Onimusha Series
Keiji Inafune and Capcom's Feudal Samurai Swordplay Landmark
Produced in 2001 by Keiji Inafune, Onimusha: Warlords fused Resident Evil's survival puzzle framework with blistering katana combat, becoming the very first PlayStation 2 game to exceed one million copies sold.
Sengoku Japan and the 'Sengoku Biohazard' Concept
Originally prototyped for the original PlayStation as a samurai-themed spin-off of Resident Evil ('Sengoku Biohazard'), Keiji Inafune transferred production to PlayStation 2. Digitizing Japanese-Taiwanese screen star Takeshi Kaneshiro, players commanded Samanosuke Akechi, wielding the mystical Oni Gauntlet to absorb demon souls and imbue katanas with elemental lightning, fire, and wind.
The Issen Counter and Jean Reno in Onimusha 3
The gameplay achieved martial purity via the 'Issen' counter-attack, requiring players to slash precisely as an adversary began their forward swing to execute an instant kill. In Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (2004), Capcom enlisted French cinema star Jean Reno, crafting an action epic spanning modern Paris and feudal Nobunaga-era Japan.