Rōnin Insurrection

Ronin: Insurrection is a deep dive into struggles between disgruntled warriors-the ronin-and followers of the Edo shogun. Grounded in actual events and famous individuals, the story has crime, suspense, and political intrigue.

When a vengeful ronin, Ishida Kurobei, launches a crime spree in the heart of the old capital, officers respond. Kurobei is furious about the execution of his father, a samurai who'd been maligned. Vowing to rectify his family's humiliation, Kurobei enlists a crew of armed ronin to protest the hardships they face. Although Kurobei insists on the righteousness of his intentions, his rage and cruelty tell a different story. His ulterior motive is to overthrow the shogun and restore the Emperor to power.

Tanaka Taisuke, a Kyoto deputy inspector, pursues Kurobei, determined to arrest him. Tanaka gathers undercover agents working for the shogunal government, and together they hunt down Kurobei.

Meanwhile, a young woman named Aki undertakes her own missions. A firewood-carrier who lives alone with her widowed mother on the slopes in northeastern Kyoto, Aki has an inquisitive mind, fostered by the education she is receiving at an imperial convent. One of the nuns, Aki's teacher, asks her to hide letters in the kindling she delivers daily to imperial residences. The nun warns Aki that the letters must be kept absolutely secret, but the young woman can't help wondering what secrets the letters might contain.