Shoichi Hirai

In the end of 19th century Japan, followers of judo and jujitsu battle for supremacy in Japanese martial arts.

Ryosuke Kotaki's life motto was his grandfather's will, "Study, make money, drink alcohol, and win the first prize". So, first of all, he went to Osaka to win the first prize with favorite shogi. In the car, he hit it off with a woman named Okichi and decided to live in the Shogi Kaisho, which is run by Okichi's father, Yoichi. Ryosuke's skill was strong, and he was happy to make a lot of money in gambling shogi. However, he lost to a middle-aged man by dropping four cards. This man was actually Heihachi Kudo, who is said to be the best of both worlds in the Kansai chess world at the time...

A hobo exposes the misdeeds of a new yakuza.

A shikakenin was an under-the-cover trade that undertook killing in Edo. Hanemon of Otowa, an agency that introduced laborers and maids, was also one of these. Katsugoro Iseya was a timber dealer who had come in as a client. His target was the constructions magistrate Hanno, and the Tatsumiya who sipped on the benefits. Hanemon who had a stong code towards killing, where he would only kill those who do no good to be in the world, accepts this request. Baian Fujieda, a needle doctor would carry out the killing. However, the professional killer Baian fails to bring down Tatsumiya. Hanemon then looks to another shikakenin, the ronin Sanai Nishimura for the role. Although Sanai's ability with the sword is good, he lives poorly in a tenement, and accepts this commission on the condition that it is kept a secret from his wife and child. Here, they close in on Hanno and Tatsumiya again...