The Summer 2025 anime season has arrived, and David Production came in swinging. Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse doesn’t waste a second. From the opening scene, we’re pulled into a world that feels like ancient Kyoto got a cyberpunk upgrade and a demon problem, and I am absolutely here for it.
Takeru Narihira is our protagonist: a delinquent with fists, attitude, and recurring dreams of a mysterious girl named Tsukimiya. When he finally meets her—for real—it’s not in Tokyo, but in a completely different world after he gets trucked mid-Pikachu chase. Welcome to Denji Heian-kyou, a city protected by Onmyouji, haunted by Oni, and lit with more glowing hues than a synthwave music video.
Let’s pause for the important stuff. The Oni design? Incredible. They’re twisted, massive, and carry a weight of menace that feels pulled from old folklore but refreshed for modern eyes. The Shikigami are their magical counterparts—more elegant, fluid, and designed with that perfect balance between spiritual charm and combat readiness.
And the color palette? Every frame looks like it was meant to be paused, printed, and framed. Deep reds, eerie blacks, shimmering crystals, and blinding magic attacks create an atmosphere that’s chaotic and beautiful. Denji Heian-kyou feels alive, layered, and buzzing with danger just under the surface.
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The first episode doesn’t hold your hand. You get world-building through action, with just enough mystery to keep you leaning in. Takeru wakes up in a dreamworld, meets Tsukimiya again (this time she doesn’t know him), and quickly learns about the black mist that signals the arrival of the Oni. Civilians are crystallized on sight once the black mist pours into town. Shikigami battle to protect the innocent.
One minute Takeru’s awkwardly reuniting with Tsukimiya, the next he’s going full shikigami-mode to avenge her crystallized corpse and getting absolutely wrecked for his trouble. Then bam—he wakes up like none of it happened. The man literally said, “I reject your reality and substitute my own.”
There’s something satisfying about a first episode that throws you into the deep end, then resets the board just to let you know this isn’t going to be a linear ride. It’s messy, chaotic, emotional, and did I mention gorgeous? I’ve already clocked the potential for heartbreak, hidden betrayals, and power-ups earned through sheer trauma.
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That’s the hook. You realize the time loop isn’t a one-off, and the emotional stakes are already high. Takeru isn’t just trying to survive. He’s trying to change fate. The pacing keeps you guessing, the fight scenes are crisp and clean, and the characters already show promise, especially with the introduction of Yura, Astunaga, and the legendary Abe no Seimei.
There’s potential here. Not just for cool fights and flashy transformations, but for emotional growth, relationship depth, and a layered story about identity, fate, and purpose. If you love your isekai with stakes, style, and supernatural flair, Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse might just be your next obsession.
Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse premieres July 2 and will stream new episodes every Wednesday exclusively on Crunchyroll.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the global anime brand that fuels fans’ love of anime. With the ambition to make anime an even bigger part of pop culture, Crunchyroll offers fans the ultimate anime experience and destination centered around a premium streaming service. Crunchyroll has the largest dedicated anime library, an immersive world of events, exciting theatrical releases, unique games, must-have merchandise, timely news, and more. Anime is for everyone and is accessible to stream across territories through Crunchyroll—whether on the go on mobile, through gaming consoles and big-screen devices at home, or on desktops anywhere.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
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