Stranger: Mukou Hadan

Kotaro and his dog Tobimaru flee across Japan from Chinese pursuers whose interest in the boy goes far beyond ordinary crime. A chance encounter with a wandering swordsman called Nanashi gives Kotaro an opportunity to hire the protection he desperately needs.

Nanashi's past has led him to keep his sword sheathed, but escorting the boy draws him into a struggle shaped by political ambition and a sinister purpose for Kotaro. Among their enemies is a formidable fighter searching for a worthy opponent, making escape inseparable from the violence Nanashi hoped to leave behind.