House of Five Leaves
A manga and anime about a timid rōnin and a bandit group.
House of Five Leaves (さらい屋五葉, Sarai-ya Goyō) is a manga by Natsume Ono, who both wrote and illustrated it. It ran in Shogakukan’s Monthly Ikki, a seinen magazine, from November 2005 to July 2010, and its chapters were collected into eight volumes under the Ikki Comix label. In North America, Viz Media holds the distribution license. A twelve-episode anime adaptation, produced by Manglobe and helmed by writer-director Tomomi Mochizuki, aired on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block between April and July 2010. Funimation streamed it online as part of a broader deal with Fuji TV that allowed simulcasts of Noitamina series. NIS America put out a North American home video release in 2012, but the license lapsed in 2017 with no renewal planned. In 2022, RetroCrush began offering the anime with English subtitles. A spin-off manga, Kozure Dōshin, ran on Shogakukan’s Web Ikipara Comic page (part of the Ikki Paradise website) from January 2013 to June 2014, later collected into a single volume under the Ikki Comix imprint.
The story is set in Japan’s Edo period. It follows Masanosuke Akitsu, a rōnin—a masterless samurai—who is a fine swordsman but so timid that he keeps getting dismissed from jobs. One day he meets Yaichi, the charismatic head of a bandit group called the Five Leaves, who offers him work as a bodyguard. Though uneasy about the group’s activities, Masanosuke is drawn to them and accepts.
Masanosuke (Masa) Akitsu comes from a well-regarded family. His father is dead, his mother still lives on the family estate, and as the eldest son he inherited the role of household head, with a younger brother and sister. He was a loyal and skilled retainer to his shōgun, but his extreme anxiety in crowds—especially when people watch him—led his master to release him. On his uncle’s advice, he also stepped down as head of his household. Feeling out of place in his hometown, he moved to Edo (the capital before it was renamed Tokyo) and looked for bodyguard work, but demand was low, and his samurai pride made him turn down jobs he saw as beneath him. Yaichi eventually hired him to protect the Five Leaves during ransom exchanges. At first unaware of their crimes, Masanosuke later hesitated but stayed on because he needed money for himself and to send home, and because he grew curious about Yaichi’s past.
Quick Facts
- Ja Romaji
- Sarai-ya Goyō
- Genre
- Drama, martial arts
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Set during Japan's Edo period, House of Five Leaves follows Masanosuke Akitsu, a rōnin (wandering samurai) and a skilled swordsman, whose timid personality often causes him to be let go by his employers. One day, he encounters Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a group of bandits calling themselves the Five Leaves, and is offered a job as his bodyguard. Although he is worried about their intentions, Masanosuke is intrigued by the group and agrees to work with them.
The story explores the backgrounds of the Five Leaves members. Yaichi, the leader, was born as Seinoshin, adopted into a prominent family but rejected by his foster mother. He was kidnapped by a bandit named Jin on the direction of his foster mother, and eventually joined the bandits under the moniker 'Sei the Drifter.' Before the events of the story, he sold out the other bandits in an unexplained event. Other members include Matsukichi, a former lone thief who works as a spy; Umezō, a former criminal who owns a tavern where the group meets; and Otake, a former geisha whose bondage was paid off by Yaichi.
Reader's Guide
House of Five Leaves is significant as a work by Natsume Ono that blends historical Edo-period setting with character-driven drama. The manga ran for nearly five years in Monthly Ikki, a respected seinen magazine, and was collected into eight volumes. Its anime adaptation, produced by Manglobe and directed by Tomomi Mochizuki, aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina block, a programming slot known for innovative and mature anime. The series was streamed online by Funimation as part of an international deal with Fuji TV, and later licensed for home video in North America by NIS America in 2012, though the license expired in 2017 with no renewal plans. In 2022, RetroCrush began streaming the anime with English subtitles, ensuring continued accessibility. The spin-off manga Kozure Dōshin, serialized from 2013 to 2014, expanded the universe. The series is noted for its nuanced portrayal of a timid samurai and a mysterious bandit leader, exploring themes of identity, loyalty, and redemption without moral simplification.
Did You Know?
- The manga was serialized in Shogakukan's Monthly Ikki from November 2005 to July 2010.
- The anime adaptation was produced by Manglobe and directed by Tomomi Mochizuki.
- The spin-off manga Kozure Dōshin was serialized on the Web Ikipara Comic page from January 2013 to June 2014.
- The anime was streamed by Funimation as part of a deal with Fuji TV's Noitamina block.
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