Netflix released ONI: Thunder God’s Tale trailer PV for the upcoming anime mini-series on October 6, 2022.
The ONI: Thunder God’s Tale release date is on October 21, 2022, as previously revealed on September 27, 2022. On the occasion, a stunning new key visual was dropped.
ONI was announced in early June 2022 when a teaser trailer emerged.
The series will receive a theatrical world premiere during the 2022 Animation Is Film Festival, on October 22, 2022.
Here’s the trailer PV:
ONI: Thunder God’s Tale cast and staff
Tonko House is producing the CG animated series jointly with Japanese visual effects studio Megalis VFX and CGI studios Marza and Anima.
Tonko House is an independent animation studio based in Berkeley, California. It was founded in 2014 by two former Pixar art directors: Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi and Robert Kondo. The studio is best known for its Oscar-nominated short film The Dam Keeper (2014).
The main ONI: Thunder God’s Tale staff includes:
- Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, Robert Kondo, Kane Lee — executive producers
- Mari Okada (A Whisker Away) — director
- Sara K. Sampson, Megan Bartel — co-executive producers
The ‘absolute dream cast,’ as dubbed by Tsutsumi, includes:
- Momona Tamada
- George Takei
- Craig Robinson
- Charlet Takahashi Chung
- Tantoo Cardinal
- Archie Yates
- Brittany Ishibashi
- Omar Miller
- Anna Akana
- Miyuki Sawashiro
- Yuuki Matsuzaki
- Seth Carr
- Robert Kondo (executive producer)
In case you were wondering, ONI: Thunder God’s Tale is an English-language production. The Japanese title is ONI: Kamigamiyama no Onari (ONI: 神々山のオナリ).
Tsutsumi has disclosed that ONI is a “very personal” story for him and that he intends to make it a personal story for the viewers, too.
What is the story of the ONI: Thunder God’s Tale plot
ONI is inspired by Japanese folklore, which is a no-brainer, given the series’ title. An Oni (鬼) is an ambiguous being, often translated as a yōkai, a demon, a troll, or an orc. In the broadest sense of the word, “Oni” refers to Shintō spirits (not to be confused with the monotheist concept of god and similar apparitions).
ONI: Thunder God’s Tale is set in a scenic world populated by Japanese gods, spirits, and monsters. The main character, named Onari, is the daughter of one such spirit.
The plot focuses on Onari as she sets out to defend her village from various picturesque foes. However, Onari is yet to discover the scope of her special powers and, supposedly, so are the viewers.
With the premiere date coming up soon, we won’t have to wait long to immerse ourselves in the wondrous mythical world of ONI: Thunder God’s Tale.