ONI: Thunder God's Tale
ONI: Thunder God's Tale
Now Showing

ONI: Thunder God's Tale

7.6
Yr 2022
Status Ended
Animation Action & Adventure
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

In a mystical world of Japanese gods and spirits, a courageous girl strives to follow in her mysterious father's footsteps and find her true powers.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 90 /100

Critics broadly praised ONI: Thunder God's Tale as a dazzling visual masterpiece and a touching, insightful fable. Reviewers were captivated by the show's hybrid animation style—blending stop-motion aesthetics with computer-generated graphics—and commended its vibrant character designs rooted in Japanese mythology and culture. Many highlighted the influence of classic Japanese animation masters in its gentle, immersive world-building.

Narratively, the four-episode limited series received high marks for balancing humor, heart, and emotional depth. Reviewers noted that behind its family-friendly charm lies a surprisingly layered story exploring themes of found family, self-discovery, acceptance, and overcoming fear. While a few critics noted occasional pacing lulls across the episodes, the general consensus is that it stands as an emotionally rich and accessible gem for both children and adult viewers.

“A beautiful story and a stunning portrayal of classic myths set this limited series apart from the rest.”

“a much deeper, layered show than most people will give it credit for”

“a sweet-natured, beautifully animated, and insightful fable that works perfectly as a four-episode mini-series”

“a gorgeously animated, well written and enjoyable series”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix
US • CA • UK
Netflix Standard with Ads
US • CA • UK
Why fans love it

ONI: Thunder God's Tale grounds its fantasy in the specific traditions of Japanese folklore. By focusing on a collection of youkai and gods living in a hidden village, the animation captures a distinct sense of place that manages to feel both ancient and entirely inventive. The visual style relies on textures that echo traditional stop-motion techniques, lending a tactile, handmade quality to the spirit world.

The narrative centers on a young protagonist grappling with her lineage in a small community defined by secrets and monsters. George Takei provides a grounding voice performance that helps anchor these larger-than-life supernatural elements into something more intimate. It succeeds as an action-adventure miniseries because it keeps the stakes rooted in the emotional development of its main character rather than just the lore of the spirits around her.

Production Board

Crew

Title Designer
Aoi Yamaguchi
Rigging Supervisor
Miquel Campos
Assistant Director
Michelle Lam Thad Carlile
Animation
Kazuyuki Inoue
Art Direction
Rachel Tiep-Daniels
Director of Photography
Andrew S. Ritchie
Co-Executive Producer
Sara K. Sampson
Production Manager
Hyojin Kim
Director
Hikari Toriumi Erick Oh
Storyboard Artist
Hikari Toriumi
Sound Editor
Hajime Takagi Adam Myatt James Hicken
Other
Kyle Gaffney Mark Stephan Kondracki Ethan Grafton
Production Assistant
Hannah Ghioni
Casting
Nicole Arbusto Monika Mikkelsen
Script Supervisor
Rhianna Ostberg
Colorist
Sean Wells
Executive Producer
Robert Kondo
Production Design
Robert Kondo
Visual Development
Lia Tin
Animation Supervisor
Toshihiro Nakamura
Original Music Composer
Matteo Roberts
2D Supervisor
Ashley Mohabir
Post Production Supervisor
Giselle Grimaldo
Signal Match

Similarity

Where ONI: Thunder God's Tale overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

japan monster village god miniseries youkai japanese mythology village japan japanese gods legends oni mystery
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
October 21, 2022
Status
Ended
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
34