REVIEW: 'Onmyoji'

Introduction of the films about Heian part 3

Today is the time of Super Heroes. The last decade was an age of Super Hero films. Actually, there is a super hero of the Heian period. There is a film series about him.

Super Hero

His name is Abe no Seimei 安倍晴明, a powerful Onmyoji. Seimei sees what we cannot see, he make Shikigami(sort of lower-class Spirits) serve him, he finds out curses behind unusual things, he chants charms and performs rituals and break them, he practices the art of Onmyō-dō that transcends human knowledge. 

Because he knows what we do not know, he is proficient in Onmyō-dō, he is a gifted Onmyoji.

He's just not the hero type, clearly. Because he knows the laws of the world. Hero or villain is not the point. Humans destroy what humans built, that's not a big deal. However, he gets a reason to fight.

Film / Onmyōji

Abe no Seimei is the leading character of 'Onmyoji 陰陽師' the film that is based on the novel of the same title, written by Baku Yumemakura 夢枕獏. The novel portrays Seimei's mysterious arts and traits, and association with the buddy--a nobleman and Gagaku musician Minamoto no Hiromasa 源博雅, on the basis of the fact of Onmyōji and their reputations in the Heian period. 

Onmyō-dō 陰陽道 was a science in the medieval times, which was based on the knowledge and philosophy from China. The Heian period was relatively stable and peaceful times but people still needed the solutions for disease, natural disaster and famine. A young science could not solve all these problems. So Onmyōji, specialists of Onmyō-dō, became both scientists and priests at the same time, and excellent ones--for instance, real Abe no Seimei--were deemed as charismatic leaders.

'Onmyoji(2001)', directed by Yōjirō Takita 滝田洋二郎, Mansai Nomura 野村萬斎 stars as Abe no Seimei--he is my most favourite Onmyoji actor, Hiroyuki Sanada 真田広之 the actor known for the performances in 'The Last Samurai''Rush Hour 3''Sunshine' as the villain Douson, highly recommended.

Seiryū 青龍, Byakko 白狐, Genbu 玄武, Suzaku 朱雀, Kōryū 黄竜--the wind shines 風光る.