Masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve, diffident nature has more than once caused him to be let go by the lords who employ him. Hungry and desperate, he agrees to become a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a group calling itself “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.
Episodes
12
Aired
Spring 2010
Score
7.5
Popularity
#2054
SeinenSamuraiMale ProtagonistHistoricalPrimarily Adult CastCrimePrimarily Male CastOiran
If you like this, try
Hyouge Mono 85%39 eps · 2011
Both steep you in Edo-era political maneuvering, trading swordplay for obsessive tea ceremony intrigue among men serving ambitious lords.
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju 82%13 eps · 2016
It shares that same slow-burn character study of loyalty and hidden motives, here transposed into the world of storytelling rather than crime.
Hidamari no Ki 81%25 eps · 2000
A similarly grounded, adult-cast historical drama that lingers on personal struggle and moral ambiguity instead of clean heroics.
ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. 81%12 eps · 2017
The quiet, watchful pacing and a protagonist reading everyone's true intentions will feel familiar, even in a fantasy bureaucracy.