Chapter 17 (Okuni's Kabuki Dance) is the theater-infiltration chapter. Musashi goes undercover as a kabuki dancer to expose a Genma-bardic troupe. Disguise stealth dominates, with the Burai sub-boss as the climax. Estimated 2–2.5 hours.
1. Chapter Overview
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 17 — "Okuni's Kabuki Dance" |
| Estimated Time | 2 – 2.5 hours |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Setting | Imperial kabuki theater, backstage passages, stage traps |
| Story Summary | Okuni recruits Musashi as an undercover kabuki dancer. Together they expose a Genma-bardic troupe performing for the Emperor. The Burai bard stands as the troupe's guardian. |
| Key Unlocks | Burai Soul Core, Mask-Whisper talisman, Fifth Enma Page, Okuni ally rank |
| Recommended Level | 26 – 28 |
Chapter 17 ("Okuni's Kabuki Dance") is a 2 – 2.5 hours segment of the 22-mission main story of Onimusha: Way of the Sword. The structure, enemy compositions, and item placements below are based on the verified first-week launch state. Use the walkthrough checklist to track every encounter, item, and missable. Recommended for players clearing the chapter for the first time on Difficulty Mode II — the chapter scales to whatever level you enter.
2. Main Objectives
- Meet Okuni at the theater-side teahouse
- Disguise as a kabuki dancer and enter backstage
- Clear three Genma-bardic performers from the green-room
- Survive the on-stage performance without breaking character
- Defeat Burai in the trap-door chamber under the stage
- Recover the Fifth Enma Page from the chorus pit
3. Walkthrough
Sections In This Chapter
Section 1 — Teahouse Recruit
Okuni briefs you at the theater-side teahouse. She provides the kabuki dancer disguise and a backstage pass.
She also instructs you on character-appropriate movement: glide with light steps (LS lightly), bow to your fellow dancers (A), and avoid sprinting in the dressing-room corridors.
Section 2 — Backstage Disguise Stealth
Backstage has four Genma-bardic performers scouting for impostors.
Mirror each bard's step-pattern as you pass them. If a bard notices a difference in cadence, he raises the alarm.
Section 3 — Green-Room Combat
The green-room must be cleared without alerting the audience. Three Genma-bardic performers fight to the death — silent takedowns only.
Silent takedowns are unlocked by the Stealth Tier-2 skill (Chapter 11). If you fail a silent takedown you alert the audience and skip the on-stage performance segment.
Section 4 — On-Stage Performance
A scripted dance sequence where you must follow Okuni's choreography on stage.
The choreography is: A (kneel) → X (rise) → Y (extend fan) → B (twirl). The audience assumes you are part of the show if you nail the choreography.
Section 5 — Burai Sub-Boss
After the show, the trap-door under the stage opens to a chamber where Burai awaits — the Genma-bardic troupe's guardian.
Burai uses musical-blade strikes synced to an invisible beat. Listen for the chime‖each chime telegraphs a slash. Parry on the third chime to break his rhythm.
Section 6 — Chorus Pit
Recover the Fifth Enma Page from the chorus pit's relic-box.
The Enma Page is the smallest of the seven; the chorus pit's relic-box is hidden behind the percussion instruments. Okuni unlocks it after the Burai fight.
4. Key Items & Collectibles
| Item | Location | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Burai Soul Core | Sub-boss drop | Rhythm-synced strike gauntlet |
| Mask-Whisper talisman | Backstage reward | +10% deflect under disguise |
| Fifth Enma Page | Chorus pit relic-box | Hozuki Pouch upgrade piece (5/7) |
| Hozuki Pouch token #13 | Hidden in dressing-room mirror | +1 pouch slot |
| Okuni ally rank (advanced) | After Burai | Okuni now offers disguises for stealth missions |
| Sun-Dried Hozuki x14 | Green-room reward | Crafting material |
5. Missables
- Fifth Enma Page — the chorus pit relic-box only opens if Okuni is alive after the Burai fight (she can be killed during the trap-door sequence if you attack her accidentally).
- Hozuki Pouch token #13 — hidden behind the dressing-room mirror. Inspect every mirror carefully; the token is glued to the back of the third mirror.
- Okuni ally rank upgrade — requires the perfect on-stage choreography QTE. One miss and the upgrade is delayed to the next chapter's start.
- Mask-Whisper talisman — the backstage reward is only granted if you complete green-room combat with no failed silent takedowns.
6. Soul Farming Opportunities
| Location | Enemies | Souls / Clear | Respawns? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backstage stealth clear | 4 Genma-bardic performers | ~280 yellow | Yes (NG+) |
| Green-room silent clear | 3 Genma-bardic performers | ~240 yellow | Yes (NG+) |
| Burai sub-boss | 1 Burai | ~1450 yellow | Once per save |
7. Chapter Checklist
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