Can I Play Onmyoji? A No-Nonsense Guide for English Speakers

It's 2:17 AM and I just got another DM asking "hey can I play that anime ghost game in English?" So instead of sleeping, let's break this down properly. Onmyoji's language options aren't as straightforward as hitting "English" in settings, but here's everything I've learned from three years of cursed late-night gaming sessions.

The Short Answer

Yes, but with caveats. The global version (Onmyoji) and Japanese version (Onmyoji RPG) both have full English support. The Chinese version doesn't. Simple, right? Except...

Which Version Should You Play?

Version	English?	Server Location	Content Delay
Global (NetEase)	Full English	North America/Europe	6-8 months behind CN
Japanese (RPG)	Partial English	Japan	3 months behind CN
Chinese	No	China	Live updates

I made this chart at 3 AM when I should've been sleeping. The Japanese version's English translation feels like it was done by someone's cousin who took one semester of ESL - functional but weird. Global version's translations are polished but slower than continental drift for updates.

Why This Matters

• Community: Global has more English speakers (obviously)
• Events: JP gets cool collabs first (we just got Demon Slayer)
• Ping: Playing on JP servers from Texas gives me 180ms latency. Not ideal for PVP.

How to Actually Get Started

Here's the messy reality no one talks about:

1. Download: Global's on Play Store/App Store. For JP version, you'll need QooApp (Android) or a Japanese Apple ID.
2. Account: Global uses NetEase login (email works). JP version requires either:
   • Twitter login (easiest)
   • Japanese phone number (hard mode)
3. Language: In JP version, change it before the tutorial unless you want to button-mash through kanji.

Pro tip: The "guest account" option disappears after tutorial. Bind immediately or lose progress when your phone dies.

What Gets Lost in Translation

Some cultural references don't land:

• Shikigami names keep changing (Susabi was "Suzaku" for a hot minute)
• Event stories sometimes read like a bad anime fan sub
• That one time they translated "oni" as "ogre" and purists lost their minds

Is It Worth The Hassle?

Look, I've spent 47 consecutive days logging in for dailies. The gameplay loop is addictive in that "just one more summon" way. But be ready for:

• Gacha rates: 1.2% for SSR. I've gone 300 pulls dry. My wallet still hurts.
• Time commitment: Dailies take ~45 minutes. Events can double that.
• VPN needs: Only if you're in certain regions (looking at you, Belgium)

The music slaps though. That main theme lives in my head rent-free.

What Players Don't Tell You

Newbies always ask about the "best starter SSR." Real talk? It doesn't matter after two weeks. The meta shifts faster than:

Patch	Broken Unit	Nerf Timeline
2.7	SP Tamamonomae	3 weeks
3.1	Asura	2 months

Just pick whoever looks cool. My first SSR was Shuten Doji because abs. Zero regrets.

The coffee's gone cold and my summoning luck is still terrible. But if you're okay with some jank and waiting for translations, yeah - you can absolutely play Onmyoji in English. Just don't blame me when you start dreaming about orochi runs.