Okami's 20th anniversary website is live with concert dates and sequel news

Capcom has launched an official 20th-anniversary website for Okami to celebrate exactly two decades since the game's April 20, 2006 release in Japan. The portal is a central hub for anniversary merchandise, an upcoming concert series, and updates on the recently announced sequel project.

I love Okami. I consider it one of the finest action-adventure games ever made, and yes, I even like Okamiden, the 2010 Nintendo DS sequel that most people pretend doesn't exist. Translating the Celestial Brush mechanics to a physical stylus just made sense to me, even if the hardware limitations were obvious. Seeing Capcom go all out for this milestone is validating for a franchise that didn't exactly set the sales charts on fire when it first arrived.

The 2006 PlayStation 2 launch

Hideki Kamiya directed the original game at Clover Studio. You play as the sun goddess Amaterasu in the form of a white wolf to restore life to a cursed version of ancient Japan. It launched late in the PlayStation 2 lifecycle and struggled commercially, despite winning IGN's Game of the Year and widespread critical acclaim.

The sumi-e ink wash art style and Celestial Brush mechanics were completely unique. The brush system required players to pause the action and paint shapes on the screen to summon bombs, slash enemies, or change the time of day. It was a brilliant integration of theme and gameplay.

Capcom eventually realized what they had. They ported the game to the Wii, PlayStation 3, and eventually every modern platform under the sun via Okami HD. The game has sold millions of copies over the last two decades. Good art direction outlasts hardware cycles.

Anniversary Concert Details

Kamiya posted a message on the new anniversary site alongside an interactive voice picture scroll and a gallery of celebratory illustrations. Capcom also confirmed an Okami 20th Anniversary Concert.

This concert is scheduled for April 29, 2026, at Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo.

Kamiya's new studio takes the reins

Capcom also set up a dedicated hub for the Okami Complete New Work. The publisher originally announced this project at The Game Awards 2024. Kamiya is returning to direct the next mainline entry through his newly formed independent studio, Clovers.

They are developing the game in partnership with Capcom, M-Two, and Machine Head Works. We still do not have target platforms or a release window, but Capcom plans to post future updates on the new portal. The fact that a major Japanese publisher is willing to hand the keys to a beloved franchise back to its original creator, who now runs an external studio, is highly unusual.

Fans have waited nearly two decades for a proper console follow-up to the original game. The 2024 announcement trailer only showed a brief glimpse of Amaterasu running through a field, so we have no idea how the brush mechanics will translate to modern hardware.

It took twenty years, but Amaterasu is finally getting the sustained attention she deserves. I will be keeping a close eye on the site for any actual gameplay footage of the new project.