to fight demons stems from a belief that defeating them is the only way to progress. Nihei drew a parallel between Musashi's situation and an athlete using performance-enhancing drugs, emphasizing Musashi's desire to prove his prowess through his own strength and skill alone.
Visually, Musashi in Onimusha: Way of the Sword is based on the likeness of the late Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, who famously portrayed the samurai in director Hiroshi Inagaki's 1950s Samurai Trilogy. This follows a pattern established in the series, with previous protagonists Samanosuke and Jubei being modeled after actors Takeshi Kaneshiro and Yūsaku Matsuda, respectively.
Capcom plans to release further details about their rendition of Musashi, including the process of using Mifune's likeness, in upcoming coverage. Exclusive gameplay footage and behind-the-scenes content are also slated for release on the Game Informer YouTube channel.