Yoshikazu Inoue

A wave of terror is threatening to unseat Shogun Yoshimune. Police stations are erupting into flames, convicts escaping from prison, houses robbed and vandalized, streets teeming with panicked citizens. Is Ijyuin Tanomo, highly-placed official of Owari clan, secretly using deadly ninja to foment riot and rebellion? Narumiya Shinbei, a lone samurai spy adept at ninjutsu must uncover the hidden hand orchestrating these shocking crimes. Shinbei enlists a small band of dedicated ninja to lay siege to the enemy’s stronghold, where his own sister works as an undercover agent. Now, ninja must fight ninja in a last desperate battle to save the shogunate.

江戸の名物男は義賊、鼠小僧の次郎吉（北大路欣也）。盗みはすれど非道はせず。盗んだ金はすべて貧しい人々にわけ与え、江戸っ子仲間の憧れの的となっていた。だが有名になればニセ者が横行するのは世の習いで、殺人強盗の汚名を着せられた次郎吉は岡っ引きの十手に追われ、吉原のとある料亭に逃げ込んだ。その一室で大盤振る舞いをしていたのは北町奉行所近江雅楽頭の長男、銀八郎（松方弘樹）。「ニセ者を捕まえねえことには男がすたる」と言い切る次郎吉に「まず江戸を離れろ」と言って逃がしてやる。恋人や子分に別れを告げ、東海道を行く次郎吉は、箱根の関所で役人に追われ山中に逃げ込む。そこで関所破りで追われる銀八郎と再会する。銀八郎は、遊興三昧で父の怒りを買い、勘当されたのだった。旅はきまぐれ足まかせ。すっかり意気投合した若い二人は弥次サン、喜多サンと名を改め、珍道中が始まった。

The serial killing of a samurai each night by strangulation at various temples confounds investigators and brings a chill to the residents of Edo. With the capital on edge, master crimefighter Kondo Umon is brought in to try and solve the case. His illustrious career aside, Umon must risk his own life, time and time again in order to bring the culprit to justice. This mystery will keep you guessing until the exciting climax. Umon has a flair for the dramatic and will hopefully solve the case before more innocent victims have their lives claimed!