Okamiden stylizing DS in 2011

Capcom roused many an Okami fan in September, when it announced that a sequel to the critically acclaimed action adventure would arrive for the DS in Japan this year. As part of its Captivate 2010 media event, Capcom confirmed today that North American audiences, too, will be able to pick up Okamiden on the DS, though they'll have to wait until 2011 to do so.

Okamiden picks up several months after the events of the original, which saw release on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. (It was also rereleased on the Wii in 2008.) The handheld game follows a new protagonist, Chibiterasu, who is the child of the original's sun-god-turned-white-wolf Ameterasu. Capcom also promises a ranging cast of new and returning characters to support the child-god as he works through a "morally impactful and fun" narrative to save the world.

The handheld game retains the series' hallmark celestial brush play mechanic, and gamers will be able to draw magical symbols on the DS's touch screen using the stylus. These symbols take the form of sumi-e artwork, a style of calligraphy that emphasizes watercolors, and this visual aesthetic is also applied to the game's environments and characters.

For more information, check out GameSpot's hands-on with Okamiden from Capcom's Captivate 2010 event.