Streaming service Netflix has released the trailer for his next original project, simply titled Onymoji. This series is both the first animated film adapted from a famous Japanese historical fantasy book series, and the first independent work of the Marvy Jack studio. Interested audiences can expect this new show to appear on November 28, 2023.
The new anime may have some difficulty gaining international recognition, as it shares many similarities with an unrelated video game of the same name. Studio Marvy Jack will also be under scrutiny for its first independent production, which will hopefully meet fans’ standards.
However, Japan’s Heian period is an uncommon setting for anime, which would make it stand out enough among countless other fantasy stories.
Onmyouji brings Heian period Japan back to television
The official synopsis of the series is as follows:
In prosperous ancient Kyoto, court musician Minamoto Hiromasa, grandson of Emperor Daigo, visits the residence of the official onmyoji – the yin-yang prophets – in hopes of unraveling the mysteries of the flood. Demons are disturbing the city. While there, he is introduced to a man perfectly suited to solve these mysteries: the great onmyouji Abe Seimei, a man with an otherworldly aura. Hiromasa is annoyed by Seimei’s lack of interest in the mundane world and his reluctance to help, but the two of them confront the demons for the cause. They finally found onmyouji Ashiya Doman, who was lurking in the shadows of the demons. Seimei and Hiromasa are joined by Hiromasa’s flute teacher, Prince Atsumi, the emperor’s onmyoji Kamo Yasunori, and Lady Tsuyuko, who comes with them due to a specific case. As their emotions intertwine like threads, can Seimei and Hiromasa restore peace to the capital?
Abe Seimei is a famous character in Japanese fiction as a pseudo-historical witch, much like how Aleister Crowley is often referred to as a “real-life” witch in Western media . Seimei has appeared in all sorts of historical fantasy, including the short story by Baku Yumemakura that the new anime is adapting. Onmyoji has been around since 1986, Yumemakura is also the author of a trilogy of novels that ran from 2000 to 2008. While the series is popular enough to have all sorts of live-action adaptations and even manga, it hasn’t received an anime until now. Currently. While Onmyoji is popular in Japan, Netflix is betting big on international attention.
The strangest issue is that Onmyoji shares the same name as a mobile game from 2016 with the same title and setup, which also became its own franchise about Abe Seimei. There is a high possibility of confusing viewers into expecting a different show. Marvy Jack is also betting big on this series. Although the studio has been in operation since 2003, they only serve as a support studio providing background art and main animation. However, judging from the trailer, the animation and artwork are of a high standard and the film appears to have all the elements that will attract anime fans, including great action scenes and a cast of quirky characters. quirky and memorable.
Onmyoji faces many unknowns, both with an uncertain audience and an unproven studio. However, the trailer shows promise with flashy supernatural battles and exorcisms. If Marvy Jack is successful, it will certainly become the first work to adapt this famous novel series into an anime. The Heian era doesn’t receive much attention, with most anime choosing to focus on modern-day Japan. Visiting such a time period is a return to classical fantasy, which itself has become rare these days. Onmyouji will hit Netflix on November 28 and viewers should pay attention if they want a truly one-of-a-kind anime.
Source: Netflix Anime on Youtube.