Who Are The Main Characters In The Onmyouji Series?

Walking home with a book tucked under my arm on a rainy evening, I dove back into the world of 'Onmyoji' and felt that familiar chill of ancient Kyoto and clever, understated magic. The heart of the series—across Baku Yumemakura's novels and Reiko Okano's gorgeous manga adaptation—is the pair Abe no Seimei and Minamoto no Hiromasa. Seimei is the legendary onmyoji: calm, almost otherworldly, with a sharp intellect and a habit of seeing patterns where others see chaos. Hiromasa, his companion, is warm-blooded and human in a way Seimei isn’t—often a musician or courtier depending on the version—providing emotional grounding and a lens through which readers experience Seimei’s mysteries.

Beyond that duo, several recurring figures give the stories texture. Ashiya Doman stands out as Seimei’s foil—a rival onmyoji whose methods and motives clash dramatically with Seimei’s. Then there are court nobles, emperors, courtesans, and a parade of yokai and spirits whose personalities range from mischievous to tragic. Different adaptations expand or shift focus: the novels dwell on philosophical duels and historical detail, the manga brings visual elegance to Seimei’s rituals, and modern retellings or games riff on the roster with new supporting characters or shikigami. For me, the pleasure is watching how each medium reshapes the same core trio—Seimei, Hiromasa, and the antagonistic presence of Doman—while letting side characters steal scenes in small, unforgettable ways.