The masked avenger Kurama Tengu is linked to a plot to bring down the Tokugawa shogunate, but is it really our hero, or an imposter?
In Edo-era Japan, a ukiyo-e artist languishes in his master’s shadow. Creatively stifled, he finds consolation in the company of a prostitute, and becomes entangled in a love triangle. A mystery emerges involving two portraits and the sudden disappearance of the artist Sharaku. Helmed by Cannes-selected director Tatsuji Yamazaki, the film employs kabuki-inspired sequences and stylised sets.
Two amiable samurai wind up on opposite sides of the vendetta between Lord Asano's retainers and the family of Lord Kira that led to the famous revenge of the 47 Ronin.
The man is chased by losing the beauty and preciousness of love and the foundation of life without overcoming the hardship of life.
Momotaro carries this sword into battle against injustice in shogunate Japan. Aided by ninja he must now wage a furious battle against the terrible “Ran” clan, villains in league with Ohara Ukon, a bitter samurai nursing a grudge against the shogunate. Together the ruthless conspirators will threaten the foundations of shogunate rule over Japan. Only the relentless slashing sword of Momotaro may save the nation from the Ran clan's army of killers.
In Edo, a group of masked samurai stormed a seafood wholesaler, killing the head clerk and robbing the money. They then crossed paths with Ichi, a blind masseur and master swordman. However, upon recognizing his blindness, they decided to leave without confrontation. The next day, a woman known to Ichi and her samurai customer was found murdered at a brothel, leading to the wrongful apprehension of Ichi as the culprit. However, a few days later, when another couple was found murdered in a similar manner, Ichi was released. With his friend, they began their search for the real culprits.
Sabu, a low-ranking samurai, finds himself unable to apprehend the ruthless leader of a violent gang of thieves, which leads to a scolding from his fellow friend and leaves him feeling disheartened. Meanwhile, Ichi, a blind masseur is called upon to provide a massage while passing by the residence of Iwashiroya, a prominent tea wholesaler in Edo. To his surprise, one of Iwashiroya's mistresses, Oshin, reacts unexpectedly upon seeing Ichi's face. Later that night, while returning home drunk, Ichi faces an attack by a ronin, whom he successfully overpowers and kills. Later Ichi accompanied by Sabu, revisits the scene, only to discover that the victim was not a ronin but rather an ordinary townsman. Subsequently, it comes to light that the victim was the sole heir of Iwashiroya. They have fallen into a trap. As rumors circulate that Ichi is the culprit, he is captured and subjected to torture, resulting in him being left critically injured...
In the town of Edo, a series of bizarre incidents occur, where people are kidnapped, have fox masks placed on their faces, and are then thrown out, dragged by white horses. Those who experience this report being suddenly abducted and losing their sight during the ordeal. What's strange is that all the victims are individuals who have come to Edo, struggling to make a living, and aren't even listed in the population registry.Satake, a low-ranking official, suspects that someone with access to the registry in the magistrate's office is behind these crimes. Amidst this, Satake's boss, Saheiji, who had been looking forward to his daughter Midori's wedding, is murdered by men wearing fox masks.
During a gathering of detectives, Satake is the only one not indulging in the hospitality of a wealthy money exchanger. His senior, Yasuke, leaves the gathering and warns Satake they will soon be targeted by a powerful figure. Yasuke is later tortured and killed by an unknown assailant. Satake learns from Yasuke's wife, Osaki, that Sagamiya was targeting him. A female pickpocket, Oyu, reveals Sagamiya's malevolent nature. When Oyu steals from Sagamiya and gives the wallet to Satake, he finds a promissory note for 10,000 ryo borrowed by a young magistrate from Sagamiya. Realizing his colleague, Constable Tanabe Seiichiro, is being manipulated by Sagamiya, Satake faces a dire situation. Midori suspects Satake of having a relationship with Oyu, and Ichi is of no help. Leaving the island for Edo, he is pursued by three ruthless individuals and Sagamiya's sinister bodyguard.
Mondosuke ventures alone into the land of Nagasaki. There, he encounters young lady named Kinue, the daughter of Nagasaki's former magistrate office constable, Shusuke Kaneko. Monsuke has received information that Shusuke has been captured on charges of embezzlement, prompting him to head to the magistrate's office. However, the arrival of the Chief Inspector, Shigehide Ogiwara , obstructs Monsuke's actions.
The Satsuma clan conspires with key figures in the shogunate to overthrow the government. However, the head inspector, Naito Yamashiro no Kami, cannot find the sworn statement of rebellion and takes responsibility by ending his own life. This deeply affects Mondonosuke Saotome, who was close to Yamashiro no Kami and who is known for his restless nature. Seeking an audience with Shogun Tsunayoshi to request a view of the sworn statement, Mondonosuke Saotome is granted permission to go to Satsuma. He sets off on this journey accompanied by Sasao Kinai and Yamashiro no Kami's sister, Shizue . However, on the way, they are attacked by a group of mountain monks. Mondonosuke Saotome manages to repel the monks in a brawl but becomes separated from Kinai and Shizue. Afterward, he encounters a mysterious woman named Oren, and with her guidance, he finally arrives in Satsuma.
One night, Sawatari Shusui saves a geisha named Osode from a ninja attack. Osode's mother is said to be carrying the child of the shogun, Tsunayoshi, and has hidden herself on Hachijo Island. Shusui heads to Hachijo to verify the truth. Meanwhile, Shusui had heard from Tsunayoshi that he was planning to appoint the Kofu Chancellor, Tokugawa Tsunatoyo, as the next shogun, but Sumi's father, Makino Bizen no Kami, whose daughter was pregnant with Tsunayoshi's child, was planning to have his daughter's child ascend to the shogunate and seize real power. Amidst all this, Shusui, along with Osode and his servant, Sasao Yoshinari , sets foot on Hachijo Island and meets Tsunayoshi's son, Kotaro, who was born to Osode's mother. But then a group of ninjas attacks.
A marriage proposal from the Kishu family is presented to Kikuji, but her brother, Sawatari Shusui, declines it. Around the same time, the lord of the Kishu family dies under suspicious circumstances. Determined to resolve the turmoil within the Kishu domain, Shusui embarks on a journey. The proposed suitor for Kikuji is Shin'nosuke, a young samurai who recently saved Shusui from an attack but left without receiving thanks. Shin'nosuke, heir to the Kishu domain, has headed back to Kishu. However, Iwakura Guntayu, the Edo elder of the Kishu domain, is plotting to install his concubine's child as the new lord and seeks Shin'nosuke's life. Accompanied by Kikuji and his servant, Sasao Yoshinari, Shusui hastens to Kishu to confront the brewing crisis.
Sawatari Shusui saved Princess Hiroko of the Konoe family, who was about to be married to Tokugawa Tsunatoyo. However, Hiroko, a tomboy, disappears. As someone is after Hiroko's life, Shusui pursues her whereabouts... Meanwhile, Sasao Yoshinari and Shusui's sister, Kikuji, who were following Shusui, meet a young man and Kikuji is captivated by him, but they do not realize that he is Hiroko in disguise as a young man. Shusui is set to search for Hiroko with her attendant Orui, but that night they are attacked by a group of ninjas at their inn.
Sawatari Shusui was told about 7,000 ryo of buried gold by Osuke, who claimed to be a princess of the Fujiwara family. Shusui speculates that powerful people in the Date family and the shogunate are planning to overthrow the shogunate using buried gold and gets excited about a major national crisis. He gets separated from Osuke due to interference but with the help of his sister Kikuji and others he tracks down Osuke's whereabouts. He then realizes that Osuke is not from the Fujiwara family but is actually the daughter of Edo elder Itakura Shōken who has been confined under the pretext of an epidemic disease. Having promised to help Osuke, Shusui goes up to Edo Castle and advises shogun Tsunayoshi not to visit Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine which has been restored by Date family because "evil spirits are attached". However, Tsunayoshi is furious and orders him to stay under house arrest.
The great merchant of Kaga Daitokuya , had taken control of the domain with his wealth and by holding onto the weakness of Lord Maeda Tsunanori , and was planning to rule over Japan as well. In order to free the lord from evil spirits and monsters, Sawatari Shusui heads towards Kaga Hyakumangoku. On his way, Shusui helps a girl named Oyumi who was about to be bullied by a ronin. Oyumi claims to be the daughter of Daitokuya, but she is actually the daughter of Lord Maeda Tsunanori's concubine. Daitokuya, who had taken control of power by raising Oyumi on behalf of Tsunanori who could not make it public because of his legal wife, was secretly storing weapons and ammunition and was pressuring Tsunanori to sign a letter of rebellion.
The two ronin that Sawatari Mondonosuke saved were secret envoys from Ryukyu. They could not stand the tyranny of the Satsuma clan and were trying to appeal to the shogunate. But they were captured by someone afterwards. Mondonosuke’s boredom bug started to stir… Mondonosuke rescued the two who were imprisoned in the mansion of the chief elder, Okubo Iga-no-kami , as well as a senior official, Mamoru, and his niece, Reika , who had also escaped from Ryukyu. The Satsuma clan hired Wakura Juro to assassinate Mondonosuke through his daughter O-Ran, who is a spy …
The one who hurriedly ascended the castle upon hearing news of Shogun Tsunayoshi's illness was Saotome Mondonosuke. However, instead of an illness, he was prompted to consider a marriage proposal with Yaehime, a daughter of the Date clan. Yet, this was merely a pretext, as he was requested to investigate the truth behind the rumors of rebellion within the Date clan. Mondonosuke, who took on this task to stave off boredom, accompanied by his retainer Kinai, departed for Mutsu, following the procession of Yaehime returning to her home province. However, remnants of the Toyotomi faction, already plotting the overthrow of the shogunate, had gathered under Kii Koya Bunzaemon…
Ichibei, a thief known as "Yami no Kiba," and his daughter Oasa are caught by members of a street performer family with a nationwide organization when the kite they are riding falls deep into the mountains of Owari. Nitayu, the key person in the clan, learns of Ichibei's obsession to avenge his father's murder by the Tokugawas and promises to help him. When Ichibei learns of Shogun Ienari's plan to transport a pure gold statue of Prince Ieyasu from Sunpu to Edo Castle, he joins forces with the bandit Kojiro to steal it. ......
Oda Nobunaga and Nōhime were originally married to mend a hostile relationship between neighbouring regions. Unfortunately, they were like oil and water, making for a somewhat unhappy marriage. When Oda's enemy, Imagawa Yoshimoto, attacks Owari with his vast army, Oda is devastated by the overwhelming gap in military strength. However, Nohime encourages him not to despair, and the pair draw up a tactical plan that will allow them to overcome the odds.