Oni Gauntlet

The Oni Gauntlet is the central item in Onimusha: Way of the Sword. It is a sentient gauntlet bonded to Musashi Miyamoto when he is at the edge of death after a Genma ambush, granting him the power to slay the demons that have overrun Edo-era Kyoto.

Three Colours of Souls

The gauntlet absorbs the souls of defeated enemies. Every soul has a colour and a different use:

Cleaning up adds on the battlefield is a practical part of combat rather than a cosmetic flourish. Soul orbs drop physically from dead enemies and must be grabbed quickly before they fade. Enemies can also absorb stray souls, which turns orb scatter into a small race between Musashi and the Genma around him. See Souls for the full breakdown.

Oni Armaments

The gauntlet powers Oni Armaments, special weapons that deal massive damage and burn blue souls to activate. Hitting enemies with an Oni Armament also generates yellow souls on successful hits, which folds a little sustain into the game's biggest burst option.

Oni Vision

A second ability tied to the gauntlet is Oni Vision. It highlights demonic presences and hidden enemies in the surrounding area, acting as both a combat-awareness tool and a traversal aid in environments that have been distorted by Malice.

The Oni Lady

The gauntlet also houses Lady Oni, a female Oni who speaks to Musashi from inside the gauntlet and guides his steps. She is how the gauntlet communicates with its bearer, and she can manifest outside the gauntlet when the situation calls for it.

Not Unique to Musashi

Musashi is not the only bearer of an Oni Gauntlet in the game. His rival Sasaki Ganryu wears one, and the old master swordsman Ono No Takamura is confirmed as a third gauntlet bearer. The clash of gauntlet-wielders inside Kyoto is one of the story's core conflicts.