Character Relationship Map: Onibaba

Characters

• Woman (played by Nobuko Otowa) — protagonist

  An older woman living in reed fields with her daughter-in-law. She kills and robs wandering soldiers to trade for food, and initially tries to seduce the veteran Hachi to keep her daughter-in-law's as...

• Young Woman (played by Jitsuko Yoshimura) — protagonist

  The older woman's daughter-in-law and widow of Kishi. Initially warned to stay away from Hachi, she secretly meets him for sex every night. She is frightened by the older woman wearing a stolen mask b...

• Hachi (played by Kei Satō) — supporting

  A veteran neighbor who returns from war. He informs the women that her husband deserted and was killed. He develops a romantic and sexual relationship with the younger woman, secretly meeting her at n...

• The Samurai (played by Jūkichi Uno) — supporting

  A lost, masked samurai who demands guidance out of the reed field. He claims the mask protects his handsome face, but is actually severely disfigured. He is tricked by the older woman into falling int...

• Ushi (played by Taiji Tonoyama) — supporting

  A local merchant who trades food for the stolen armor and weapons brought by the two women. He provides them with war updates and attempts to proposition the older woman, who rejects him.

Key Relationships

• Woman → Ushi (Professional Merchant & Clients)
• Woman → The Samurai (Conflict Deceptive Killer)
• Woman → Hachi (Romantic Unrequited Suitor)
• Hachi → Young Woman (Romantic Lovers)
• Woman → Young Woman (Family Mother-in-law)

Story Analysis

A tale of survival, moral decay, and supernatural retribution in wartime Japan.

Plot Progression

1. Survival in the Reeds
2. Forbidden Desires
3. The Cursed Mask
4. Demon's Descent