Sword Of The Demon Hunter

In the 11th year of the Tenpo era (1840), the Great Famine plunges the people into turmoil; in this era of chaos, demons take human form, toying with humans for their own amusement. Kadono - a mountain settlement far away from the hustle and bustle of Edo. There lives a brother and sister named Jinta and Suzune. In this village, there is a shrine maiden called 'Itsukihime.'

Jinta, who became a demon, takes the name 'Jinya' after inheriting 'Yarai' and leaves Kadono with resolve. Ten years after leaving his hometown, Jinya now resides in Edo as a ronin and is called 'the man who slays demons with a single sword.' One day, the owner of Sugaya, a large store in Nihonbashi, approaches Jinya, requesting him to be his daughter's bodyguard.

Three years have passed since the request from Sugaya. One day, at his regular soba shop, 'Kihei,' Jinya learns from the shop owner and his daughter, Ofuu, about the recent rumors of the Tsujigiri incident. The victims' bodies are said to be in a gruesome state as if torn apart by a beast, but the number of corpses and missing people doesn't add up.

Jinya and Natsu get attacked by the Tsujigiri, suspected to be a demon. Jinya swings Yarai in battle, and with the timely support of Mosuke, they fight back and force the demon to vanish into the darkness. After a reunion with Zenji, Jinya learns from him that there's an abandoned temple, 'Mizuho Temple,' in Yanaka, where a woman's voice often echoes through the dead of night.

In the autumn of Kaei 6 (1853), a samurai who frequents the soba shop 'Kihei' - Arimori Naotsugu Miura - feels troubled by a mystery. He has an older brother named Sadanaga Miura who went missing, yet everyone around him, including his parents, firmly insists, 'You never had an older brother,' as if this person never existed.

After taking on Naotsugu's request to search for his brother, Jinya heads to the Miura family home to hear a more detailed account of the incident. But in the midst of searching for clues in Sadanaga's room, the scent of daffodils and the melody of a counting song drew them into another world. Yet what meets their eyes is a mansion engulfed in flames.

In the winter of Kaei 6 (1853), Jinya receives a request from Juzo. He hopes Jinya will investigate a demon picture called 'Ukiyo-e of Kudanzaka,' which is said to bring disaster. After Jinya accepts the ukiyo-e, Zenji unexpectedly rushes into the soba shop with another picture of the same name, 'Ukiyo-e of Kudanzaka,' whose original owner has already died under mysterious circumstances.

Spring of Kaei 7 (1854). A quiet rumor circulates in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters: an ugly female demon appears at night beneath the cherry blossom tree and kills men. At Yotaka's request, Jinya follows the rumor to the cherry blossom tree and, sure enough, encounters the demon woman wrapped in rags, her face festering with rot as she weeps and cries out.

The one who appears before Jinya is the man who gave the kanzashi to Natsu and called himself Somegorou Akitsu. Attacked by the three Inugami under Akitsu's command, Jinya immediately counters using 'Invisibility' and 'Dash.' The Inugami's sharp fangs nearly tear into Jinya's throat; the battle is dangerously close.

May, Ansei 2 (1855). After a night of drinking and conversation with Jinya, Naotsugu takes shelter from a sudden downpour beneath the eaves of a house on his way back, muttering to himself about his bad luck. At that moment, a woman wearing a kimono and a towel over her head walks in. This woman calls herself Yotaka, and she's so beautiful that Naotsugu can't take his eyes off her.

Winter, Ansei 3 (1856). At the soba shop 'Kihei,' a celebration is being held for Zenji, the newly appointed shopkeeper of Sugaya. To mark the occasion, Zenji specifically brings along a bottle of sake named 'Lingering Snow.' This sake has taken Edo by storm - even the owner of Sugaya, Juzo, is enchanted by it and drinks it every night without fail.

At that time in Edo, brawls and murders linked to 'Lingering Snow' are a constant occurrence. Jinya, working with Akitsu to investigate this matter, learns shocking news about the sake from Yotaka - it turns out the one wholesaling it across all of Edo is none other than 'Mizukiya,' the liquor store where he once took down a demon in the warehouse.

The sake called 'Lingering Snow' - with each sip, one is slowly consumed by hatred, ultimately turning into a demon. Stumbling through the piled-up snow, Jinya rushes into Sugaya. He sees Natsu collapsed on the ground, frozen in fear, and a demon with charred, rotting flesh, calling out 'Jin, Jinta...' in a broken voice.

Winter, Tenpo 10 (1839). That happened back when Jinya was still called Jinta. At the time, rumors spread about a strange creature lurking in Modorigawa. Upon hearing of this, the "Itsukihime" Byakuya appoints Jinta on a mission to hunt it and uncover its true nature in order to safeguard the peace of Kadono.

Bunkyu 2 (1862). Ever since the Black Ships incident in the Kaei era, unrest has shrouded cities and countryside alike. One day, Jinya learns from Naotsugu about a troubling demonic sword, inscribed with the name 'Yatonomori Kaneomi.' The sword is now said to be held by a male servant acting as a monk retainer in the Hatakeyama household of Aizu.

July, Bunkyu 3 (1863). Jinya hears a rumor: a man-eating demon has appeared in the abandoned Mizuho Temple. He heads over to investigate, only to discover a silver-white fox-like demon living in the abandoned temple. As Jinya cuts down the demon who calls herself 'Yunagi' and devours her, the distant cry of a baby echoes through the air.

March, Genji 1 (1864). Yasuhide Hatakeyama, a samurai of the Aizu Domain loyal to the shogunate, approaches Jinya with a request. He hopes Jinya will slay a demon named Kiichi Okada for him. Kiichi Okada, once the finest samurai under Yasuhide's command, has become a bloodthirsty killer-kaikoku supporters, foreigners, even joi faction samurai, women, and children have all fallen to his sword.

Keio 3 (1867). Akitsu, a "tsukumogami user" who can turn objects imbued with emotions into spirits, arrives from Kyoto with a parcel to visit Jinya. Inside the parcel is a beautiful tea utensil adorned with gold-painted bigleaf hydrangeas. Akitsu is looking for someone who can use it to prepare tea. While searching for the right person, Akitsu leads Jinya into an antique shop.

One autumn day, in the courtyard of the Miura mansion, Jinya and Naotsugu clash with wooden swords, their intensity akin to a real battle. This is a swordsmanship spar that Jinya engages in at Naotsugu's request. Inside the mansion, Jinya is immersed in peaceful moments with his daughter, Nomari, Naotsugu, and Naotsugu's family. Yet, such peace is always fleeting.

In an intense battle against Tsuchiura, retainer of Yasuhide Hatakeyama, Jinya transforms into his demon form, witnessed by his daughter, Nomari, and Naotsugu. Facing the worried Ofuu, Jinya declares that he will defeat Tsuchiura. Sensing Jinya's unwavering resolve, Ofuu presses him on why he fights against demons.

Amid the pouring rain, Jinya and Tsuchiura clash head-on. The moment Jinya's strange left arm pulses, their memories intertwine, and they glimpse into each other's past. As Jinya and Tsuchiura sense their hearts resonate, they also realize that neither can yield in this battle. Mosuke, Hatsu, Ofuu, Yunagi… Remembering the wishes of all the demons he has met, Jinya questions Tsuchiura

April, Meiji 5 (1872). After leaving Edo, Jinya runs a soba restaurant called 'Demon Soba' on Sanjo Street in Kyoto, where he lives together with his nine-year-old daughter, Nomari. Akitsu, the 'tsukumogami user' who's long been close with Jinya, often stops by the shop to chat. Lately, however, the number of demons in Kyoto has been growing by the day.

One day, Jinya hears from Akitsu about the tale of the celestial maiden that's passed down at Aragi Inari Shrine. It's said that the iron mirror used to send celestial maidens back to the heavens has now become the shrine's goshintai. However, just last night, someone claimed to have seen an unusual light emanating from the main hall where the mirror is kept, and even a human silhouette appearing.

Kaoru, who comes from the future, time-travels to Kyoto during the Meiji era, where she's given the name 'Asagao' and takes lodging at Jinya's residence. If Asagao is truly a celestial maiden, she may find clues to return home within the 'Mirror of Sky Fox,' the legendary artifact said to connect heaven and earth.