Katana Man's Hideout

Lore & Background

The story begins when Riku Amami receives a cellphone picture from his deceased stepsister, Amane, showing a local hospital. He investigates and is attacked by electromagnetic monsters called Kanshu, which propagate through cellphone signals; hearing a specific static sound from one's phone leads to a horrific transformation into a Kanshu or a fatal infection. He is saved by two warriors, Rena and Youhei, who wield anti-Kanshu weapons known as Jinki. During the battle, Riku finds a cocoon that hatches a toddler identical to Amane. As the crisis intensifies, Riku acquires his own Jinki and is pulled into the secret organization fighting this threat. The series ran for nine years, from April 30, 2005, to May 30, 2014, and was collected into thirteen tankōbon volumes released from March 2, 2006, to September 30, 2014.

Reader's Guide

Rena Arisugawa is a serious and focused Jinki user who wields Shingetsu, a pair of trigger-gripped chakrams. After her partner's death, she teams up with Riku, developing a strong connection with him. Rena is a lost re-bound victim; her mentor vanished during a Kanshu attack that erased all memory of her hometown, Hatsumi Island. She actively searches for Riku and Neene after their disappearance.

During a major battle, she confronts a black Kanshu whose fighting style resembles her father's. Rena vanishes alongside Riku for three months following the conflict. Youhei Takebe is an optimistic Jinki user and Rena's initial partner. He first befriends Riku during a shared hospital stay. His Jinki is a short blade, a gift from his teacher that saved him from a Kanshu attack.

In a similar situation, Youhei gives his Jinki to a mortally wounded Riku. To prevent his own complete transformation into a Kanshu, he requests and receives a beheading from Riku. Takao is a Jinki Hunter and infamous mass murderer who seeks to use Neene's power to defeat the Source of Infection. He augments his own strength by utilizing the cores of Jinki users he has slain, granting him enough power to shatter Cages with a single strike.

A highly skilled katana wielder, he remains a formidable combatant even with a crippled hand. He is the master of the Coffin Princess known as Julie. Shirou Karasawa is the mysterious source of the Kanshus and the former director of F.L.A.G. He initially appears to Riku as a man in a kitsune mask, using it to confuse and recruit him. Karasawa promises to help Neene discover her origins and uses her power to awaken the Coffin Princess Ende.

He is killed by Kazama, but with his final moments, he manages to plead with Neene to stop the rampaging Ende. Tougo Kazama is a childhood friend of Riku. He recognizes Riku as Suraga and awakens to a Jinki core while being hunted by Takao. This awakening stems from an incident two months prior when a Jinki core struck him during a fire, leaving a temporary glowing scar.

A scratch on his core causes him immense pain and prevents him from materializing a proper blade, leading F.L.A.G. to construct a custom weapon for him. During a major battle, he snipes and kills Shirou Karasawa. He spends the subsequent three months training.

Did You Know?

• The series was serialized in Young King OURs from April 30, 2005, to May 30, 2014.
• Riku Amami's Jinki is a chainsaw-like sword that allows him to retain his consciousness after being transformed into a unique Kanshu.
• The series was licensed for English release in Singapore by Chuang Yi, in Australia by Madman Entertainment, and in North America by Dark Horse Comics, but the volumes were never published.