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Onimanji
Movie

Onimanji

2023 • Unknown

Woke Score
3
out of 10

Plot

Ninja samurai Onimanji, who has been sealed in a cursed urn for 631 years and 59 days, is resurrected in the modern era by the assassin-for-hire company, Kika Company. The odd team of Kika, Shigeru, a bumbling assassin, and Onimanjii perform a series of dark jobs and must still compete with rival company Nutmeg.

Overall Series Review

Onimanji is a 2023 Japanese action-horror-comedy that concerns a master samurai ninja, Onimanji, resurrected from a 600-year-long cursed sleep to work for the modern Kika Company, an assassin-for-hire organization. The film's primary focus is spectacle, blood, fun, and visual experimentation, not complex political or social commentary. The narrative relies on the classic 'fish-out-of-water' premise for comedy as the feudal warrior struggles to adapt to the 21st century. The central dynamic is built around Onimanji, the ancient master, his 'cool-headed boss' Kika, and the incompetent male assassin Shigeru. The director's style prioritizes genre tropes and chaotic action, making it a low-priority target for ideological lecturing, though it does utilize a clear 'Girl Boss' structure in its main trio.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The entire cast is Japanese, and the central conflict is a time-shift, not a racial one. The narrative contains no reported vilification of 'whiteness' or Western culture. Casting is authentically reflective of the Japanese setting without any apparent forced insertion of diversity or political lecturing.

Oikophobia3/10

The ancient hero, Onimanji, is a master swordsman from the past who must adapt to the modern world, which acts as the source of the film's comedy. This 'disorientation' of the past by the present is a common comedic device. The narrative does not frame ancient Japanese heritage as fundamentally corrupt, nor does it demonize ancestors. The past is respected for its martial skill, while the present is viewed as chaotic and criminal (assassins-for-hire, drug rings) but not fundamentally morally superior or inferior.

Feminism7/10

The team's leader and Onimanji's boss, Kika, is described as the 'cool-headed' and 'sexy' authority figure, fully embodying the 'Girl Boss' trope. Her colleague, Shigeru, is consistently described as a 'bumbling' and 'goofy assassin.' This character dynamic clearly features the competent female commanding the incompetent male and the disoriented hero, a setup that emasculates male characters by highlighting their ineptitude and clownishness in contrast to the perfect female lead. There are no reports on overt anti-natalism or attacks on motherhood.

LGBTQ+1/10

The core plot is a supernatural action-comedy about a resurrected ninja and his hitman company fighting rivals like the Natsumegu Company. The reviews and synopsis contain no mention of alternative sexualities, gender ideology, or deconstructing the nuclear family. The focus remains on action and comedy spectacle rather than sexual politics.

Anti-Theism2/10

The plot's premise relies on a curse and a supernatural urn, with the team facing 'supernatural evil forces.' This implicitly acknowledges a higher, non-materialistic, spiritual reality. The film's morality is simply criminal in a genre sense (assassins-for-hire). No reported hostility toward Christianity or traditional religion exists, nor is there a lecture on moral relativism as a central theme.