Onimusha: Way of the Sword Revives Icon Toshiro Mifune

In 1997, the world lost the legendary actor Toshiro Mifune to multiple organ failure at the age of 77. Yet, this hasn’t prevented Capcom from resurrecting his iconic presence in their latest title, Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Ingeniously, they’ve digitally recreated Mifune’s likeness, adding a fascinating twist to the game.

The game’s story revolves around a bold young samurai, navigating a world filled with fierce and relentless battles. As stated on the game’s official webpage, "To bring to life this striking samurai, Capcom has chosen none other than the late, great Toshiro Mifune, the iconic figure of Japanese samurai cinema, to serve as the face model for this version of Miyamoto Musashi."

This isn’t a surprise for fans who tuned into the Onimusha anime on Netflix in late 2023. In the series, Miyamoto Musashi made an appearance, and the creators took great pride in their ability to revive Mifune’s face for animation, turning it into a centerpiece of their marketing strategy.

The Onimusha video game series has a history of casting well-known actors, both living and deceased, in major roles. For instance, Takeshi Kaneshiro embodied Samonosuke Akechi in Onimusha: Warlords. Later titles featured appearances by Yūsaku Matsuda, who passed away from bladder cancer in 1989, and even international star Jean Reno.

For Onimusha: Way of the Samurai, Mifune’s digital representation comes with the full backing of Mifune Productions. This company, which the actor founded in 1962, likely holds the rights to his likeness to this day.