Published , by TJ Denzer
Published , by TJ Denzer
This week, Capcom revealed that its upcoming revival of a beloved series, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, will feature Miyamoto Musashi as one of its protagonists. It just so happens that there’s a legendary Japanese actor, Toshiro Mifune, who was quite adept at playing the iconic Japanese swordsman in a few films, but Mifune passed away in 1997. That hasn’t stopped Capcom from licensing his face for the portrayal of its own Musashi in Way of the Sword.
Capcom revealed this detail about Onimusha: Way of the Sword in an updated tidbit on its website following the PlayStation State of Play February 2025 showcase. There, Capcom goes into light detail on why it chose to use Mifune’s face for Miyamoto Musashi, while Kenichiro Thomson supplies the character’s voice:
Toshiro Mifune played in a long list of iconic Japanese films during his lengthy actor career. Notably, he appeared in Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo (1961), and many other collaborations with celebrated filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. It just so happens he also portrayed Miyamoto Musashi several times over as well in a trilogy of films directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. Mifune would go on to start a production company, and Mifune Productions is still in business today, which was likely the group that licensed his image for use.
It's an interesting thing to see Mifune’s face on a 2025 game, but hopefully it’s just another sign of the passion and dedication Capcom is pouring into the title. Stay tuned for more Onimusha: Way of the Sword updates and coverage as it drops, right here at Shacknews.