REVIEW: ‘Onmyoji’ Is Supernatural Excellence

Based on Baku Yumemakura’s novel Onmyoji (published by Bunshun Bunko), this first-ever anime adaptation of the work brings the legend of Abe no Seimei to the 21st century and does so with style. The series is directed by Soubi Yamamoto and features a screenplay by Natsu Hashimoto and Yuiko Kato. Animated by Marvy Jack, a studio known for their work on Hellsing: Ultimate and Spice and Wolf, Onmyoji is something that is both in their wheelhouse and pushing creatively what they can do with character design but, more importantly, costuming and fabric.  The latter is beautifully created and textured in the series.

Onmyoji, the title of the anime series, refers to an official position held in ancient Japan. Those with the title had special abilities and skills in divination and geomorphology based on the theory of the yin-and-yang five phases. The onmyoji at the center of the series is Abe no Seimei, a renowned onmyoji who is sought after to solve crimes that happen when human and demon worlds collide with curses and beyond. With his partner Minamoto no Hiromasa, the duo take on mysteries and solve hauntings, curses, and more. Based on a beloved series of novels, Seimei’s adventures embrace the past and adapt them to the present in a way that looks to center mystery and fantasy, creating something supernaturally excellent at the same time.

Set in the prosperous capital of Heian-kyo, Minamoto no Hiromasa is a court musician and grandson of Emperor Daigo who visits the Bureau of Onmyo to try and solve the mystery of a demon that is terrorizing the city. There, he is introduced to a man who is up to the challenge: an impersonal but exceptional onmyoji named Abe no Seimei. A little bit of Sherlock Holmes, a little bit of Doctor Who, and a whole lot of Undead Murder Farce from the last anime season, Onmyoji is a stellar anime series that grows stronger with every episode.

Onmyoji is visually beautiful. When it comes to character designs and animation, the understanding of making demons intimidating but alluring at the same time is a dynamic feat that keeps the viewer engulfed in the vibrant and magical world. This approach to design also thrives because of the series’ structure as a monster-of-the-week series. Or, I guess, monster-of-the-episode since it was released all at once.

Additionally, Onmyoji succeeds as an anime in two parts. It is fantastic as a supernatural story, excellent in how it defines its demons and curses. At the same time, it’s also a strong period piece with character designs that look at historical Japanese attire and embrace it in one illustration while exaggerating it to gorgeous supernatural lengths at the same time.

The moral constraints of the time period also play into how the relationship between Abe no Seimei and Minamoto no Hiromasa develops. Seimei and Hiromasa are an astounding pair that grow together and push each other wonderfully and in a dynamic way. While the curses they exorcise reveal elements of the world around them, they also interact with the duo to expose parts of themselves.

Much like Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Onmyoji expertly uses the past to explore themes resonant in the present and offers up a beautiful stylization of the past that pulls audiences in from the start. Add in the use of traditional Japanese music and instruments to create the score and the series is truly firing on all cylinders.

Onmyoji is a fantastic offering from Netflix Anime and studio Marvy Jack. The animation is beautiful, the storytelling is top-tier, and the supernatural of it all is excellent. Everyone is gorgeous, and everything is spooky, which is just the right combination no matter the time of year.

Onmyoji is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.