Onimusha: Way of the Sword Director Reveals Massive 2-Year Mifune Effort

Director Satoru Nihei and producer Akihito Kadowaki of Onimusha: Way of the Sword suggest the game has been in production since 2020 (if not earlier), explaining they spent two full years just obtaining permission to use Toshiro Mifune’s likeness as Musashi Miyamoto, the game’s protagonist.

In an interview with Game Watch (via Automaton), Kadowaki explained their intent to model Miyamoto after the late Mifune from production’s outset, though Capcom took extensive time to negotiate with Mifune Productions. According to Kadowaki, roughly two years of discussions culminated in an official contract signing around 2022.

The concept to feature Mifune as Onimusha’s face reportedly originated with Nihei, who sought to visualize “what makes samurai uniquely compelling.” His conclusion was their tenacity—watching them fight battered yet battle-ready. Musashi Miyamoto, Japan’s most legendary swordsman, embodied this ideal. For reference, Nihei studied classic Japanese cinema, specifically seeking someone matching “a young samurai fighting brutally, bloodied and mud-caked”—where he recognized Toshiro Mifune as perfect casting. Mifune not only starred in 1954’s Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto but was an international icon through acclaimed Akira Kurosawa films like Seven Samurai and Rashomon.

Kadowaki clarified that unlike prior Onimusha titles, Mifune’s inclusion wasn’t intended as a celebrity “starring role” but because his appearance suited the character—thus they avoided crafting actions solely to spotlight the actor. However, subtle touches evoking his performance were added. Nihei emphasized their focus wasn’t making the swordsman “look cool” during combat but channeling personality through acting nuances, mannerisms, and expressions. Above all, they aimed to depict a humanized samurai—with Mifune as the model, all elements clicked naturally.

“Numerous representations of Musashi Miyamoto already exist,” Kadowaki noted, citing Sengoku Basara and earlier Onimusha entries. “That’s why we meticulously transformed our new Musashi protagonist into a wholly original character. And in this context, we were absolutely determined to use Mifune’s likeness. With such detail-oriented care, we’re confident it created an exceptionally strong protagonist for the series.”

Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam.