Once again, McFarlane Toys waves it's magical wand to create an excellently detailed series of figures based on a successful video game series. This time around, it's the sequel to the popular survival horror title Onimusha. The original game by Capcom proved to be one of the better selling titles of 2001, so a sequel was easily in the cards for this game. This time around, the game is set 10 years after the end of the first game and includes a new hero and a cast of fellow fighters to aid in his battle.

Included in this series is Yagyu Jubei (the sequel's hero, left), Saiga Magoichi, Fuma Kotaro, Oyu from Odani, Oda Nobunaga (the villain from the original Onimusha who makes his return in the sequel) and Gogandantes (an awesome looking demon swordsman, right). As with other McFarlane Toy lines, this series looks excellent. All of the characters are well detailed and nicely painted. In fact, the toys are a fairly excellent representation of characters that are modeled to look as realistic as possible. But, as with previous toy lines, these figures look to be very much collectibles rather than actual toys. They all have a good level of detail, but for the most part, are designed to be set up in one dramatic pose. I find it hard to believe that any child would actually be able to get playability out of this toy line.

The only thing I could have wished from this series is the inclusion of the Samanosuke from the first game (for nostalgia's sake) and some more minion demons. Maybe McFarlane will make a second run and include these. (I won't hold my breath on it, though.) Set for release in May 2002, these should tide gamers over until the game's North American release sometime late this summer.

Photos courtesy of Spawn.com.

- - Vane