The series is underwatched — if you like historical fantasy, you might want to check it out.
Summary:
- Onmyoji, a recent Netflix series, went under the radar before it had a chance to become popular.
- It’s written by Baku Yumemakura, who is famous in Japan for his novels, which had multiple adaptations in the past.
- It offers a more mature take on historical fantasy, and is worth watching if you’re a fan of the genre — or if you want to try something different.
Onmyoji is one of the latest anime released on Netflix. It was never really heavily promoted, and with it being based on a novel, it lacks the initial source reader hype that many manga adaptations have.
As such, with it quietly releasing all the episodes in one day, it went under the radar of most anime fans. That kind of release might have actually hurt the series: if it were to be released weekly, it would have definitely amassed some following (although probably not a very large one).
Written by a famous Japanese author
While this name probably won’t tell the Western fans anything, Baku Yumemakura, the author of the original, is a very popular author in Japan. His works have received many adaptations, although most of them were not in anime form (the most popular anime based on his work is Kurozuka, a relatively obscure 2008 series).
Onmyoji, which is originally a series of short novels, got adapted into two movies back in the early 00s. It also received a separate adaptation in China in 2020 — also in the form of a movie. The plot is set in 10th century Japan, loosely following the lives of real people in that time, although in a historical fantasy setting.
A mature take on historical fantasy
Onmyoji would perhaps be appealing to people who are interested in historical fantasy shows that are grounded in reality. Even with supernatural elements, the show’s approach is realistic and mature, without any over-the-top action scenes and flashy powers. That can be attributed to it being based on a novel, which is usually made for a more mature audience.
Still, it is quite interesting, and if you are a fan of anime like Raven of the Inner Palace (Koukyuu no Karasu) or The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto), which offer a more mature take on the historical genre, you should probably check this one out. While it is not similar to either in the premise, Onmyoji has its historical aspect, which the aforementioned shows also convey quite well.
Worth watching if you’re a fan of the genre
Onmyoji is not something that every anime fan would enjoy. It’s not a hyped battle series with amazing fights. The animation, while competent, isn’t outstanding. Still, people who enjoy historical fantasy would probably like this one: despite being underwatched, it offers quite a unique take on it. It is worth watching if you’re into the genre, or if you just want to try something different than other anime.