Steel of the Celestial Shadows
7 primary works
Book 1
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan.
Vagabond; Ruroni Kenshin; House of Five Leaves; Golden Kamuy
It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Ryudo’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Vagabond; Ruroni Kenshin; House of Five Leaves; Golden Kamuy
It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Ryudo’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Book 2
A down-and-out samurai who can’t even hold a sword enters a strange world of magic searching for honor and redemption.
In early 19th-century Japan, a down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life. His dear departed mother’s last hope was for him to live his life as a splendid warrior, but a cruel curse repels and distorts any metal that gets near him. Will he ever be able to wield a sword, much less live the life of an honorable samurai?
After his wife Tsuki is abducted by an onmyoji sorcerer, Konosuke tries to get on with his life. Struck by a curse that affects his memory, he can’t remember who Tsuki was. Then he meets Aki, a young medium whose powers may help Konosuke recover his memory, and help him look for Tsuki. Konosuke’s persistence draws the ire of the dark servants of the Bureau of Onmyo, who have orders to eliminate him…
In early 19th-century Japan, a down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life. His dear departed mother’s last hope was for him to live his life as a splendid warrior, but a cruel curse repels and distorts any metal that gets near him. Will he ever be able to wield a sword, much less live the life of an honorable samurai?
After his wife Tsuki is abducted by an onmyoji sorcerer, Konosuke tries to get on with his life. Struck by a curse that affects his memory, he can’t remember who Tsuki was. Then he meets Aki, a young medium whose powers may help Konosuke recover his memory, and help him look for Tsuki. Konosuke’s persistence draws the ire of the dark servants of the Bureau of Onmyo, who have orders to eliminate him…
Book 3
A down-and-out samurai who can’t even hold a sword enters a strange world of magic searching for honor and redemption.
Down-and-out samurai Ryudo Konosuke has a supernatural gift, but it is a power that has ruined his life.
After fighting off a bizarre attack by a troupe of manzai comedians, Konosuke and Aki realize the forces of the Tsuchimikado clan are after them. The Tsuchimikado oversee all of the onmyoji and the gifted throughout Japan, and Konosuke realizes finding Tsuki means confronting the powerful clan. But doing so means going to Kyo, the capital. As Konosuke and Aki decide to put Edo behind them, another strange assassin comes calling, and life or death will depend on Konosuke controlling his power to warp metal, or losing himself to it…
Down-and-out samurai Ryudo Konosuke has a supernatural gift, but it is a power that has ruined his life.
After fighting off a bizarre attack by a troupe of manzai comedians, Konosuke and Aki realize the forces of the Tsuchimikado clan are after them. The Tsuchimikado oversee all of the onmyoji and the gifted throughout Japan, and Konosuke realizes finding Tsuki means confronting the powerful clan. But doing so means going to Kyo, the capital. As Konosuke and Aki decide to put Edo behind them, another strange assassin comes calling, and life or death will depend on Konosuke controlling his power to warp metal, or losing himself to it…
Book 4
A down-and-out samurai who can’t even hold a sword enters a strange world of magic searching for honor and redemption.
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Down-and-out samurai Ryudo Konosuke has a supernatural gift, but it is a power that has ruined his life. For the gifted, their abilities can be a double-edged sword, granting amazing abilities yet threatening to overwhelm them at the same time. After escaping from some assassins, Konosuke and Aki both struggle not to lose themselves to their gifts. Then a new ally relates the secret story of Lord Haretake of the Tsuchimikado clan. Konosuke will stop at nothing to find his love, Tsuki, but Lord Haretake needs her divine power for his own dark plans…
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Down-and-out samurai Ryudo Konosuke has a supernatural gift, but it is a power that has ruined his life. For the gifted, their abilities can be a double-edged sword, granting amazing abilities yet threatening to overwhelm them at the same time. After escaping from some assassins, Konosuke and Aki both struggle not to lose themselves to their gifts. Then a new ally relates the secret story of Lord Haretake of the Tsuchimikado clan. Konosuke will stop at nothing to find his love, Tsuki, but Lord Haretake needs her divine power for his own dark plans…
Book 5
A down-and-out samurai who can’t even hold a sword enters a strange world of magic searching for honor and redemption.
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
The evil entity that has possessed Lord Haretake, the head of the Tsuchimikado clan, has a plan to unseal the sessho-seki stones and unleash calamity upon the land. As Konosuke hears the truth of the situation, he finally begins to realize what he’s fallen into, and what is at stake. With this new information, Konosuke, Aki, and the strange boy Bokutake set out to intercept Tsuki’s captors before they can reach the next stone. But when Takayama’s magic jar deposits Konosuke inside a gambling den, he finds himself betting with more than just his own life…
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
The evil entity that has possessed Lord Haretake, the head of the Tsuchimikado clan, has a plan to unseal the sessho-seki stones and unleash calamity upon the land. As Konosuke hears the truth of the situation, he finally begins to realize what he’s fallen into, and what is at stake. With this new information, Konosuke, Aki, and the strange boy Bokutake set out to intercept Tsuki’s captors before they can reach the next stone. But when Takayama’s magic jar deposits Konosuke inside a gambling den, he finds himself betting with more than just his own life…
Book 6
A down-and-out samurai who can’t even hold a sword enters a strange world of magic searching for honor and redemption.
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Konosuke, Aki, and Bokutake find themselves trapped in a game of chance with a mysterious gambler, Rabbit-Eyed Tenroku, and the wager is nothing less than Tsuki’s life! Tenroku’s gift guarantees that he can’t lose, but losing is exactly what he desires the most! Why does he seek death? The answer lies in his dark past and a famine that struck the land a few years earlier. For Konosuke, cutting through the curse will require him to manifest his own gift in a way he never thought possible. Konosuke cannot wield a metal blade, but he may have a weapon stronger than steel…
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Konosuke, Aki, and Bokutake find themselves trapped in a game of chance with a mysterious gambler, Rabbit-Eyed Tenroku, and the wager is nothing less than Tsuki’s life! Tenroku’s gift guarantees that he can’t lose, but losing is exactly what he desires the most! Why does he seek death? The answer lies in his dark past and a famine that struck the land a few years earlier. For Konosuke, cutting through the curse will require him to manifest his own gift in a way he never thought possible. Konosuke cannot wield a metal blade, but he may have a weapon stronger than steel…
Book 7
A down-and-out samurai who can’t even hold a sword enters a strange world of magic searching for honor and redemption.
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Konosuke and his companions have caught up to Dosuke near the site of one of the Sessho-seki that Tsuki has just unsealed. In the presence of its evil miasma, gifts increase in power. Konosuke will need the boost, since taking down Dosuke and his sister, Katsu, will be no easy task. Katsu herself is possessed by a similar ancient and demonic entity as Haretake. To defeat it, Konosuke must wield his gift, now manifested as the icon of that which he has always sought to hold...a katana!
A down-and-out samurai named Ryudo Konosuke struggles through his hardscrabble life in early 19th-century Japan. It is said that a samurai’s spirit rests in their sword—and Konosuke can’t even pick one up thanks to a cruel curse that repels anything made of metal that gets near him. Destitute and hopeless, he decides to end it all. But when a beautiful and mysterious woman saves his life and his soul, it is the beginning of Konosuke’s journey into a strange world of magic that exists a step away from his own.
Konosuke and his companions have caught up to Dosuke near the site of one of the Sessho-seki that Tsuki has just unsealed. In the presence of its evil miasma, gifts increase in power. Konosuke will need the boost, since taking down Dosuke and his sister, Katsu, will be no easy task. Katsu herself is possessed by a similar ancient and demonic entity as Haretake. To defeat it, Konosuke must wield his gift, now manifested as the icon of that which he has always sought to hold...a katana!